It feels like it’s been a while since we had a Traffic album. I went back to check what I’d written because in my mind I’ve always found Winwood’s work to be ... okay, but largely not very memorable (apart from I Can’t Find My Way Home, which is gorgeous). Turns out I liked them a lot more than I thought, with Winwood, along with Jim Capaldi, composing the kind of jazz/rock fusion that Steely Dan ran away with.
So, I’m still a bit confused about what I think of Winwood’s work, even after this, his second solo album. That album, and the title track here, I was interested to note, has a writing credit from Viv Stanshall, he of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. And “solo album” it really is, with Winwood playing every single instrument, and co-producing. He’s trying to give Todd Rundgren a run for his money in the one-man band stakes.
My notes said that this album “won’t frighten your granny”, and it is somewhat safe, easy listening. Unusually for the current times, it’s made of longer tracks (averaging to around 5-6 minutes, at an eyeball) which are largely synth-led, or are guitar-based but feature embellishments of synthesiser including the relatively new Prophet-5 and Yamaha CS-80.
These do give it a bit of a dated feel, the not-quite strings, not-quite horns sound placing it in a time and place. Spanish Dance is a bit like little pieces of Kraftwerk sprinkled over a a funky Steely Dan kind of tune, but quite likeable. Night Train is similar, with electronica overlaying a smooth radio friendly rock tune. Slowdown Sundown reminded me of Eagles, and I’m pretty sure I recognised While You See A Chance from radio airplay but it all sounds somewhat generic.
It was good music for working to, however, for that very reason, and towards the end of the album it either gets more interesting, or I became used to it, even if it never did rise to granny-frightening levels.
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