Traffic – Traffic (Vinyl)

Flying Nun Verified independent store

→

After dispensing with his services in December 1967, the remaining members of Traffic reinstated Dave Mason in the group in the spring of 1968 as they struggled to write enough mat erial for their impending second album. The result was a disc evenly divided between Mason's catchy folk-rock compositions and Steve Winwood's compelling rock jams. Mason's material was the most appealing both initially and eventually: the lead-off track, a jaunty effort called "You Can All Join In," became a European hit, and "Feelin' Alright?" turned out to be the only real standard to emerge from the album after it started earning cover versions from Joe Cocker and others in the 1970s. Winwood's efforts, with their haunting keyboard-based melodies augmented by Chris Wood's reed work and Jim Capaldi's exotic rhythms, work well with lyricist Capaldi's words, which tend to be impressionistic reveries, but the lyrics to Winwood/Capaldi compositions take a back seat to the playing and Winwood's soulful voice. As Mason's simpler, more direct performances alternate with the more complex Winwood tunes, the album is well-balanced. Traffic disbanded after this album, to reform again a year or so later but not before scoring their second consecutive Top Ten ranking in the U.K.; the album also reached the Top 20 in the U.S., breaking the temporarily defunct group stateside. Vinyl, LP, Reissue, Remastered, 180 Gram Tracklist:A1 You Can All Join In A2 Pearly Queen A3 Don't Be Sad A4 Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring A5 Feelin' Alright? B1 Vagabond Virgin B2 Forty Thousand Headmen B3 Cryin' To Be Heard B4 No Time To Live B5 Means To An End Show more