CAMEL - CLASSIC PROG 'THE SNOW GOOSE' NM PROMO BEAUTIFUL SONIC SOUNDSCAPES!

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The Snow Goose Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

COURTESY OF ALLMUSIC.COM

Camel's classic period started with The Snow Goose, an instrumental concept album based on a novella by Paul Gallico. Although there are no lyrics on the album -- two songs feature wordless vocals -- the music follows the emotional arc of the novella's story, which is about a lonely man named Rhayader who helps nurse a wounded snow goose back to health with the help of a young girl called Fritha he recently befriended. Once the goose is healed, it is set free, but Fritha no longer visits the man because the goose is gone. Later, Rhayader is killed in battle during the evacuation of Dunkirk. The goose returned during the battle, and it is then named La Princesse Perdue, symbolizing the hopes that can still survive even during the evils of war. With such a complex fable to tell, it is no surprise that Camel keep their improvisational tendencies reined in, deciding to concentrate on surging, intricate soundscapes that telegraph the emotion of the piece without a single word. And even though The Snow Goose is an instrumental album, it is far more accessible than some of Camel's later work, since it relies on beautiful sonic textures instead of musical experimentation.

Camel – The Snow Goose

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Label: Janus Records – JXS 7016 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Promo Country: US Released: Apr 1975 Genre: Rock Style: Prog Rock

Tracklist

A1 The Great Marsh 2:01 A2 Rhayader 3:02 A3 Rhayader Goes To Town 5:20 A4a Sanctuary 2:27 A4b Fritha A5 The Snow Goose 3:11 A6a Friendship 5:39 A6b Migration A6c Rhayader Alone B1 Flight Of The Snow Goose 2:43 B2 Preparation 3:55 B3 Dunkirk 5:25 B4a Epitaph 3:40 B4b Fritha Alone B5 La Princesse Perdue 4:53 B6 The Great Marsh 1:22

Companies, etc.

• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – GRT Corporation
• Recorded At – Island Studios
• Overdubbed At – Decca Studios
• Mixed At – Island Studios
• Published By – Peter Bardens Songs
• Published By – Andy Latimer Songs
• Record Company – Chess/Janus Records
• Pressed By – GRT Record Pressing

Credits

• Arranged By [Orchestral Arrangements By] – David Bedford
• Bass, Performer [Duffle Coat] – Doug Ferguson
• Coordinator [Co-ordinator] – Geoff Jukes
• Design [Sleeve Design By] – Modula (2)
• Drums, Vibraphone [Vibes], Percussion [Varispeed Percussion] – Andy Ward (2)
• Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Flute, Vocals [Vocalist] – Andy Latimer*
• Engineer [Assistant Engineer (Decca Studios)] – Graham Meek, John Burns (2), Paul Cooper (4)
• Engineer [Assistant Engineer (Island Studios)] – Robert Ash, Rod Thear
• Engineer [Assistant Engineer (Island Studios)], Remix [Re-mix Engineer] – Rhett Davies
• Organ, Organ [Pipe Organ], Synthesizer [Mini Moog, Arp Odyssey], Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic] – Peter Bardens
• Other [Equipment] – Davey Bryson, Skin
• Other [Ginseng By] – Allen Mason
• Other [Sanity By] – Max Hole, Richard Thomas
• Performer [Camel Are] – Andy Latimer*, Andy Ward (2), Doug Ferguson, Peter Bardens
• Producer – David Hitchcock
• Written-By – Andy Latimer*, Peter Bardens

Notes

Produced for Gama Records and GRT Corporation.
Some overdubs recorded at Decca Studios.

All song published by: Peter Bardens Songs, BMI and Andy Latimer Songs, BMI

℗ 1975 GRT Corporation
Chess/Janus Records, a division of GRT Corporation, New York, N.Y.

Also available on GRT Music Tapes.

A = Side One, B = Side Two

"Rhayader", "Rhayader Goes To Town", "Rhayader Alone" appears on sleeve, "Rhavader", "Rhavader Goes To Town", "Rhavader Alone" appears on label.

Doug's duffle coat, mentioned in the credits, was used by Latimer and Ferguson to simulate a flapping of wings by waving it in the air.

"The Snow Goose" is based on the novella "The Snow Goose" written by Paul Gallico in 1941.

Later issues include "Music Inspired By" on the cover due to Paul Gallico's publishers had threatened to put a court injunction on the album.

Scene descriptions as they appear on back of sleeve:

"The Great Marsh"
Just before dawn till sunrise.

"Rhayader"
He lives in an old lighthouse on the Essex marshes, caring for the wild birds.

"Rhayader Goes to Town"
The townsfolk react coldly towards Rhayader because of his odd appearance. But their fear is mixed with curiosity for he has a noble bearing.

"Sanctuary"
The Snow Goose swept off course by a sea storm just reaches the Essex coast. Fritha finds her exhausted and wounded on the beach and gently cradles her, for she has heard that nearby lives a man who is a great healer of birds.

"Fritha"
When she meets Rhayader she too is frightened, but her concern for the Snow Goose overcomes her fear.

"Friendship"
While the Snow Goose gradually gains strength, tended to by Rhayader and visited by Fritha, a strong bond of affection grows between the three of them.

"Rhayader Alone"
With the departure of the Snow Goose, Fritha no longer visits the lighthouse and Rhayader is once more alone with the melancholy sounds of the marshes.

"The Flight of the Snow Goose"
One day high above the horizon appears the familiar shape of the great white bird. Rhayader in his joy sends for Fritha.

"Preparation"
Rhayader gets ready to sail, together with the small Armada of other boats to help in the desperate rescue operation at Dunkirk.

"Dunkirk"
As Rhayader departs, leaving Fritha behind he cannot prevent the Snow Goose following him out across the channel and right into the heart of battle.

"Epitaph"
Rhayader ferries many stranded soldiers to safety until at last he is hit, and the Snow Goose is seen circling low over the spot where the little boat has gone down.

"La Princesse Perdue"
Fritha realizing somehow that Rhayader will not return and is still looking out to sea when she spies the Snow Goose. She is filled with a sweet sadness as she follows her princess home in as if to land only to fly away, out of sight lost forever.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Rights Society: BMI
• Pressing Plant ID (In runouts): GRT
• Matrix / Runout (Label, Side One): (JXS 7016 A)
• Matrix / Runout (Label, Side Two): (JXS 7016 B)
• Matrix / Runout (Runout, Side One): JXS-7016-A GRT [10775 (inside long U shape)] MS /.\/\/
• Matrix / Runout (Runout, Side Two): JXS-7016-B GRT [10775 (inside long U shape)] MS /.\/\/