Traffic - 'John Barleycorn Must Die' (Island 1970) The songs are too short and simple to fully fit into the progressive rock category, but this is still classic stuff that should appeal to most listeners with good taste. And let's not forget Mason/Wood's excellent 'Vagabond Virgin' that was the most rural track on the album. But they also wrote darker and more serious songs like the beautiful and mellow ballad 'No Time to Live' and the mystical, dramatic 'Forty Thousand Headmen'. Capaldi and Winwood's contributions were a bit more whimsical, like the vocally acrobatic 'Who Knows What Tomorrow May Brings' and the psychedelic blues of 'Pearly Queen'.

Mason's songs on the album were the most immediate ones, including the cheerful folk rock of the hit 'You Can All Join In', the soulful 'Feelin' Alright', the psychedelic, harpsichord-drenched rock of 'Cryin' to Be Heard' and the tasteful pop of 'Don't Be Sad'. Drummer Jim Capaldi was also strongly involved in the songwriting-process in the band. Their earliest albums were also distinguished by the guitar, vocals and songwriting of Dave Mason. The most important elements in Traffic's sound were the voice and organ of Steve Winwood and the sax and flute of Chris Wood. The album showed an impressive range of variation and mood, and all the ten songs have melodies and hooks of the kind you want to hear again and again. Their self-titled second album belongs, as you may guess, to their pop-orientated phase, but its status as one of Traffic's finest releases is still well deserved. Traffic played their brand of jazz, blues, folk, soul and rock in two very different ways: as psychedelic pop in the late 60's and as typical '70s rock in the early '70s.

Lyrics: freedom rider traffic