Traffic (Traffic album)

Background and content

In January 1968, after some initial success in Britain with their debut album Mr. Fantasy, Dave Mason had departed from the group. He produced the debut album by the group Family, containing in its ranks future Traffic bass player Ric Grech, while Traffic went on the road. In May, the band had invited Mason back to begin recording the new album.

Mason ended up writing and singing half of the songs on the album (including his biggest hit "Feelin' Alright?"), but making scant contribution to the songs written by Jim Capaldi and Steve Winwood. His flair for pop melody had always been at odds with the others' jazz ambitions, evidenced by the dichotomy seen for the songs on this album, and by October he was again out of the band. He would return one more time for a tour and album in 1971 to run out the band's contract.

Traffic was reissued for compact disc in the UK on 11 January 2000, with five bonus tracks, two from the soundtrack to the United Artists film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush and three from Last Exit. In the US, the remastered reissue of 27 February 2001 included mono single mixes of "You Can All Join In," "Feelin' Alright?," and "Withering Tree." The original album was produced by Jimmy Miller. The remasters were assisted in their production by Jim Capaldi.

Reception

AllMusic gave a positive retrospective review of the album, commenting that it achieved a strong balance between Dave Mason's simple and straightforward folk-rock songs and Steve Winwood's complex and often haunting rock jams.

Side one

1. "You Can All Join In" (Mason) – 3:34
2. Dave Mason – lead vocals, guitar;
3. Steve Winwood – electric guitar, bass, backing vocals;
4. Chris Wood – tenor saxophone;
5. Jim Capaldi – drums, backing vocals
6. "Pearly Queen" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 4:20
7. Winwood – lead vocals, Hammond organ, electric guitar, bass;
8. Wood – flute;
9. Mason – harmonica;
10. Capaldi – drums
11. "Don't Be Sad" (Mason) – 3:24
12. Mason – lead vocals, harmonica, electric guitar;
13. Winwood – lead vocals, Hammond organ, electric rhythm guitar, bass;
14. Wood – soprano saxophone;
15. Capaldi – drums, backing vocals
16. "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 3:11
17. Winwood – lead vocals, Hammond organ, guitars, bass;
18. Capaldi – drums, percussion, backing vocals
19. "Feelin' Alright?" (Mason) – 4:16
20. Mason – lead vocals, guitar;
21. Winwood – piano, bass, backing vocals;
22. Wood – tenor saxophone, backing vocals;
23. Capaldi – drums, percussion

Side two

1. "Vagabond Virgin" (Capaldi/Mason) – 5:21
2. Mason – lead vocals, guitar;
3. Capaldi – lead vocals, drums, percussion;
4. Winwood – piano, bass, backing vocals;
5. Wood – flute
6. "(Roamin' Thru the Gloamin' with) 40,000 Headmen" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 3:15
7. Winwood – vocals, guitar, organ, bass;
8. Wood – flute, Coke tin, sleigh bells;
9. Capaldi – drums
10. "Cryin' to Be Heard" (Mason) – 5:14
11. Mason – lead vocals, bass;
12. Winwood – Hammond organ, harpsichord, backing vocals;
13. Wood – soprano saxophone;
14. Capaldi – drums, backing vocals
15. "No Time to Live" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 5:10
16. Winwood – vocals, piano, bass;
17. Wood – soprano saxophone;
18. Mason – Hammond organ;
19. Capaldi – drums
20. "Means to an End" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 2:39
21. Winwood – vocals, piano, electric guitar, bass;
22. Wood – drums, percussion

2000 reissue bonus tracks (UK only)

1. "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush" (Capaldi/Mason/Winwood/Wood) – 2:45
2. "Am I What I Was or Am I What I Am" (Capaldi/Winwood/Wood) – 2:36
3. Tracks 1–2 from the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
4. "Withering Tree" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 2:57
5. Winwood – vocal, piano, guitar, bass; Wood – flute, percussion; Capaldi – drums, percussion
6. "Medicated Goo" (Jimmy Miller/Winwood) – 3:39
7. "Shanghai Noodle Factory" (Capaldi/Larry Fallon/Miller/Winwood/Wood) – 5:03
8. Tracks 3–5 from the album Last Exit

2001 reissue bonus tracks US [Island Records 314 542 852-2] and Japan (Universal-Island Records UICY-93642) only

1. "You Can All Join In" (Mason) – 3:45 [mono single mix]
2. "Feelin' Alright?" (Mason) – 4:03 [mono single mix]
3. "Withering Tree" (Capaldi/Winwood) – 2:53 [stereo single mix]

Additional personnel