John Barleycorn Must Die by Traffic

John Barleycorn Must Die, a great album by Traffic from 1970.

An excellent, beautiful album that I adore and consider one of their finest, with a splendid fusion of folk, blues, jazz, and prog influences.

An album enriched by Wood's saxophone and flute, and Winwood's organ is absolutely exceptional.

Capaldi plays drums and percussion and is, in my opinion, perfect on every track.

I've already written about this band for their works, Mr. Fantasy, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, and Last Exit, the latter released after the band's initial breakup.

John Barleycorn Must Die is their return, a memorable return, a short album that conveys an atmosphere perfectly attuned to the era in which it was released.

The title track and the instrumental opening track, "Glad," are fantastic, as is "Freedom Rider," with a superb vocal performance by Steve Winwood.

An exceptional trio, then, who have produced an album without any weaknesses, a glimpse into youthful life in the 1970s.

A classic, an album that is a MUST for fans of prog-folk, with an almost jazzy slant at times.

I highly recommend it.

The Tracks
2. Freedom Rider (5:30)
3. Empty Pages (4:34)
4. Stranger to Himself (3:57)
5. John Barleycorn (6:27)
6. Every Mother's Son (7:08)
Running Time: 35:06

1. Glad (6:59)

The Lineup
- Steve Winwood - Hammond organ, piano and electric piano (3), acoustic (4.5) and electric (4.6) guitars, bass (3), bass pedals (10), percussion, vocals (2-5), co-producer
- Chris Wood - acoustic and electric saxophones, flute, woodwinds, Hammond organ (3), percussion
- Jim Capaldi - drums, percussion, tambourine (5), vocals (4.5)