Traffic
Last Exit - Island 1969 Comments:"Last Exit" was originally thought as a farewell album from Traffic, as the band had split just prior to its release. Later when Steve Winwood was working on his first album, both Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi helped backing him, so eventually it turned out to be a new Traffic album; and Traffic was reborn. This time without Dave Mason, who had already been walking in and out of the band several times. Dave is only partly present on this album. "Medicated Goo" and "Shanghai Noodle Factory" were recorded late 1968 without Mason. The 2 live tracks "Feeling Good" and "Blind Man" are also Winwood, Capaldi and Wood alone.
"Just For You" is more or less Mason solo. "Withering Tree" had already been released a B-side. The instrumental "Something`s Got a Hold on My Toe" is probably a studio outtake from the sessions for their second album.
As for the music; The new songs "Medicated Goo" and "Shanghai Noodle Factory" are great . "Withering Tree" and "Just For You" are classic Traffic. The live-tracks are interesting, but the sound is not so good as could be wished for. The instrumental "Something`s Got a Hold on My Toe" has probably just been included to add to the playing time.
Some more singles-tracks like "Paper Sun", "Hole in My Shoe", "Coloured Rain", "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush" and "Am I What I was, or Am I What I Am" would have made the album much better, and have completed the first era of a great band perfectly.
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