Customer Reviews

When the Eagle Flies

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way back in the early nineties when i first came upon this album, with great expectations fresh from experiencing "the low sparks of ...", this album was a disappointment! gone was full sound of the multi faceted band, the pronounced jazz influences, the guitars, the memorable tunes - instead it seemed that the music was only steve winwood singing and playing his piano/keys, with sparse support from chris wood and jim capaldi. infact in the first few listens i couldnt even hold onto/remember one single track from this album.

but life is full of surprises - after a few years of repeated listening, while low sparks became a bit too familiar and boring, john barlecon seems raw, shootout at the ... seems inconsistent and incomplete, it is this sombre and soulful album which has stood the test of time. this album has flowered in my consciousness in more ways than i could have imagined. it is definitely winwood at the peak of his creative abilities shorn of all the inessential influences - producing deep, subtle and substantial music. there's more music in this album than what appears at first, but it takes time for it to reveal itself. this is one of those rare albums which is complete in itself and is at peace with the world.

dream gerrard, graveyard people, walking in the wind, memories of a ..., love are all classic standout tracks. a desert island album for sure!

I've always considered Traffic to be the best thing that Steve Winwood has ever done in his long, illustrious career. Traffic's music is a sensational fusion of rock, pop, jazz & folk, with a generous dose of art-rock tossed in for good measure. You never get anything less from Traffic than first-rate singing, songwriting & musicianship. The group's last studio album from the 70's, "When The Eagle Flies," is a brilliant disc from Winwood & the boys. It's also the band's best album. FINALLY available on CD in the U.S. after languishing for so many years in Importland, this is an excellent album to add to your collection, and one that more Traffic fans should definitely seek out. The highlights for me include the astounding "Dream Gerrard," an 11-minute prog-rock masterwork & arguably the band's finest piece. The bizarre lyrics would make Tori Amos proud (Hippos don't wear hats/Lobsters shriek if provoked), but Winwood sings them beautifully, with the whole song driven with GREAT musical force by the band, including some fabulous keyboard work from Winwood, and an absolutely *slamming* performance on the drumkit by Jim Capaldi. "Graveyard People" is another winner, a very spacy, atmospheric track highlighted by Winwood's swirling keyboards. "Walking In The Wind" is a lovely, melodic popper, with a fine bottom groove from bassist Roscoe Gee. "Memories Of A Rock N Rolla" is a great tale co-authored by Winwood & Capaldi about an elderly rock star looking back upon his life, and "Love," the shortest piece from the album, is a little gem of it's own, featuring beautiful flute playing by the late, great Chris Wood.Traffic disbanded in 1974, shortly after the release of "When The Eagle Flies." Winwood & Capaldi would resurrect Traffic 20 years later with their 1994 comeback album, "Far From Home." They put on a terrific concert that year, but I was very disappointed that nothing from "Eagle" was played. Up until now, I bet a lot of U.S. Traffic fans didn't even know that this marvelous album even existed, but I'm SO thrilled now that they can finally get their hands on it at last. "When The Eagle Flies" is a truly special album from one of rock's finest groups, and it deserves to be heard by the masses once again. So do yourself a big favor and pick up this wonderful buried treasure from Traffic.

This 1974 album was a return to roots for a world-tour-weary group. It's Traffic's most organic-sounding work: a sophisticated and powerful amalgam of their already unique rock - jazz - folk music blend.

the expanded group lineup from preceding "Low Spark" and "Shoot Out" LPs has been stripped down to a basic quartet: Steve Winwood on all guitars and keyboards, Chris Wood on saxes and flute, Jim Capaldi on drums (for the first time since "John Barleycorn") and percussion, and Jamaican-born bassist Rosko Gee. Several tracks here - e.g. 'Love' - include live recordings from a brief U.K. tour which preceded the Netherturkdonic [Steve Winwood's, in Gloucestershire] studio sessions, where they were then overdubbed for inclusion in the album. (this may also explain why Reebop Kwaku Baah is listed on the album's credits: he may have participated on the preceding tour's live tracks, but not the studio sessions.)

this long overdue domestic US 2003 CD re-issue features beautifully remastered audio (far superior to '80s-'90s CD import versions) from the original master tapes and faithful reproduction of the album cover and interior sleeve artwork, along with an insightful essay by critic Bill DeYoung on the making of the album.

The eagle of the album's title track is a metaphorical harbinger of devastation for 'civilized man', and of Mother Nature being restored to Her natural balance. Ominous warnings of "you're gonna be stepping from your Cadillac, and in a micro flash you're gonna feel the lash" - followed by "the rains will come, and wash away the scum so that all the little flowers can grow." Complex melodic figures and verse structure - a la Joni Mitchell's contemporary work - are sung and played effortlessly by Winwood.

the album's cover artwork is well integrated with the lyric themes presented: the eagle swooping over the band members on the front jacket, with same bird hovering in the distance over a shadowy, polluted cityscape on the back jacket.

'Dream Gerrard' features lyrics by Vivian Stanshall, a plea for shamanic vision floating over hypnotic rhythm and keyboard textures.

'Love' is a mellow, two-chord groove overlain with Chris Wood's flute (at the track's outset you can hear him ask, "are you playing in 'E', Steve . . . ?") and a sparse lyric.

'Something New' is a brisk, soulful lament for the end of a relationship.

'Memories of a Rock n' Rolla' is an extension/combination of similar themes previously touched in "Low Spark"'s 'Rock & Roll Stew' and "Shoot Out"'s '(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired'.

'Graveyard People' is a wake-up call to those bunkered in and committed to the treadmill of urban living.

'Walking In The Wind' is an upbeat, funky pop melody (foreshadowing Winwood's late '70s and '80s work) set to melancholy, distressed lyrics of hollowed-out survival, including hints of Watergate: "While the president is crying, crying in the White House . . ."

after the release of "When The Eagle Flies", Winwood spent much time on his farm in Gloucestershire, while satisfying his urge to branch out and collaborate on progressive and world music projects by guesting on albums such as Remi Kabaka and Abdul Lasisi Amao's Third World "Aiye-Keta" (1973), jazz musician Eddie Harris' "E.H. In The U.K." (1974), Jade Warrior's "Waves" (1976), and Stomu Yamash'ta's "Go" (1976), along with appearances on Vivian Stanshall's and Jim Capaldi's albums. when his own solo album "Steve Winwood" at last emerged in 1977 it featured former Traffic members Capaldi and Reebop Kwaku Baah.

"When The Eagle Flies" is a wholistic and spiritually rewarding album listen from the twilight of rock music's golden age - enjoy.

This album's always been a bit of an enigma. I've always really liked it, but Traffic seemed over by the time it came out; I don't think they toured to promote it, and they did break up shortly after it came out. I remember playing it for a good friend several years later. He was a Traffic fan, but never heard the record. He loved it and couldn't believe he'd never heard it.

The record has a warm intimate feel to it. I always liked the production...fairly sparse and featuring Capaldi on drums for the first time since John Barlycorn. I thought his drumming on the whole record was just great, vastly improved over his previous thumpings. The record imparted the feeling that you were in the room while the songs were being performed...certainly couldn't say that about the previous two albums.

All in all, I thought this was a great swansong, and I'm very happy that it's received a long overdue reissue, with great sound and liner notes. Buy it!

An absolutly astoundingly good recording with all that Traffic loved and was amazing at included - from the irreverant to the deeply profound. Two songs - Dream Gerrard and Graveyard People are possibly the most beautiful, trippy songs ever recorded. The final title track, with Steve Winwood's penetrating entreaty "do you hear me Mother Nature?" sends triple rows of chills up the spine.

Back when this album first came out it was written off by just about everyone. This was the first Traffic album that was almost hard to find in record stores even when it was new. Thankfully, time and a loyal fanbase have been kind to it. As far as the album itself, it is very good although I wouldn't suggest anyone new to the band start here. The songs are good and the album provides a nice laid back listen.

When the Eagle Flies was Traffic's final album, released in late 1973/early 1974. Back to a four piece band (Roscoe Gee takes on bass duties, augmenting the Traffic core of Winwood, Capaldi, and Wood), the sound is markedly different. In the liner notes, Steve Winwood says how this is an "organic" Traffic album, completely homemade, and it shows. I had never heard this album, only heard about it, for years. As a huge Traffic fan once it was available on CD, I knew I had to check it out. And while it isn't their best album, it's still a hidden gem in their catalog.

It opens up joyously with Something New, and the roughhewn, homemade sound (of the entire album) matches up almost perfectly with the rustic woodcut look of the album cover. It's followed by two brooding and intense numbers, Dream Gerrard (with a hypnotic riff motif throughout) and the funky jazzy Graveyard People. Walking on the Wind is another joyful-sounding song, while Memories of a Rock n Rolla veers between tounge-in-cheek humor and plaintive pleading from Winwood before ending with another joyful outro. The final two songs, Love (a short little piece recorded live) and the title track (a really moody, almost downbeat song that is the roughest sounding of the bunch) round out the album.

All in all a fitting, quiet, yet no less intense or masterful farewell from one of the most original and excellent band from that era. While this certainly would not be the Traffic album to start with if you're just getting into them, once you're immersed in their excellent music, this is well worth seeking out.

Fans know that when the Eagle flies, he's off to embark on a solo career, so better savor this last release from Traffic's classic period. While this recording was widely panned by the rock press, these influential British rockers were still making some pretty good music in '74, and fans of the band (or of Steve Winwood personally) would be wise to give it a second look. Track by track:

"Something New" should have been bright and airy, but gets weighed down by the 4-note descending sax hook, that causes the song to drag just a little. Winwood became a master of studio polish, but sometimes lost his rock'n'roll edge in the process.

"Dream Gerard" is the standout here, despite the absurdist lyrics. Winwood delivers his most authoritative piano solo, and bassist Roscoe Gee gets in a memorable lead as well. The string-synth really makes this track, so if you don't care for the sound of the instrument, you may not be so impressed.

"Graveyard People" features one of the more obnoxious tonalities of the synthesizer, but isn't a bad cut otherwise. There's even some hint of a burgeoning political consciousness - something this band was never known for.

"Walking in the Wind" is a tad sluggish but features excellent vocals and some decent lyrics for a change. But even though this songs clocks in at 6:53, there aren't any really memorable solos.

"Memories of a Rock'n'Rolla" sounds like a dirge to a lost career until it gets to the rock'n'roll coda, which then ends all-too quickly. One of few tracks that features the guitar, but to little advantage.

"Love" is one of those light, cool, jazzy pieces that this band always seemed to do so effortlessly, but for some reason they kept this one too short to have real impact.

The title track just never managed to get through to me. It's supposed to be a tour-de-force for Winwood on piano and vocal, but despite the power of that voice, the song's melody never seems to coalesce.

This is by no means a bad album, but those lukewarm to the band, or just discovering Traffic after hearing Winwood's fine 2004 release, "About Time", would be better served by checking out "Traffic", "John Barleycorn Must Die", and "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" first.

Of all the Traffic issues, When the Eagle Flies has always been my favorite. The deep introspection, knowledge of reality, yet unsubdued spirit that emanate from the various tracks many times filled my abode back in college days and continued after. There is always a unique sense when a musician, or a band, has come to their artistic crescendo, the music grows on you and always presents some new point of view of itself of of yourself, a memory or something previously overlooked but remembered. The best music is always constant, a friend in time and never stale. Eagle Flies is such, even past 30 years....

...which is how Traffic's final album, 1974's When the Eagle Flies, comes across. The band had been at it for the best part of 7 years by now, and many changes in such a short period of time. There was their early psychedelic incarnation with Dave Mason (cf. "Paper Sun" and "Hole in My Shoe"), a jazzier/funkier version (cf. "Medicated Goo," which features some amazing guitar work from Winwood--and *you* thought he was just a keyboard player!), then they disbanded for a year and Winwood joined the ill-fated Blind Faith. They reconvened in 1970 when Winwood needed help recording what began as a solo album entitled Mad Shadows, with Guy Stevens producing--when Chris Blackwell assumed control of the project, Stevens took that title to Mott the Hoople, who had been planning to title their sophomore effort Sticky Fingers, until the Stones took that one for themselves! And that became John Barleycorn Must Die, an interesting fusion of folk-rock, jazz and R&B, executed as only Steve Winwood could. And of course, the expansion of Traffic to a six-piece for both The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys and Shoot-Out at the Fantasy Factory, which allowed for the extended jamming Winwood really enjoyed.

Low Spark and Shoot-Out did not, when I first purchased them on vinyl in the mid '80s as a high schooler, light me on fire; indeed, the high points of Low Spark were, for me, the title track and "Light Up or Leave Me Alone." Only Shoot-Out's title track did it for me; the rest seemed as "Uninspired" (as the album's closer seemed to suggest). These days, in my late 30s and having repurchased and re-examined those albums, I realise I had not given them a fair shake the first time round. They are much better than I'd first thought, and they do improve with repeated listenings.
So, too, does When the Eagle Flies, the whole of which I didn't get to hear until just six years ago (it was virtually impossible to find in the US--thank God for Amazon.com, then!). I had, of course, heard "Dream Gerrard" and "Walking in the Wind"--classic rock FM stations would still play these tracks, though more often late at night, which often helped to put me in the mood to sleep when sleep was long in coming. Those tracks are still my favourites; the rest sometimes seem as though the band were tired of recording and touring. Indeed, on first listen, I had the sense of Traffic just phoning it in. But as I say, repeated listenings made me more sympathetic; this album is largely very mellow, and it is quite likely the band needed a break. I now can see it as the band's farewell to their fans--especially given that Chris Wood died of liver failure in 1983 and thus would not be present for Winwood and Capaldi's reunion in 1994. Capaldi himself passed on last January; both he and Wood are missed.

So if you're looking to complete the cycle, buy this album; be charitable and give it many listens. They will ultimately reward your patience.