Guide to British Music of the 1960s

July 1999

CD Review

Traffic - Mr Fantasy

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Traffic was formed following Steve Winwood's departure from the Spencer Davis Group at the height of flower power in the UK. This was the first of many albums by Traffic and it followed three hit singles Hole in My Shoe, Paper Sun and Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. The ballad No Face, No Name and No Number was released as a single from the album and made number 40 in the UK charts. This was the group's last single to chart in the UK as the group focused more on its album output than the three-minute genre.

Traffic were the pioneers of "getting in together in the country" and this was reflected and celebrated in the album's second track Berkshire Poppies.

The album provided clear indications about the state of British psychedelia but beyond this, it shows a number of musical styles. The instrumentation included a variety of sounds including flute, sitar and harpsichord. Mr Fantasy blends a number of styles such as pop, rock, jazz and psychedelia and this gives the band a unique sound. There are even shades of music hall!

Note that there was is slightly different track listing for the US release of Mr Fantasy. The US version included the band's early hit singles Hole in My Shoe and Paper Sun as well as the track Smiling Phases. The UK version includes Utterly Simple and Hope I Never Find Me There in their place. The inclusion of only one single on the UK pressing showed the direction that the band was to take, i.e. away from singles and towards album-oriented rock. Utterly Simple had been included in the film soundtrack of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush where Traffic had also provided the title track.

mp, June 1999

Essential Tracks:

• Dear Mr Fantasy
• Coloured Rain
• Heaven is in Your Mind

Track Listing:

1. Heaven Is In Your Mind
2. Berkshire Poppies
3. House For Everyone
4. No Face, No Name And No Number
5. Dear Mr Fantasy
6. Dealer
7. Utterly Simple
8. Coloured Rain
9. Hope I Never Find Me There
10. Giving To You

Additional tracks on CD re-release:

1. Paper Sun
2. Giving to You
3. Hole in my Shoe
4. Smiling Phases
5. Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush