When the Eagle Flies

by Traffic

Overview

Traffic's last album before their 1974 split, WHEN THE EAGLE FLIES takes the jazz-rock textures of THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS and SHOOT OUT AT THE FANTASY FACTORY to a logical conclusion. The songs here are more tightly structured than they had been on previous records, with only three of the seven tracks creeping over the six-minute mark. However, the band's interplay is more rhythmically loose than ever before. It's not surprising that bassist Rosko Gee and percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah went on to join German art-rockers Can. In fact, the 11-minute workout "Dream Gerrard," with its fluid groove, surreal lyrics, Chris Wood's lyrical saxophone interjections, and Steve Winwood's idiosyncratic sound-over-meaning vocal style, would fit quite nicely on one of Can's albums from this period. Elsewhere, more concise R&B-influenced tunes ("Something New" and "Walking in the Wind") foreshadow the mature elegance of Winwood's later solo work, and the soaring, keyboard-led title track ends the album--and the key phase of Traffic's career--on a suitably strong, communal note.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/14/2021
Label:	Island / Umc
UPC:	0602577512599

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Traffic   Primary Artist
Steve Winwood   Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Mellotron
Rebop Kwaku Baah   Percussion
Jim Capaldi   Drums,Vocals,Keyboards,Percussion
Rosko Gee   Bass
Chris Wood   Wind,Flute,Saxophone

Technical Credits

Steve Winwood   Composer
Martin Hughes   Cover Design
Vivian Stanshall   Composer
Brian Humphries   Engineer
Bill Levenson   Reissue Supervisor
Viv Stanshall   Composer
Bill DeYoung   Liner Notes
Vartan   Reissue Art Director
Jim Capaldi   Composer
Jeff Willens   Mastering
Monique McGuffin   Reissue Production Coordination
Nobby Clark   Engineer
Traffic   Producer
Chris Blackwell   Producer