Medicated goo (Traffic) (LP 4703 - 4706)

Traffic  Last Exit (Vinyl, United Artists Records, 1969) ***  

Traffic  John Barleycorn Must Die (CD, Island Records, 1970) ***** 

Traffic  The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Vinyl, Island Records, 1971) *****   

Traffic  On the Road (Vinyl, Island Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: Rock, prog rock, jazz fusion

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Fives, Spellbound Wax Co.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Gear costume: Medicated Goo (Last Exit)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Last Exit is a weird place for me to start. It was their third album and swansong, as in they'd broken up so this was a cobbled together album with side one being made up of A and B sides and side two a live selection from 1968 at the Fillmore. The original members of Traffic all appear - Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason.

Given the cynical approach by Island Records to capitalise on the band's popularity, it's an interesting collection with Medicated Goo being the clear standout song.

After a brief sidetrack into Blind Faith, Traffic reunited as a trio without Dave Mason for John Barleycorn Must Die. The cover always gave me the impression that it was a folk album but instead it's a jazz fusion sound, apart from the title track. Although Steve Winwood is the true star, the players jam and mesh together superbly on this album - a classic from 1970.

The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys is my favourite Traffic album. It replays repeat listens as I can attest, given I played this album dozens of times over the years.

The jazz, folk stylings are given full flourish on Low Spark with everyone, including guests Jim Gordon, Ric Grech, Rebop on top of their games.

On the Road is a live album with only four stretched out tracks. The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys is three minutes longer than the album version - which I appreciate. It's an excellent song and ripe for some jamming/ extrapolation of themes. Barry Beckett on keyboards is a great addition to Steve's organ.

The whole album is pretty fine, as it happens, although it does come across as excerpts from a concert tour in Germany, rather than a cohesive live album experience.

Where do they all belong? I'd be keen on other Traffic albums if I come across them in my travels, particularly their first two - Mr, Fantasy (1967) and Traffic (1968).