Mr. Fantasy, Traffic's 1967 debut album.
It features mellotron, sitar, harpsichord, and Chris Wood's saxophone and flute, unusual for a rock band and crucial to the overall sound.
The only flaw is the lack of a true bassist; the bass parts are played by Winwood and Mason. The rhythm section is important, featuring Jim Capaldi on drums and numerous percussionists.
A few notes on my favorite tracks. The songs are relatively short, with 10 tracks totaling about 34 minutes.
- "Heaven Is in Your Mind," the album's atmospheric opener, features the album's signature psychedelic sound and immediately introduces the splendid vocals of Winwood and Capaldi.
- "House for Everyone," the most psychedelic-pop-oriented song, is beautiful and written by Dave Mason.
- "No Face, No Name, No Number," a hypnotic track.
- "Dear Mr. Fantasy" is the album's most famous track, featuring a great guitar riff, Winwood's soulful vocals, and a long, beautiful guitar solo.
- "Dealer" opens with a unique, almost flamenco-influenced guitar part and a hypnotic atmosphere, featuring Wood's flute and bass lines. A great song.
- "Utterly Simple," written by Dave Mason, is a psychedelic pop song.
- "Colored Rain," featuring Winwood on lead vocals, is a decidedly rock song.
- "Giving to You," a beautiful instrumental jam that closes with Wood's exceptional flute and great bass lines.
This is a psychedelic rock album that has become a benchmark, with an eclectic and experimental sound that combines pop, psychedelia, R&B, and Indian music. One of the most beautiful and important debuts in the history of music.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.
Tracklist
1. Heaven Is in Your Mind (4:16)
2. Berkshire Poppies (2:55)
3. House for Everyone (2:05)
4. No Face, No Name, No Number (3:35)
5. Dear Mr. Fantasy (5:44)
6. Dealer (3:34)
7. Utterly Simple (3:16)
8. Coloured Rain (2:43)
9. Hope I Never Find Me There (2:12)
10. Giving to You (4:20)
Duration 34:40
LineUp
- Steve Winwood - lead vocals (1, 2, 4-6, 8), organ, piano, harpsichord, guitar, bass, percussion, arrangements
- Dave Mason - guitar, sitar (7), tambura, shakkai (??), Mellotron, bass (5, 6), harmonica, percussion, lead vocals (3, 7, 9)
- Chris Wood - flute, saxophone, organ, percussion, backing vocals
- Jim Capaldi - drums, percussion, lead vocals (1, 6)
Featuring:
- Jimmy Miller - maracas (5), producer
- Steve Marriott - backing vocals and percussion (2)
- Ronnie Lane - backing vocals and percussion (2)
- Ian McLagan - backing vocals and percussion (2)
- Kenney Jones - backing vocals and percussion (2)
