Great post....I had finally listened to my Steve Winwood box set a couple months ago (having it in storage for years without even playing it through) and didn't realize how chock full of Traffic it was. I love "THe Low Spark"....though I really thought that songs like "Shanghai Noodle Factory" were ELP-like excess. And thanks for the heads-up that the 94 reunion is mostly drivel.
2sc
Jack Feerick
· 1 year ago
Well, there’s excess, and there’s excess, you know? Most of the bombast of prog-rock comes on a compositional level, in the willful complexity of the structures - whereas even with Traffic’s longest songs, you could write the chord changes on an envelope and still have room for the return address.
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
True. But Traffic always was more "whoa, man" and less Chopin, if you know what I mean. One gets the impression that when the band went 'out there' they probably didn't realize it until they has arrived.
Having said all that, "Low Spark..." still sounds pretty dang good.
Marti
· 1 year ago
"Low Spark" was the soundtrack to road trips up and down the East coast in a '64 Rambler American Classic when we were in college. Steve Winwood and Dave Mason kept us company from Hanover to Philly to DC to VA Beach and back again, more than once. Whodathunk the tune-master would continue to employ Traffic on his O.R. mixtapes when he grew up and started making his living as a saw-bones? Makes you wonder how many appencices have been removed to that tune...
Jack Feerick
· 1 year ago
If you had just a minute to breathe, and they granted you one final wish, would you ask for something like ... oh, I dunno ... another doctor?
MichaelFortes
· 1 year ago
Great guide, I like how you structured the narrative. And I think you hit the nail on the head as to why the Traffic reunion fell flat -- they were indeed of their time. And what a time it was... wish I was there!
Jack Feerick
· 1 year ago
If you were, you wouldn't remember anyway.
Rebecca
· 1 year ago
Thanks for doing this fabulous little guide. And on the release date of Winwood's new album, to boot.
Jack Feerick
· 1 year ago
Heh. It's almost as if we planned it that way, hm?
Actually,the real plan was to run the Traffic guide last Tuesday, and a guide to Winwood's solo work today - but complications ensued (read: I blew my deadline), and Jeff bumped things back a week.
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
"Here Comes A Man" and "Every Night, Every Day" although sounding creepily synthetic still have a bit of the roadhouse swagger of "Roll With It". That's really the saving grace of a miscalculated reunion.
kshane
· 1 year ago
Steve Winwood is a giant who is not always placed in the high position that he deserves. If you've seen him in a live setting, you know that as good as he is as an organist, he's equally if not better as a guitar player. He's done a lot of great work in everything he's been part of, but Traffic will always be the high point for me. At their best, they were one of the great bands in rock and roll history.
Thanks for putting this together in an interesting and informative fashion.
Clark
· 1 year ago
I forwarded this along to my dad who's a fan. I hope he's reading right now! Ha, I only remember seeing the two worst reviewed albums here in his collection: the live one whos cover looks like an atari video game, and the the kokopelli drawing guy playing a flute one.
el bandito
· 1 year ago
Great read and thanks for the samples. Makes me want to go back and listen again. Couple things 1) I'm reading the Clapton biograph right now and it seemed to me that Blind Faith was doomed from the start. To this day I think Clapton regrets not getting more out of that band. But Cream had left such a bad taste for him...but just imagine another Blind Faith album right after that tour...could have been great. 2) For those of you who love "Low spark" search out the acoustic version that Capaldi did on a solo album. I've been looking for it forever (had it on cassette) There was something really great about his vocals on that version that the original doesn't have. Both a really good.
Jack Feerick
· 1 year ago
Oh, I'll have to hunt down that version of "Low Spark." Capaldi did have a great voice—a bit more tough and snarly than Winwood, and it'll be interesting to hear how that works with this lyric. Part of what makes the Traffic version so effective, I think, is the contrast between the darkness of the lyric and Winwood's yearning, choir-boy delivery of the verses.
jesselun
· 1 year ago
great article...awesome history
Darius
· 1 year ago
Help! "Low Spark..." won't download for me. I can only get the first 58 seconds. Thanks for your help.
All Comments
2sc
Having said all that, "Low Spark..." still sounds pretty dang good.
Actually,the real plan was to run the Traffic guide last Tuesday, and a guide to Winwood's solo work today - but complications ensued (read: I blew my deadline), and Jeff bumped things back a week.
Thanks for putting this together in an interesting and informative fashion.
1) I'm reading the Clapton biograph right now and it seemed to me that Blind Faith was doomed from the start. To this day I think Clapton regrets not getting more out of that band. But Cream had left such a bad taste for him...but just imagine another Blind Faith album right after that tour...could have been great.
2) For those of you who love "Low spark" search out the acoustic version that Capaldi did on a solo album. I've been looking for it forever (had it on cassette) There was something really great about his vocals on that version that the original doesn't have. Both a really good.