ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Album #69 is Traffic by Traffic.

Early in 1967 Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason formed Traffic in Birmingham and took time to write and develop their material before going out to play live.
They had gotten to know eachother in Birmingham and especially Mason and Capaldi had been eager for the four of them to form a band.

The debut single Paper Sun was a hit in the middle of 1967 and a first album was recorded and released. After the album Mr Fantasy friction between Winwood and Mason made the latter leave the group, only to rejoin in time for the second album simply titled Traffic.

Compared to the debut this album tones down the psychedelia a bit for a slightly more mainstream sound. Mason contributed to half of the songs but had little or nothing to do with the rest.
Mason's catchy folk-rock meet Steve Winwood's compelling rock jams for a well-balanced album. You Can All Join In became a European hit and Feelin' Alright? got covered by Joe Cocker and others.

They went out on a tour of the States and at the end of it Winwood broke up Traffic to join Blind Faith.

But by 1970 Winwood, Capaldi and Wood were back together again to record a third Traffic album.
The band kept changing members up until 1974 when they finally disbanded after a total of seven studio and two live albums.

Plans for another Traffic album or tour were scrapped when Jim Capaldi died in 2005.

When this album was re-released in 2000 it included five bonus tracks:
Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush, Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am, Withering Tree, Medicated Goo and Shanghai Noodle Factory.

In the U.S. they picked three different bonus tracks: Withering Tree plus rare mono single mixes of You Can All Join In and Feelin' Alright.

N.S.. - November 2007.