After nearly two years and three albums, UK rock band Traffic (whose members included Steve Winwood and Dave Mason) disbanded. Members went to separate musical outfits, particularly Winwood becoming a member of the short-lived Blind Faith, along with former Cream members Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, along with bassist Ric Grech of the group Family.
Not long after Blind Faith was over, Winwood was in the studio working on a solo album, only to invite former Traffic members Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi, thus re-launching the band. And it was this reformation of Traffic that would bring their fourth album John Barleycorn Must Die, released in July 1970.
Produced by Winwood, along with Chris Blackwell and Guy Stevens, John Barleycorn Must Die featured influences from blues and jazz, like their previous works. But the album stood out for the incorporation of the contemporary folk sound heard in bands like Fairport Convention and Pentangle. That incorporation could be heard in the title track, a British folksong. Other key tracks in John Barleycorn Must Die include “Empty Pages” (a minor hit) and “Stranger to Himself”.
Retrospectively, reviews have appeared mixed. While critics gave fairly high marks on the album, there were criticism including those from Allmusic.com (who criticized the album for Winwood’s voice being an “excuse to exercise his voice to extended instrumental sections”), and Robert Christgau, who dismissed the album for not having what he thought was the most talented in Traffic, Dave Marsh.
Despite the mixed reviews, John Barleycorn Must Die became Traffic biggest album, peaking at number five on the US charts, where it became their first gold album. It was later reissued twice, to feature live and alternate versions of tracks including “Empty Pages” and “Glad”.
