Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory [Original recording remastered]

Traffic | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Island
• ASIN: B000001FV1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,706 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese limited edition reissue of 1973 album, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve, featuring 5 tracks. Island. 2003. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New 2003 Fantasy Factory a serious upgrade, August 9, 2003

By 

Philip A.Cohen (Bay Harbor Islands, Florida United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (Audio CD)

Island/Universal's new remaster of Traffic's "Shootout at The Fantasy Factory" is the CD debut of the album's true original master and set of mixes as heard on the original U.S. vinyl L.P.,back when Island was an independant label,manufactured and distributed by Capitol.When Island's distribution deal with Capitol ended,Traffic submitted a revised master(used on all pre-2003 CD's),in which "(Sometimes I Feel So)Uninspired" was remixed,and "Roll Right Stones" was the subject of remixing,additional instrumental overdubbing,and editing(reducing the song from 13:40 to 11:47).Universal Music has now retrieved the original,unrevised master from Capitol,and it debuts on the May 2003 remaster.The sound quality blows away the old Mobile Fidelity Gold CD,with improved punch & clarity.Be cautioned only to buy a new(not used) copy when ordering from Amazon.Why? Because pre-2003 Island/Universal discs mistakenly state that "Roll Right Stones" is 13:40,but those CD's are made from the revised/remixed/edited album master,so those discs actually contain the 11:47 "Roll Right Stones".All of this was explained by Universal Music catalogue chief Bill Levenson in "ICE Magazine".

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traffic Rolls Along, May 26, 2003

By 

Alan Caylow (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (Audio CD)

Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood & the gang serve up another barnburning Traffic set with 1973's "Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory." The title track is a phenomenal full-throttle rocker, one of Traffic's most powerful pieces. "Roll Right Stones" is a nearly 12-minute, laid-back jazz-popper, with great melodies & musicianship throughout. "Evening Blue" is a beautiful ballad, Chris Wood's "Tragic Magic" is a tasty, funky instrumental, and "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired," despite the downbeat title, is actually a very uplifting tune, filled with great spirit & fine words of wisdom. Steve Winwood & company totally cook on this one: "Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory" is another jazz/rock classic from Traffic.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another album from the golden age of Traffic's Jazz-Rock excursions, January 31, 2006

By 

Joey Joe Joe Jr. Shabadoo (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory (Audio CD)

Traffic hit a new creative stride after Mason left the band following "Last Exit". Personally I am torn, because I really do like Mason's sound, but in the end I cannot deny that it helped Traffic as a group throw caution to the wind and really venture out from the world of Brit psychedelic pop-rock into rock-jazz fusion, with the addition of Reebop Kwanku-bah on drums for a more African-oriented sound (something Santana was doing too albeit in a Latinized way). One indicator of this transition is track length, which starts to take a jump up from 3-4 minutes to 6-10 minutes with "John Barleycorn Must Die" (the first post-Mason album) and continuing here and on Low Spark, etc. On "Shootout", we find Traffic mixing it up with slow ballads like "Sometimes I Feel So Uninspired", Jazzy instrumentals like "Tragic Magic", and two great tunes which can loosely be qualified as "rock": "Shootout at the Fantasy Factory" and the album's cornerstone, "Roll Right Stones", a 13-1/2 minute ripper where Wood and Winwood bust out their improvisational chops while Winwood shows off his incredible voice. Traffic is pretty much a footnote with most folks these days, which seems a bit strange considering the more prominent solo careers some of the musicians enjoyed afterwards, even with less creative musical material (i.e., Mason, Winwood). Part of that has to do with the more keyboard-brass driven sound of the band rather than the standard guitar-dominated sound of other contemporary rock-outfits: but the guitar as a driving element probably would have hindered their fusion excursions. On a related note: another plus is listening to how quickly Winwood's ability as a guitarist was progressing (the guitar is there, but is not prominent like it was with earlier albums), as it already is a huge step up from his offerings on "Welcome to the Canteen", and offers a glimpse of what is to come with "When the Eagle Flies" and "On the Road" (where he really sounds great). A somewhat overlooked but great classic-rock album.