Traffic – Traffic

Traffic – Traffic

Traffic is the second studio album from the legendary English rock band Traffic, originally released in 1968. Following their early psychedelic singles, the album saw Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood expanding their sound into a more adventurous blend of folk rock, blues, soul, jazz and psychedelic music.

Recorded during a hugely creative period for British rock, Traffic demonstrates the band's growing interest in moving beyond the concise psychedelic pop of their early hits. The album is characterised by Winwood's soulful vocals and Hammond organ, Dave Mason's songwriting and guitar, Capaldi's distinctive drumming and Wood's flute and saxophone, giving Traffic a remarkably rich sound for a four-piece.

The album opens with You Can All Join In, a lively, communal piece written by Dave Mason that immediately highlights the band's more relaxed and rootsy direction. Pearly Queen follows with one of Traffic's most recognisable grooves, combining blues-influenced guitar, soulful vocals and Chris Wood's distinctive flute.

Don't Be Sad and Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring explore the band's more reflective psychedelic side, while the brilliant Feelin' Alright? became one of the group's most enduring compositions. Written by Dave Mason, the track would go on to become a much-covered classic, with versions recorded by artists including Joe Cocker, helping cement its reputation as one of the great British rock songs of the era.

Side B opens with Vagabond Virgin, before Forty Thousand Headmen provides one of the album's most atmospheric performances. Written by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi, the song combines poetic lyrics with Traffic's characteristic mixture of rock, folk and psychedelic influences.

The darker Crying To Be Heard leads into No Time To Live, a soulful and introspective track that showcases Winwood's expressive vocal performance. The album closes with Means To An End, bringing together the group's blues, jazz and psychedelic influences in a suitably expansive finale.

Although Traffic had begun their career with psychedelic pop singles such as Paper Sun and Hole In My Shoe, this album shows the band rapidly developing into something considerably more sophisticated. Their willingness to incorporate flute, saxophone, Hammond organ, blues guitar and folk-inspired songwriting helped establish a distinctive sound that would become increasingly progressive over subsequent releases.

Traffic also occupies an important place in the history of British progressive rock, sitting at the crossroads between late-1960s psychedelia and the more adventurous album-oriented rock that emerged in the early 1970s. The band's subsequent albums, particularly John Barleycorn Must Die, would take these ideas even further.

For collectors of Traffic vinyl, Steve Winwood, 1960s psychedelic rock and British progressive rock, this is an essential album. Fans of The Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith, Cream, The Band and early Jethro Tull should find plenty to appreciate.

A superb example of British rock at a moment of transition, Traffic captures the band moving beyond psychedelia towards the soulful, rootsy and progressive sound that would define their most celebrated work.

Tracklist

Side A

1. You Can All Join In
2. Pearly Queen
3. Don't Be Sad
4. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
5. Feelin' Alright?

Side B

1. Vagabond Virgin
2. Forty Thousand Headmen
3. Crying To Be Heard
4. No Time To Live
5. Means To An End