Favorite Traffic album and song ?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Baron Von Talbot, May 18, 2009.

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  1. Baron Von Talbot

    Baron Von Talbot Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Never really digged Traffic as much as they deserved - The only album I knew well was John Barleycorn on vinyl, but the real great albums to me are Low Spark of High Heeled Boys and esp. Shootout At The Fantasy Bar. :righton:

    Astonishingly 2 of their albums were recorded in Jamaica ! One at Dynamic Sounds in Kingston, where The stones also recorded and one was recorde at Strawberry Hill studio ( that is Chris Blackwell's fantastic mansion in the Blue Mountains way over Kingston ). Maybe that makwes these albums so specail ?

    The mixture of acousticwith electric instruments - hard and soft, good melodies and jamming and last but not least the great vocals from Dave Mason and Stevie Winwood on the early albums ('Feelin' Alright' is my fave from Dave Mason) fit perfectly. Dark Skies is my favorite Stevie Winwood song.

    Best song by the group is that nearly 15 minute long jam on Low Sparks or was it on Shoot Out At.. ?, the name escapes me, to at the moment (something with Rock..) and the CD's are in another room - just heard them shm-cd's for the first time yesterday - although the mastering is from 2002 now the sound really makes sense to me... .both records are among the best sounding in my collection - couldn't stop playing them on and on ....astonishing given that they were recorded in 1971 !

    Your faves are ?
     
  2. Marvin

    Marvin Senior Member

    John Barleycorn has always been my favorite Traffic album.

    Favorite song is a more difficult choice. Off the top of my head, I'd go with "Shanghai Noodle Factory" followed by "Paper Sun", "Freedom Rider" and "Medicated Goo."
     
    Mark E. Moon. likes this.
  3. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    This is a tough one:

    It's hard to go wrong with Heaven Is In Your Mind/Mr. Fantasy, Traffic (68 s/t album), John Barleycorn & Low Spark.

    Favorite song: Too many good ones to pick just one. Paper Sun, Hole In mY Shoe, Coloured Rain, Glad, Freedom Rider, Rock And Roll Stew, Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Rainmaker, Withering Tree, Medicated Goo, Tragic Magic, etc...
     
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  4. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    TRAFFIC (S/T) is probably their best song oriented album, with great contributions from Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, and Jim Capaldi.

    JOHN BARLEYCORN is my favorite of their "jam" albums. "Glad" and "Freedom Rider" are a great one-two opening punch.

    My fav Traffic tunes are "Feelin' Alright" and "Rock and Roll Stew."
     
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  5. SX1250

    SX1250 Member

    Album:Barleycorn



    Song:Walking In The Wind
     
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  6. rockclassics

    rockclassics Senior Member

    Location:
    Mainline Florida
    Album - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

    Song - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
     
    Graham, fabrikk, s320no and 16 others like this.
  7. Baron Von Talbot

    Baron Von Talbot Well-Known Member Thread Starter


    Great choices - Freeedom Rider has that incredible opening vocals that you will never forget - Medicated Goo is one of their best pop songs , but I am more into their later jam-oriented folky or bluesy stuff

    songs from Fantasy Factory (1973)
    1. Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory
    2. Roll Right Stones
    3. Evening Blue
    4. Tragic Magic
    5. (Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired


    some info
    the cd I am talking about is using the original 13 plus minute version of Roll Right Stones
    That is the long jam and my favorite track, followed by Evening Blue (not Dark Skies), where Steve sings ' Haven' Slept for Days ..' very touching ballad this is some interesting info abou the album :

    QUOTE :
    Island/Universal's new remaster of Traffic's "Shootout at The Fantasy Factory" is the CD debut of the album's true original master and set of mixes as heard on the original U.S. vinyl L.P.,back when Island was an independant label,manufactured and distributed by Capitol.When Island's distribution deal with Capitol ended,Traffic submitted a revised master(used on all pre-2003 CD's),in which "(Sometimes I Feel So)Uninspired" was remixed,and "Roll Right Stones" was the subject of remixing,additional instrumental overdubbing,and editing(reducing the song from 13:40 to 11:47).Universal Music has now retrieved the original,unrevised master from Capitol,and it debuts on the May 2003 remaster.The sound quality blows away the old Mobile Fidelity Gold CD,with improved punch & clarity.Be cautioned only to buy a new(not used) copy when ordering from Amazon.Why? Because pre-2003 Island/Universal discs mistakenly state that "Roll Right Stones" is 13:40,but those CD's are made from the revised/remixed/edited album master,so those discs actually contain the 11:47 "Roll Right Stones".All of this was explained by Universal Music catalogue chief Bill Levenson in "ICE Magazine".
     
  8. wildstar

    wildstar Senior Member

    Location:
    ontario, canada
    Song - impossible to choose.

    Album(s)

    Pre Blind Faith - Traffic beats out Mr Fantasy overall because its more consistent with not a weak track in sight. Although there's a fair bit of experimental filler on Mr Fantasy, its best songs are arguably better than anything on Traffic.

    Post Blind Faith has to be Barlycorn.
     
  9. McGruder

    McGruder Eternal Musicphile

    Location:
    Maryland
    John Barleycorn Must Die - Freedom Rider!
     
  10. Jack Son #9 Dream

    Jack Son #9 Dream lofi hip hop is good

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    I sure love the song "Hole In My Shoe".

    A psychedelic masterpiece with mellotron and sitar!!
     
    bhazen likes this.
  11. Jack Son #9 Dream

    Jack Son #9 Dream lofi hip hop is good

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    Favorite album?

    John Barleycorn or the first.
     
  12. peteham

    peteham Senior Member

    Location:
    Simcoe County
    Oddly to some, my favourite song is "Feelin' Alright", but my favourite record is "Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory".
     
  13. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    I think this nails it. Mr. Fantasy (in its U.S. incarnation only, please) is for sure my favorite album, even as I acknowledge that there are a couple of throwaway tracks. But the great tracks are greater than anything they've done, and the album as a whole has such a feel to it.

    If pressed, I'd have to pick "Heaven Is in Your Mind" as my favorite Traffic song.
     
  14. jsayers

    jsayers Just Drifting....

    Location:
    Horse Shoe, NC
    You mean "Heaven Is In Your Mind', right? The current remaster USA version?
     
  15. Bill

    Bill Senior Member

    Location:
    Eastern Shore
    Song: Dear Mr. Fantasy
    Album: Traffic (more consistent than the first, which has some remarkable moments)
    To me, the first two albums are the only real ones by Traffic, which broke up before Last Exit came out. Barleycorn is essentially a solo Winwood, with Capaldi and Wood added on as it progressed, and Low Spark and Fantasy Factory are Traffic revue albums with sidemen galore. Nice and admirable, but, on its first two, Traffic really had something going, a vibe, to put it in 60s-ese. (The studio tracks on Last Exit supplement the first two albums well- pity they broke up before the "real" third group album was finished.)
    Just my $.02.
     
    mds likes this.
  16. Jim N.

    Jim N. Just another day in what was once Paradise...

    Location:
    So Cal
    One of my absolute Traffic favorites is their version of "Feelling Good" off "Last Exit".

    Favorite album is "John Barleycorn..." followed closely by "Low Spark..."
     
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  17. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I love "Hope I Never Find Me There" off of Mr Fantasy. What a killer Dave Mason song that talks about things to come. Check out the lyrics on that one. Steve plays a harpsicord, too. That song was never more true than it is today.
     
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  18. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Yes. The original U.S. album was issued briefly with this title, but the Mr. Fantasy title is far more common.

    I realize that the long-overdue CD issue a few years back bore the Heaven Is in Your Mind title.
     
    reverberationmusic likes this.
  19. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    My favourites are the first 2, with Traffic beating out Mr. Fantasy.
    It's hard to pick a favourite song from their oeuvre, but it may be "Crying To Be Heard" or "Coloured Rain" or "Empty Pages" perhaps in that order.
    An awful lot of other good ones, though.
     
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  20. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    besides all of them?
     
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  21. TRM05

    TRM05 New Member

    Location:
    Denver
    A band I was living with and mixing sound for in college got me into Traffic when they started covering "Medicated Goo" so that song always brings back great memories. Also seeing Phish do "Light Up of Leave Me Alone" was pretty damn sweet, another one of my favorite Traffic tunes.

    Great band, some of the first vinyl I bought was "John Barleycorne" and "Low Spark..."
     
  22. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Favorite LP is probably their 1968 self titled. They're all good though, each in its own way.

    Favorite song...tough one.....Mr. Fantasy. Wait....Forty Thousand Headmen.....then again maybe You Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave.
     
  23. drewslo

    drewslo Forum Resident

    Low Spark and Low Spark
     
  24. janschfan

    janschfan Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville, Tn. USA
    Wow! This is exactly what I think.
     
  25. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Low Spark is probably my favorite album and song of theirs...but I was just listening to to Dream Gerrard when I spotted this thread. What an amazing track that is. :righton:
     
    reverberationmusic, fabrikk and grbl like this.
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