Mr. Fantasy
4 March 2010
5 Comments
4.0
Amazon.com
It’s a rather druggy record, Traffic’s debut; in fact, decades later, it’s still possible to get a decent contact high off of it. From the stuttering, lyrically ponderous “Heaven Is in Your Mind” to the awe-inspiring psychedelic soul of “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” this is Traffic’s most reverb-saturated and elliptical release. This 2000 reissue is in mono, but it does finally bring the American and British versions of the record together, so that you get “Paper Sun” and other … More >>
As Amazon has done before, it fails to disclose that this CD is recorded on MONOphonic sound.
I wish they would be more up-front about this intrinsically inferior sound; perhaps its just part of their business model.
Anyway, I suggest giving them feedback about their failure to disclose such basic facts
Rating: 2 / 5
This review is only based on the ten original tracks, though there are some great bonus tracks (Paper Sun; Hole in My Shoe; Smiling Phases) that would’ve undoubtedly boosted the rating had they been included on the original album instead of a few of the dated psychedelic songs Berkshire Poppies; A House for Everyone; Utterly Simple; Hope I Don’t Find Me There; and the album-closing jam Giving to You. Psychedelia wasn’t Traffic’s thing, they were better off playing jazz/folk/rock songs such as Heaven is In Your Mind; No Face, No Name, No Number; Colored Rain and that unforgettable title track, arguably the best song in the Traffic canon. Plus Dealer is a good song, on the misunderstood side – the title does spell drugs, but it’s really about a card dealer. A bit of an offbeat subject, but this was 1968. At its best, it’s the kind of English Folke that would later inspire Jethro Tull’s best work; at worst, it’s psychedelic excess vaguely reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’ worst work. Thankfully, they would get their sound straight on the next, self-titled album, the latter of which containing several classics (You Can All Join In; Pearly Queen; Feelin’ Alright?; 40,000 Headsmen). It’s the better buy, but this isn’t bad at all.
Rating: 3 / 5
“Mr. Fantasy” aglutina en sus surcos todo lo bueno que Traffic ofreció desde entonces. Liderado por Winwood -sin el permiso de Dave Mason-, formado por 4 excelentes músicos, 3 buenos vocalistas, aunque Winwood esté por encima del resto, y con 2 excelentes compositores -Mason y Winwood-, Traffic mostró desde el principio como absorver con inteligencia y personalidad influencias del R&B, el soul, el jazz, la música pop, y hasta las influencias orientales y místicas tan en boga en la época. Con una instrumentación exuberante (donde destaca la capacidad multiinstrumental de Winwood, la flauta de Wood, el excelente e infravalorado percusionista Jim Capaldi y el buen gusto con el Sitar de Dave Mason) y una producción magnífica (Jimmy Miller, el mejor productor de los 60?), el disco suena fresco y directo, Las composiciones de Winwood suenan mejor tras las de Mason y viceversa (como Crosby apuntó de C,S,N&Y), y la portada (editada en el original aparecido en UK)es preciosa, aunque el ambiente bucólico y pacífico que sugiere esta lejos de las disputas y las luchas de egos en el seno del grupo. El interés añadido de esta edición viene dado por la presencia de las dos versiones editadas en la época: la inglesa, en stereo, y la americana, en mono ,con temas distintos y aparecida cuando Dave Mason había ya abandonado el grupo por primera vez.
Rating: 5 / 5
When the UK reissued MR FANTASY last year, it contained the stereo and mono versions of the album. When it hits the U.S., you’re forced to buy two different cds to get basically the same single disc (several of the tracks are carry-overs from the UK reissues of TRAFFIC & JOHN BARLEYCORN). In the end, to have all three releases, you’ll have to purchase four separate discs! This is why I buy imports, they come out earlier, and are usually better deals both price wise and in content. Compare the versions and you’ll see what I mean. As for the music contained here – BRILLIANT! One of the top twenty psych albums of the 60′s.
Rating: 1 / 5
What can I say, except get this remaster today. If your a fan of Traffic then you know. If your a young rocker trying to discover why the music from the late 60′s and early 70′s was just better than now-a-days, buy this and you’ll find out why. This is Traffic’s 1st or 2nd album…I think 2nd, during the orginial line up and is just a crazy, beautiful blend of psycedellic blues rock and jazz progressions. Very trippy. Get it. Today.
Rating: 5 / 5