Psychedelic rock, just when psychedelic rock was at the forefront of the UK music scene. ‘Heaven is in your mind’ is simply one hell of an opening track. Jim Capaldi drives this track on and on and you simply don’t want it to end. It is a thumping, outstanding track that promises a lot. But hey, don’t forget a bit of psychedelia came the shout from the studio. This is, after all, 1967.
And thus, from here on in, the madness prevails. Never has a second track so trashed anything that went before it, and it pretty much sets the tone for what the listener is to be offered throughout the rest of the LP (with the odd, brilliant, exception).
One of the many successful bands that have come out of the West Midlands over the years, Traffic probably became known for the sum of its parts. As well as Capaldi, Steve Winwood was a stalwart of the band throughout the years and they went on to produce some fine LP’s and to be inducted into the hall of fame in the early 2000’s.
Closing side 1, Dear Mr. Fantasy takes a lead from the opener. It’s a melodic, hard driven rock song that, to me, brings out the best of the band in their formative years. Yes, the psychedelia elements have their place here but, for me, if you want to get an idea as to where the band were going, the opening and closing tracks on Side 1 give you all you need. Lyrics such as ‘My bed (?) is made of candyfloss…The house is made of cheese….’ have their place but that place is probably time warped, either in the Tardis, or in the late 60’s. There are tracks on here that are timeless and those to me are the highlights.
Seek them out as this not only gives you an insight into how a famous band started, but it leaves you wanting more as there is some fantastic stuff on here..
Side 2 also starts brilliantly with the classic ‘Dealer’ and is followed later by the fantastically psychedelic ‘Coloured rain’. Not a bad track on the album, an absolute classic, especially in Mono!!
