Track Listing

1. Hidden Treasure
2. The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys - Chris Blackwell, Steve Winwood, Traffic
3. Light Up Or Leave Me Alone
4. Rock 'N' Roll Stew - Chris Blackwell, Steve Winwood, Traffic
5. Many A Mile To Freedom
6. Rainmaker
7. Rock And Roll Stew Parts 1 & 2 - Traffic

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18060 in Music
• Released on: 2002-04-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 46 minutes

CD Description
THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS was a big change from thequiet, largely acoustic flavour of Traffic's reunion album JOHN BARLEYCORN MUST DIE. Although the gentle opening track,"Hidden Treasure", and the meandering, mellow closer, "Rainmaker", were in keeping with the pastoral vibe of the previous record, sandwiched in between those are several increasingly aggressive and lyrically sour songs about that evergreentopic--life in a rock & roll band.
The venality of the business gets a workout in the 12-minute title track, a slow-building jazz-rock groove that starts with a sense of quiet menace and ends with a pealing, distorted guitar solo, with one of Steve Winwood's most impassioned and lengthy organ solos at the song's heart. "Rock & Roll Stew" and Jim Capaldi's sneering putdown "Light Up or Leave Me Alone" are even more forceful, with only the groovy ecological message of "Manya Mile to Freedom" lightening the mood. Even that song rocks harder than anything on JOHN BARLEYCORN MUST DIE, though, and that extra hint of power is likely what helped make THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH HEELED BOYS Traffic's most commercially successful album in the United States.

Customer Reviews

One step on from 'John Barleycorn'
1971's 'Low Spark Of The High Heeled Boys' saw an augmented Traffic line up dilegently working over the same ground as John Barleycorn and finding new sprouts of growth everywhere.

Winwood is in great voice, Chris Wood's flute & sax are used to perfection while the rhythm section's gentle but solid groove allows Capaldi, Winwood & Wood ample room to solo.

Standout tracks have to be the sinewous workout of the title track, the Capaldi sung 'Rock'N'Roll Stew' and the pastural beauty of 'Rainmaker' although that said none of the other tracks are below par and it is overall an excellent recording.

Traffic's finest hour
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys somehow captures or maybe even sums up what it feels like to be young, unique and creative and conveys that to the listener, when you listen to it you feel young and certain and empowered. The album is cosidered to be one of the highest moments in rock music and is one of those very few that still shine 40 years on.

I was 14 years old when I bought my first Traffic album and and went to see the band live at that unforgettable gig in the Fairfield Halls Croydon (welcome to the Canteen - the band played for three hours and there was something almost unreal happening), but I remain as mysteriously moved and enriched by this album now as I did then. The desparately sad death of Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood mean that whatever it was that happened back in the late 60's and early 70's with these truely creative musicians has passed for ever and even though John Barleycorn is also simply magical, here remains their finest work.

The title track and Many a Mile to Freedom are often stated as Traffic's best songs but everything on the album is special - this is one of the very few rock albums that will survive the test of time.

The title track is excellent
It captures the essence of the brilliance of Traffic, the whole band, not just Winwood - who is a consistently wonderful musician. The track is satisfyingly long, and you can hear the pleasure they have in performing it.

The other tracks are good, but don't match the standard of "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys".