Traffic (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Traffic
Type = Album
Artist = Traffic


Released = October 1968
Recorded = Island Studios, London, England
Genre = jazz rock, art rock
Length = 40:24
Label = Island
United Artists
Polydor
Producer = Jimmy Miller
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rktvad8kv8w5 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/traffic/albums/album/88400/review/5941283/traffic link]
Last album = "Mr. Fantasy"
(1967)
This album = "Traffic"
(1968)
Next album = "Last Exit"
(1969)

"Traffic" was the eponymous rock album by the English rock band Traffic, ranging in style from psychedelic rock to acid jazz. It was their second release, in October 1968; it reached number 9 in the UK album charts on 26th October 1968, and reached number 17 in the "Billboard" charts in the United States. [ [http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=1942 Chart Stats] ]

Overview

After their debut album, "Mr. Fantasy", Traffic planned a more mainstream album, possibly with fewer drug references and psychedelic influences. Before they began recording, they decided to reinstate Dave Mason. Mason ended up writing and singing half of the songs on the album, making very little contribution to the other half. [According to the credits on the original LP package, all Mason played on the Winwood/Capaldi songs was harmonica at the end of track 2 and organ on track 9. Backing vocals were not credited, so he may have done some of these on track 4.]

Chris Wood's flute playing on the album was compared to that of Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, who is often thought of as the most famous rock flautist of all time.

Following the release of "Traffic", the band embarked upon a tour of the United States but shortly thereafter fired Mason. At the conclusion of the tour, at the beginning of 1969, Winwood announced the breakup of Traffic. Winwood joined supergroup Blind Faith while the remaining members of Traffic (including Mason) worked on a project called Wooden Frog which never recorded an album. In 1970, Winwood reunited with Capaldi and Wood to release "John Barleycorn Must Die".

Track listing

#"You Can All Join In" (Mason) – 3:34
#"Pearly Queen" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 4:20
#"Don't Be Sad" (Mason) – 3:24
#"Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 3:11
#"Feelin' Alright" (Mason) – 4:16
#"Vagabond Virgin" (Capaldi/Mason) – 5:21
#"Forty Thousand Headmen" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:15
#"Cryin' to Be Heard" (Mason) – 5:14
#"No Time to Live" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 5:10
#"Means to an End" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 2:39
#:Bonus tracks from UK 2000 CD release:
#"Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 2:45
#"Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:36
#"Withering Tree" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 2:57
#"Medicated Goo" (Miller/Winwood) – 3:39
#"Shanghai Noodle Factory" (Capaldi/Fallon/Miller/Winwood/Wood) – 5:03

Other versions

The bonus tracks on the new U.S. remastered version differ from the U.K. re-issue. The U.S. bonus tracks are "Withering Tree" (stereo), and rare mono single mixes of "You Can All Join In" and "Feelin' Alright". The 2000 re-masters were assisted by Jim Capaldi.

Personnel

*Jim Capaldi - drums, percussion, backing vocals, album design
*Dave Mason - guitar, bass guitar, sitar, organ, vocals
*Steve Winwood - Keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals
*Chris Wood - flute, saxophone, percussion
*Jimmy Miller - producer
*Terry Brown, Eddie Kramer, Glyn Johns, Brian Humphries - engineers
*Richard Polak - photography

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kpfuxq95ldke Traffic's "Traffic"] at allmusic.com
* [http://www.jimcapaldi.com/Trafficalbum.htm "Traffic" at JimCapaldi.com]
* [http://music.com/release/traffic/1/ "Traffic"] at Music.com

References