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Posts tagged Jim Capaldi
Alvin Lee & Mylon LeFevre – On the Road to Freedom (1973) (@256)
22 Feb 2010
(Review from amazon)
Alvin Lee known for his lightning fast licks on guitar, soulful bluesy tunes and amazing live performances throws us a curve ball with his first solo album. Much more mellow and melodic than his work with Ten Years After, but with great feeling and depth. He shares the vocalist duties with American gospel singer Mylon LeFevre and Mylon also belts out some very nice songs of his own.
Each song utilizes the various noteworthy musicians (including the entire Traffic cast), with Alvin Lee playing guitar on almost all of the tunes. It has a variety of music styles as well, with a very country tune “Funny”, to an almost gospel like tune “Lay me Back” to a very nice traditional rock and roll jam “Rockin’ Til The Sun Goes Down”. The title track is a deceptively simple prime cut with its searing guitar, solid drumming, tasteful piano, a rousing melody.
The combination of Alvin Lee’s fabulous talent and that unmistakable voice of Mylon LeFevre make an interesting album.
Line-up:
- Alvin Lee / guitar, bass, sitar, vocals
- Mylon LeFevre / 12-string guitar, bass, percussion, vocals
with
- George Harrison / guitar, slide guitar, bass, back vocals
- Ron Wood / 12-string guitar, bass, drums
- Steve Winwood / piano
- Tim Hinkley / piano, organ, background vocals
- Boz Burrell / bass, background vocals
- Bob Black / steel guitar
- Andy Stein / fiddle
- Jim Capaldi / drums
- Reebop Kwaku Baah / congas
- Mick Fleetwood / drums
- Ian Wallace / drums
- Mike Patto / percussion, back vocals
Track List:
01. On the Road to Freedom – 4:15
02. The World Is Changing (I Got a Woman Back in Georgia) – 2:47
03. So Sad (No Love of His Own) – 4:36
04. Fall Angel – 3:22
05. Funny – 2:50
06. We Will Shine – 2:39
07. Carry My Load – 3:00
08. Lay Me Back – 2:55
09. Let ‘Em Say What They Will – 2:54
10. I Can’t Take It – 2:53
11. Riffin – 3:33
12. Rockin’ Til the Sun Goes Down – 3:10
13. So Sad (No Love of His Own) (Bonus Single) – 3:00
Link in comments.
Traffic – Far From Home (1994) (@256)
19 Dec 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
In 1994, founding members Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi reunited under the name of Traffic. Chris Wood had sadly passed away over 10 years previously. Both Winwood and Capaldi had enjoyed a measure of solo success, with Winwood in particular having briefly flirted with superstardom through a series of dance friendly singles.
“Far From Home” though while bearing the clear trademarks of Winwood’s solo work, also draws upon the influences which could be found on Traffic’s releases through the years. Winwood is of course the dominant partner, playing virtually all the instruments with the exception of the percussion, and providing all the lead vocals. With the significant passing of time between the 1974 album “When The Eagle Flies” and this 1994 release, there is inevitably a noticeable maturing of sound and style here. For one thing, Winwood has long since discovered and exploited synthesisers. His familiar organ tones can still be heard but they can be overlaid with the rhythmic sounds of synths, such as on the opening “Riding High”.
It is hard to place this album among the myriad of styles covered by Traffic. It is certainly far more accessible than the band’s jazz orientated work around the time of “Low Spark…” and “Shootout…”, but it isn’t also alongside their early Dave Mason driven pop songs. Perhaps the closest album in terms of style is “John Barleycorn…”, although even here, the folk influences are largely absent now.
“Here Comes The Man” features a fine vocal performance by Winwood, along the lines of that on “Every Mother’s Son”. The track lacks the fine lengthy instrumental break of that song, but does nevertheless feature the familiar organ sound. The 8˝ minute title track is the longest on the album. It takes us closer to the relaxed “Low Spark…” style, while remaining tight and rhythmic. The track features some striking guitar work by Winwood.
The standout track for me is “Holy Ground”, an atmospheric Celtic influenced piece of pure magic. Winwood’s voice never sounded better than it does here, the Uilleann pipes of Davy Spillane (who receives a composition credit) complementing his tones superbly.
The sequence of tracks from “Some Kinda Woman” through “Every Night, Every Day” to “This Train Won’t Stop” could have been lifted directly from one of Winwood’s solo albums. They are pop/funk/rock numbers with synth rhythms. The next song of note is the delicate ballad “State of Grace”. The song features some fine traditional organ sounds, with Winwood delivering the sort of song which suits his voice best.
The album closes with “Mozambique”, the last song to ever grace a Traffic album. In true Traffic tradition, this instrumental is something of a surprise, sounding more like an outtake from a Santana album than a Traffic original.
History now records that this was the last album of original material to bear the Traffic name. A further planned recording by Winwood and Capaldi in 2004 was aborted when Capaldi was diagnosed with cancer, and sadly he passed away the following year. Both he and Winwood can be proud that they created a fine epitaph for a great band.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / drums, percussion, vocals
- Mick Dolan / rhythm guitar
- Davy Spillane / Uilleann pipes
- Steve Winwood / guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals
Track List:
01. Riding High – 5:33
02. Here Comes a Man – 5:08
03. Far From Home – 8:36
04. Nowhere Is Their Freedom – 7:00
05. Holy Ground – 7:50
06. Some Kinda Woman – 5:28
07. Every Night, Every Day – 5:32
08. This Train Won’t Stop – 5:26
09. State Of Grace – 7:18
10. Mozambique – 4:24
Links in comments.
Kayak – Periscope of Life (1980) (@256)
23 Aug 2008
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Periscope life” is another competent collection of pop based songs, with simplistic structures, and straight forward instrumentation. The diversity of previous albums is maintained, perhaps even enhanced, although the 10CC/City Boy similarities are still very much to the fore.
There’s a bit more emphasis on funkier sounds this time, especially on the Jim Capaldi like “Stop that song”, the prosaic “Beggars can’t be choosers”, and the Billy Joel pop of the title track. The album improves substantially towards the end, the final four tracks being the most notable.
The instrumental “Lost blue of Chartres” has some fine Tony Banks like piano, while “Anne” moves through various atmospheres including medieval, stage show, and a sing-along 60’s sad ballad sound. “One way or another” is reminiscent of “Stackridge”, leading to the Bees Gees/Hollies influenced closing ballad “Sad to say farewell”. The orchestration and simple guitar solo on this track serve to enhance the retro pop atmosphere.
The overall feel is of a band playing so far within themselves, they redefine the meaning of the word introvert.
Line-up:
- Edward Reekers / lead vocals
- Peter Scherpenzeel / bass
- Ton Scherpenzeel / keyboards, backing vocals
- Johan Slager / guitars, backing vocals
- Max Werneer / drums, percussion, backing vocals
with
- Jim Gordon / saxophone
- Jim Price / horns
- Peggy Sandwig / backing vocals
- Katherine Lapthorn / backing vocals
- Irene Linders / backing vocals
Track List:
01. Astral Aliens – 3:40
02. What’s in a Name – 4:10
03. Stopthatsong – 3:16
04. If You Really Need Me Now – 4:16
05. Periscope Life – 3:26
06. Beggars Can’t Be Choosers – 4:40
07. The Sight – 4:01
08. Lost Blue of Chartres – 3:36
09. Anne – 4:20
10. Oneway or Another – 3:21
11. Sad to Say Farewell – 4:26
12. Theme from Spelters (Part II) (Bonus) – 2:20
13. Ivory Dance (Bonus) – 1:56
Link in comments.
Traffic – The Last Great Traffic Jam (Live 1994) (@Video)
12 Dec 2007
(Review from concertdvdreviews.com, progarchives.com)
The Last Great Traffic Jam is a documentary of Traffic’s 1994 reunion tour and features original members Winwood and Jim Capaldi joined by Randall Bramblett (woodwinds, keys), Walfredo Reyes Jr. (percussion, drums), Mike McEvoy (guitar, keys), and one-time Traffic bassist Rosko Gee, who had played on their final album “When The Eagle Flies”.
Capaldi and Winwood’s performances show them enjoying playing together again. The other members of the band are very good musicians but Chris Wood’s presence and playing on stage is obviously missed. The line-up is very good though, particularly Cuban percussionist Walfredo Reyes Jr. playing style sounds better adapted to Traffic’s music. Sax & flute player Randall Bramblett is a very good and professional musician, and it is obvious that he knew that replacing Chris Wood wasn’t going to be an easy thing to do, so he plays in his own style without trying to copy Wood’s.
The eleven song setlist was disappointingly short, but the song choices provided an excellent overview of the various styles of music you will find in this band’s eclectic catalogue, including psychedelic rock, melodic pop, English folk, R&B, and the occasional hints of jazz. Every Traffic album, except 1973′s Shoot Out The Fantasy Factory, was represented here by at least one song, and every one of these classic old songs sounds fresh and rejuvenated. Steve Winwood has never sounded better, both vocally and on the guitar, which was his instrument of choice throughout most of the concert. He only occasionally took to the Hammond B3 and piano.
For many of the shows on this tour, Traffic opened up for the Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia returned the favor by lending his guitar to the song, which the Dead had practically made their own, “Dear Mr. Fantasy”.
The only downside of this video is that the concert video footage (not the audio) is occasionally interrupted with special effects and images. Just plainly showing the incredible performances of this legendary band would have been more than enough.
Video : Xvid, 720×480, 29.97 fps
Audio : MP3, 224.0 kbit/s
Total Runtime : 103 min
Line-up:
* Steve Winwood / Vocals, guitars, piano, organs
* Jim Capaldi / Vocals, percussions, drums
* Rosko Gee / bass
* Randall Bramblett / winds
* Mike McEvoy / keys, guitars
* Walfredo Reyes Jr / percussions, drums
with
* Jerry Garcia / guitar on Dear Mr Fantasy
Track List:
01. Pearly Queen
02. Medicated Goo
03. Mozambique
04. 40,000 Headmen
05. Glad
06. Walking In The Wind
07. Low Spark
08. Light up
09. Dear Mr Fantasy
10. John Barleycorn
11. Gimme Some Lovin’
Links in comments.
Traffic – When the Eagle Flies (1974) (@192)
29 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
“When the eagle flies” was recorded by Traffic after their creative peak. It has the sound of a band rather going through the motions of making one of several “final” albums. The line up consists of Winwood, Capaldi and Wood, joined by Rosko Gee on bass, the band going on to break up after the promotional tour. All but one of the songs are written by Winwood and Capaldi, the sole exception being the 11 minute “Dream Gerrard”, which Winwood wrote, with Viv Stanshall (Bonzo’s) supplying the lyrics.
After an upbeat opener “Something New” which ironically harks back to the band’s early days, we are quickly into the lengthy, relaxed tones of “Dream Gerrard”. While the song has a rather disjointed feel, with long jazz based improvisations, there is some glorious mellotron which lifts the piece considerably. Yes, it could have been much better, but after a few listens it does begin to reveal its underlying beauty.
For me, “Walking in the Wind” is the best of the bunch. Steve Winwood supplies some superb organ on a track which would have fitted in well on the “John Barleycorn Must Die” album. The strong melody and fine vocal performance set the song apart on the album, and render it one of the band’s finest tracks.
The remaining tracks are rather ordinary, low key affairs, with continuing jazz tinges. The closing title track has some decent organ again, but the meandering melody spoils a decent vocal performance.
In all, a mixed bag of an album, but it does grow with each listen (as a good prog album should). Jim Capaldi’s lyrics are worthy of note, as is Steve Winwood’s vocal and keyboard contribution. A few stronger melodies, and some more dynamic production and this could have been a fine swansong.
Traffic disbanded after the promotional tour of the album.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / drums, keyboards, vocals
- Steve Winwood / guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Chris Wood / flute, saxophone
- Rosko Gee / bass guitar
Track List:
01. Something New (3:16)
02. Dream Gerrard (11:02)
03. Graveyard People (6:05)
04. Walking In The Wind (6:51)
05. Memories Of A Rock’n'Rolla (4:49)
06. Love (3:13)
07. When The Eagle Flies (4:23)
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Traffic – On the Road (Live 1973) (@320)
28 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
It is hard to criticise this incredible live album negatively at all. For me one of the top progressive live albums to come out of the 70′s. Remember Yessongs, Second’s Out and also Ricochet by Tangerine Dream, On The Road sits proudly up there with these gems and it was a double LP release. The musicians worked brilliantly together with Reebop Kwaku Baah back in the percussive fold. Here we have “jamming” at it’s absolute best. “Glad / Freedom Rider” the opener is 20 minutes of mesmerizing sound. Being live the tracks have been lengthened to accomodate for the apty titled On The Road, “Light Up Or Leave Me Alone” is another great track as is the live version of the much debated “(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired” but for me the highpoint is the seventeen minutes of “Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys”. As I said all the instrument playing is of exceptional quality but Chris Wood’s sax and flute needs a special mention too. Not an album to ignore especially if you are fond of those great 70′s live albums.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, percussion, drums
- Steve Winwood / vocals, guitar, piano
- Chris Wood / saxophone, flute
- Reebop Kwaku Baah / percussion
- Roger Hawkins / drums
- David Hood / bass
- Barry Beckett / keyboards
Track List:
01. Glad / Freedom Rider (20:49)
02. Tragic Magic (8:30)
03. (Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired (10:20)
04. Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory (6:40)
05. Light Up Or Leave Me Alone (10:30)
06. Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys (17:35)
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Traffic – Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory (1973) (@224)
28 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
After “Low Sparks of High Heels” album once again, personnel problems wracked the band as Capaldi began a solo career and Grech and Gordon left the band. Following Winwood’s recovery from a long case of peritonitis, Traffic’s sixth studio album Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory was another hit, recorded in 1973 with drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood taking Gordon and Grech’s former spots.
This album for me represents Traffic at their peak. It was 1973 and progressive music was at an all time high where many progressive bands were receiving similar accolades for their respective musical abilities. Although commonly overlooked as a band this album in retrospect was their finest 40 minutes excluding their incredible live ‘On The Road’ album.The opening title track get’s the band quickly into second and third gear with an almost perfect song. Even better is to follow with the marching ” Roll Right Stones”. Eleven minutes of progressive, jazz, rock fusion at it’s best. These guys knew how to jam and it shows even on the studio albums, and although they had experienced some personnel changes the creative force mainly driven by the late Jim Capaldi and Steve Winwood was alive and well on Shoot Out Of The Fantasy Factory.” Tragic Magic” is another great piece of music but for me the climax of the album is the aptly titled, ” ( Sometimes I feel So ) Uninspired” This by all accounts is not one of Traffic’s most popular songs, the reasons are lost to me. Maybe it is because it is downright depressing in nature, but hey that is what the song is about.
Line-up:
* Steve Winwood – vocals, guitar, piano, organ
* Chris Wood – saxophone, flute
* Jim Capaldi – vocals, percussion
* David Hood – bass
* Roger Hawkins – drums
* Reebop Kwaku Baah – percussion
Track List:
01. Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory – 6:05
02. Roll Right Stones – 11:46
03. Evening Blue – 5:19
04. Tragic Magic – 6:43
05. (Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired – 7:19
Link in comments.
Traffic – 1971-10-14 (Bootleg) (@256)
27 Apr 2007
Traffic
Boston Music Hall
Boston, Massachussetttes
1971-10-14
Line-up:
- Steve Winwood / vocals, guitar, piano, organ
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, percussion
- Rick Grech / violin, bass
- Chris Wood / flute, saxophone
- Jim Gordon / drums
- Reebop Kwaku Baah / percussion
Track List:
01. Medicated Goo
02. Light Up
03. Glad
04. Freedom Rider
05. Hidden Treasure
06. John Barleycorn Must Die
07. Rock ‘n’ Roll Stew
08. Many a Mile to Freedom
09. Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
10. Gimme Some Lovin’
Links in comments.
Traffic – Low Spark of the High Heeled Boys (1971) (@320)
26 Apr 2007
(Review from amazon.com, progarchives.com)
Following the (yet again) departure of Mason, Traffic released a new studio album. “Low Spark of the High Heeled Boys” was a big change from thequiet, largely acoustic flavour of Traffic’s reunion album “John Barleycorn Must Die”. Although the gentle opening track,”Hidden Treasure”, and the meandering, mellow closer, “Rainmaker”, were in keeping with the pastoral vibe of the previous record, sandwiched in between those are several increasingly aggressive and lyrically sour songs about that evergreentopic–life in a rock & roll band.
The venality of the business gets a workout in the 12-minute title track, a slow-building jazz-rock groove that starts with a sense of quiet menace and ends with a pealing, distorted guitar solo, with one of Steve Winwood’s most impassioned and lengthy organ solos at the song’s heart. “Rock & Roll Stew” and Jim Capaldi’s sneering putdown “Light Up or Leave Me Alone” are even more forceful, with only the groovy ecological message of “Manya Mile to Freedom” lightening the mood — even that song rocks harder than anything on “John Barleycorn Must Die”, though.
There is a lot of percussion on this record, provided by Jim Capaldi, Jim Gordon and the African percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah, the latter adding a pinch of exotic spice to the whole.This is a mellow, rather laid-back album, but one which is deceptively easy on the ear, as it needs repeated listens to be really appreciated in full.
Line-up:
- Steve Winwood / vocals, guitar, piano, organ
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, percussion
- Rick Grech / violin, bass
- Chris Wood / flute, saxophone
- Jim Gordon / drums
- Reebop Kwaku Baah / percussion
Track List:
01. Hidden Treasure (4:16)
02. The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys (12:10)
03. Rock & Roll Stew (4:29)
04. Many A Mile To Freedom (7:12)
05. Light Up Or Leave Me Alone (4:53)
06. Rainmaker (7:39)
Link in comments.
Traffic – Welcome to the Canteen (1971) (@224)
25 Apr 2007
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
Steve Winwood was still contracted to Island for 2 more albums, and the following year, he started work on a solo album, calling in Wood and Capaldi to assist. The Traffic name was quickly resurrected, and the album “John Barleycorn Must Die” released. For many, this is Traffic’s best album. While the title is taken from a traditional folk song, the music is a wonderful blend of prog, jazz, rock, and folk.
Traffic went on to expand its lineup in 1971. Various subsequent line up additions and changes took place, including another return by Mason. They also added Ric Grech (ex-Family, Blind Faith) on bass, drummer Jim Gordon (ex-Derek and the Dominos) and percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah. The live album “Welcome To The Canteen” offers a good summary of their work during this period.
“Welcome to the Canteen” is a surprising live album which recapitulates some of the memorable songs previously released by the band. The record itself sounds great, very energic, sometimes suggesting jazz to folk rock instrumentations. As usual, Steve Winwood engaged himself in the most fruitful side of the performance, conducting voice / organ / guitar parts. In this live session he is perfectly accompanied by Dave Mason’s solid guitar playing. The performance begins with a nervous pop / rock composition followed by the very emotional, sensitive ballad “Sad and Deep as You”, essentially played on acoustic instruments. “Gimme some lovin” which closes the album is a faster, more aggressive rock & roll tune, very efficient. My favourite songs on the record are the guitar folk sounding tune “Shouldn’t have took More…” and the very classic epic tune “Dear Mr Fantasy”. Deeply inspired and musically achieved, this album is more than tolerable.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, tambourine, percussion
- Jim Gordon / drums
- Rick Grech / bass
- Dave Mason / vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar
- Reebop Kwaku Baah / congas, timbales, bongos
- Steve Winwood / vocals, organ, electric piano, guitar
- Chris Wood / saxophones, flute, electric piano, organ
Track List:
01. Medicated Goo (3:34)
02. Sad and Deep as You (3:48)
03. Forty Thousand Headmen (6:21)
04. Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave (5:39)
05. Dear Mr. Fantasy (10:57)
06. Gimme Some Lovin’ (9:02)
Link in comments.
Dave Mason – Alone Together (1970) (@256)
24 Apr 2007
(Review from Rolling Stones Magazine, 1970)
Former Traffic member Dave Mason’s Alone Together is a good album — careful, well played, occasionally brilliant and well-conceived but it never breaks its vinyl bonds and soars.
The songwriting talent of Mason remains undiminished on Alone Together, and his easy fluid voice, long in Traffic vocalist Stevie Winwood’s giant shadow, is used to maximum effect.
The music is vintage Mason, veering here and there towards commercialism but never quite getting there, slick but not offensive. Falling in line with the rest of Great Britain, Mason chose old Delaney and Bonnie sidemen for the session, including Leon Russell, Jim Keltner, Carl Radle and Rita Coolidge, plus old Mother Don Preston. Russell, as always, is much in evidence, and his piano (if it is him — the album doesn’t say and we have only internal evidence), particularly on “Sad and Deep As You,” is masterful.
The high point of the album is clearly “Look at You Look at Me,” a song Mason wrote with Trafficker Jim Capaldi, whose tight, urgent drumming on the cut moves the song along with descretion and skill. Mason’s singing is simply superb. The other exceptional cuts are “Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave” (Mason is not, between you and me, a great song titlist), which features the best wah-wah guitar since Clapton’s initial exposition on “Tales of Brave Ulysses”; and “World in Changes,” with Mason’s deceptively simple lyrics pulled along by some brilliant organ work.
High commercial potential on the album is represented by “Only You Know and I Know,” which has a rick-ticky rhythm reminiscent of “You Can All Join In.” It’s really a trivial song (like others on the album, particularly “Waitin’ On You” and “Just A Song”), but it will sound great on a tinny AM radio at 60 miles an hour.
But the album is more potential than realization. It is, in a very real sense, flawless, but, as Paul McCartney is beginning to learn, great music is much better than flawless music.
Track List:
01. Only You Know And I Know
02. Can’t Stop Worrying, Can’t Stop Loving
03. Waitin’ On You
04. Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave
05. World In Changes
06. Sad And Deep As You
07. Just A Song
08. Look At You Look At Me
Link in comments.
Traffic – Last Exit (1969) (@320)
23 Apr 2007
(Info from wikipedia)
After their second album was released, the band began touring the U.S. in late 1968. During the tour, Mason was fired and Winwood announced the band’s breakup.
Last Exit, released in May 1969, was a collection of odds and ends put together by Island Records after the initial breakup of the band.
“Just For You” was previously released in February 1968 as a Dave Mason solo B-side. (The A-side was called “Little Woman”.) This was after Mason left Traffic the first time, following Mr. Fantasy. Conveniently for its use on this album, the other members of Traffic backed up Mason on this track.
“Medicated Goo” & “Shanghai Noodle Factory” were the A- and B- sides, respectively, of a December 1968 single. Mason does not appear on these tracks.
“Something’s Got A Hold Of My Toe” is an instrumental and appears to be an outtake not originally intended for release. It is unclear why producer Jimmy Miller (a lyricist elsewhere on the album) gets a co-writing credit on this.
“Withering Tree” was previously released as the B-side to “Feelin’ Alright?” (September 1968). It was most likely recorded while Mason was in the band but he may not actually appear on it.
The two Fillmore West live tracks that make up the second half do not feature Mason.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / drums, vocals
- Dave Mason / guitar, vocals
- Steve Winwood / guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Chris Wood / flute, saxophone
Track List:
01. Just for You (2:18)
02. Shanghai Noodle Factory (5:06)
03. Something’s Got a Hold of My Toe (2:14)
04. Withering Tree (3:04)
05. Medicated Goo (3:36)
06. Feelin’ Good (10:40)
07. Blind Man (7:06)
Link in comments.
Traffic – Traffic (1968) (@320)
21 Apr 2007
(Review from wikipedia, amazon.com)
Friction with Dave Mason led to his departure from the group shortly before the release of Mr. Fantasy. Mason was content to avoid collaboration, a direct contrast with the lyricist/songwriter partnership of Capaldi and Winwood. During the time without Mason, Winwood had to play bass pedals in addition to playing keyboard and singing when the group performed live. The group also had difficulty maintaining a well-rounded repertoire of songs without Mason’s strong songwriting ability. Mason rejoined the group halfway through the sessions of the next album.
Considering that Traffic couldn’t seem to stay intact for more than a few months at a time, the band’s work seems even more remarkable. Recorded in the summer of 1968 and released later that fall, Traffic, the band’s sophomore release, stands as the outfit’s high-water mark and one of the great rock albums of its time.
Clearly, Dave Mason and Steve Winwood had completely different visions for the band, both musically and socially. In fact, Mason had already left the band at the year’s beginning, only to return a few short months later. Mason liked to work alone and favored rooted folk-tinged material; Winwood saw the band as a communal affair and leaned toward progressive jazz-influenced music. Of course, the synthesis of these two approaches is what makes Traffic such a terrific album. There’s not a weak moment across these 10 songs (augmented on this reissue with three mono single mixes). By fusing bits of country and folk, wisps of psychedelia, and elements of jazz and soul, the album managed to both presage and summarize the ambitious developments of rock music during its most creative era.
Line-up:
- Dave Mason / vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
- Steve Winwood / vocals, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ, bass
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, drums, percussion
- Chris Wood / flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass, percussion, bells
Track List:
01. You Can All Join In
02. Pearly Queen
03. Don’t Be Sad
04. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
05. Feelin’ Alright
06. Vagabond Virgin
07. Forty Thousand Headmen
08. Cryin’ To Be Heard
09. No Time To Live
10. Means To An End
11. Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush (Bonus)
12. Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am (Bonus)
13. Withering Tree (Bonus)
14. Medicated Goo (Bonus)
15. Shanghai Noodle Factory (Bonus)
Links in comments.
Traffic – Mr Fantasy (1967) (@256)
21 Apr 2007
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com)
Traffic’s distinctive sound, innovative recordings and collaborative songwriting approach influenced many other groups in the progressive rock genre in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Like many other groups of the period, Traffic was heavily influenced by the early recordings of The Band, and they also retreated to a country house (in Berkshire, England) at the beginning of their career in order to write and develop their material before making their live debut.
Winwood, Capaldi, Mason and Wood created an amazing album of seemingly different influences and approach. Psychedelic keyboards, hard guitar solo a la Cream, British folk and music-hall, jazz paranoia and Indian raga with overall Winwood’s soulful voice make an album that can be enjoyed over and over. Mason gives important musical component with his guitar, bass and sitar, offering one of the best raga moments in rock music, “Utterly Simple”, which beats the Fab Four’s “Within You, Without You” by and large in my opinion. Each song has its place on this mature record, but the title track – allegedly drug-influenced imagination – “Dear Mr. Fantasy” (which was to be honoured by such giants as Grateful Dead on their last official live set “Without a Net” in 1989), beautiful flute ballad “No Face, No Name, No Number”, and “Coloured Rain” with distinguished Wood’s saxophone are the highlights. One can notice that the peculiar sound of Traffic, with dominating organ, piano and woodwinds (sax and flute) and with ever diminishing presence of lead guitar and bass guitar, makes it a sort of precursor of the acts like Van der Graaf Generator, albeit coming from different attitude: VDGG were always more avant-garde and “classically” influenced than Traffic, who sticked with R’n'B, folk and jazz scheme. However, Wood’s saxophone at certain moments sounds almost as crazy as Dave Jaxon’s!
This 24 bit remastered reissue, as a bonus, includes all the 12 tracks from the U.S. mono album.
Line-up:
- Steve Winwood / vocals, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ, bass, percussion
- Dave Mason / vocals, guitar, sitar, tamboura, shakkai, Mellotron, bass
- Chris Wood / vocals, flute, saxophone, organ
- Jim Capaldi / vocals, drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Heaven Is In Your Mind
02. Berkshire Poppies
03. House for Everyone
04. No Face, No Name, No Number
05. Dear Mr. Fantasy
06. Dealer
07. Utterly Simple
08. Coloured Rain
09. Hope I Never Find Me There
10. Giving to You
11. Paper Sun (Bonus)
12. Dealer (Bonus)
13. Coloured Rain (Bonus)
14. Hole In My Shoe (Bonus)
15. No Face, No Name, No Number (Bonus)
16. Heaven Is In Your Mind (Bonus)
17. House For Everyone (Bonus)
18. Berkshire Poppies (Bonus)
19. Giving To You (Bonus)
20. Smiling Phases (Bonus)
21. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Bonus)
22. We’re A Fade You Missed This (Bonus)
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Traffic – John Barleycorn Must Die (1970) (@256)
08 Mar 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
From the opening piano notes of the remarkable instrumental “Glad” to the closing Hammond chords of “Every Mother’s Son”, this album recorded in 1970 in the trio formation without Dave Mason, is generally regarded as Traffic’s peak. It is surely very strong album with practically zero bad moments and quite balanced production from start to finish. However, overall music picture for me stands as somewhat empty and unfinished. What is important is that, after the break with Mason, the trio started to explore further into the sort of “fusion” territory, abandoning their psychedelic roots. Winwood kept his blues and soul colours in his songwriting but also added important jazz improvisation elements, most evident on “Glad”, bringing Traffic closer to the current development of prog rock at the beginning of the decade. British folk tradition is not abandoned, which is evident in the wonderful cover of the title track, a mythological personification of the alcohol discovery in the shape of barley, its use and production through “killing”, and subsequent revenge of the “resurrected” alcohol against men.
Line-up:
- Jim Capaldi / drums, percussion, vocals
- Steve Winwood / guitar, organ, piano, percussion, vocals
- Chris Wood / saxophone, flute, organ, electric saxophone, percussion
Track List:
01. Glad (6:59)
02. Freedom Rider (5:30)
03. Empty Pages (4:34)
04. I Just Want You to Know (1:30)
05. Stranger to Himself (3:57)
06. John Barleycorn (6:27)
07. Every Mothers Son (7:08)
08. Sittin’ Here Thinkin’ of My Love (3:33)
09. Backstage and Introduction (Bonus) (1:50)
10. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring (Live) (Bonus) (6:56)
11. Glad (Live) (Bonus) (11:29)
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