Thursday 3 November 2011

Day 48: Camel - Mirage

Dear Nathaniel,

Hello my angel. I can't believe it's been over two months since you were born now, I miss you every day and I'm not sure when it will start to get easier, but I'll be strong for you. Been playing some games recently, it's been a long time since I've been able to enjoy video games like I used to when I was younger but it's nice, at least for the sake of nostalgia. Whenever I am having any fun I can feel you there with me Nathaniel, and that's especially nice.

We're listening to Camel's second album right now. I really love the first four Camel albums, they always have something new to hear and that's one of the great things about this type of music. It never gets boring to listen to over and over again. Andrew Latimer's flute playing is very nice, and it's always cool to have that instrument incorporated into rock music such as with Jethro Tull. I think the reason I chose this album over the other three was because of the final track on this album being the height of their work, but I can discuss that when we get to it.

Camel often meander along with their music resulting in something that is very pleasant to listen to but often quite difficult to define. I suppose there can be said to be a lack of direction in general, at least until the Snow Goose but it really doesn't let them down to a massive extent. It's hard to find fault at any rate with how they did make their music. It lacks impact, but that's not why you'd listen to Camel anyways. It puts me in mind of jazz, or at least how I feel when I listen to jazz, it's something that's nice to relax too, but there's always something extra under the surface if you want to really engage with the music.

I think the reason why I like Lady Fantasy so much is because of how well it defines itself from the rest of the album. Obviously it's the longest track on the album, but not only that but it really grabs the attention of the listener and it's always a joy to experience. But unlike most other longish prog songs it lacks any real buildup to climax moment .

I love you my angel Nathaniel, goodnight.

Love from Dad.

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Day 47: Genesis - Selling England by the Pound

Dear Nathaniel,

I have to start with saying how sorry I am that I haven't been able to play music for you for over a week. I've just been too ill to do it in this capacity. Of course I've still spoken to you every day and I think of you constantly. I've really missed being able to do this with you, I should have been updating a couple of days ago but I suffered some technology related setbacks and had to sort those out before I was able to listen with you.

I think when it comes to quality, this is the finest Genesis album musically. It's also the album I enjoy the most of the three, but only barely. It starts out amazingly with Dancing with the Moonlit Knight and never really dips after that. This album marks a further change towards a more poppy sound from Genesis, of course that is poppy for someone who listens to a lot of Progressive Rock, so it's not to say Genesis were producing anything remotely pop. They were however incorporating hooks and catchy vocals into their music to some extent.

There is, as mentioned before a misconception about what Progressive Rock actually is, the goal wasn't to make music unlistenable at all. It was to experiment and change the face of popular music as it stood, of course it failed spectacularly to change popular music into something more complex in the mainstream but a lot of prog ideas carried over into a lot of modern music. And it resulted in an amazing collection of great albums along the way.

I've already shown you some of the great prog classics, but rest assured there is a lot more where that came from, in an incredible range of different styles. Not only that but we can also build in the bands that I have already introduced you to, but I feel like that will come later. Every now and then I might do an album from a band we've heard before but unless there is some band I feel quite strongly about playing consecutive albums of it won't happen again for awhile.

Ooh I think I just found out what I'll play you tomorrow, we'll play some Camel to ease us back into the Canterbury scene before venturing off into the world that is jazz fusion. I'm not sure exactly which album as a Camel fan I have four greats to chose from. The rest of their albums I have never given much attention to other than cursory listens. I have heard some good things about their latest two efforts and I might give them a listen soon too to see if it's something I should share further with you.

I love the thrill of listening to something I haven't heard before and really enjoying it. Also I said Tomorrow, but it will probably be later on today. I will be playing lots of music to you in the next few days to catch up, hopefully at least two albums a day. This albums makes me so happy, even if the theme of the album is quite angry and even more relevant to society today. But it's hard to not just sit back and smile when the music is this good.

There's something really special about music that is able to capture emotions like this, and it's not like its commonplace, at least not anymore. I find it difficult to listen to albums that don't have some type of influence on emotion, good music really should be able to, in some way, affect how you're feeling. Of course it's easy to pump people up and make them excited, but it's an art to do it really well. Other emotions are more difficult to capture, but Genesis certainly do their best, and with pretty good results.

I love you my angel, I've really missed being able to do this, and I'm so glad that I'm finally able to again. I hope you're okay with the increase in music for the next little while. I might even play you Comus soon, that album is really scary. Goodnight Nathaniel.

Love from Dad.