'Last Exit' is a curious album from a band that frequently changed its personnel and its sound.  This 1969 release finds in-and-out-again member Dave Mason contributing one track (the opener), and performing on a brief instrumental he co-wrote before scooting out to record his landmark solo effort, 'Alone Together'.  That left Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood to fill out the remainder of the disc, with a bit of help from producer Jimmy Miller (who first worked with Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group, and co-wrote 'I'm a Man' with him), and producer/arranger Larry Fallon, both of whom receive composing credits on the disc.

When 'Last Exit' first appeared on vinyl, it was split between a studio side and a live side.  The opener on the studio side was Mason's 'Just For You', which only begins to hint at the more mature sound the singer/guitarist would suddenly project on the epic 'Alone Together' album.  It is, nonetheless, one of his better early Traffic numbers, a somewhat trippy, fast tempoed track, perhaps claiming the first slot due to its pop-song feel and length, running only 2:15.  'Shanghai Noodle Factory' follows as the longest of the studio tracks at 7:58.  It has a biting acoustic guitar, percussion, and melody that will certainly grow on you.  'Something's Got a Hold of My Toe' is a brief instrumental (clocking out at 2:12), another fast-paced track featuring some fine lead guitar work from Mason.  'Withering Tree' is my least favorite among the studio selections, a rather dismal track, originally selected as the b-side for the band's single 'Feelin' Alright'.  Winwood and Miller teamed up to compose the final studio track, and the best song on this collection, 'Medicated Goo' (a reference to a homegrown cure-all).  The song features the same fast-paced sort of lyrics as  Winwood delivered on 'I'm a Man', and comes complete with a catchy guitar riff and chorus as well.

The diverse nature of the genre created by Winwood and Traffic is perhaps no where better illustrated than the live protion of this disc, recorded at the Fillmore West.  Winwood and company open with the Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley track, 'Feelin' Good', which has been covered by everyone from John Coltrane and Nat King Cole to Bobby Darrin.  It's way to the jazz side of most Traffic fare, but it's a classic tune well-performed.  There are some subdued segments of this ten minute plus tracks that reveal the presence of an audible "buzz" (not generated by medicated goo), but the relative absence of crowd noise throughout makes for a reasonable trade-off.

The final track, 'Blind Man', possesses a more discernable structure than 'Feelin' Good', but still favors an overt jazz posture.  The song was a collaboration between trumpeter Joe Smith, who made his mark playing with Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Deadric Malone, a psuedonym for songwriter Don Robey.  The two are probably most famous for another collaboration, 'Turn On Your Love Light'.  Both 'Feelin' Good' and 'Blind Man' afford Winwood, Wood, and Capaldi considerable leeway to display their acumen on organ, flute, and percussion respectively, and both songs warrant more than a single listen.

'Last Exit' is the balk in Traffic's catalog, earning its name from the belief that the band was disbanding.  While their best works ('Low Spark...' most notably) still lay in wait, 'Last Exit' affords us yet another snapshot of the band in the midst of their seemingly endless metamorphosis.  My AAD copy is pretty much devoid of any meaningful liner notes or photographs, so if you buy it, you buy it for the music, and that's not a bad buy.  Certainly a must for Traffic junkies, and a satisfying curiousity item for the rest.
'Last Exit' is a curious album from a band that frequently changed its personnel and its sound. This 1969 release finds in-and-out-again member Dave Mason contributing one track (the opener), and performing on a brief instrumental he co-wrote before scooting out to record his landmark solo effort, 'Alone Together'. That left Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood to fill out the remainder of the disc, with a bit of help from producer Jimmy Miller (who first worked with Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group, and co-wrote 'I'm a Man' with him), and producer/arranger Larry Fallon, both of whom receive composing credits on the disc. When 'Last Exit' first appeared on vinyl, it was split between a studio side and a live side. The opener on the studio side was Mason's 'Just For You', which only begins to hint at the more mature sound the singer/guitarist would suddenly project on the epic 'Alone Together' album. It is, nonetheless, one of his better early Traffic numbers, a somewhat trippy, fast tempoed track, perhaps claiming the first slot due to its pop-song feel and length, running only 2:15. 'Shanghai Noodle Factory' follows as the longest of the studio tracks at 7:58. It has a biting acoustic guitar, percussion, and melody that will certainly grow on you. 'Something's Got a Hold of My Toe' is a brief instrumental (clocking out at 2:12), another fast-paced track featuring some fine lead guitar work from Mason. 'Withering Tree' is my least favorite among the studio selections, a rather dismal track, originally selected as the b-side for the band's single 'Feelin' Alright'. Winwood and Miller teamed up to compose the final studio track, and the best song on this collection, 'Medicated Goo' (a reference to a homegrown cure-all). The song features the same fast-paced sort of lyrics as  Winwood delivered on 'I'm a Man', and comes complete with a catchy guitar riff and chorus as well. The diverse nature of the genre created by Winwood and Traffic is perhaps no where better illustrated than the live protion of this disc, recorded at the Fillmore West. Winwood and company open with the Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley track, 'Feelin' Good', which has been covered by everyone from John Coltrane and Nat King Cole to Bobby Darrin. It's way to the jazz side of most Traffic fare, but it's a classic tune well-performed. There are some subdued segments of this ten minute plus tracks that reveal the presence of an audible "buzz" (not generated by medicated goo), but the relative absence of crowd noise throughout makes for a reasonable trade-off. The final track, 'Blind Man', possesses a more discernable structure than 'Feelin' Good', but still favors an overt jazz posture. The song was a collaboration between trumpeter Joe Smith, who made his mark playing with Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Deadric Malone, a psuedonym for songwriter Don Robey. The two are probably most famous for another collaboration, 'Turn On Your Love Light'. Both 'Feelin' Good' and 'Blind Man' afford Winwood, Wood, and Capaldi considerable leeway to display their acumen on organ, flute, and percussion respectively, and both songs warrant more than a single listen. 'Last Exit' is the balk in Traffic's catalog, earning its name from the belief that the band was disbanding. While their best works ('Low Spark... ' most notably) still lay in wait, 'Last Exit' affords us yet another snapshot of the band in the midst of their seemingly endless metamorphosis. My AAD copy is pretty much devoid of any meaningful liner notes or photographs, so if you buy it, you buy it for the music, and that's not a bad buy. Certainly a must for Traffic junkies, and a satisfying curiousity item for the rest.