Tracks
- Glad
- Freedom Rider
- Empty Pages
- Stranger To Himself
- John Barleycorn
- Every Mother's Son
John Barleycorn Must Die is a vigorous album. The music is a mix of jazz fusion and progressive folk rock.
For most of the songs, the music is driven by a funky groove with the rest of the band jamming on top of it. The jams are interesting enough, but they lack a destination; Glad just ends where Freedom Rider begins. The album itself is directionless, too.
Although, I like this album, I'm not impressed by it and I don't really see its significance. Miles Davis and Soft Machine have done similar things, but more definitively. While there are some good grooves and melodies, a great album they do not make.
All the songs are enjoyable. The real stand outs are: Freedom Rider and John Barleycorn.
★★★★★★★★☆☆
Tracks
- You Can All Join In
- Pearly Queen
- Don't Be Sad
- Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
- Feelin' Alright
- Vagabond Virgin
- (Roamin' Thru the Gloamin' with) 40,000 Headmen
- Cryin' to Be Heard
- No Time to Live
- Means to an End
Traffic is a mature album. It's also dynamic and smart. The songs are rock and roll, but there's a more subtle and intricate structure to them. Traffic isn't the first rock and roll band to come up with this type of album. Certainly, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pet Sounds come to mind, but I don't they achieved what this album has.
I believe this album signals a new and positive development in rock and roll. Channeling pure rock and roll energy is great, but controlling it and giving it more structure is about time. ('Structure' may not even be the right term. The right word might be 'polish'. It certainly isn't 'restraint'.) Of course, knowing the course of rock and roll, it's clear this direction rock and roll took led down some undesirable paths, too.
I've heard this album once or twice before and I thought it was good. Certainly, You Can All Join In and Pearly Queen are instantly likable. But the rest of the album took me by surprise this time. I do think the songs works well together musically, but I'm not sure about the lyrics. They seem to be all over the map. (Roamin' Thru the Gloamin' with) 40,000 Headmen is a good example. No matter, this album is definitely worth a listen and might even be worth owning.
All the songs are enjoyable, but the real stand outs are You Can All Join In, Pearly Queen, Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring, Vagabond Virgin, (Roamin' Thru the Gloamin' with) 40,000 Headmen and Cryin' to Be Heard.
★★★★★★★★★☆
