Traffic [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Traffic

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 27, 2001)
• Original Release Date: February 27, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Island
• ASIN: B000059T1H
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,573 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally Feelin' Alright about this great album, February 17, 2001

By	Wayne Klein "If at first the idea is not absu... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

One of the finest albums the original quartet produced their second self titled album captures the musical diversity that Traffic was capable of creating. When the trio fo Winwood-Capaldi-Woods began recording their second album Dave Mason decided to join them in the studio. The resulting tracks were so strong that the members decided to allow Mason to rejoin. Mason provides some of the second album's highlights with his single Feelin' Alright a magical 3 minute portrait of the band's best qualities.

That isn't to slight Winwood. He also (in collaboration with Capaldi and Wood)wrote some of his finest material for their second album. The band sounds more cohesive (if that's possible) than on either Mr. Fantasy (the first UK album) or Heaven Is In Your Mind (the reconfigured Mr. Fantasy and their first US album).

The inclusion of bonus tracks is always welcome but the UK version of this album was a bit odd. While it's understandable that Island would want to include as much single and b side material as possible the inclusion of the band's first single on their second album was a bit jarring to say the least. Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush doesn't fit in with the band's second album.

Supervising producer Bill Levenson has reconfigured the UK release to more accurately reflect the band's sound at this time. The sound quality is outstanding. Levenson's reissue doesn't sound quite as overprocessed as the UK release. The liner notes are informative without overdoing it. Although it isn't mentioned if this is a 24 bit remaster on the cover art the sound quality rivals that of the Uk release but still retains the organic sound of the original vinyl and source tapes.

Traffic isn't the band's best album (John Barleycorn Must Die still stands as the band's definitive statement) but it is the best album recorded by the original quartet. Hopefully Island will remaster and reissue the rest of their catalog (particularly the fine late period albums Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and When The Eagle Flies. Here's hoping that Welcome To The Canteen is also remixed to improve the sound quality of the original live tapes)shortly. This great UK band is finally getting their due in the digital age.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Albums of the '60s, July 24, 2002

By	Steven R. Seim "Steve Seim" (Beaver Dam, WI United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Traffic had one of the most original (and interesting) sounds in British rock, and not only because of their eclectic musical influences, which embraced psychedelia, folk, jazz, soul, R&B, and even classical. Their unique sound was also the result of their unusual instrumentation. While the group went through a number of personnel changes, its constant core members were Steve Winwood (vocals, keyboards, guitars), Chris Wood (sax, flute, and organ), and Jim Capaldi (drums & percussion). With no regular bass player, Winwood often filled in with the bass pedals on his organ. And, while there is no lack of guitars on most Traffic recordings, the guitar is not emphasized or particularly important to the group's sound. Dave Mason came and went in their early years and, on other recordings, Steve Winwood would switch to guitar, with Chris Wood taking over organ duties. In short, Traffic was anything but your typical guitar-bass-drums rock outfit. And, with "white Ray Charles" prodigy Winwood at the helm, and with their willingness to experiment with virtually any sound or musical style, they cut some of the most distinctive and important records in British rock.

Their sophomore album, "Traffic," perfected the band's sound, and stands as one of the best albums in British rock. Psychedelic influences were still evident, but gone was the silly "Sgt. Pepper"-style trippiness of "Mr. Fantasy." Instead, Winwood and Capaldi perfected their jazzy take on psychedelic-soul, while Dave Mason turned in by far his best contributions with the group. Mason's "You Can All Join In" and "Feelin' Alright" (later popularized by Joe Cocker) are folk-rock gems, while Winwood's genius shines through on the whimsical but very funky "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring" and the swampy jungle-rock epic "40,000 Headmen." Furthermore, in contrast with the cut-n-paste nature of Traffic's other LPs with Dave Mason, here there is real collaboration, as when a Mason folk-rocker climaxes with Winwood's soulful wailing on the refrain or the bridge ("Don't Be Sad," "Cryin' To Be Heard"). The overall result is a delicious paradox: a recording that is wildly eclectic, yet artistically cohesive.

If you haven't heard "Traffic," all I can say is, you don't know what you're missing.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every Track a Unique Experience, February 25, 2003

By	Hal Kronsberg "grebsnork" (Indianola, Mississippi) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This album showcases Traffic at their creative peak and shows just how amazing this band could have been had they not been such a combustible mixture of talent. I wouldn't venture to say that every track on this album is a masterpiece ("Don't Be Sad" and "No Time to Live" represent the only two song I ever want to skip), but nearly every song is strong and interesting in its own way.

Some of the songs ("Pearly Queen", for example) wonderfully showcase Steve Winwood's incredibly soulful voice. There is simply no male vocalist in rock and roll that can put as much emotion into his voice as Winwood can. Dave Mason, often totally incoherent in Traffic's earlier effort, Mr. Fantasy, is at his most jubilant and endearing here, providing two wonderful sing-along tracks in "You Can All Join In" and "Feelin' Alright." Meanwhile Chris Wood's flute and saxophone play are seamlessly interwoven into the grooves ("Vagabond Virgin" and "40,000 Headmen) and really add to the feel of the tracks, whereas ordinarily, the infusion of woodwind instruments into rock only distracts and detracts from the music.

Overall, the band is unbelieveably tight. I would go so far as to compare the cohesiveness of the musicians in this album to The Band in its incredible debut, Music from the Big Pink. Like Big Pink, Traffic's tracks are very distinct from one another despite feeling like they belong together. Even the paranoid and ragged "Feelin' Alright" sounds great next to the cheerful and silly "Vagabond Virgin".

When I play this ablum for a friend and ask them to pick their favorite track, they always choose something different from the last person. I strongly recommend this album to any fan of music from the 60s and 70s and anyone else interested in finding a new band to start trying to get into. This album won't dissapoint and serves as an excellent starting point for getting into Traffic's unique sound.