Traffic
Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory

The music of Traffic is one that makes you feel good about yourself. A splendid example of stylistic contamination that you can't classify, because it touches almost every genre without being absorbed by any of them. But above all, a kaleidoscope of sensations that penetrate the heart and the soul.

Steve Winwood is the undisputed leader of the group, a prodigy of British rock and a versatile artist who moves with the same skill between the ivory keys and the guitar. He also makes a difference with his warm voice characterized by a strong "black" timbre. Beside him is his long-time companion, Jim Capaldi, who commands his rhythmic tribe from behind the drums, consisting of drummer Roger Hawkins, bassist David Hood, and African percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah. Completing the palette is the talented Chris Wood's wind instruments embellishments.

In 1970, Traffic had already released the masterpiece of their musical career, the acclaimed "John Barleycorn Must Die." With the subsequent albums, the group decided to move towards new sounds, abandoning the predominant folk tones to embrace a kind of soul rock with jazz arrangements. But as previously mentioned, the "traffic jam," this musical congestion, is not music that's easily defined. "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory" was released in 1973 and is my favorite work of this new course, with its extraordinary variety and freshness. The album consists of five long tracks that lead the listener through frequent instrumental excursions, three of which I consider among the group's best compositions ever produced. The title track kicks off with prominent percussion, an enchanting bass line, and the guitar distorting the most famous riff in rock history. It's a track with an overwhelming groove and the hardest episode of the album. Even in the following "Roll Right Stones," the rhythm section takes the lead, the engine that raises and lowers the emotional levels of the piece. Piano and organ go hand in hand in an intricate arrangement, and the sax embarks on free-form diversions. A melancholic acoustic guitar introduces "Evening Blue," a delicate ballad rich in chiaroscuro. Winwood's anguished voice, full of pathos, guides us through a swing of emotions.  
The instrumental "Tragic Magic" follows, a sort of long jazz-rock improvisation designed on Wood's sax, with gentle brushstrokes and wah-wah distortions. The cheerful atmosphere of this piece prepares us for the last track of the album, probably the most beautiful. "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired," despite its misleading title, is an inspired ballad rooted in rhythm & blues. Winwood's voice is once again in the spotlight. Sweet and intense, yet lyrical and melancholic at the same time. A splendid guitar solo graces the central part.

The notes fade, and only now do we realize the time that has passed, a scant forty minutes of enveloping rhythms and passionate sounds. The underlying suffering of the lyrics mixes with the irresistible will to live of the land where this work was recorded, Jamaica. The result is this album with a surprising melodic and harmonic content, always balancing between joy and pain, reality and hope. The music of Traffic is one that makes you feel good about yourself.