WELCOME TO THE CANTEEN

My entry to ''Traffic'' was the single that was released from this live album. It was clearly labelled ''Traffic'' and it was of course the great rendition from the Spencer Davis Group: ''Gimme Some Lovin''.

Mason was back for a few live appearances and two songs out of his first album are featured in this live testimonial (''Sad And Deep As You'' and ''Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave''). But even if the latter is particularly very much soul oriented, the final guitar part is so good, that I ended up by liking this one.

What was amazing with this band were the live performances. Their jamming abilities, the way that they re-invented studio tracks was quite an experience. Some of it could be experienced during the live side from their third album: ''Last Exit'' ot the bonus tracks available on the CD edition for ''John Barleycorn?''.

There is unfortunately not too much of it here. The very good ''40,000 Headmen'' remains a classic rensdition but the extended version of ''Dear Mr. Fantasy'' is a highlight. The wild guitar is a great moment of rock music by all means and the crazy beat is superbly introducing the phenomenal version of ''Gimme?''. I recommend this song to all great guitar lovers (to which I do belong).

Some thirty years later (I bought the single in December '71), my favourite tracks is by far the luminous ''Gimme Some Lovin''. An orgy of rhythm, keys, drums and extravaganza. A huge track indeed which definitely raises the level of this album.

It almost starts as the gorgeous ''Soul Sacrifice'' version from Woodstock and I can only be thankful to this album version which allows me to listen to the whole of this song without having to turn the single record (but, in those times, I taped it on cassette to enjoy a full representation: but the fade alas out could not be avoided).

This album starts with the third track. It's a pity that a song as ''Freedom Rider'' or ''John Barleycorn?'' was not integrated into this record instead of the first two songs which are weak.

I would have liked to rate this album with seven out of ten; but since the last four tracks are so good, I upgrade it to four stars.