When The Eagle Flies - TRAFFIC***

Something New/Dream Gerrard/Graveyard People/Walking In The Wind/Memories Of A Rock & Roller/ Love/ When The Eagle Flies

When The Eagle Flies was the final album from the progressive group Traffic. Like its immediate predecessors it is a lacklustre effort. The group never recovered from the departure of Dave Mason who contributed so positively to their impressive first two albums. (US:9 UK:31)

“When The Eagle Flies was the end of the line for one of rock’s most inventive and progressive bands. Not a great album by their standards but still a good listen. They had it all going on for awhile but the creative juices, by this long play, had dried up.”

“A solid, but certainly not grabbing jazz-pop record that won't offer you anything you haven't heard before in a better variant.”

“By the sound of this final Traffic release, it really was time for them to pack it in. It’s somewhat laid back, prog flavoured pop, with some jazz elements. It sounds a lot like a Steve Winwood solo LP, but with better material.”

“When The Eagle Flies contains another seven Winwood/Capaldi compositions an, whilst the overall quality may not be as high as on previous albums, there is still enough to make listening to it forty minutes well spent.”

“This record takes a while to appreciate, but once you warm to the understated nuances this set becomes something you will want to savour again and again.”

“This is a mixed bag, some of the material is exceptional and a return to the band's roots while other songs come across as trite, poorly written filler. The title track is exceptionally good and most of the rest are memorable as well.”

“When The Eagle Flies has to be the most mesmerising album in the whole Traffic catalogue. Free spirited jazz improvisations with vocals. The centrepiece Dream Gerrard is the absolute pinnacle of Traffic achievement. Several of the songs are flowing, serene and full of wit.”

“Many of these songs represent a period when Traffic's music was getting longer in length. Everything has an extremely strong structure to it that really allows the band to stretch out without losing sight of the groove and song craft. And that makes this a highly fitting finale to their legacy.”