Traffic

Traffic was the eponymous rock album by the English rock band Traffic, ranging in style from psychedelic rock to bebop jazz. It was their second release, in October 1968; it reached number 9 in the UK album charts on 26 October 1968, and reached number 17 in the Billboard charts in the United States. After their debut album, Mr. Fantasy, Traffic planned a more mainstream album, possibly with fewer drug references and psychedelic influences. Befor... more

Traffic was the eponymous rock album by the English rock band Traffic, ranging in style from psychedelic rock to bebop jazz. It was their second release, in October 1968; it reached number 9 in the UK album charts on 26 October 1968, and reached number 17 in the Billboard charts in the United States. After their debut album, Mr. Fantasy, Traffic planned a more mainstream album, possibly with fewer drug references and psychedelic influences. Before they began recording, they decided to reinstate Dave Mason. Mason ended up writing and singing half of the songs on the album, making very little contribution to the other half. Chris Wood's flute playing on the album was compared to that of Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, who is often thought of as the most famous rock flautist of all time. Following the release of Traffic, the band embarked upon a tour of the United States but shortly thereafter fired Mason. At the conclusion of the tour, at the beginning of 1969, Winwood announced the... less