Traffic

Pretty straightforward

Blues rock

3.5 stars

like listening to an easy listening oldies radio station. pretty cool how many genres this album represents, and there's some catchy stuff here! 3.75/5

Some good songs. A few missses

Surprisingly jolly sounding album that doesn't blow you away but instantly put me in a good mood

Some fun songs, some slightly duller ones

congratulations on making a harpsicord fit seamlessly into a modern format. the standard 60s fare is a bit boring but the rest of this is actually pretty strong.

Traffic accident. No survivors.

Classic.

Certainly, some very strong tracks here. While there are also a few fillers. I think the overall sound of the band is ambitious and well balanced. Lots of tasty guitar riffs, piano Melodies and synchronized voices. The lyric writing is fun and the singing style commands attention at its best parts. There are some songs where all the weirdness, pop, and rock come together properly, but it appears they threw a little too much quality on this record and there’s no real need to stay spinning past the flip unless you’re a true fan on the jazzy, folksy, bluesy jams. Shanghai Noodly Factory is fun though.

Shorter and poppier songs. Enjoyed it

Surprisingly good

Fluido, muy bueno en su estilo.

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

Good jams, good vibes, nothing amazing but fun to rock along to

Solid Traffic album. 3.5

Fine

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.

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.

Nice orgelsolon! Stark trea

Basic nice, men suktar just nu efter något utmärkt

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.

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.

Listenable but not mind blowing

It's pleasant tunes. Didn't stand out tremendously for me, but very pleasant

Nice.

Man, this is of a time… and has a surprise banger that Joe Cocket covered!

6.5/10

Feelin alright about giving this a 3

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

Liked some songs on here - medicated goo sounded like a Paul weller song to me

Interesting

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

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’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

Cool to hear the original version of Feeling Alright, but that’s about 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.

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.

bluesey, rock, 70's americana.

My heart sank when this started, the opening track is a stinker It quickly got better though. It's not bad this

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?

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

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.

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

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.

it's a pretty bog standard 60's rock album.... like fine but shouldn't be on this list

fun i liked it a little uneven and has some baby songs for babies but overal v nice ty steve

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

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.

It didnt excited me at first, by listening it all i was getting more involeved, very groovy, it's alright.

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.

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.

Suena exactamente como esperaba. Lamentablemente bodrio. Nota: 2.7

This was a decent classic rock album nothing too crazy one song I knew lol

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.

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

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

2.75. Kinda sounds like generic late 60’s blues rock to me. Nothing bad but nothing stands out either.

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.

This album didn't stand out to me as much as others from the same era.

Beautiful 70s rock with all the toppings. Soulful and jammy.

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

Not bad at all, and you gotta love Windwoods voice!

Favorite Track: Feelin’ Alright?

This wasn’t bad, but none of the songs were compelling and I couldn’t connect with the music. Overall pretty boring.

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.

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.

Not much to say

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

I feel like this was added for 'Feeling Alright'. The rest was okay but pretty standard for this era. It's competently made and listenable but no real standout moments.

mid

It was fairly interesting

I know Traffic from the handful of songs that would come onto classic rock radio over the years. Not sure I’ve ever listened to a full album, but generally enjoy their sound from the little I know. Enjoying this early on. Kinda bluesy 60s rock with some great fun guitars. There’s a hint of 60s psychadelic rock behind some of it. There’s a bit of a funky/jazzy sound on a few songs too. A clean 60s classic rock sound overall on a lot of it. It does seem to lack a cohesive sound, but that might be part of its charm. Vagabond Virgin starts the second half and has a unique sound from a lot of the first half with a heavier flute use. Kinda really liking this overall. When you think it’s finding a groove, it kinda throws you off with a slightly different sound which still manages to keep your interest. Nothing overly blew me away but enjoyed it overall. Feels like somewhere between a 3 and a 4. It’s on the high end of 3, but didn’t wow me as a whole, despite liking a lot of the songs. Not sure if I’ll listen again and decide if it earns the 4, but settling on the 3 for now.

Not a bad band. Some good tracks on this album.

1960s type music. Ok

I enjoyed listening to this, but probably will never do so again.

Review - not my sort of thing but has some decent tracks. Fairly standard 60s blues rock fair, but the tracks sang by Winwood are a lot more interesting. He almost sounds like Nina Simone sometimes, which immediately elevates this band above their contemporaries. Rating - 7/10 Need to listen? YES

Sure whatever.

Somehow I don't think I've ever listened to this album. Like most Traffic, I enjoyed it but it just isn't that special to me.

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

The album cover already hints at the kind of music we're in for — pretentiously but rather stylishly dressed, the moustachioed, hairy guys immediately suggest classic rock from the late 1960s. When you learn that the hairy guys are English, their sound is completely shaped in your head. In fact, the album isn't quite that simple. It begins with a decidedly un-British "southern" rock sound, then gradually transitions into psychedelia, all the while maintaining its acoustic core. This is where they stumbled, overcomplicating things. In some songs, you get the feeling that each member is trying to steal the show, trying to make their part the focal point; as a result, the ear doesn't know what to listen to. When you learn that half the songs were written by the guitarist and the other half by the keyboardist, the reasons for this discrepancy become clear. It's a decent record, a pleasure to listen to, but the musicians didn't realize their full potential.

nie bede pisal drugi raz, bo cos sie nie chcialo zapisac

It’s from the 60’s and definitely sounds like it.

Pretty good. Might revisit eventually, but not right away.

Yawn… I hear good musicians playing well. But the songs don’t get to me. I heard someone say that Traffic is a greatest hits-band rather than an album-band. And I think I agree.

Very good generic 70s music. I enjoyed it, but one listen is enough.

Easy listening

Straight down the middle, 60's-70's bluesy rock. It's pretty decent for what it is. A straight down the middle 3/5.

Not a memorable album for me. Not bad but nothing stood out songwriting wise.

This is a kaleidoscope full of shapes bending into one another, creating new and even more colorful images. While the colors remain the same, the infinite amount of new images sparks the imagination.

Get out your shakers and settle into a mid tempo groove. Baby.

3.5 stars. Folk rock with lead electric guitar doing lots of heavy lifting. Second half of the album wanes after some good energy in the first half. Standout is "Feelin' Alright?" (as made famous by Joe Cocker's cover the following year).

If there is a prototypical 'Dad / Boomer Rock' band, Traffic is it. I listen to the record, and find it entirely inoffensive, and a handful of tracks are quite good (personal favorite is "Medicated Goo."). But it is remarkably unmemorable. I don't know if it's the studied performances, the lack of electricity and passion, or the straight 'down the fairway' execution, but the record just doesn't leave an emotional mark. So I'm left wit the vague impression that Traffic is a perfectly fine classic rock band, but I have zero desire to ever pull out one of their albums.

Had no clue that the lead vocalist was Steve Winwood. His vocals on this record were really great but I suppose he hadn't really found his signature voicing by this young age? Some nice tracks on this album. Definitely sort of an oddity in a good way. I'd probably spin it up again.

Standard fare 60's rock. It'd do in a pinch.

On some forgettable sitcom in the late 1980s a character said he was late because he was in Traffic longer than Steve Winwood. Today I finally heard Traffic. I get it now. And I guess it wasn't forgettable after all.

Hadn’t heard anything other than hole in my shoe by them so was expecting a bit more psychedelic. Was ok - bit dull

I ended up listening to this a couple times because I totally forgot about it after listening. On my second listen it did feel any more memorable but I liked the pace. My favorite would probably be “Pearly Queen” or “Feelin’ Alright”

Fun album

Good rock/electric band from the 60’s and 70’s. Good sound. And songs.

Good

Of all the bands to get two albums on the 1001 Albums list, Traffic are definitely one of them. They're definitely a band worthy of some level recognition on a list like this, but they're also not really a band that has a strong enough legacy to warrant double dipping, you know? They're not the most worthy of two albums, but they're not the least worthy either. It helps that both of their albums on the list are good, though I have found that I prefer the later style of John Barleycorn Must Die over this self-titled second album of theirs. What can I say? I really like prog-rock and prog-rock adjacent albums. That doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the more folk-rock focused style of this album, but I have a preference and it's not for this album. This album's good in a different way from Barleycorn, as it has more of this classic 60s feel to it compared to the early 70s work. It might not be as ambitious, but it doesn't have to be. It's a pretty solid folk rock album and that's all it has to be. Everything here is done well, but I don't think any of it is perfect per se. The band all has talent, obviously. I don't think I need to tell you that Steve Winwood is talented. The singing works well enough. "Feelin' Alright?" is a fun song. Not every song is great, I'll admit. I mean, "Feelin' Alright?" is probably the album's best song and yet it's immediately followed by the album's worst song, "Vagabond Virgin." That one's gonna get a "yikes" from me. The album's also a little repetitive, but that's a minor issue. Uhh... yeah. I don't have much to say here. It's a serviceable 60s rock album. Not the best of its kind, but far from the worst either. I enjoyed it. High 3/5.

*1968. *Opening song (You Can All Join In) is a fun start. There are a few other upbeat songs that are a good time. *Some good stuff here, but 1 hour is too much Traffic for me. It took me several tries to not tune out the second half of this album. RATING - 6.5/10

This was solid, if not a tad unspectacular. Traffic definitely had some talent, each of whom were early in their respective careers. This leans more folk, as opposed to the group's psychedelic sound in which they were founded on. It's just...alright. I am feeling alright, Traffic. Thanks for asking.

Not a bad classic rock album! So many different sounds used in interesting ways, so there's always some variety and spice. However, the vocalists isn't the best and sometimes the music in ways that don't necessarily seem harmonic. "Cryin' To Be Heard" and "Medicated Goo" are awesome tracks! Don't know what playlist I'd put them in, though.

Fine

🥇who knows what tomorrow may bring 🥈medicated goo 🥉no time to live HM: you can all join in, feelin alright?, vagabond virgin, means to an end, am i what was or am i what i am

Decent; enjoying it alright so far, 3 stars nothing too stand out but like the 60s sound; some Wurlitzer falsetto trash in here; feelin alright sounds pretty classic; rounding up for flute

Nice bluesy rock, reminded me a bit of Jethro Thull’s sound at times. Not something I’d add to my collection, but good music.

Thought I would love it since I love Low Spark of High Heeled Boys but that's a different album.

Dozed in and out, It's average rock.

It's okay - didn't realize Steve Winwood was in the band.

This was so close to getting a four but what the actual fuck was 'Vagabond Virgin'??

Kolejny nudny rock na granicy popu. Nie do końca wiem, jak to ocenić. Przed chwilą skończyłam słuchać, a już nie pamiętam żadnego utworu. 6/10

The goo might be medicated, but the vibes are all-natural, baby! "Barely 13, fresh to the scene, drinkin' more wine than anyone's seen" is actually Ann's working title for her autobiography, no correlation. Gypsy blood mixed with Hendrix-sounding guitars and an assortment of wind and strings make for a wonderful rock atmosphere. On paper - this should click with me, but sooths more than excites. A great soundtrack to getting high and concocting a low-stakes heist the back of a conversion van!

Feelin' alright, just alright. Diggin' the funky groove. Weird lyrics - the mention of "barely thirteen" and "medicated goo"... idk man, idk.

I had never heard of Traffic before today and don’t think I could have told you it was Steve Winwood’s band, even if you had given me a hundred guesses to do so (though I couldn’t unheard his influence after I learned that fact). Overall, I’d say Traffic’s self-titled album is largely unremarkable, though not an unpleasant listen by any means. There’s nothing as great as “While You See a Chance” on here, but I’d probably prefer listen to this over Arc of a Diver in its entirety. I’m probably going to revisit AOAD at some point since it was my first Book Album of this journey and since my rating system wasn’t entirely calibrated at that point. Winwood is an extremely talented songwriter when he needs to be – there have just been too many snoozers in his discography to call myself a true fan. Highlights: Pearly Queen, Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Feelin' Alright, Cryin' to Be Heard, Means to an End

Wasn’t expecting much. But pleasantly surprised. Very west coast psychedelic folkish blues US rock from the other side of the Atlantic around Brum. Well it sounded alright so good. 3 Star

A couple of good songs. Some terrible songs.

Will have to go back and listen!

3.5

The Good: Not that kind of traffic… The Bad: Feels like we are stuck in it though… The Ugly: Realizing that the band is trafficing in it’s own name… First time listening to these “cats”. Not sure what to think about it, as each time I think they’ve started a good tune, that tune ends and a shitty one follows. However, Feelin’ Allright is just great, as I am very familiar with Joe Cocker’s version… Anyway, going to give them 3* for being cool cats, but they kinda deserve 2...

3.5

3.0

The self-titled album Traffic sounded to me just like any other rock album from that 60s era of music. Nothing in particular really shone out to me that would make this band unique amongst the many of this time, but they also weren't terrible. I enjoyed "Cryin' To Be Heard", "Means to an End", and "Shanghai Noodle Factory"

This is like lifeless Led Zeppelin. I'd give it 2, but the songs aren't actually bad, just of a certain ilk of prog music that feels like the anti-anthem of the cultural transition from hippie let's get high and play at counter-culture to let me just take some chemicals and chill out.

A fairly bland bowl of porridge — I started to get excited about it circa tracks 1-3, but by the end the inevitable 70s mid theme of forgettable wankery gathered steam on side B. I shall not return.

Okay band okay album

Dated vibes

Feels somewhat middle of the road, pleasant enough to listen to, some interesting elements, particularly in the closer, Shanghai Noodle Factory. The album on the whole feels like southern rock, I wouldn’t say they sound particularly English. My main issue with the album is that it is too long, however, a quick Wikipedia check tells me the only version on Apple Music contains a reissue with bonus tracks so maybe I didn’t need to listen to the last 5 tracks - some of them were good though.

Kind of boring 60s rock stuff, some bangers like Pearly Queen but otherwise fairly boring

It's funny how many older rock and roll acts sound like country music. That's the first impression I got at the outset of listening to this one. I learned that they (well, Mason) wrote Feelin' Alright.

Standard late 60's rock album. Nothing really stood out other than "Feeling alright." Steve Winwood's voice is velvet.

Keep honking, I'm listening to Traffic and scared of falling asleep

Generic Folk Rock that really has nothing to do with their masterpiece John Barleycorn Must Die.

3 new favorites but honestly, it all felt samey. That being said, really like Winwood's voice. I do like how light the album feels with the wind instruments. 3/5

This made very little impression on me. A bit of psychedelia, a bit of dad rock. Competent. 2.5

Vanilla psychedelic rock. I’ve never been a real big Traffic fan and this album certainly doesn’t inspire me to dive further into their catalog. Steve Winwood would eventually find himself in to 80’s and much more in tune with his song writing and composition.

A totally fine MOR classic rock album that I moderately enjoyed and most likely will not listen to again. The Winwood compositions are a little more interesting, I suppose.

Boring, but doesn’t sound bad

Liked parts of this album. Some good psychedelic funky bluesy stuff going on, but it does have some duds. Overall a good album. 3.5/5 Might listen again

I’m a sucker for this genre and period but this was pretty bland

Very 60s vibe with rock/folk/psychedelic mixture. Good overall.

I Enjoy the group.

Really wanted to give this one four stars -- who knew Steve Winwood could rock like this? -- but a lot of mediocrity on the back half, with songs that haven't aged well. The Shanghai Noodle Factory is not on my bucket list to visit.

Pretty average ‘60’s rock album

Another boring generic 60s rock album? Who'd have guessed 🙄

Fine 60s rock that we’ve heard 50 times so far.

Not bad. Some famous songs.

Fun

It was fine. My rating 3.2

It occurs to me, my group probably didn't get the best introduction to Traffic. Or, what I really mean, the most accurate. For all intents and purposes, from everything I've read and seen, 'John Barleycorn Must Die' is essentially a Steve Winwood solo album that just so happens to feature the rest of the band. It's kind of like 'The Final Cut', which is basically Roger Waters's solo debut though credited to Pink Floyd. And either of those is better than what happened to Tony Iommi's 'Seventh Star', but I'm getting off track. The point is, this is the album that I imagine better reflects who Traffic was. Going by 'John Barleycorn', it seemed that Traffic really wanted to be Steely Dan. Y'know, a lot of soft jazz rock that's **really complex** if you dig into far enough but just comes off boring to most people. I find myself among them. It's not that I wouldn't go digging if I could — it's that I just can't. I don't have the ear for it. So it feels like this album should be more up my alley. Being led by Dave Mason instead of Winwood, it's a lot more 60's folk rock. There's some light jazz touches sprinkled in there, but this self-titled is clearly aiming for more of an accessible audience than 'John Barleycorne' was. And maybe it's my dumb "no music theory" brain talking, but dang it, I like it sometimes when you can just appreciate a song for what it is without having to dig too deep. That said, however, I'm not sure I like these songs terribly much. I don't **dislike** them, not at all, but generally these songs are just ... fine. Y'know? They're fine. Some of 'em are tryna be The Beatles, and they get more of the way there than they don't. Some of 'em are really light and have a lot of flute, and they kind of breezed past me, but I'm not gonna rag on 'em for that; they're good enough. And "Vagabond Virgin" is ... y'know, there's a lot of songs that sing about underage teen-age girls, and a lot of times I wanna give 'em the benefit that the narrator is also a teen-ager. Like, when Ringo sings "You're Sixteen" on his album, I doubt you're supposed to imagine 33 year-old Ringo creepin' and peepin' on a 16 year-old. "Vagabond Virgin", though — yeah, there's no getting around it. Especially when Dave seems to be singing about a 16 year-old sex worker? Like, Dave, my man, I saw 'Taxi Driver' recently, and lemme tell you... But that's the worst the album gets, really. On a musical level, it's like every other song here: jus' kinda fine. Like, I'unno, it all circles back to the question I asked a few reviews, where I wondered if I was spoiled for 60's music. Y'know, you grow up on a diet of The Beatles, how could these guys compare? But even aside from them, I just can't point to any particular element that grips me. So, yeah, while it's a better introduction to who Traffic were than 'John Barleycorn Must Die' was, it's not iike it makes me wanna go out and listen to more of their music. It's just ... fine. All around fine. I imagine if you're someone who just absolutely **loves** 60's rock outside of the big names you could get a kick and a half out of this. Me, though? I just can't dig it.

This wasn't particularly interesting for me but i can see its merit. It was very much of its time, without being revolutionary. It seems well done and i enjoyed the blues elements, but the vocal production is very dated.

Emerging around the same time as contemporaries Cream, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, Birmingham's Traffic also flirted with the psychedelic rock craze that was popular at the time, and their 1968 self-titled record is perhaps their most consistent collection of songs. 'Traffic' is essentially a collection of easy-going folk rock tunes with some psychedelic and jazz flourishes, and is perhaps noteworthy for being an early avenue for revered singer-songwriter Steve Winwood to showcase his astute musicianship. Winwood shares lead vocal duties with Dave Mason on this record, and both have the vocal chops required to adequately lead the band. With that said, I wouldn't say it's a remarkable record, it just happened to emerge at time where more iconic contemporaries were doing the rounds. The musicianship on this album is commendable, but I wouldn't say memorable, probably because Winwood and Mason don't project that same charisma of a Robert Plant or an Eric Clapton. It's an okay record, but I can see why they didn't really blow up, let's put it that way. Best songs: Pearly Queen, Don't Be Sad, Feelin' Alright

6/10

Ganz nett, aber auch nicht mehr.

Mid, Der Typ oben rechts: Because i cut the brakes, wildcard bitches, yeee haww

Enjoyed this record, never listened to it straight through before. Winwood has a great voice and the band merges their style into a very good rock record.

Pretty good 60s record.

A decent late-60’s rock record. It’s a good balance of folk, blues, jazz and rock. It’s fun to listen to.

Overall good-sounding without much for lasting impact, meets expectations for a '60s rock album

It has a certain charm. I like You Can All Join In and Feelin’ Alright. The album has a quirky jammy charm. It seems as though Winwood doesn’t stretch out his vocals here the way he can. One thing about these songs is that they definitely sound of their time, which makes it seem dated.

По правде сказать, скучная музыка, но клавишные, духовые и ударные — хороши. Лучшая песня: Pearly Queen

This album has some quite lovely arrangements accompanied by some (blue-eyed) soulful singing. It doesn't really excite me, nothing jumps right up at me like some other new albums I've discovered. Highlight Song/s: Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring

its critically acclaimed but rated mid by avg listeners. I don't see the critic opinion being right, album was a letdown

Great progressive rock.

Good band but didn’t interest me enough to revisit any time soon

Like an amalgamation of several bands, but doesn’t feel like they’re doing anything truly their own. I enjoy the little stabs of organ that took a lot of these songs up a notch for me. Decent, can imagine jamming along to this in the car on a road trip.

Love traffic but this is a good but unremarkable album by them

Ok

Fun little album.

that was good and interesting

high 3

Quite fun, every song brought something different but I'm not gonna rush back to it

3.2 2x

Sometimes you just need a good old rock album in your life.

Traffic was actually a pretty decent album. I saw the style of music that this album would consist of from a mile away due to things like the album art and the fact that i have heard the other album on this project by this group (John Barleycorn Must Die). I think this one is leagues better than that one though because everything on offer is significantly more interesting here. The melodies in particular for some songs really stuck out to me because they could be pretty darn catchy especially in songs like You Can All Join In. I'm not really sure i can say much else about this album so all I'll say is it's a pretty solid listen. Best Song: Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring Worst Song: Means To An End

Not bad. Surprised that it was as good as it was.

Really liked the first track. The rest was not bad.

decent!

Whatever Steve Winwood album we had before felt a lot different from this. This has me thinking about the Beatles and Cream and the whole psychedelic blues thing that was going on for a while there, and for the first 4 or 5 tracks I was really into it. After that, it starts to feel repetitive.

Ihan ok soittoa ja bändin soundi. Vähän tasapaksu, mikään biisi ei erottautunut. Tuskin tulee kuunneltua uudestaan.

Pretty solid Little Rock and roll bluesy album. Back when Steve Winwood was good.

“Feeling’ Alright” transcends decades, and somehow feels relevant however many years later

A few good songs and a few that were meh.

Bland rock and roll. It’s fine. Nothing stands out.

Solid album! Took me a while to get to the whole thing and I kept restarting it - as a result I got pretty attached to "You Can All Join In"! I felt like I could hear nuances of their future hits on this album.

Very good mix of classic rock with a dash of prog and folk. And Steve Winwood is crazy talented.

We like traffic, both in cars and the band. But not the band cars. Or banned cars, looking at you cybertruck.

At its best, it sounds a bit like one of those Fairport Convention songs where someone who isn't Sandy Denny insists on singing. It's better than I expected, but it still feels very standard for the time period.

70's rock?

2.5/5

Not as good as John Barleycorn Must Die, but still an entertaining time. Favorite songs were Pearly Queen and Feelin’ Alright.

How to curate a list of 1001 albums to listen to before you die: Take a bunch of random rock records from the 60s-70s that charted somewhere in the top 40 at some point and put em all together and call it a list. Oh and also put everything Morissey ever touched in for good measure. The album was fine but this list is abysmal at some points.

Some great psychedelic tracks here. I've never heard of these guys. Roaming and Gloaming, Feeling Alright. There's a lot of filler too. I'd mine this for playlist tracks, but not sure it stands super well as a complete album. 3/5

Decently enjoyable album 3/5

I’m not trying to be terse, but I just can’t find much to say about this. It sounds like the 60s and is completely inoffensive and fine to listen to (mostly). Yeah. That’s about all I can think of to say.

Album 932 of 1089 Traffic - Traffic (1968) Rating : 3.5 / 5 I really enjoyed their style - that cool blend of rock, jazz, and a bit of psychedelia that they seemed to pull off so naturally. The musicianship is tight, and the songs flow nicely without ever feeling forced. While I can’t say it quite crossed into “great” territory for me, it’s still a fine listen all the way through. There’s a laid-back groove to the whole thing that makes it easy to enjoy - never dull, never too heavy, just a solid mix of sound and mood. Tracks like “Feelin’ Alright” and “Pearly Queen” stood out, showing how the band could groove and jam without losing focus. A good album from a group that clearly had the chops and chemistry.

Another English Rock Band, ugh, but they were actually pretty enjoyable ... I didn't even realize they were Brits until I read the reviews.

Not as good as the first album TBF, but I still got a lot of love for Steve Winwood. All his tracks are class, but i'm not as keen on the other guys voice. 50% love and 50 % meh. Medicated Goo is lush. 3.9/5

Feels like they're doing knock off versions of other band's tunes for half their songs, but listenable enough

Mycket habilt men inget som riktigt engagerar

Early bangers, the rest is okay.

Great late 60s sounds -- I knew Cocker's cover of 'Feelin Alright?' fun to hear the original here. Glad to give this a focused listen

Its fine

Best Song: Feelin' Alright. I could imagine that this is great summertime music. Driving, countryside music. Worst Song: Vagabond Virgin. Really failed attempt at a storytelling song. The story is not compelling, nor is the talk-singing. The flute was alright though. Overall: Most of the vocals on here are really fantastic. I love that style of almost shout-singing. The rest is pretty standard classic rock fare, but it has enough energy to make it worthwhile.

I really liked this, considering it was my first time listening to it.

Feels like something I would have listened to in highschool

Some absolute classics, like feeling alright and medicated goo, but felt like there was a fair amount of filler too, lot of very psychedelic 60s british blues, for which you kinda need to be in the right mood. Maybe 730am on the long island expressway isn't the most conducive vibe. Another 3.5, they really need half stars.

I prefer this album over their first. However this album is full of somewhat good but forgettable songs.

Day 83 First listen- I love 60s psych rock. This album was a pleasant experience nothing revolutionary. I enjoyed the psychedelic moments and the harmonics. (3/5)

ok

= The Beatles This list really is 70% middle of the road English Rock and pop from the 60s and 70s

I have learned to tolerate boomer rock, this was a very solid album. Just enough variety to be engaging all the way through -- shout out to "Pearly Queen" and "Cryin' to be Heard".

Standard late 60s rock 2.5

Solid record. Never heard this entire album until now.

Early Rock. Ok.

Traffic is a great band, but this one falls somewhere in the middle of their discography for me. John Barleycorn and Low Spark are far better records, hopefully those are here too. Overall, it’s decent with some great songs, and a lot of filler.

It's definitely of its time. There's some good melodies and instrumentations, the sort you'd hear in a cafe scene in a Tarantino movie. The lyrics are a bit more of a mixed bag. There's a lot of the '60s cliches in there, that's for sure. It's good for what it is, but lets just be glad that Black Sabbath were only two years away. As for the album itself, it could've done with being one or two songs shorter.

Feels like this would have been a blast to see live.

Pretty generic but has a very satisfying guitar sound.

Cool but didn’t blow my mind.

Huh I’ve never really listened to Traffic -> start album -> oh yeah this is Traffic they’re cool -> album ends -> not my favorite but pretty good -> X amount of time passes -> Huh I’ve never really listened to Traffic This cycle will continue until I die (3.5/5)

Pretty good, I think the Mr. Fantasy album is better.

I listened to this album and quite liked it but waited a day or two to write this review and sitting here now I'm having a hard time remembering a lot of it which says something. 3.5🌟

Some cool country sounds, of course done much better by others. Still, i had fun. Maybe a little long for what it is, but I heard some much worse late 60s rock albums that are less interesting than this one.

Traffic was a supergroup formed in 1967 featuring Steve Winwood and Dave Mason. Winwood and Mason were the two who put the super in the group and wouldn’t you know, it seems they had trouble working together. One way you can tell is that this 10-track album includes five songs written and sung by Dave Mason and five songs written and sung by Steve Winwood. Also, this version of Traffic had broken up by 1969, though other versions would come together over the years to record and tour. Mason’s songs were more folky rock songs with pop sensibilities. Some of his songs sounded like lutes were being played on them. Winwood’s songs were jazzy, bluesy rock songs, and I liked his half better. Mason’s songs weren’t bad, in fact, Mason wrote the hit on the album, which you might have heard, it’s called Feelin’ Alright. With some of these albums on the 1,001 list, I have to figure out why they were included. I’m not saying this album is good, it is. But it just doesn’t blow me away. The musicianship is great, the songwriting is good. The lyrics are plain enough, save for a few songs that leave you to wonder what they’re singing about. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the album, but it’s not going in regular rotation. However, I think you'll be fine if you want to skip this, but if you like folky/bluesy/rock/pop music from the 1960s, this might be your jam.

Pretty ok.

Hoping this isn't the only Traffic album on the list.

A low 3. I like John Barleycorn Must Die. This... Is fine but doesn't do that much for me and little stood out. Also Vagabond Virgin sounded pretty dodgy.

awesome bass lines!

Better than some of their other albums, but not great by any means. plenty of good blues and jazz influence here. It's alright for an Austin Powers movie maybe.

I would definitely listen to this in my car.

3.5

Pretty middle of the road, but alright enough. Cool solos and instrumentation, although I didn't love any track in particular. 3

Not my usual style but I can appreciate the vocal skills, complex arrangements, and awesome instrumentation!

Generic but decent

Traffic brings out another rock album, that I kind of like, but it doesn't sound super great, not too exciting.

Not bad. Not great.

I like Traffic but prefer the jazz excursions of "Freedom Rider" and "Low Spark of High Heel Boys" and the traditional acoustic songs of "John Barleycorn Must Die" over this album. There's too much hippy-dippy filler and it goes on way too long (I guess I listened to the UK bonus track version). Still, there's great playing and singing here and they were an interesting band tha5 couldn't be labeled.

Some songs sound like if The Kinks went in a psychedelic direction, which is cool, but a lot of this is pretty generic 60s rock. It does improve in the second half. Not bad, but didnt move me, kinda doubting the essentiality of it

3/5

It’s alright some songs better than others. Not my style though. Quality quite good for the year it came out

Lige min slags psykedelisk rock. Det er sådan noget, jeg burde have hørt for 30 år siden, men bedre sent end aldrig.

01) You Can All Join In - 7,0 02) Pearly Queen - 6,5 03) Don't Be Sad - 6,5 04) Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring - 6,5 05) Feelin' Alright? - 7,5 06) Vagabond Virgin - 6,5 07) Roamin' Thru' the Gloamin' with 40,000 Headmen - 7,0 08) Cryin' to Be Heard - 7,0 09) No Time to Live - 6,5 10) Means to an End - 6,0 TOTAL: 6,70 (67/100) Current ranking: 437/646

The problem with music streaming services is that you rarely get the original album as it was produced. I'd no idea I was wandering into bonus tracks territory as the album became non descript and dead pan. Wasn't really landing with me anyway to be honest. I enjoyed "who knows what tomorrow..."

Yes, I knez the opening song, funny/childish, pleaseantly surpised with some "deep cut" tracks, I will give a 2,8 stars. Maybe will listen again, but not ming changing.

J'ai vraiment donné une chance à cet album, mais je ne parvenais pas à rester intéressée. Malgré plusieurs écoutes, je n'en ai qu'une vague idée parce que j'étais toujours dans la lune au lieu d'écouter. Oubliable.

This was quite similar from an enjoyment perspective to the previous album which came up called Aha Shake Heartbreak from Kings of Leon. I would have to say that this album started a little slower in terms of the stylistic match for me but the second half of the album definitely hit more of my preferences. As such this will get a slightly lower vote at 2.5/5 but still be bumped up.