SOD: Traffic "Rock 'N' Roll Stew"

In my youth, I thought of Traffic as "the guys who did Dear Mr. Fantasy," which was basically my go-to jam for a good while in the eighth grade. But there is no individual song that can neatly sum them up, no singular lineup that can fully define them. Their on and off again status provided quite a few different personel combinations, but in the end I suppose the heart of the group was always present. The case the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame made was for the four original members, and that makes sense. Steve Winwood, Dave Mason, Chris Wood, and Jim Capaldi were the first bearers of the name "Traffic." But as good as Dave Mason was, and as integral as Chris Wood was, to me, Traffic is the collaboration of Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi.

Dave Mason quit the group multiple times, and was fully gone by the time this song came out in '71. Winwood was doing the keyboard, organ, and guitar work almost all by himself, Chris Wood continued giving the group it's avant-garde edginess with his flute and saxophone work while Jim Capaldi was relegated to playing percussion (though he sang lead vocals on this song). Jim Gordon was brought in on drums and I mean, how could you not want Jim Gordon on drums. He was quite possibly the most in demand session drummer of his time. Granted, he did kill his mother with a tack hammer a decade later, but hey, the guy was an undiagnosed schizophrenic, lets cut him some slack.

So in 1971 when this song came out on the album, "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys," Traffic did not sound like the same band of "Paper Sun" and "Dear Mr. Fantasy" fame. Yes, "Rock N' Roll Stew" was certainly a more popular, rock styled song, but they had by this time more fully developed their progressive and jazz rock oriented sound. A sound that had crept in at times in the past, but was now becoming much more evident. They had also lost Dave Mason permanently at this point, so that impact cannot go unmentioned. Yet, there's still an amazing amount of style and distinctiveness to it. That's one thing I will say for traffic (i've listened to six of their eight studio albums), there is a style there that is unmistakeable. Their albums may vary in context, arrangement, and personel, but there's still that same flavor to them all which I have to attribute to Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi. I personally believe Steve Winwood was the gear that wound the clock given his vast resume and songwriting abilities, but with no factual knowledge to base that on, I'll stick to what I do know.

Steve Winwood is an amazing musician. I saw him live at MSG about five or so years ago with Eric Clapton, and he tore it up on the old black and whites, organ, and he even took a few turns with the six-string. The man has still got it, in my opinion. But what I've really come to notice after listening to him for some time now, is that Steve Winwood is a collaborator. There are musicians who can seclude themselves in a closet with a pen and pad, and come walking out months later with a symphony. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, there are musicians who do their best work when they have like-minded colleagues to play off of, and push them. Jim Capaldi seemed to fill this role when Winwood wasn't drawn into some other supergroup (like the short lived Blind Faith), or trying to work out how to do it on his own. I believe the 1970 John Barleycorn Must Die album by Traffic, started out as a solo effort for Winwood (as Dave Mason left for the second time in '68, and Winwood joined Blind Faith in '69 before it disbanded six months later), before he wound up bringing in Wood and Capaldi to complete the largely successful album which, I also happen to treasure. (Glad is one of my personal favorites).

Traffic has an ear and pen for a complex but accessible sound. Yes, there's always those tunes that go right over ones head, but on the whole I've found Traffic to be a band that consistently makes my playlists, and in my world, that definitely means a lot. Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi were the songwriting masterminds behind Traffic. I've heard some die hard fans of this group preach to me about the genius of the original lineup, and I get it and agree. Dave Mason's writing and playing should never be discredited, losing him was by no means a gift. But I think that the group still retained a certain chemistry and spark, that made them a relevant and interesting part of the music of their time. There's no reason we shouldn't still be listening to them today heck, everyone knows I do.

Traffic:-'Rock 'N' Roll Stew'

Jimi Hendrix - The Star Spangled Banner (Live at Woodstock 1969)

SOD: Wye Oak "Fish"

I love this video. It takes a lot for me to love a music video these days, most seem very cliche, or try too hard to be something bigger than the song ever is. A lot of times I find myself thinking, let the music do the talking. I'd rather just create my own "video" in my head when I hear a tune. But every so often I'm reminded of why a music video can enhance a song. Like this one.

It all starts with the style. Shadow puppetry is not something I'm familiar with, and apparently this was a very labor intensive shoot (First Watch: Wye Oak, "Fish"). It's fascinating to see all the parts that went into creating it, and I think the outcome is something to be very proud of. The ethereal quality of it somehow works perfectly in making a literal point of the song. 

Wye Oak is not just the state tree of Maryland, it's a musical duo comprised of Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner who have figured out a way to make a wildly grand sound with only two bodies. It has elements of folk, yet at times it grows into something much heavier and eruptive than that. It's hard to put a label on them, which in my opinion, means they're doing something right. Jenn Wasner takes on guitar and vocal duties, while Andy Stack plays drums and keyboards using his hands and feet. He has a calm, intuitive collectedness about him. He keeps all his parts to the background, providing a landscape for Wasner to paint her heart on. She has an incredible voice and the perfect amount of guitar to go with it. The exploration of their album Civilian, can be something of a catharsis. 

They're a far cry from Jack and Meg White, and it goes to show you what a range of sound two people can put together. These Baltimore natives have tapped into something, and I only hope it does not go mainstream. I'd like them to preserve this sound and style for as long as possible before someone with dollar signs in their eyes gets wind of it. Then again, these two don't seem to be the type to buy into that anyway. Hey, a boy can hope. 

Wye Oak - Fish

SOD: Donavon Frankenreiter "Move By Yourself"

Jack Johnson is the face of a very popular style of music, of which there are many, many artists associated. But Johnson to date has gotten the most face time and thus, many of the smaller acts have failed to break as he has. It's almost as if the world is saying, Jack is enough for us. 

But he's not. I think this video holds a little weight to that fact because Donavon Frankenreiter can clearly play. And though not all of his songs are as upbeat and funky as this one, he's definitely developed himself a nice sound over the years. The irony of it is that Frankenreiter is actually very close friends with Jack Johnson, who plays on his albums and has produced some of them. Donavon rented a room from Jack Johnsons parents when he was in Oahu surfing under the sponsorship of Billabong and later, when he was more musically established, signed to Johnson's own Brushfire Records. So the two of them are obviously linked by more than just their sound.

Frankenreiter is locked into that soft rock/surf rock genre pretty exclusively, which has led to comparisons and collective performances with the likes of G. Love and the Special Sauce, Dave Matthews, Pete Yorn, and Pete Francis (Dispatch), in addition to Jack Johnson. And though these musicians all have apparent similarities, Frankenreiter has separated himself from this group at points throughout the years.  For example, when he first entered the music scene at 18, he played guitar (but did not sing) for Sunchild. This outfit was a little more rootsy, and had undertones of straight 70's classic rock. It would be easier to compare their sound to the Black Crowes at that time, than to any of the above. But as he explored his sound, and relationship with Jack Johnson, he found a niche in the same genre as his friend, who has been an active part of his music ever since. 

And then there's tracks like this one. It shows a funkier side to Donavon exists, especially in live performances, which is why this guy is probably a lot of fun in the right venue. It just so happens he'll be playing at Brooklyn Bowl (directions) this friday (7/6/12) at 8pm. And for a paltry $12, you could wind up attending the perfect summer concert; a nice blend between the relaxing groove, and the funky beat. Oh, and of course there's the beer.

Donavon Frankenreiter - Move By Yourself