LAST EXIT

Traffic is one of my favourite bands. I also think that they had a very original style and they made very important contributions to Rock music in general. This was the first Traffic`s album that I have listened in the early 70s. One of my brothers bought then one copy of this album released in my country under the Philips records label. He later bought another copy of this album, but released in the U.S. by United Artists records, and it had a different cover design. It was stolen by someone! In the late 70s, the album was released again in my country by another company under the Island records label, so my brother bought a new copy! in the present, we have discovered that me and all my brothers have the CD version of this album! So, this is a "favourite album" in my family! IMO, it is not as bad as I have read in other reviews and in other websites. This album is really an album released after Traffic split in late 1968. Mason left the band after the release of the "Traffic" album. They still released some singles in late 1968, some of which are included in this album. When Winwood left, the band split. He joined Blind Faith, while Capaldi and Wood joined Mason and keyboardist Mick Weaver (a.k.a. Wynder K. Frog) in a band which lasted for only three months between Janauary and March 1969, called "Wooden Frog", and a.k.a. "Mason, Capaldi,Wood, Frog", which played some gigs and did several Radio appearances in England.This "Last Exit" album was released in May 1969, at the time when the Blind Faith band was announced. This album is really a collection of songs compiled and released by Island Records. About the Songs: "Just for You" (composed by Mason) was originally released in February 1968 as the side "A" of one of Dave Mason`s soloist singles (with a song called "Little Woman" in the side "B" of this single). "Just for You" has the rest of the members of Traffic as the backing band. There is a very good bass part, maybe played by Winwood, and it is a song with very good arrangements which also include a string arrangement. "Shangai Noodle Factory" (the L.P. label says that it was composed by Winwood/Capaldi/Wood, but the CD cover says that it was composed by Winwood/Capaldi/Wood/Miller/Fallon!) it`s my favourite song from this album, with very good arrangements, very good vocals by Winwood, and a bit of bass pedals played by him. It was previously released as the B side of the single "Medicated Goo" (Winwood/Miller) in December 1968. "Medicated Goo" is also a good song with good lead guitars."Withering Tree" (Winwood/Capaldi) was previously released as the B side of the "Feeling Alright" single which was released in September 1968.It is a bit "dark" song, but it is also good.There is also an instrumental piece, previously unreleased (I think so), called "Something`s Got a Hold of my Toe" (Mason/Winwood/Miller), with melodies played by electric guitars, with some organ, good bass guitar, and drums.The Side Two of the L.P. has two songs recorded live at the Filmore West auditorium in San Franciso, U.S., in 1968. I read in an interview done with Capaldi and Winwood in the British "Vox" Magazine in 1994. They said that Traffic never toured in the U.S. with Mason betwen 1968 and 1969 .They said that "the U.S. never knew Traffic as a quartet in concerts at that time". So, this live recordings only include Winwood (vocals, organ, bass pedals), Chris Wood (flute, sax, percussion) and Jim Capaldi (drums). It could have beenn very hard to play some songs in concerts with the lack of more instruments! These songs, two covers ("Feelin`Good" and "Blind Man"), are more or less well played, with improvistation. They have some good solos, but they are not very good recordings.In general, "Last Exit" is a good album. Maybe the live recordings are the weakest point in this album.