On the Road (Traffic album)
On The Road is the second live album (two LPs on initial European releases; later reissued on one CD) by English rock band Traffic, released in 1973. Recorded live in Germany, it features the Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory band, with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of keyboardist Barry Beckett, bassist David Hood, and drummer Roger Hawkins.
On the Road | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | October 1973 | |||
Recorded | April 1973, Germany | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, jam rock | |||
Length | 75:59 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Producer | Chris Blackwell | |||
Traffic chronology | ||||
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The initial U.S. release of On the Road (Island/Capitol) 1973 was a single LP consisting of: "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" (edited to 15:10), "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory", "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired", and "Light Up or Leave Me Alone".
The album reached number 40 in the UK[1] and number 29 in the USA.[2]
Reception
In their retrospective review, Allmusic praised the playing of Roger Hawkins, David Hood, and Barry Beckett, but condemned the album for both stretching the songs out for too long and failing to improve on the "lackluster" studio versions of the three songs from Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory.[3]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Glad" / "Freedom Rider" | Steve Winwood / Winwood, Jim Capaldi | 20:35 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Tragic Magic" | Chris Wood | 8:39 |
2. | "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired" | Winwood, Capaldi | 10:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory" | Winwood, Capaldi | 6:51 |
2. | "Light up or Leave Me Alone" | Capaldi | 10:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" | Winwood, Capaldi | 17:47 |
U.S. & Canada LP track listing (1st issue)
Side one
- "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" (Winwood, Capaldi) – 15:10
- "Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory" (Winwood, Capaldi) – 6:47
Side two
- "(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired" (Winwood, Capaldi) – 10:20
- "Light Up or Leave Me Alone" (Capaldi) – 10:45
Personnel
- Steve Winwood – guitar, lead vocals (1, 3, 4, 6), piano
- Chris Wood – flute, saxophone
- Jim Capaldi – percussion, lead vocals (5), backing vocals, drums (4)
- Rebop Kwaku Baah – congas, percussion
- Barry Beckett – organ, piano
- David Hood – bass
- Roger Hawkins – drums
Production notes:
- Chris Blackwell – producer
- Brian Humphries – engineer
- Jimmy Johnson – mixing
- Jeff Willens – mastering
- Ann Borthwick – cover art
- Brian Cooke – photography
Charts
Chart (1974) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 51 |
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company )[1] | 40 |
United States (Billboard 200) | 29 |
References
- "Traffic in the UK Charts" Archived 2011-11-20 at the Wayback Machine, The Official Charts. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- "Traffic in the USA Charts", Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- On the Road at AllMusic
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 312. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.