Reviews (page 2 of 7)
A good balance of entertaining and engaging folk rock. Not a perfect album, but a very good one. Lots of quality lesser-known songs help make this a very underrated and enjoyable listen. Top tracks: You Can All Join In, Who Knows What Tomorrow Will Bring, Cryin' to Be Heard
I googled it and this is one of 2 Traffic albums. I get John Barleycorn Must Die being on the list and while this album is not bad I think the debut album or The Low Spark of High Heeled boys would have been the better second album to include.
These guys are just great!
Second album proposé après ‘John Barleycorn Must Die´ dont j’avais apprécié quelques morceaux plus originaux (noté 3/5). Cet album me semble plus rock que le premier, un peu moins original mais de bonne qualité (accompagnement, chorus, groove). J’ai particulièrement apprécié ´No Time to Live’ (rock prog) et ´Pearly Queen’ (déjà entendu à priori). Je pourrais donc l’écouter de nouveau. =>3/5
This album was a lot better than I was expecting. I'd only heard one song before on the album, but I like most of them on here. Very good rock with some blues to it.
Not the peak of Traffic's output but a key in undersanding their longstanding appeal. Hard to stand out among the late 60s music but I feel like there is still a bit of recognition about how great this band is. Steve Winwood, what a legend.
What a groove. The late 60s really produced some classic funky rock music.
It has random flutes, so that’s fun. Folky. Not my jam. I kind of tuned it out
Ok
Old but good
I like this a lot when it is Creedence adjacent groovy rock music, but not as much in the psychadelic moments. And the song about the 13 y/o groupie is gross.
More interesting than I usually find 60s rock.
I can't really muster any feelings about this. Some of it is fine, some of it is blues rip-off, and I can't stand blues and jazz.
"Traffic" by Traffic is a psychedelic, folk rock album. I found this one to be decent. It is very well made album with groovy sounding. I like some tracks like "Feelin' Alright?" and "Cryin' to Be Heard". Downside from this album is it's kind of monotonous and forgettable. There are filler songs like "Pearly Queen", "Vagabond Virgin", "Forty Thousand Headmen" and others. This album also feels inferior to other albums released in 60s era. Overall not so great and not a bad album also.
I liked this so much more than i thought i would and was very pleasantly surprised! Lots of diversity in sound and instrumentation, and really great performances and melodies
Ik noteerde 'Puike bluesrock voor hippies, zou ik zeggen. Het is vakkundig gedaan, maar het mist nét iets waardoor het de hoge toppen bereikt die dit genre zo goed maken. Een vier is goed genoeg voor deze gasten.' Vervolgens bekeek ik mijn recensie van het andere Traffic-album, en zag dat ik daar min of meer hetzelfde had geschreven. Naja, het levert dan ook hetzelfde cijfer op.
Traffic kreeg al eerder 5 sterren van me. Daarbij gaf één nummer de doorslag. Dit album is vergelijkbaar, maar zonder zo'n extra klapper. Dan kom ik op vier sterren zou je zeggen. Toch voelt dat niet goed. Wellicht door de goede omstandigheden. Het vorige album luisterde ik tijdens het klussen, deze in de auto. Wat betreft het 'thuis'luisteren lijkt deze muziek voor dit soort momenten bestaan. Maar ik denk nog wat meer omdat ook dit album meer waard is dan de optelsom van de losse nummers. Het is een ware luisterplaat. Met vol en veel geluid, zonder dat je een muur van geweld ervaart.
Altijd fijn, bluesrock uit de tijd waarin ze om het jaar een andere naam en/of samenstelling hadden. Ik lees terug in mijn andere reviews dat ik ook daar Cream, Clapton of Blind Faith al had laten vallen. Nu dus ook hier. We krijgen eigenlijk van hetzelfde laken een pak en dat is in dit geval helemaal niet erg, want ik vind dit altijd erg fijn om te luisteren. Bluesy gitaren, een moddervet orgeltje, af en toe wat zang in harmonie. Ik heb enorm het gevoel dat ik die 5 sterren niet op zak moet houden, omdat er alleen nog maar meuk aankomt. Daar moet ik het natuurlijk niet van af laten hangen, maar waarom zou ik het ook niet doen. Afgelopen weken hebben we genoeg slechte streaks gehad. Dit is gewoon, net als Yes van gisteren, heerlijk om te luisteren.
Good, but they had better
2.2/5 The album started strong but tailed off towards the end
I'm familiar with John Barleycorn which apparently is on this list - but this release is new to me. ----- There's definitely a split in the songs here, half if the time it's bluesy almost proggy jazz, the rest of the time it's faux Americana rock.[A means to an end] There's no coherency throughout the album, and a bit like the instrument selection - it all feels cobbled together. Must admit, the Benny Hill sax on track one probably didn't help. [Pearly Queen] was a good jam, and [No Time to Live] is a good example of when the prog elements come together. Again I think it's an example of being iconic in its day but lost in a sea of similar acts taken out of context. 2
One of those late 60s albums that I’m sure 70s and 80s musicians site as influential listening. But I just don’t find it too awe inspiring. Impressive musically and all that jazz I think I can write this review and copy and paste it to a few of these now. Decent album, clearly talented musicians and songs like Pearly Queen are catchy and Shanghai Noodle Factory was enjoyable for its experimentation. Just not a needle mover for me.
4 out of 5. This was a good listen, love discovering decent classic rock.
Knew nothing about this band or album. (I have heard of Steve Winwood of course.) I must have heard something in my life at some point but damned if I have any idea what. Having your album kickoff with a squawky Benny Hill-style sax is absolutely hilarious and this whole album was a groovy jammy guitar-noodle-y goof. You can hear the 70s creeping in! But overall it kind of blends into the background of vague classic rock that feels somewhat indistinguishable? Maybe it's a seminal work of genius but it just kinda disappears for me.
Really solid folk rock and that’s kinda it.
Pretty cool psychedelic rock, personally prefer the jazzier songs
++: Pearly Queen, Don't Be Sad, Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Feelin' Alright?, Vagabond Virign, Forty Thousand Headmen, Means to an End +: You Can All Join In, Cryin' to Be Heard +-: No Time to Live 8,7/10
proper decent tunes
3 is very nice. 7 beautiful Last track is very good aswell. But overall I liket it less than the other Traffic album I've got, which was more interesting and organic. This one feels like two albums in one, not like a coherent piece. It has some bangers, but not enough. Could be a high 2 but I'll leave it at 3.
Honestly thank God I didn't grow up in the 60s.
Not a bad album, but didn't do much for me either way. Fairly dull 70s soft rock.
I thought this was inoffensive boomer classic rock until we got to "Vagabond Virgin". The way they sung about a 13 year old girl turned my stomach. The band were clashing at the time over direction and you can hear it all over this record. They touch upon psychedelic, blues and folk rock without ever feeling fully committed to a singular sound. The psychedelic elements work the best, but the blues on here is an example of bad white guy blues bordering on appropriation. "Pearly Queen" is probably the strongest track on here as I was impressed by the Hendrix-esque guitar playing throughout the song. The band calling themselves Traffic is very fitting as I found them to be very middle of the road.
Classic
listend to a few.
This is another example of a band and an album where my lack of exposure to music from that era over my life really shows. I've definitely heard of the band and know Steve Winwood was in the band, but I'm not sure I could name a song by them. The only song on this album I was familiar with was "Feelin' Alright?", and that's only because I know the covers (I honestly thought this was a Joe Cocker original). I did enjoy this album. The songs had a bluesy kind of southern rock feel to them. I felt that the songs were a bit all over the place and it didn't really make for a cohesive album, but I didn't mind listening to it. Since I don't know much of the band's music, I don't know how this album rates in their discography, but it was a solid album.
Ok classic rock
Distinctly average
It was alright, nothing too special here
I'd give this a green light
3 1/2
Kinda boring 60s rock. Nothing really differentiates them from in a significant way. Not bad, but I definitely won't be going back for seconds.
This was okay but not really something I would go back to
I generally like albums in the heart of the psych experiment, and this is no exception. It feels like that are still playing around with what sounds that work for them and the result is pretty good. A bit uneven but the weirder songs seem to play better than the straight classic rock stuff.
vibes
Favorite track(s): Pearly Queen, Feelin' Alright?
Kind of Beatles meets gospel? Love the organ and flutes
This was a pretty old-sounding album, but not necessarily in a bad way, but possibly just right for its time. Overall, not too bad, it was fine having it in the background.
Had too much fun listening to this to not a favorite song, but this whole album was a great time
Yeah, wasn't super stoked to hear this. Psychedelic blues rock, probably the two genres I'm most burnt out on combined into one. Weirdly, the psychedelic stuff is better than the blues stuff? Cryin' to Be Heard and (Roamin' Thro' the Gloamin' With) 40.000 Headman are pretty solid, and of course Feelin' Alright is the classic. Other than that though, just a lot of stuff where, if I never heard it again, it'd be too soon. It's not bad per-se, I'm just sick and tired of hearing music that sounds like this. The list is inundated with blues and psychedelic rock, and that's where I'd start cutting. It'd be like a knife through warm butter, if only to get stuff like The Lonesome Crowded West on the list (Although I don't know if I'd cut this one. Traffic's reputation I think would prevent that).
I think I was secretly born in 1950 because this boomer rock hit real well
>Hey I got an idea for a band! >What is it? >What if we're The Hollies, but worse?
I can see the appeal of this album, but it was not my taste.
This sounds derivative and boring. It's like some guys got together to play some Jimi Hendrix music and then decided to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. Brother played sax in grade school? Have him play! Won a harmonica at the fair? Try it! Random busker playing flute shared a cigarette with you? Invite him along!
3/5
pretty straight forward rock
Still not impressed with their performance.
It was fine
Ok now we're getting somewhere. I'd heard of these guys in passing, but had no idea of how diverse in terms of genre they could be. Blues, folk, prog, and even jazz. A gateway into a band I can see myself really getting into. Favourite track: Feelin' Alright Least favourite track: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Classic rock sound. Decent vibes. Something kind of reminded me of zepllin
#1003. This is fine overall, but I think it's too long. I find myself wanting to listen to it less the longer it goes on. 3/5: okay
Good enough to recommend. I'll download it so it reminds me that I need to check these guys out more
meh
nice enough
Great album
High highs, and the non-highs are still great. Really, really good. 4.5 stars.
Great album. Not amazing, but great. Good blues rock just is good
Enjoyable! Would happily have this on again, though I can't say I understand what makes it exceptional enough to warrant being on this list. Standout tracks: Feelin' Alright?, Medicated Goo Rating: 3
It wasn't bad, but I do not believe I needed to hear this before I died
4.5/10 - Weird we got both Traffic albums within a 7 day span. The other one was better.
Didn't like this as much as John Barleycorn. 5/10
I've discovered Amazon Music is interesting for doing this list because it shows the album and song popularity. Per example, this is Traffic's third most popular album. It's most popular song is "Feelin' Alright?' Followed, much less popular with, You Can All Join and Medidated Goo. I recognized Feelin Alright fairly quickly. As for me, it fell into the 'yeah that one song is good, but otherwise forgettable' category.
At this point I couldn't pick this band out from any other mid-range sixties rock band. The fact they wrote Feelin' Alright? and I've never heard this original version sums it up. Talented writers and musicians that I'm just not connecting.
Some great songs. But WTF is Vagabond Virgin?!?
It was OK the guitar playing was the highlight but unfortunately the rest for me just didn't live up to the amazing guitar playing and I didn't really enjoy it that much, Id take an album just with the guitar work it was that good.
2,6/5
great album, Not their best either. Steve Winwood had a great voice for his age.
Loved this!
I enjoyed this album overall. There isn't a whole lot that really stands out beyond “Feelin' Alright?”, but it has a laid-back, bluesy groove that carries the album from start to finish. It's an easy record to settle into, and I never found myself wanting to skip ahead. The songs are consistently good without ever reaching many real highs. That's both its strength and its weakness. It makes for a pleasant listen, even if there aren't many moments that stick with you afterward. I don't see myself coming back to it very often, but I enjoyed it every time I listened. Sometimes an album doesn't need to be exceptional to be worth your time, it just needs to be consistently enjoyable, and Traffic fits that description.
The original album of the ‘getting it together in the country’ band. Tension between the tuneful dave mason and the more rock based Steve winwood was always there. Jim Capaldi’s lyrics were of their time. Pearly Queen and medicated goo stand out. I don’t mind it but winwood has done better.
6.5/10
Great for a 1968 release but overshadowed by everything else released since then. I didn't find much enjoyment in it but it didn't overly annoy me. I think 2/5 is fair.
2/5. The biggest hit “Feelin’ Alright?” Was solid enough, but the rest of this album really didn’t do much for me. Found the vocals kinda grating at points and musically tons of albums from this era blow it out of the water.
Good jams, good vibes, nothing amazing but fun to rock along to
Day 904. I’ve lost track of how many creepy male rock stars have songs about teenage girls. The losing track part is particularly disturbing. This was fine enough otherwise but good grief I am so tired of listening to an album and then suddenly hearing, “…and you’re only 13…”
Stuck in traffic for 57 minutes and 27 seconds with music that traffics in bluesy British folk lightly tinged with psychedelia and jazz. Stuff this friendly makes me want to nope out faster than any noise monstrosity. I guess the sweetness and light is a little too sweet — like some kind of medicated goo. It's not for me, but maybe it's for you.
It’s all been heard before. I know that in 1968 this was cutting-edge, and there are songs on here where I can hear a lot of quality work. But this isn’t essential. It’s a fun deep dive album where you learn that Steve Winwood was apart if this groups before his solo career took off. It’s an album where you go “oh! I know that song” when “Feeling Alright” comes on. Those novelties won’t carry you anywhere significant. “Dont Be Sad” and “No Time To Live” we’re both really enjoyable. Everything else can get tossed. 2/5
Solid Traffic album. 3.5
Fine
For an album I need to hear before I die, I sure don't need to hear it ever again.
Nice
Never heard of this band before but this was an alright album. It is another folk rock album that seems to be a popular thing in the 60s. It does have some elements of blues rock as well but with a more upbeat sound.
Excellent album! "Roamin' Thro' the Gloamin' with 40,000 Headmen" IS SO GOOOD!
I think I only recognize one of the tracks on this album by title. Otherwise, I've never listened to this album start-to-finish. This was okay. Good but not great. Steve Winwood tends to shine a little brighter than the rest of the group.
Best Track - "Feelin Alright?"
Unfortunately I had my phone in my pocket whilst this album played, it however didn’t make me take it out at any point to get the title of a good or bad track. They were all just ‘meh’ Nothing special, but pleasant enough easy listening. No best or worst tracks for the above reasons and a very average 5/10.
Traffic There was a lot of flute in music during this time. Moody Blues, Jethro Tull, Genesis, early Supertramp, to name a few obvious examples. Too much flute in fact. So not a fan of the flute tracks. And there was a lot of 'noodling' too. Playing lots of notes without anything going anyway and with no purpose other than to show everyone how Quentin had reached grade 9 guitar/piano/or bloody flute again before finishing sixth form. So I didn't really like those songs either. Then there's the cringey nurseryrhyme-esque whimsy - Mulberry Bush, You can all Join In - and questionable lyrical themes - Vagabond Virgin - that land with massive discomfort. So there isn't much left after that. Best Track - Pearly Queen Worst - Vagabond Virgin Not for me. 4/10 (just realised I listened to some stuff not on the original album but only on the expanded reissue. Doesn't change anything though. Disappointing, as I'd read a lot about Traffic and was hoping for better things)
Nice orgelsolon! Stark trea
Blev trött när ännu en brittisk 60-talsskiva dök upp, men det här var ju bitvis riktigt bra! Köpte varenda ord i No time to live.
Basic nice, men suktar just nu efter något utmärkt
Tog sig på sista låten med flöjten. Annars är det rätt hyfsat men inget som utmärker sig.
I don't understand the glazing of Winwood or any of his projects. I find this to be on the better than average band of this time frame and genre. Sure, Steve has a distinctive voice but it doesn't save an album where he doesn't sing all of the songs and nothing here is really all that memorable. If you've heard a jammy/folky late 60s band once you've heard this. 3 stars.
Fine
Meh. By now, because of this project, my algorithm thinks I must really like this dad rock band. It's fine, but nothing to be excited about. 2*
Solid album! Nothing to not like.
The songs traffic do that I like, I really like. The songs they do that I don’t , I really don’t.
This was fantastic. Can't understand how I've missed them .it's almost Bowie anno 1968. Love it! En femma
Enjoyable.
Busy traffic was how Len Houmous described his love life in the 90s. 3.7 3/15 Don’t Be Sad
Listenable but not mind blowing
I cleaned out my purse while listening to this, and found my ear plugs while doing so. Without meaning to drown out the music, I absent mindedly placed them in my ears. I quite enjoyed the silence, and kept them in until I realized what I was doing.
4/10
A rock band with a country twang. It’s fine I guess? Nothing special
You could listen to this - OR listen to the Fairport Convention who did a way better version of all this.
this is the second album by rock band traffic, and also the last album release with a lot of the original members. it was up there with the top 10 uk music charts way back when. compared to their first album mr fantasy, they wanted to try something a little less surreal and psy with this one. a little more folky, kinda poppy. it's not really country but it's almost country-inspired when it comes to the sound. sounds like being in a farmhouse. a small town. i really like albums where you can just pick up and play it. i'm... well, i picked it up, and i'm actively picking up what's being put down. kick off your shoes, lean back a bit and just enjoy yourself when this plays... that's all i really have to say about it.
It's pleasant tunes. Didn't stand out tremendously for me, but very pleasant
Ass
Nice.
I really enjoyed this one. I’ve never heard anything by traffic before, so this was a great introduction
Man, this is of a time… and has a surprise banger that Joe Cocket covered!
Traffic, yes, I'm familiar with them, but mostly with their later albums and through Steve Winwood. This '1968 album Traffic' was completely unknown to me, and I must say, I haven't missed anything. I find the album uninspired and disjointed. It's as if the musicians were playing past each other; I can't put it any other way. I didn't like any of the songs. It's an album I'll quickly forget, and I see no reason why I should ever listen to it again.
There's a book to be written about the, in my words, "great encheesification" of acts in the 1980s. Chicago/Peter Cetera, Journey, Aerosmith, Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship, and Steve Winwood formerly of Traffic all sought pop stardom while abandoning thetype of music that made them great to begin with. Was it the record labels pushing great musicians to make bland music that would not age well? Was it the influence of MTV? To be fair, Steve Winwood's 1980s output isn't terrible, he had some good songs that, with their 1980s production values, felt like a huge step down. Also, comparing Winwood's Traffic output to his 1980's output is a bit unfair. Traffic was a great band with interesting music.
6.5/10
Mollto interessante. Per niente scontato. Determinante la presenza del flauto, voce meravigliosa.
Feelin alright about giving this a 3
It's all right I guess. Just kinda meh, boring.
Not the worst thing on the list. The first 10 songs were not bad, but once you reached track 11, it went downhill fast.
- Nice lead guitar - Not loving the goofier, irreverent lyrics on some tracks - Definitely "60s/70s" vibe - Liked Pearly Queen. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, 40k Headman - Vagabond Virgin is sketch as hell
You could hear the band evolving from the beginning, and even inside this album. Great start to a long career.
Liked some songs on here - medicated goo sounded like a Paul weller song to me
Interesting
There’s always exceptions to hard and fast rules, and as someone who kinda hates 60s psychedelia, Traffic seems to be that exception for me. Idk why, but I just like this band! The songs are strong, fun, well developed. The production is really crisp. These guys always fill up the bargain bins at record stores, but they’re genuinely good!!!
Waaaait this is really good. It started horribly then by no time to live is was loving it
Uninspired classic rock
5/10
I mean it’s alright. Kinda sounds like a million other albums I’ve already listened to on this list. Nothing here moved me, but appreciate the vibe.
This is a decent listen. My only gripe being that I don’t hear a point of difference between this and other similar bands on this list, like if I just listened to the who, or the doors or Creedence Clearwater revival et al, would I have missed out by not hearing this album? Probably not
If you were to tell me, there's a Traffic/Steve Winwood thing coming up on the generator. Predict your score. I'd say, hell I like those things, probably at least a 3 or 4. But man, this was grating. This entire time I thought the superior Joe Cocker version of Feelin' Alright was by Traffic, but I was mistaken.
English guys doing an impression of The Band's already second degree Americana.
Noen interessante vibes, ingen hits
The fact that I can barely remember anything of this album the day after doesn't bode well.
This was decent but didn't grab me too much. "You Can All Join In" and "Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring" were the standouts here for me. "Feelin's Alright?" was alright but mainly just made me want to listen to the Joe Cocker version
I don't know. It kept me company, but I forgot what was yesterday record so quickly. I had to look at the songs names to try and remember something. Boring and not really inspired.
4.5
Musically diverse with a few enjoyable moments.
Traffic is a weird band, I've listened to a lot of their music over the years, my local classic rock station LOVED Traffic, I don't think there could be a public radio station in the world that played more Traffic than WDVE-FM Pittsburgh. Despite that, I had never heard anything from the album Traffic until today. The first few tracks on the album had a vaguely "70s Southern Rock" vibe to them, and I was surprised to find out that "Feelin' Alright" was written and originally performed by Traffic. By the back half of the album, the songs were the standard Traffic sound, vaguely jazzy, almost a prog sound in there. Ultimately, this album felt very long, and I just didn't find much to engage with on this record. It turns out, I don't love Traffic.
I’m not at all sure why this is here. It’s pretty standard fare. There are some nice moments (e.g., “No Time to Live” and “Pearly Queen”), but it’s telling that the covers of the most prominent song, “Feelin’ Alright?,” are better remembered (and deservedly so). 2.5?
Just kinda nothing for me Steve Winwood’s a pretty solid vocalist, and I do always appreciate a bit of blues influence in rock songs. Feelin’ Alright’s a decent song, and probably the one that had the most legs. Also for being from 1968, it feels surprisingly polished. I think there’s enough variety to keep you interested throughout most of the album I think this album outstayed its welcome by a decent bit. I really don’t have any huge flaws in my mind (no really bad song, no questionable decisions for the direction of the album), but nothing really resonated for me. This is just an album I will 100% forget about in a couple weeks, though as I’ve said a couple times ago, I’d rather listen to forgettable music than straight up bad music
if I didn't know feeling alright I would not remember this at all. its a little jank and a little too long
At first I really liked this album, plenty of variety in each song. But at some point it sounded like it was dragging. Not in the sense that each song felt similar to the last, just more of 'I want to be done with this album'.
This is an OK listen. I didn't really feel "wow'd" by much and if anything I felt like a lot of the songs were kind of... milquetoast? Like the big hit here "Feelin' Alright" just slightly crosses over the threshold of being a great song on an album that should be on this list, but then it immediately gives us "Vagabond Virgin", a moderate tempo conversation of a piece between a bass guitar and a wood block. It's a little too bland for "1001 albums to hear in your lifetime". “Traffic" is a pretty funny band name to me. My first thought is actual road traffic, which is an annoyance and not something I would think to name a band after. "Hey guys do you want to go to the "Internet Ads" show tonight?". Made me laugh a little. The album cover is pretty straightforward, but what is that circular thing in the upper left? The thing that the member in the middle is pointing at?
Some of the most bland nothing music on this list (okay, maybe that is too harsh there are some real stinkers on here), but this was really in one ear and out the other for me. I guess it had a couple of moments I liked, but for the most part this was inoffensive and forgettable. Low 3.
uu funky 70s i like it
I really liked the album and the band oof
Cool to hear the original version of Feeling Alright, but that’s about it
3/5
I’m now just over half way through 1000 LPs but I’m sure it’s the 35th time I’ve had “this” LP. Nothing particularly wrong with it but I really didn’t need to hear it
Quite a lovely listen
I've never understood the appeal. It's a perfectly mid-album from a perfectly mid-band. The highlight is "Feeling Alright?" which is one of few songs where the cover is actually better than the original. Unlike most songs in that category, I don't believe there is really any controversy that Cocker's version is the superior.
Enjoyed it
apesar de eu ter gostado mais do outro do traffic, esse aqui também tem umas músicas legais. as melhores faixas são as que ele levam mais pro lado prog do negócio, ao invés de um country rock que não me agrada tanto assim.
Classes rock.
fun funky elements
It was fine. didn't grip me.
I haven't read up on it but I think they named this record after the band because the content is meaningless but they couldn't leave it unnamed. It's all a bit too random and aimless. There's no real sense of progress through each song, much less the record itself. It doesn't have any highs or lows which in art is a sin. I'm starting to get that it's 1001 albums, not 1001 great albums to listen to.
A classic rock classic! Traffic has a unique sound and blends a lot of genres. Steve Winwood doesn't get the praise he deserves. The hits are great, the b-sides are mostly also good. Overall- 3.5/5
Oh I bet they are some of you all dads favorite band. Pretty standard classic rock station fodder. I mean you can't just play Zeppelin and the Beatles over and over. So traffic shines as the full in. Seriously though it's not terrible, it's just not memorable. They got Feeling Alright, then.... Not much else.
Interesting enough but I'm a bit sick of the 60s and 70s now, after my last few albums on this list. Maybe I'll return to it later but for now a 2...
8/10
Really cool blues and psychedelic rock with a fun hint of jazz and soul mixed in. And to keep everyone honest, these guys are British. This is classic. I’ve listened to Traffic here and there, but never a full album. I really liked this. I can hear the fabric of this music in really everything that came after. I’m picking up on The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead and Neil Young. Feelin Alright is no doubt the classic.
bluesey, rock, 70's americana.
Мені альбом не здався чимось цікавишим ніж інші гурти того часу, що грали подібну музику. Feeling Alright досить хітова пісня, але загалом альбом без особливих яскравих моментів.
Гурт, який так і залишиться назавжди у 60х. Непогана музика місцями (No time to live наприклад), але загалом дуже дефолтний психоделік фолк тих часів. Тексти деінде просто жахливі - як наприклад щось майже педофільське у vagabond virgin. 2.5
My heart sank when this started, the opening track is a stinker It quickly got better though. It's not bad this
This is one of those albums that I got through and just didn't feel anything. It exists, Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush is fine but also apparently not even on the album normally I accidentally listened to an extended special 2000 re-release of the album, and there's like nothing else here that I really cared about, but also nothing else that I hated.
Winwood has a great voice. But there are so many better albums of a similar style from this error. 3 for me. **umm. Vagabond Virgin??***. What in the Jeffrey Epstein is this song?
Likte best Shanghai Noodle Factory
So much British music this week. Unfamiliar with the band but can hear their influences in later music. Interesting but not my thing.
5 - AVERAGE
1. nnno. no i dont think so 2. this just sucks. feels like the song that plays in a cowboy bar in a movie that sucks. dont care for the instrumentation or the lyrics or the vocals 3. it's just not much of anything 4. the best one so far. i'm still not enthused. why do they repeat their lyrics so damn much 5. i just don't find these songs interesting. they aren't communicating anything to me. i dont even know what to say 6. man this sucks. why am i doing this. WHY IS THIS SONG SO FUCKING LONG IT'S FIVE AND A HALF MINUTES OF THE SAME 11 LINES WHY ARE YOU MAKING 5 AND A HALF MINUTE LONG SONGS IF YOU ONLY WRITE 45 SECONDS WORTH OF LYRICS AND REPEAT THEM OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN 7. well at least they actually wrote more than one and a half verses for this one. instrumental is also better 8. look. i can enjoy a 5 minute long song. i've enjoyed 15 minute long songs! i just don't think these guys should be making 5 minute long songs. stick to 3 minutes or under 9. see above. the vocals on this one are fine and the instruments are inoffensive. probably the best track 10. yuuup back to disgusting dog ass music that's what i thought
I always thought Traffic's music was hit or miss. On this album, I liked Feelin' Alright, Forty Thousand Headmen, No Time To Live, Medicated Goo and Shanghai Noodle Factory. The rest of the album, like a lot of their albums, is pretty weak.
I like John Barleycorn and Low Spark better.
It feels like an Eric Clapton cover band but they aren't allowed to play any songs that Clapton wrote. Just so boring and uninspired. They're good musicians though.
If I have to hear another beatles wannabe 60s groupie band with a bob hairdo I will call this project a sham to everyone I know. I mean come the fuck on, this is album 413 I'm in!
Это странный альбом. Забавно что жанровый тег в википедии вам лжёт, готовя к исключительно фолковому звучанию (а ето ложь). А вот на сайте уже все правильно. Это очень интересная смесь блюза, фолка, джаза, прога и психоделики. Первый трек уже было заставил закатить глаза, готовясь к очередной "фолковой-кантри-скучнине", НО НЕТ. Тем дальше - тем лучше. Ваще, мне не сколько даже этот альбом понравился, сколько я поставил на карандашик Траффик, ибо посмотрев их дискографию, они дальше и с прогом и с джаз-фьюженом более основательно игрались, и вот это вот было бы уже интересно послухать.
This is CLASSIC ROCK (TM). Like, you don't know all these songs, but they all sound like songs that some people somewhere probably know. It's the basis for so much of the 'dad rock' of the 70s, and it's fun. I'm curious to listen to more Traffic now.
ravi raa
Liked this one, good groove throughout, particularly enjoyed Medicated Goo and Feelin' Alright
I only vaguely knew about Traffic and after listening to this I'm surprised they don't get mentioned more. This album was a super eclectic mix of styles and influences but shows off the band's musical and songwriting talent the whole time. There's obviously a bit of a psychedelic late 60's influence here but also some tracks that lean heavy, some with a serious soul vibe and a few that were more poppy. It feels like these guys were still trying to find their sound but created some fun good time music.
I’m kind of surprised I’ve never listened to Traffic before because I would have absolutely loved this when I was a teenager when all I listened to was psychedelic and/or bluesy classic rock. It doesn’t quite do the same thing for me now, but I still really enjoyed this album.
već mi je bio došao jedan album ovog benda i tada sam napisao ovakav osvrt: "uistinu jedan od albuma svih vremena". ovom prilikom mogu nastaviti u istom tonu: stvarno, jedan od albuma svih vremena, pjesme su izvedene, tekst je otpjevan, sve je nasnimljeno i otisnuto na ploču. stvarno ne znam šta drugo da kažem. pjesma »vagabond virgin« donekle je okej, ostalo – nula bodova
Classic band, classic album. So many great songs!
This was way funkier than I expected. Great late 60s early 70s songwriting and production, really forward thinking style that is definitely well written and thought out. It’s just that it didn’t feel like there was any hits or memorable song that has stayed with me
Psykedeelistä folk rokkia. Vähän myös proge fiilistä vaikka ei niin progressiivista. Kesäistä ja hyvän mielistä. Parhaat: Pearly Queen, Shanghai Noodle Factory
Its kinda fun, enjoyed it. My picks: medicated goo, pearly queen, (roamin' thro' the gloamin')40.000 headman.
refuses to die
it's a pretty bog standard 60's rock album.... like fine but shouldn't be on this list
this is a good website
fun i liked it a little uneven and has some baby songs for babies but overal v nice ty steve
It's been more than two years of these albums. I've been stuck on this album for weeks now. Had listened to other albums coming through but was stuck here because I listened to it and forgot what I thought. So I listened again, and I was left asking the same question - did I like that? Idk, I need to review it now and move on, still not even halfway - this thing is a hefty commitment alright!
Heard some songs from them before. Quite nice tbh but I'm not crazy about it 2/5
Wonderful musicians and special music
Me gustó me gustó, gran disco wn, traffic es una banda inglesa de los 60 y 70s, suena muy a Led zeppelin con matices que los hacen distinto y auténtico, hay canciones muy buenas, el disco mezcla rock, folk, pop, hasta country en vola. Tiene arreglos muy lindos, creo que los vientos están muy bien utilizados y tienen un gran sonido, me gusta la mezcla sonido que se forma con la flauta y el bajo, que también suena increíble. En la producción tiene una voz sin grandes elementos distintos en comparación a otras bandas de la época. El bajo suena cremoso, con líneas líneas de bajo, bastante melódicas, en varias canciones se lleva el protagonsmo. La batería suena rica igual, la caja suena bien seca, algo apagadita y platillos comprimidos que hace que se complementen bien con el bajo. El resto de percusiones suena muy bien y están muy bien utilizados. Es como que tiene varios elementos pero cada uno está donde debe estar y no se molestan entre sí ni lo hace empalagoso. La producción me llamó la atención, sobre todo la elección de los paneos, un bajo sobando predominantemente a la derecha, batería a la derecha, teclados a la izquierda, voz y percusiones al centro y vientos que se iban moviendo de un lado pal otro. Fue una banda que no conocía y me gustó. La primera parte del disco está buenisima para mi casi alcanzando el 4 y la segunda parte me gustó un poco menos, siendo un 3. En promedio le pondré un 3, casi llegando al 4. Un disco que me compraría Cancion favorita: roaming thro the gloaming with o feeling alright
5/10
Okay
Another nostalgic band for me and also a work that absolutely could not exist without the work of black artists that came before. This is a great representation of what this flavor of rock/country/blues fusion had to offer at the time but it does bring that fact in very sharp relief. The vocals are really nice and the lyrics are mostly very thoughtful. Overall an album that flows well and scratches the 60s itch really effectively but I wouldn’t blame other people for lacking patience with it. My reviews for this type of band are always going to be especially biased.
I've only heard the Jimi Hendrix & Traffic jam thing on YouTube. This was some very white folk/blues rock.
Beatles never wrote a song as good as Shanghai Noodle Factory.
It was fine.
Full on classic rock, keyboards and a sprinkle of jazz. 3
me gustó, obviamente tampoco es mi estilo, pero tiene buenos ritmos, tiene vientos, suena bien, solo una agregué al playlist. no es algo que vovlería a escuchar
interesting and a few experimental songs that I really enjoyed like shanghai noodle factory
Album #80, Traffic, Traffic, ⭐⭐⭐ Some solid 60s psychedelia here. I’d never heard this one before, though I was aware of Traffic and their place in that scene. I’m going to be honest, I don’t really love it. I’m giving it three stars largely out of goodwill. With this project, I’m usually only getting one proper listen to albums I’ve never heard before, and some records need more time than that. This feels like one of those. If I was being brutally honest on a first impression, it might be closer to a two, but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It’s a real mixed bag. The positives are mostly in the first half. It’s more tuneful, more song-focused psychedelia, with good guitar playing that feels a bit Jimi-esque. The vocals are strong, the lyrics are decent, and overall it has a nice rootsy/folky feel early on. Around the time you get to “Vagabond Virgin,” which I have to say feels a bit creepy and off to me, the album takes a turn. From there it drifts more into proggy territory. The organ and flute start to take over, the guitar steps back, and it all becomes a bit too feathery and lightweight for my taste. That said, I can see how this might be a grower. There could well be more depth in that second half that I’m just not picking up on yet. I’ll definitely give it another spin at some point. For now, though, it’s a very light three.
The Grateful Dead wish they could jam like this, with a jazz flair to blues rock. Granted, there's a couple songs here that could go in the wood chipper, but this band is a total vibe, and did the blues-jazz fusion better than anyone. Good stuff.
It didnt excited me at first, by listening it all i was getting more involeved, very groovy, it's alright.
Traffic
Cryin’ To Be Heard //
I am starting to be lazy rating these. Solid mid tier midness.
Not heard Traffic before, so didn't know what to expect. I found the album pretty easy to listen to, and generally pretty enjoyable. There was also a good amount of musical variety throughout with a good mixture of instruments taking the spotlight. Vocals were decent and inoffensive. Nothing here that I'm in a hurry to add to a playlist or listen to again, but I could also happily listen to any of it again. Straight 3.
it's crazy how good this album is good at simulating the feeling of being stuck in traffic for 40 minutes and 24 seconds bored 2
I didn't like the first track, but enjoyed the rest. It was cleaner and less psychedelic than I expected. It's no surprise to hear that they split up straight afterwards, though, as Mason and Winwood's songs sound like different bands
The guitar playing and the drumming on this album is exceptional. However the vocals and the lyrics are not. In 1969 there was such a high bar that all elements had to be elevated. This is just a so-so record unfortunately
Is the second album we've listened to from Traffic? Why? What shite.
I was not looking forward to this but it exceeded my low expectations. I would listen to it again, but it didn't blow me away.
This is fine.
2/5 - Boring
Suena exactamente como esperaba. Lamentablemente bodrio. Nota: 2.7
This was a decent classic rock album nothing too crazy one song I knew lol
The best thing I can really say here is that Feelin' Alright made me decide to just go listen to Joe Cocker and my listening experience improved drastically once I did that.
It was alright just like one of the song titles. My biggest complaint was this was another group who just couldn't seem to end the song as a lot of the endings dragged on and on and on.
Outside of the obvious standout, this just fell flat to me.
If John Barleycorn must die, maybe this album needs to as well. Maybe. Never been a huge fan of these guys. Solid players with good musicianship, and yet outside of Feelin’ Alright, I just couldn’t find much more to remember or like.
This was decent with some good jams. I’m rounding down purely on their us of stereo and panning that made this almost unlistenable with headphones. Pearly Queen was just painful. Also, feeling alright was done better…like much better by Joe cocker.
Dang, I kinda want to round up on this one based on Feelin' Alright... but is that justified when Joe Cocker said "hold my beer" just a year later? 3.25/5
Really good album. Definitely one of Traffic's lesser-known albums. It's criminally underrated, though. Traffic has a distinct sound that branches out in this album and it's really cool how they incorporate other ethnic music in here. Vagabond Virgin is definitely the best song on here. It's very underrated and I think it's one of Traffic's best.
So mild that it finished without me really having any impression whatsoever. It wasn't unpleasant, but it just sounded like something designed to be as inoffensive as possible. Two stars.
70's rock not yet in the 70s. great album and writing. Influences from rock/pop/jazz/psychedelic. Really well done. 4.
Way better than other stuff I've listened to by them
I like it alright, but I’ll never listen to it again. I’m positive there are Traffic fans out there that love this record, and probably for decent reasons; there’s a fair amount of talent on display and the songs are generally pretty listenable. But I have no nostalgic connection to this band, which I feel like is probably necessary for Traffic to stand out to me as anything but a sort of generic late 60’s/early 70’s soundtrack. I do think I like this one more than John Barleycorn Must Die. 6.5/10
Never heared them before and this was a great discovery. Great infectious melodies, cool arrangements, it's wholesome, it varies and it rocks.
Funky, lovely
2.75. Kinda sounds like generic late 60’s blues rock to me. Nothing bad but nothing stands out either.
Pretty standard fare southern rock. I recognized "Feelin' Alright" because my dads band used to play that one back in the 90's.
3.25 - Traffic was a new band for me, but it was solid on first listen.
2.5
Interesting listen, a real mix of genres and styles, hard to nail down what it is.
I know this band. I like their stuff, not sure if I have quite listened to an album
This album didn't stand out to me as much as others from the same era.
This doesn't really appeal to me. The version (original) of "Feeling Alright?" is decent, but Joe Cocker's version is clearly superior.
Beautiful 70s rock with all the toppings. Soulful and jammy.
Feelin' Alright? is a classic but the Joe Cocker version is a million times better. Some nice sax and piano. Overall, no urgency. Speak up buddy I can barely hear you. Bit of a boring stretch of albums I've found myself in.
Catchy songs. Really good music. Really good album.
Loved it from start to finish.
Album 156. Traffic (https://open.spotify.com/album/0HXUEUFACh0b3VBhm7jBhi?si=6mYJs5YQT4qpuPU0zgb0CA) — Traffic (1968) A surprisingly good rock album. 3/5 Liked: — Feelin' Alright? — Shanghai Noodle Factory
I was enjoying this at least musically until we got to ‘Vagabond Virgin’ - what the fuck was that? My god.
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Not a necessary album. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best songs Feelin' Alright
Good if you like this kind of thing, and I clearly do - it was very obviously an influence on Wild Wood by Paul Weller, and that's getting at least four stars when it comes up too.
+1 Meets notability guidelines.
Not bad at all, and you gotta love Windwoods voice!
Unremarkable rock
Besides Feelin' Alright, I don't think I'd recognise a single song if I listened to this again. And even with Feelin' Alright, I wouldn't be sure if I was listening to the Traffic version or any other of the various similar covers of it.
Favorite Track: Feelin’ Alright?
I love Traffic all day every day
This wasn’t bad, but none of the songs were compelling and I couldn’t connect with the music. Overall pretty boring.
3.5 but I'll go 4 for some sporadic gems of tracks and licks, grooves, melodies, especially in the voc&bass or drum kit.
It’s fine. I preferred it to the previous Traffic album generated for me, John Barleycorn Must Die, but it’s nothing amazing. It’s the kind of thing I always seem to hear when my parents have ‘Sounds of the ‘70s’ on in the car (I know this is from 1968, but it’s the same sound)- you won’t complain about it being on, but you won’t think too much about it either.
As a fan of late-60s bluesy, folky rock stuff I enjoyed the sound of this album well enough, but overall it’s another of those albums that gets 3 stars for being generally okay, with no particular highs or lows to speak of. It’s the kind of thing that makes you appreciate more how good some other groups working in a similar idiom were. ‘Feelin’ Alright?’ is probably the best song, although even there I probably prefer Joe Cocker’s version. This one didn’t make much impact on me and I began to lose interest the longer it went on. Very mid.
fine music for focusing at work, but I've I had to sit and concentrate on this album only, I'd probably run out into traffic.
Traffic by Traffic. On a traffic light scale of Green (go), Yellow (slow down), and Red (stop), I give this a yellow
I didn’t find anything that remarkable. It was fairly interesting late 60s music, with a single “Feeling All Right” that I recognized.
Enjoyed the guitar.
Just a bunch of dudes trying their best. Ain't trying to hurt nobody.
Some solid stuff.
It’s fine, but a bit too long. This album could have been 2 or 3 songs shorter and I probably would have rated it higher. 2.25 / 5
Traffic is a cool band, I however haven't listened to this record as much as John Barleycorn Must Die (also on the list) and Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (NOT on the list, what the fuck?). It's a solid record (aside from cringe ass Vagabond Virgin) by a group of great musicians. Their other aforementioned records are definitely better.
★★½
Not much to say
Too 1968-ish for me. I appreciate the jazz and blues parts, non so much the psychedelic and vocals parts.
Da nije pjevač ovog benda poslije postao značajan, čini mi se da bi ovo prošlo potpuno nezapaženo. Mada i realno nema nešto pretjerano da ponudi. Sasvim ok, ne puno više od toga. Mislim kome se sviđa Winwoodov glas može ovo baš gotiviti.
rock né sempre pode piorar, mas esse foi bem okzão
pior que nem foi tããão ruim. rockzinho hippie que não fede nem cheira, nem incomoda ninguém. eh ok!!
It was fine. The album was long though. I recognized Feelin’ Alright.
Started off really strong, You Can All Join In was really fun with some nice country vibes. Pearly Queen was some solid fun rock and roll. And then it just sort of petered out. The rest of it was not bad, but nothing like the first two songs. Except for Cryin' To Be Heard, which had a wonderful guitar solo. Best song: You Can All Join In
Never heard of this group. It's very of its time, but the vocals are good, and lots of blues-y riffs, some folk, just good early rock. The songs don't all sound the same, there's some variation, which I appreciate. It's not revolutionary but a decent listen.
Not my favorite of the lates 60s rock classics. They were doing such a specific hogwild American blues pastiche à la Rolling Stones that I looked up if they were British and Lo and behold, they are indeed. Good for those chaps. My favorite part of the album was some of the song titles (“Medicated Goo”, “Shanghai Noodle Factory”.)
Overall: 6/10 Honestly, this was fine but nothing really stood out to me. Kind of standard late 60s rock. Bland but not bad. Fav Song: No Time to Live
Suena muy bien. No los conocía, pero creo que han debido ser una gran inspiración para muchas bandas de rock de los 90 y 2000 con un sonido retro. ¿Black Crows? se me vienen a la cabeza. Me guardo Feelini alright? y Medicated Goo.
Very classic late 60s hippy music. Some good songs like medicated goo.
My parents first played me this many years ago. I love it more each time I hear it.
Knowing nothing about this album going in, I gotta say -- what a fun collection of eclectic grooves. Great variation here, with plenty to hold my interest. I'll certainly revisit this.
Previously rated: #941 - John Barleycorn Must Die (4/5) ****************************************** Album #1,073 Listened to just the original 10 track album. Winwood's songs are for the most part better than the other guy's, especially in the vocal department, but Feelin' Alright might be the best track on the album. Other standouts: Pearly Queen and Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring. Some of the mixing didn't seem too good, with drums or vocals too far back in the mix. I'd have to listen to both albums again to know which was better.
This album was solid. Every track had something to keep me interested, whether it was funk elements or rhythmic interest on the blues/rock 'n' roll inspired tracks, or flutes or organs on the pop tracks. There was decent variety and the length was just enough to keep me excited the whole way through. 7/10
I bought this album (used), I think when I was in college, mostly from a vague sense that Traffic were supposed to be a cool n groovy late 60s band (and I liked the song "Feelin Alright" pretty well, although Joe Cocker's version is better known - and better). But listening again now, I'm reminded that, while it was perfectly fine, it was kind of a disappointment, and didn't really grab me. I went to look at the (my) album, and realized/was reminded that I must have given it away when I moved here from the house on Ridgeland, when I gave away a number of my less-preferred albums to WLUW (and to make my albums all fit in the cabinets built by Grandpa Dave). Again, not a bad album; good, but (for me) not great, and maybe not all that interesting or catchy? My favorite track, listening twice today to the 10 original tracks, was "40,000 Headmen" and, in particular the flute played by Chris Wood, who apparently also played "sleigh bells" and a "Coke tin" on the track (2nd album in a row with catchy flute ;) ). 3 stars.
More pretty standard rock, which I’m sure others would say is really influential but to my ears sounds like so much other stuff from the time.
First few tracks in I was groaning thinking this was going to be more blues fare. Thankfully, it was a little different, though nothing to particularly shout about. Felt like the album picked uo towards the back end (quite liked ‘medicated goo’!) but with hindsight, this seems like fairly average fare even if it broke new ground at the time.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. A solid album, scattered but good.
Another one that was good, but maybe not what it once was at the time.
First time listen Decent rock album. Better than some of the 60s rock outfits on this list that have absolutely no place being there. Didn't have a lot of the corny tropes of the era. Not something I'd be eager to listen to again, but I'll probably check out more of this band at some point. Don't really see this as anything essential by any stretch. Favorite tracks: Feelin Alright?, Means to An End Least favorite: Pearly Queen 3/5
First time I've heard this and when your previous exposure to Stevie Winwood is his 1980's comeback pop hits, this album vastly exceeds your expectations.
A somewhat strange album, I'll admit, but definitely better and more interesting than the lone Steve Winwood solo album in this collection. The first three tracks pretty much sums up the good, the bad and the ugly of this album, with Dave Mason's campy "You can all join in" followed by a very Winwood-sounding "Pearly queen" (and with Mason largely absent), then somewhat awkwardly mashing both styles/preferences in the syrupy "Don't be sad". The rest of the album consists mainly of (subtle) variations on one of those three directions, with a few genuinely good tracks (mainly "Who knows what tomorrow may bring" and the lyrics to "Feelin' alright" (although Joe Cocker's version is *so* much better)) and more than a few duds (pride of place for the super tacky and creepy "Vagabond virgin" that might have made Jethro Tull proud). I know these guys were revered--and largely still are--in many quarters, but as a non-aficionado I think nonplussed pretty much sums it up for me.