MR. FANTASY

It is very rare these days music artist put out masterpiece and it´s best album as the first release. But it wasn´t in the 60/70ties, with Traffic also for example Family, King Crimson, Dr. John, Magma, Caravan and Comus did that! Also I think Pink Floyd, Wigwam, Faust, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Amon Düül II released masterpieces as their first album, although not their best albums. Those were the years when came a huge amount of great music! Of course Traffic members weren´t beginners, Steve Winwood had been in very successful Spencer Davis Group, other members had also earlier bands, but not as known. Anyway Traffic got success in the UK from the beginning and later also in the US. I believe when Winwood, Mason and Wood jammed together with Jimi Hendrix would not decrease their popularity.

Album starts with gently beats in "Heaven In Your Mind" that is Winwood, Capaldi and Wood composition. Soon comes really melodic vocals from Winwood & Capaldi. Chorus words "guiding your visions to heaven and heaven is in your mind" could not descripe this terrific opener better! In "Berkshire Poppies" mood changes fully: it starts with clumsy waltz, that soon goes into unbridled momentum! Musically very funny piece, but lyrics seem to be quite serious telling that time typical story of escaping the system. Next "House For Everyone" is absolutely one of Mason´s best songs! Starting as somebody is putting music box on you can easily imagine some mechanical dancer beginning to rotate. Very great melodies in this too! "No Face, No Name and No Number" is the most beautiful ballad piece from Capaldi & Winwood in this album. Next "Dear Mr. Fantasy" is the most known song from this album, but I think it´s weakest after "Giving To You". Of course it´s good rocker with great guitar solo from Steve, but really not give a right picture of the album

But in the vinyl B-side greatness continues: "Dealer" is again very melodic piece from Capaldi. Next "Utterly Simple" is again Mason track and the most psychedelic song in this album, where Mason even plays sitar. Direction changes more rock into "Coloured Rain" that has again great vocals from Steve and very intensive solo part. Mason´s last song "Hope I Never Find Me There" is again very melodic and almost as great as "House For Everyone". "Giving To You" is very cheerful jam-piece and ends this awesome album just so well!

I believe this is not five star album to puritan prog lister, but to me who love terrific psych rock as much as great prog this really is!! Somehow I had to listen this many times before I understood it´s genius! Really this isn´t the most trippy psychedelic album, it´s more full of great melodies and really awesome singing and playing! To me all three first Traffic albums and "Low Spark Of the High Heeled Boys" are masterpieces (yes, even Last Exit, I really love also it´s B-side), but all their other seventies albums are four stars albums. So you can thing this band is so dear to me! One reason why I love so much those three first album is Mason, who also composed very great songs, later I think Winwood and Capaldi didn´t have enough ideas. The other story is their nineties comeback album "Far From Home", I have listened it maybe twice and what I remembered, it really hasn´t got that warmth as their old material. Traffic was very succesfull in it´s time, but these days to me it seems it´s little bit forgotten comparing other great bands of those days. I really hope young people, who have found splendor of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Doors, Cream, the Who etc. will also find this band, because it is as terrific!