Post by Dawn on Oct 7, 2005 13:00:57 GMT -5
Today’s album is:
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Traffic
Released November 1971
The track listing:
1. Hidden Treasure
2. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
3. Rock and Roll Stew
4. Many a Mile to Freedom
5. Light Up or Leave Me Alone
6. Rainmaker
Prior to joining YL, I was not very familiar with Traffic’s music. None of the radio stations where I live played their songs (and still don’t, unfortunately), and I wasn’t acquainted with anyone who listened to them. Still, I had read very good things about their music, and thought I would investigate their material someday.
After joining YL, I noticed there were several posts on the music board that spoke positively of Traffic's music, including songs that ranked highly on Adam’s INSANE list. I was intrigued by what I read, and it was shortly after that I began checking out the Music Choice Classic Rock channel on cable and hearing some of their songs such as 40,000 Headmen and Rock and Roll Stew. I really liked what I heard, and not long after, I began adding some Traffic to my collection. This was the first of their albums that I became familiar with, and is my favorite from them.
The album kicks off with Hidden Treasure, a great folk-styled number with wonderful flute work by Chris Wood and a guitar/rhythm riff that’s somewhat reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain. Following that is the title track, the most jazz-influenced song on the album, with a great distinctive slow piano riff. It reminds me a bit of Steely Dan’s mid-‘70s material, and is an excellent track, though it could have been shortened down a bit.
The next track, Rock and Roll Stew, is my favorite track on the album and my favorite Traffic song overall. It has a great gritty feel, with outstanding guitar and percussion work from Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. Many A Mile to Freedom is another solid track, with some very cool chord changes. It’s nicely accented by Chris Wood’s flute and Steve Winwood’s keyboards and guitar, including a guitar solo in the first half of the song.
Jim Capaldi’s Light Up or Leave Me Alone is a bluesy rocker that opens with a catchy guitar riff, and features a cool instrumental jam from slightly more than the midpoint of the song until the end. The final track, Rainmaker has a great mystical quality, helped out by some gorgeous ethereal flute trills. There’s an interesting key change about 2/3rds of the way through the song, which adds a cool unexpected twist.
One thing that stands out for me when I listen to this album is how advanced it sounded for the time – instrumentally, it sounds more like a recording from the mid ‘70s than the early ‘70s. All in all, this is an outstanding album throughout, and always makes for great listening.
What are your thoughts?
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Traffic
Released November 1971
The track listing:
1. Hidden Treasure
2. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
3. Rock and Roll Stew
4. Many a Mile to Freedom
5. Light Up or Leave Me Alone
6. Rainmaker
Prior to joining YL, I was not very familiar with Traffic’s music. None of the radio stations where I live played their songs (and still don’t, unfortunately), and I wasn’t acquainted with anyone who listened to them. Still, I had read very good things about their music, and thought I would investigate their material someday.
After joining YL, I noticed there were several posts on the music board that spoke positively of Traffic's music, including songs that ranked highly on Adam’s INSANE list. I was intrigued by what I read, and it was shortly after that I began checking out the Music Choice Classic Rock channel on cable and hearing some of their songs such as 40,000 Headmen and Rock and Roll Stew. I really liked what I heard, and not long after, I began adding some Traffic to my collection. This was the first of their albums that I became familiar with, and is my favorite from them.
The album kicks off with Hidden Treasure, a great folk-styled number with wonderful flute work by Chris Wood and a guitar/rhythm riff that’s somewhat reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain. Following that is the title track, the most jazz-influenced song on the album, with a great distinctive slow piano riff. It reminds me a bit of Steely Dan’s mid-‘70s material, and is an excellent track, though it could have been shortened down a bit.
The next track, Rock and Roll Stew, is my favorite track on the album and my favorite Traffic song overall. It has a great gritty feel, with outstanding guitar and percussion work from Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. Many A Mile to Freedom is another solid track, with some very cool chord changes. It’s nicely accented by Chris Wood’s flute and Steve Winwood’s keyboards and guitar, including a guitar solo in the first half of the song.
Jim Capaldi’s Light Up or Leave Me Alone is a bluesy rocker that opens with a catchy guitar riff, and features a cool instrumental jam from slightly more than the midpoint of the song until the end. The final track, Rainmaker has a great mystical quality, helped out by some gorgeous ethereal flute trills. There’s an interesting key change about 2/3rds of the way through the song, which adds a cool unexpected twist.
One thing that stands out for me when I listen to this album is how advanced it sounded for the time – instrumentally, it sounds more like a recording from the mid ‘70s than the early ‘70s. All in all, this is an outstanding album throughout, and always makes for great listening.
What are your thoughts?
I still have a copy of David Bowie's greatest hits that I bought years ago that was too warped to play, and though I tried to straighten it out enough to make a cassette copy, nothing worked.