I don't like either of them that much, but Fantasy Factory has virtually nothing that I like on it. There have already been enough jokes about the title of the final track, but it should have been the title track, IMO, for being so representative.
Well said! The self titled one (try and find an original vinyl copy if into that format, sweet booklet inside gatefold) is an absolute masterpiece. A bit of a neglected title is "Where The Eagle Flies", if into Jazz, worth having for "Dream Gerrard" alone.
I find Shootout is a good record to have on when I'm doing other stuff around my place. 2 nice long sides with 4 long tracks. Definitely a product of the album era. I dig it though.
This compilation does it for me.... One of the few bands I feel the individuals members were as strong as the group together. Traffic - Best Of Traffic
My 1978 German reissue is probably one of the best-sounding records I have: Traffic - Best Of Traffic
OK, but unfamiliar readers should know that that comp only covers the lesser-known 1967 and 1968 versions of the band. Almost everybody today potentially interested in Traffic would probably want exposure to John Barleycorn (1970) and Low Spark (1971), as this ended up being the most identifiable work by the band. Unless by implication you mean that you don't like anything on the 1970s albums.
I've always loved this band. they must have made quite an impression right from the start considering the debut came out in December of 1967 and bill graham had them headlining both fillmores on the first American tour only a few months later.
I strongly recommend that you buy this version of Traffic's debut LP. You will get the original experience US listeners got of the songs being linked together and flowing into each other, as well as a superior track selection and sequencing over the British version of Mr. Fantasy.
My only live Traffic show was an all Island Records line up in January, 1973. Here are a few photos I took that night.
I had been into Traffic and John Martyn before this show. Not so much into Free at the time but everyone was great that night.. a perfect threesome.
Love Low Spark and John Barleycorn and albums select tracks prior to those two.Have a remastered best of on cd-why can’t we get that on vinyl?
Let's not forget Chris Wood's contributions to the unique Traffic sound. I have most of the albums and this:
Saw the Clapton/Winwood gig at MSG a few years back. They did a few Traffic numbers and it was excellent. Made you realize how good Traffic was.
I would say that John Barleycorn Must Die is beyond essential, one of the best albums of its day. The rest of their stuff is hit or miss, IMO. Agree re: Mr. Fantasy. Self-titled is pretty good. Low Spark is pretty good, but I prefer the live versions of those songs on On the Road (which is probably my second-favorite album by them).
I generally have grown to love all the normal big name rock that lots of smart educated rock people tend to love, and may have that switch happen with Traffic someday, but they are one of a handful of highly lauded stood-the-test-of-time rock bands I have never seen much merit in. Their music feels....thin to me, gaseous, weedy, doesn't stick. (I used to think similarly about the Dead and they are now in my top 10 of all time so I might "grow" into Traffic one day as well. I'll keep dipping in on occasion.)
Neither is bad, but the last two albums feel like the start of Steve's solo career. A bit more bland.
