Never particularly a stand-out prog band, mainly for being relative latecomers when much progress had already been made and they were doomed to be beleaguered by comparisons.
But their twin humps of lively instrumentals and introspective concept albums are sometimes just the ticket, when you've over-listened to Pink Floyd but aren't desperate enough for Marillion. Almost uniquely for these lists, they might even have got better with age.
Here are The My 14 Top Album Camels.
14. The Single Factor (1982)
I'm not a prog snob. I like '90s Marillion, I was hoping for some catchy choruses, but these self-deprecating radio-friendly unit-shifters turned out to be as uninspired as they made them sound. It's all tolerable filler with some okay instrumental segues to save face.
Fave: End Peace
With no gimmick beyond featuring their temporary mascot (is the camel on a train? Is it crying? Dude) and only one stand-out song (that ends up being more familiar from compilations or live albums), I've never felt the need to listen to this enough for the rest to develop warm familiarity. All the same, a worthwhile addition to any weird '70s rock collection.
Fave: Never Let Go
The songs are getting longer and fewer, with more pretentious ambition and twiddly distractions. All well and good, but I've always found it strangely annoying. It wouldn't be their most annoying. It finally starts getting somewhere three and a half minutes from the end.
Fave: Lady Fantasy
A non-descript close to the decade, a few too many personnel changes or drying-up inspiration may have seen Camel stray too far into the barren wilderness, but Andy Latimer still has some melodies up his sleeve and it's nice to see the return of long songs amid those unsuccessfully seeking chart success.
Fave: Hymn to Her
10. Moonmadness (1976)
The inevitable self-indulgent follow up after a taste of success, Camel crucially remembered to keep their navel-gazing listenable. Less memorable but more relaxing than The Snow Goose, the guitar/keyboard/flute harmonies make it a pleasant listen, but more a chilled jam session than a classic album.
Fave: Song Within a Song
Finally bothering to learn what it's actually about, I have a bit more appreciation for this instrumental prog symphony, but it's still not something I'd choose to sit through. My university girlfriend unfavourably compared it to Lemmings music, and I did admittedly wake up after it put me to sleep one time wondering what the hell the noise was.
Fave: Flight of the Snow Goose
8. Stationary Traveller (1984)
The Final Cut to Nude's Wall, this is where the sound of latter-day Camel begins, which turns out to be more of an Andy Latimer solo project. Another characteristically bleak concept album, it's one of the less memorable of those as it plods sombrely on, but the glaring synth rock single was fun. Potentially a grower if I ever remembered it exists.
Fave: Cloak and Dagger Man
7. Rajaz (1999)
Returning to the never-especially-relevant thematic source, this identity crisis satisfyingly sees a little old-school prog pretension added to the same old thing. The songs are longer again, there are some nice ballads, but the extinguishing hope of there being a great Camel album out there is making this whole list feel like a waste of time.
Fave: Straight to My Heart
A suitably sombre swan song, if that's how it remains, the lack of instrumentals and old-school folk touches make it one of the more distinctive releases in an often samey discography.
Fave: For Today
Mel Collins brings saxophone and woodwind to mould the group into an easy-listening King Crimson and Brian Eno pops around for a quick tinkle. It works for me, but there's still a distinct lack of remarkable pieces amid the keyboard-drenched congeniality.
Fave: First Light
4. Dust and Dreams (1991)
Lighter and sunnier than Stationary Traveller but just as hard to remember to pay attention to as it breezes through the ears. It could almost be ambient if that pesky guitar didn't keep returning to flog its latest game show theme.
Fave: Milk N' Honey
One of the few I'd really taken to in the past (being a bit obsessed with 'Echoes' for a few days), this sees an increasingly undefined band explore new avenues at the cost of distinctiveness. But it's not like they were a favourite in the first place, keep seeking.
Fave: Echoes
Back to their calling, there's a sense of "if you liked The Wall..." in this largely instrumental narrative's concise, scenic sketches, the main distinction being its sparse vocals that heighten the isolation and make the whole thing more grounded than The Snow Goose. It's close to being a classic, maybe it needed more Japanese flavour.
Fave: City Life
A relaxing, thoughtful, atmospheric voyage on a sea of indulgent guitar lamentation, this was the first one I heard and still my favourite David Gilmour album.
Fave: Send Home the Slates
