Camel – Mirage and Moonmadness Special Editions (Esoteric)

This is modern remixing done right.

Camel fans rejoice! Esoteric’s ongoing reissue series now sees a pair of deluxe expanded titles from the most classic period of their catalogue. 1974’s Mirage and 1976’s Moonmadness arrive as three-disc sets (2 CDs and 1 Blu-Ray) that feature stereo and surround remixes from acclaimed engineer Stephen W. Tayler. For those of us who were less inclined to drop wads of cash on 2023’s impossibly elaborate 32-disc(!) boxed set Air Born (which required the strength of three grown men to lift), these standalone segments prove a simpler and more budget-conscious choice, enabling fans to pick and choose favourite titles, which often include both Mirage and Moonmadness.

It’s something of a mystery why Camel were never launched into the upper tiers of the progressive rock hierarchy. While peers Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull and the like enjoyed widespread success, Camel were forever one rung down, with a respectable and loyal following but hardly destined for sellout stadium tours and strings of chart-topping, million-selling records. It certainly wasn’t a reflection of their musicianship, or even their music itself; the band’s admirers stretch to include numerous big names amongst peers classic and modern. Marillion’s Steve Rothery and Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt are both outspoken champions for example, particularly of guitarist/flautist, singer, and main man Andy Latimer, whose crying, Gilmour-esque leads are the stuff of legend within the Camel community. It certainly wasn’t a lack of inventiveness, or for lack of trying. Camel played all the right places, made the same TV appearances, and got their names in the same music magazines as their more fortunate contemporaries did. One can only speculate at this late stage and consider that the band never really had a formidable ‘front man’ presence. Latimer, excellent at what he does, did not have the stage charisma of Ian Anderson, the theatrical mystery of Peter Gabriel, or the celestial charm of Jon Anderson. And he occasionally shared lead vocal duties, first with original keyboard player Pete Bardens, and later with post-classic lineup bassist Colin Bass (yes, the bassist’s surname is Bass). But while adequately handling said duties, all three simply came across as average blokes on stage. The real magic was in the music, but sadly, that isn’t always enough to launch artists into the upper echelon. In 2025, however, none of this really matters anymore anyway.

The second and fourth albums, respectively, in the Camel catalogue are sister albums of a sort. The conceptual Snow Goose, released in 1975, was something of a sidestep, entirely instrumental and featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. A bold move, but once out of their system it was time to return to the more conventional song format for the next album. It’s interesting to compare Mirage and Moonmadness now, and consider that the esteemed Snow Goose acted as a stepping stone from the slightly rawer and more experimental prog rock strangeness of Mirage to the elegant and melodious Moonmadness.

Tayler, as he often does, deftly accents the strengths in this music and allows breathing room not always evident in old, sometimes muddy mixes. Andy Ward’s snare drum pops a little crisper, with the underrated Doug Ferguson’s basslines more evident, weaving around the drum parts in tight, interlocking patterns. The lead melodies of Bardens and Latimer are crystal clear, with dazzling sections ranging from fragile and serene to rollicking and aggressive. Latimer’s guitar notes chirp and bend, Bardens nimbly shifts from organ to Moog and back, his dazzling technique on display with literally every note (why isn’t he on more ‘Top 10’ lists?) Vocals are front and center, and easy to distinguish, but not artificially disembodied from the music. Mirage in particular benefits from the 5.1 surround mixes, with numerous sections of the two long suites given space to stretch across the channels, providing an immersive experience. And I was grinning ear-to-ear during the blazing instrumental workout of Earthrise, with Bardens’ organ and Latimer’s fiery rhythm guitar bouncing around the room. But as a longtime listener, I was just as impressed with the stereo mixes on the CDs, which sounded so much more alive than they have in the past (hi-res versions of these are also on the accompanying Blu-Ray discs alongside the surround versions). For good measure, the original mixes are included for all of the albums in this series, but I’ll be honest: I don’t foresee ever listening to them again. Tayler hasn’t altered this music in any way (thankfully), but he has improved the sound of it considerably, and one doesn’t need to be an audiophile to pick up on that. This is modern remixing done right.

Both sets boast numerous bonus tracks as well, including some remarkably accomplished-sounding demos. The recordings from Decca Studios in ’73 are particularly strong, showcasing the material the band was assembling for Mirage. In fact, almost the whole album is there in an early form, in addition to the lengthy piece The Traveller, a Uriah Heep-like track that, astonishingly, ended up dropped and never revisited. Likewise with the track Autumn, which apart from a tiny snippet of the opening ‘Cinema Show’-esque guitar part, was never used. Much of this material has been remixed from the 16-track master tapes and is not too far off finished album quality – far more appealing than your average bonus tracks tend to be. The replay factor is higher as a result, and I’ve even found a spot in a playlist for the demo version of The White Rider (closer in spirit to the way it was played live than with the pomp and grandeur of the final studio version).

Speaking of live, the Moonmadness Blu-Ray disc offers some vintage video goodies too, with two tracks from each of these albums, plus two tracks from Snow Goose, filmed live at Hammersmith Odeon on 14th April 1976. It’s a tantalizing show with the band at the top of their game, and features perhaps the finest rendition of Lunar Sea that I know of (though your mileage may vary). There are also some lovely photos and essays in the accompanying booklets.

Above all else, I was reminded just how fantastic this music really is, and has been for 50 years. Make no mistake: I knew that going in, but it’s rewarding to have such affirmation. These deserving albums continue to be uncovered by new generations of listeners while finding their way to veteran fans’ stereos with nods of approval… and maybe just a little bit of ‘Latimer face’ air guitar. For some us, this upgrade is long overdue, and with further titles from the catalogue set for release later this spring, this is not a series to miss out on. Viva Camel!