MR. FANTASY

Traffic

Eclectic Prog

3.62 | 210 ratings

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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk

THANK YOU, MAX, FOR INCLUDING THIS AWESOME BAND TO OUR BELOVED SITE.

(first of a serie of ten)

However one may feel about this group and prog , these guys were very gifted players, inventive writers , had many break-ups and re-formations in the prog mode (they wrote the book and Yes were merely followers), and their overall discography holds enough lenghty and innovative interplay to be easily considered as prog.

Traffic started out as a psychadelic group (as did Procol Harum , The Nice , Caravan , Soft Machine and many more) so you will find here mostly short psych songs full of weird but very innovative ideas and eastern sounds. One must remember that groups back in 67 were not really given the artistic freedom of later groups just a mere two years later. Traffic were also releasing many non-album singles and the bonus tracks on this album are mostly just that - A-choice stuff and no third-choice-bottom-of-the-drawer alternate tracks. Giving to you , Paper Sun & Hole In My Shoe are pure delights.

Progheads will find heaven in the title track and Dealer , where the musicians are given space to expand and have the room for it (in terms of track lenght), and announces many great things to come. The only thing I can unfortunately denounce here is the lack of a proper bassist.

Although technically speaking this album should not have that fourth star (ideally 3,5 *) , the historical importance of such an album is all too sadly forgotten , so this might be my way of setting the record straight. MUCH RECOMMENDED but be aware that some of those tracks have not aged that well and might shock the younger progheads much like when I listen to 1930 jazz records.

Sean Trane | 4/5 | 2005-1-13

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