Traffic (ABC album)
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| BBC Music | favourable[2] |
Traffic is the eighth studio album by English band ABC and their first album of original material released in eleven years. The album's songs were written whilst the band toured the United States in 2006. Critics have described the album as the most 'satisfying ABC album since the mid-'80s by far'.[1]
Drummer David Palmer, who left the band in 1982 after recording The Lexicon of Love, returned to record this album, for which he co-wrote all of the tracks. Gary Langan also returned to mix the album after working as sound engineer on The Lexicon of Love and producing Beauty Stab.
Allmusic described Traffic as 'the album that ABC fans were probably hoping for in 1985' and considered that Fry's 'lyrical mastery was back in place' in the album's songs which showed 'an elegant mix of soul and style'.[1]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Martin Fry, Chuck Kentis and David Palmer.
- "Sixteen Seconds to Choose" – 3:12
- "The Very First Time" – 3:39
- "Ride" – 3:37
- "Love Is Strong" – 4:07
- "Caroline" – 4:45
- "Life Shapes You" – 3:50
- "One Way Traffic" – 3:44
- "Way Back When" – 4:13
- "Validation" – 3:57
- "Lose Yourself" – 4:03
- "Fugitives" – 4:02
- "Minus Love" – 4:08
Singles
The album's first single, "The Very First Time", received airplay on BBC Radio 2.[3] A poll on the band's MySpace page[4] considered that "Life Shapes You" would make the best second single but in fact "Love Is Strong" was selected.[5] "Love Is Strong" was released as a single on 18 August 2008.[6]
Personnel
- Martin Fry – vocals
- David Palmer – drums, percussion
- Additional personnel
- Chuck Kentis – keyboards
- Lance Morrison – bass
- Fred White – backing vocals
- Jackie Simley – backing vocals
- Paul Warren – guitars
- Don Kirkpatrick – guitars
- Matt Backer – guitars
- Oliver Leiber – guitars
- Jason NeSmith – drums, guitars
- Andy Carr – bass
- Natasha Pierce – backing vocals
- Julie Delgado – backing vocals
- Simon Willescroft – saxophone
- Dan Carpenter – trumpet
- David Williamson – trombone
- Steve Kelly
References
- ^ a b c Severa, Alan. "ABC:Traffic > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ Easlea, Daryl (2 May 2008). "ABC Traffic Review". BBC Music. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
- ^ BBC - Radio 2 - Playlist
- ^ What should be the next ABC single[dead link]
- ^ ABC official site Archived 8 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [1]