TRAFFIC SOUND

Peru's six-man psych-pop outfit Traffic Sound came up during a turbulent period for the South American country, the tentacles of the global counter-cultural and social revolutions that defined the 1960s affecting almost every facet of life in the mountainous province. Recorded in 1968, 'Traffic Sound' - or 'III' as it is sometimes to referred to - sports a kaleidoscopic brew of influences and styles, blending fuzzy rainy-day psychedelia, lysergic acid-rock and droplets of ethnic percussion into a richly-coloured album that proves more than a match for the era's better known American-and-English groups. Although rather brief-in-length due to various budgetary and recording restrictions, there's enough on this self-titled release - the group's second overall - to arouse the interests of those with a penchant for Jefferson Airplane, Chocolate Watchband, Tomorrow etc. Album highlights include kinetic, organ-doused jaunt-pop medleys on 'Tibet's Suzette', the hazy, bucolic rock of 'Yesterday's Game' and last but by no means least, the vibrant latin-psych soundscapes of the seven-minute mini-epIc 'Chicama Way'. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

The end of the road

Having enjoyed an all too brief existence, Traffic Sound's final album "Lux" was released in 1971. Prior to recording, Willy Thorne (bass and keyboards) left the band, to be replaced by the wonderfully named Zulu.

The album is understandably influenced by the political turmoil which affected the band's homeland of Peru at the time, the music displaying stronger local styles and sounds than previous offerings. Those ethnic influences are muted though on the opening title track, which mixes The Doors with other late 60's pop.

As the album develops, the sax and flute which distinguished previous outings increase their presence. Tracks such as "Inca snow" are interesting and for their time adventurous, but they do end up sounding a little clumsy now. The feature track is the 10 minute "Marabunta" a piece which melds several variants of prog (and non-prog) and also features some laid back sax improvisation.

"Survival" and "A beautiful day" are the lightest tracks on the album, and were presumably intended as potential singles. As such, they are very much of their time and pleasantly inoffensive. They do though sound rather out of place in the context of the album.

In all, a good album for the band to close on. While never likely to start a revolution in music terms, the band is to be admired for producing fine music at a turbulent time in their country's history.

Peruvian Proto Prog

It is one of the major injustices of the music world that if a band does not hail from Europe or North America, their chances of an international breakthrough are greatly diminished. Traffic Sound are from Peru, where in the late 1960's and early 70's they were highly regarded and enjoyed considerable success. Developing out of a band called Los Hang Ten's, they released a handful of albums, this self titled effort being their second full album, but generally regarded as their first major release.

While listed here as Space rock/psychedelic, this album sits somewhere between proto-prog and that genre. The vocal style is often similar to that of Ian Anderson, so when flute is added on regular occasions, comparisons with Jethro Tull become inevitable. In general though, the music is lighter than that of Tull, "Yesterday's Game" for example being a catchy piece of 60's psych pop. The band seem to delight though in throwing curve balls, and in this case the track suddenly breaks into a heavier sax driven mood. Indeed, when sax joins the party, it tends to be in improvisational format, drawing the band briefly but admirably into alternative territories. Other comparisons which come to mind are the similarly named Traffic, Burnin' Red Ivanhoe, Audience and the obscure but remarkable Steel Mill.

"America" is not the Simon and Garfunkel/Yes number of that name, but a dreamy song with distorted vocals, similar to early Moody Blues songs, particularly those led by Ray Thomas. The feature track is the 7+ minute "Chicama Way", a melting pot of all the styles and sounds the band have amassed, held together by a catchy chant.

In its day, albums such as this could have been ground-breaking and hugely successful with the right exposure. Sadly, they remained largely unknown outside their own lands. The global nature of the internet has however allowed the rest of us to belatedly enjoy the fine music they contain.

Born a few months before the Junta took over Peru's control and declared many occidental novelties enemies of the "Peruvian heritage", Traffic Sound managed some four albums in a difficult context between censorship and the underground life. By the time of Lux, the group had become quite an accomplished one, especially with their previous album, Tibet's Suzettes; but here with this stunning solar & planetary gatefold artwork, TS grows another dimension and dares to become Peruvian.

Although the album starts on the 60s-ish title track (can't deny their garage roots), the mood is exploratory, progressive and Andean as Gusano can attest,. Although badly recorded (the vocals are really bad), the track is enlightened with a sweet flute and some Latino percussions, and there is a slight bossa nova feel in the rhythm. Up next are White Deal and its badly recorded sax intervention and the very percussive Poco, then almost a reprise with Big deal. Ending the album's first side, Inca Snow is a bluesy manner.

Opening the flipside is the album's centrepiece is the 10-mins+ Marabunta with tons of flutes and saxes (Magnet is clearly the better musician in the band) , then almost dies to lead into an organ solo and some Machiavelic folk to cap it all off. Past the unremarkable Survival track, Beautiful Day is quite an enthralling piece and features some fuzz guitars. The closing Revolution is probably why this was their last album, and a good way to close up.

Well my South American adventures had not strayed this far up north, if you'll except Brazil's Bacamarte, as like most progheads, I stuck to the Southern tip if Latin America, which were more Occidentalised during the 70's than was the more-Amerindian countries. Despite its horrible sound, Lux is a worthy album, but it's nothing all that exceptional either and I suggest trying their previous effort first

It's really a shame that young people and non Peruvian Prog fans get their first impression of TEAFFIC SOUND from this sub-standard compilation, which is based more in less transcendental tracks and Latin Jazz oriented.

The recording is terrible, even in the original albums of the 60's and early 70's the production is much better, and of course the song selection is done with much more taste.

Songs like "La Camita", "El Gusano (Alice in Wormland)", "White Deal, Poco, Big Deal", "Marabunta". "Survival" or "Suavecito" are from the band's third album "Lux" recorded in a moment when the peak of the band had already passed.

Other tracks as "Virgin", "Last Song", "Jews Caboose", "America", or "You Got to Pay" are not included, which makes the quality of the album lower.

For God's sake, the album is called "Yellow Sea Years" and not even the track "Yellow Sea Days" which clearly inspired the name, is included.

As I always say, stick to the original recordings, specially "Virgin" or III, and if those are hard to get, you can go with "Traffic Sound's Greatest Hits", which I haven't heard but the song list is incredibly better.

Still because of some tracks as "Meskalina" or "Tibet's Suzettes", this poor compilation doesn't deserve less than 3 stars, but please, if you are not familiar with the band, don't start with this album.

Go with the first two albums and you'll find TRAFFIC SOUND was an excellent band, who had much more to offer than this album

Traffic Sound but not the sound of traffic ...

This album arised under difficult political circumstances in Peru and is another grower for me. Probably not appearing very attractive for the first round you have to take some time to get familiar with the special mood. 'Virgin' offers hippiesque relaxed songs with psychedelic guitars, excellent percussion work and english vocals. Mainly acoustic and US westcoast psych oriented, provided with wonderful melodies, for example the opener and title song Virgin which really wraps you up.

Tell the world I'm alive as one sample has decent piano contributions which is rounding up the sound and Yellow Sea Days is the most interesting song - psych pure with spacey guitar additions and on top of it also showing saxophone accompaniment which provides a special jazzy touch. The song is divided in several sections whereas one is a Doors similar part with organ. Backward played vocals are also used - not unusual for that time.

A good album in a flower power mood - 3.5 stars.

A huge disapointment after reading some excellent reviews everywhere comparing this band to Traffic, Jethro tull, Santana...Nothing of all that in this compilation and instead, it's a very light and vaguely psychedelic pop with few inspiration and even less progression. The sound is amateurish and dated and on top of that, there's some ugly singing. Not recommended.

When I decide to include TRAFFIC SOUND in Prog Archives, I did it mostly because their third album and one song from this release called Meshkalina that became the anthem of Peruvian Psychedelia, but only after listening repeatedly "Virgin" I rediscovered the band and their evolution.

I used to think that in TRAFFIC SOUND was still developing their definitive sound when they released "Virgin", but I must admit I was wrong, of course it sounds totally different to their next release called Traffic Sound (Also known as III or Tibet's Suzettes) but not because of the less experience, but because times change and the sound also.

In 1969 Europe was witness of Progressive Rock's birth, but in South America and especially in Perú (because Rock was almost illegal due to a Military Nationalist dictator), we were one step behind. Psychedelia was something new, according to an ex hippy uncle who is my mentor in Peruvian Rock, the kids of the late 60's had just left behind the first British Invasion and still most of the people was enjoying early Beatles, so "Virgin" is an advance for our (then) limited reality.

If I had to describe "Virgin" in one phrase I would say it's a 100% Psychedelic album one step beyond most of the other bands of this forgotten part of the musical world.

While their third and considered best album is very electric and close to Progressive Rock, "Virgin" is mostly an unplugged with some electric fugues. In the third album the clear star of the band is Jean Pierre Magnet and his amazing sax, in this one Willy Barclay with the acoustic guitar and Willy Thorne's piano take the lead. In other words is softer, less complex but a very coherent teamwork.

The album starts with the title song "Virgin", very melodic but strong with interesting changes, a solid piano and percussion using Latin instruments such as congas, giving a very special and delicate sound very characteristic. Around the middle of the track they go one step beyond including an incredibly beautiful and almost classical piano solo that shows us how much more close than most South American bands they were to Prog.

Yellow Sea Days is also soft and unplugged (20 years before MTV had that idea), but in this case Jean Pierre Magnet with his sensual sax is simply perfect giving a Brazilian atmosphere very popular in Peru back in the late 60's, another 5 stars track.

Jews Caboose is weird with capital W, sounds like a Jewish prayer sung apparently in Yiddish, but it's really in English and played backwards. I can't understand why they decided to include it, not because it's bad, just because it's absolutely different to anything else in the album, probably a joke about the first rumours of satanic music messages hidden in rock songs, very interesting.

Simple is another beautiful ballad but this time much more electric with an outstanding guitar work by Billy Barclay and Freddy Rizo Patrón, the vocal work by Manuel Sanguinetti backed by Thorne, Barclay and Rizo Patrón is perfect for a track that flows gently from start to end.

Now it's time for big things, as I said before "Meshkalina" is a Peruvian classic, incredible 100% Progressive song with really great lyrics about how Yahuar Huaca (An Inca ruler) got high using a product called Ayahuasca (Meshkalina) provided by a witch or sorceress.

The whole band is outstanding and eclectic, including a jazzy touch by Jean Pierre Magnet, clearly the peak of the album.

"Virgin" ends with "Last Song" a delightful track totally played by Willy Barclay, very close to classical guitar, reminds me of one of those Steve Howe's solos, but of course done a couple years before The Yes Album.

The rest of the songs are in the same line, late Psychedelia, early proto Prog' with a unique Latin sound.

Now the problem is how to rate it, because I gave 5 stars to III being that I consider it their most developed album, but "Virgin" is outstanding from a psychedelic point of view and shouldn't deserve a lower rating, but this is a Prog site and from this perspective I will give 4 very solid stars.

Every Prog' fan should own this album; there's no excuse to avoid it, not even for USA and UK progheads because all the lyrics (except Jews Caboose) are in perfect English. If you can't find it, there are two very good compilations available on any web store that could be a good substitute.

Two albums and almost 4 years had passed since Rizo Patron brothers and Manuel Sanguinetti left THE HANG TENS to form a serious Rock project that will be TRAFFIC SOUND, their first release was a mini LP containing six cover versions of different artists (With a unique approach), the second album "Virgin" found the band searching for their definitive identity but leaving for posterity the Peruvian Psychedelic anthem (Meshkalina).

Now it was time to reach the maturity with this LP named "Traffic Sound" (To avoid confusions people often call it III or Tibet's Suzettes in reference to the opening track).

But how had they matured? Well, TRAFFIC SOUND had a clear distinctive Latin approach to British and/or American Psychedelia that made them different to any other band in the sub continent and even in the world. Each musician had his favorite sound or influence, in this album Jean Pierre Magnet (Flute, Saxophone) and Billy Barclay (Guitar) seem inspired in Ian Anderson and Martin Barre from Jethro Tull, the rest of the members receive influences from Santana, Cream, Hendrix and even Traffic, but the great merit is that they blend all this sounds and create their own unique trade mark that makes them so special.

The interesting and peculiar thing is that TRAFFIC SOUND started simultaneously with JETHRO TULL so the development of this sound is almost coetaneous, that's why I'm still not sure if it's influence or a parallel musical development in the opposite sides of the world.

Now lets go to check "Traffic Sound" (Tibet's Suzettes or III if you want):

The album opens with the excellent "Tibet's Suzettes (Gently guaranteed to get you high)" well they don't make promises in vain, the song gets me really high. This track is very close to early Tull, for moments I feel a similarity with "Teacher" (both songs were released in April 1970), a strong guitar a la Barre by Willy Barclay and solid bass by Willy Thorne.

The song continues bluesy but still very psychedelic, when Jean Pierre Magnet starts with his flute, the Tull sound is even more evident, the atmosphere is a mixture of blues with Prog' and a Latin sound all blended gently and efficiently, great song, extraordinaire changes, being the star Mr. Jean Pierre Magnet who is absolutely brilliant with the flute and saxophone.

"Those Days are Gone" starts with a compassed piano, perfectly supported by Freddy Rizo Patron in the rhythm guitar and vocals again similar to Ian Anderson (Well, in this case it's only a matter of vocal range), the flute style in this track is sweeter and softer than in the previous song and orients the track towards a jazzy finale, again leaded incredibly by Mr. Magnet in the flute and piano by Willy Thorne.

Yesterday's Game is a typical Traffic Sound track, absolutely in the line of British Psychedelia but with a unique Latin sound provided by the percussion probably played by the vocalist Manuel Sanguinetti, simple but effective choirs and solid drumming by Luis Nervaez.

"America" is softer than all the previous tracks, starts with acoustic guitar and distorted vocals; again (not a surprise) Jean Pierre Magnet does an excellent job with the flute perfectly supported by an extremely beautiful piano by Willy Thorne. The perfect addition for this song is the weird Hindu atmosphere perfectly crafted by the band. The performance is excellent but the song is the weaker at this point, still not bad at all.

"What You Need and What You Want" starts almost exactly to "Locomotive Breath" what reinforces my opinion that any similarity must be casual, because "Traffic Sound" was released one year before "Aqualung" so it's impossible that they have copied this section from JETHRO TULL, if you have the chance to listen it you'll notice that is almost identical.

If you have ever heard OSIBISA, you can imagine how the atmosphere of this strange track develops after the mysterious start, almost like a mixture of Santana and Cream but with an Afro Peruvian sound created by congas and vibraphone with a touch of hard rock in the vein of Uriah Heep, again strong guitar and vocals, less Progressive than all the previous but very strong and energetic. In this case I mention all the bands as a reference for the reader who never heard this obscure band but in no case try to copy any of them it's just their natural sound.

The name of this song "Chicama" is a symbol for surfers all around the world; some people say it's the most perfect wave anywhere, so anybody could expect a surf song similar to anything by The Beach Boys...Nothing so distant to reality, the song is pristine Latin Psychedelia, with a fabulous Saxophone that creates a jazzy sound complementing the Motown like guitars and Latin percussion, the song ends as it began but after an incredible piano, flute and vocals extravaganza with the guitars now playing in Hendrix style, wonderful experiment.

"You Got to Pay" is a classic Acid Psychedelia track, with all the elements that made of this genre the most hallucinating, strong guitars a la Hendrix, fast drumming and even sections in which the vocals are played backwards and at a different speed, this is what early experimentation represents, wonderful and absolutely advanced for any Latin band in the late 60's.

Before the vocals any person could believe "Got to be Sure" is a Jethro Tull song, but again I insist this is not influence, only similar styles by two bands that started in the same year and develop simultaneously until TRAFFIC SOUND sadly disappears, with a very beautiful and fast acoustic guitar is a short but powerful track.

The album ends with a short but beautiful piano solo called Empty, simple and ideal to calm the spirits after such frantic blending of sounds, very classical.

I won't go as far as the reviewers from another well respected Progressive web page that considers the band and especially this album in the same level as Jethro Tull, Focus and many sacred cows, but the fact is that TRAFFIC SOUND was really close to them.

Being absolutely honest and impartial I can't rate such wonderful mixture of sounds and style done in an absolutely skillful way with less than 5 stars, so let it be, they deserve this rating, if you don't believe me, check any online auction site and you won't believe the prizes that this album has reached.

I'm absolutely sure that if this guys would have made their career in UK or USA they would have the status of legends and probably would be still playing together instead of practicing their careers.