Customer Reviews

John Barleycorn Must Die

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I've have been a Steve Winwood; Traffic; fan since I was probably 13yrs old. From Spencer Davis; to Traffic's When the Eagle Flies; to Steve's solo albums; to his current About Time CD on his new label. John BarleyCorn is among my favorites. Stranger to Himself moved me at the time because of my own existential crises at around 17-18 yrs old. The title track, John Barleycorn is superb-- Chris' flute; Steve's acoustic work and voice. Steve's keyboard work; Chris' sax and flute; and Jim's percussion are tight on Glad; Freedom Rider and Empty Pages. I especially like Steve's electric piano work on Empty Pages. It's that feelig when band members are totally in sinc with one another. I had the good fortune of seeing Steve, Chris and Jim during this tour in the summer of 1970 at the Fillmore East midnight show, which lasted until 4:00 AM. I was a whole 17 yrs. old at the time and lucky to have the parents I did. It was one of the most unforgettable concerts I have ever been to. Get the CD and you will know why. You won't be disappointed.

Dave Mason had departed and Traffic was searcing for a new direction when the late, great multi-instrumentalist Chris Wood brought the Watersons' version of John Barleycorn to his bandmates' attention. It was only appropriate at the time that Traffic do a class English folk song, as this was the heyday of Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Renaissance, etc. -- all of which had a big influence in joining tradition English folk music with rock and roll. (If you doubt it, check out Matty Groves by Fairport Convention, which STILL is just stunning.) John Barleycorn was a simple song, accented sweetly by Woods' flute and Winwoods clear voice. Over the years, it has become THE definitive version of the song. But don't get this CD just for one song. Glad, Freedom Rider, Empty Pages -- the whole album's just EXCEPTIONAL! Truly a classic from the early '70s...

Times had changed by 1970 ... Dave Mason was off to a full solo career, Chris Wood had joined Ginger Baker's Airforce, and Capaldi was not so sure what he wanted to do, but had not yet decided to quit the drums and be a singer.
This is how this album begins, with only Stevie Winwood in the studio, having already penned a couple of songs -"Every Mothers Son" and, only included in this remastered version, "Sittin' Here Thinkin' of My Love"- and ready to record a solo album.
Anyway, that was the plan but was not what ended up happening. Instead, whatever the real reason was -several stories are told- soon enough Capaldi and Steve's brother, Chris Wood, joined him and this became Traffic third studio album.
Although Mason was gone -his contribution to Traffic's original sound and the two gems they recorded together can never be acknowledged enough- Winwood had enough music, feeling and ideas to carry the load and make "Barleycorn ..." a classic in its own right.
It can be said that although this is very much a Traffic album, it is more heavily dominated by Winwood's musical vision and playing than its predecessors.
There are two strong musical courses, running through Winwood's veins, coming naturally to a crossroads here, the ever-present Jazz/R&B that Winwood had been feeding off since the Spencer Davis Group's days, and his connection to the English Folk tradition.
Actually, when you think that it was recorded over thirty years ago, it is even a more astounding example of how "ahead-of -its-times" Traffic was and, even more conclusively, what a tremendous composer Winwood had already become at 22.
Traffic, as a whole, and this album in particular are, to this day, one of the beacons of popular music that has ever been recorded, even today.

Traffic had one of the most original (and interesting) sounds in British rock, and not only because of their eclectic musical influences, which embraced psychedelia, folk, jazz, soul, R&B, and even classical. Their unique sound was also the result of their unusual instrumentation. While the group went through a number of personnel changes, its constant core members were Steve Winwood (vocals, keyboards, guitars), Chris Wood (sax, flute, and organ), and Jim Capaldi (drums & percussion). With no regular bass player, Winwood often filled in with the bass pedals on his organ. And, while there is no lack of guitars on most Traffic recordings, the guitar is not emphasized or particularly important to the group's sound. Dave Mason came and went in their early years and, on other recordings, Steve Winwood would switch to guitar, with Chris Wood taking over organ duties. In short, Traffic was anything but your typical guitar-bass-drums rock outfit. And, with "white Ray Charles" prodigy Winwood at the helm, and with their willingness to experiment with virtually any sound or musical style, they cut some of the most distinctive and important records in British rock.

"John Barleycorn Must Die" is the only recording by just the Traffic "core" trio, and it is also one of their strongest. With Dave Mason only a memory, and the Blind Faith experiment with Eric Clapton over, Steve Winwood returned to the studio to record his first solo album, originally titled "Mad Shadows." Needing a little musical support, he soon enlisted Capaldi and Wood, and Traffic was reborn with "John Barleycorn." However, the radio-friendly 3-minute song structures were abandoned, as Winwood & Co. stretched out into extended jazz-rock compositions. The instrumental "Glad," in particular, with Winwood's unforgetable piano riff and Wood's fat sax, may be the finest jazz-rock composition ever put to vinyl. In addition, early Traffic's folk-rock was updated by reaching back to medieval England for the title track. With limited, but extremely talented and complementary, personnel, "John Barleycorn" is probably Traffic's most cohesive and focused artistic statement.

To summarize: buy this record!

I had not heard anything from this album for years and when I finally did hear it again, it had aged very well.
The recording is very clear, especially the B3 organ that Stevie Winwood played.
The song John Barleycorn Must Die is a standout. I have heard other bands play this song but this is the best version that I have heard.
And, of course, there is that absolutely unique voice that Steve has.
A highly recommended CD.

I first heard this album when it was released. I have owned it and played it ever since. It is one of my top 3 favorite "desert island" albums. I own it in vinyl, cassette, and CD. Buy it. Now.

After thirty years, worth another listen. Just fine music, full of intricacies, energy and fusion. Appeals to a broad range of tastes and evokes memories of a simpler time and college life.

I purchased this album on vinyl on whim, and boy was I rocked. I immediately went out and purchased the CD as well. Originally meant to be a solo album for Steve Winwood, he couldn't resist bringing in his pals from the then defunct Traffic. What a treat that he did. From the opening of Glad with its upbeat jazz riffs and groovy piano work, to the desperate vocals in Every Mother's Son, this was three great musicians at their best. Unlike the two previous Traffic albums they were willing to take extended solos, and experiment with more jazz flavor than before (half of the songs clock in at more than 6 minutes). Check out Winwood's piano solo in Empty Pages for proof that the equation works. The album simply rocks for all the right reasons, good songwriting, and even better musicianship. Highly recommended!

This review is for that hard-corps Traffic fan who doesn't know whether two additional songs is worth buying the album again. I debated, having owned "John Barleycorn" for so long and finding it hard to picture new songs entering arguably their best album. However, how could anyone settle for an incomplete collection?! "I Just Want you to Know" elaborates on the theme from Empty Pages, and breaks down into a really groovy jam with harmonizing vocals. "Sittin' Here" is a bit indulgent of Winwood's softer side, but adds a new finish to the album that is refreshing. Of course, it makes it wonder whether there were just these two songs worthy of being added, or are they dragging out this remastered phase.

This along with the live Welcome to the Canteen are my favorite Traffic CD's. Barleycorn is one Traffic jazzy blues rock jam after another and has a momentum and overall feel that is perfect for summer days.Its accentuated by the Barleycorn ballad and the thoughtful and irresistable Empty Pages. The first two Traffic albums garner a lot of deserved attention. They are good and contain great moments but both CD's high points have an almost equal amount of low points, mundane period trapped stuff, psychedelic throwaways. Barleycorn on the other hand is not psychedlic and thus doesn't feel dated at all. Those first two also have a sequestered in the studio feel and are self-consciously competing with Beatle studio mastery. Barleycorn is a CD made for the open air and its freed up format lets all that creative energy (and this band had talent to burn) stretch out and fully come alive. And anyone who has seen them live knows Traffic finds its true form as a jam band. If you love sixties psychedelic pop albums stick with those first two but if you love to hear a band play get the blues-jazz-rock jam laden Barleycorn.Like many bands Traffic also went through different phases, Barleycorn I believe is Traffic at its most listenable and enduring. And if you can find it also get Welcome to the Canteen(containing live Dear Mr. Fantasy, Dave Mason's Sad and Deep as You, Medicated Goo, Gimme Some Lovin etc...) which along with Barleycorn will give you an afternoons worth of great music.