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LP
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MR 453LP
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Virgin by Traffic Sound is described as the band's greatest album, capturing the essence of their musical and existential outlook. Recorded by youthful members barely 20 years old, the album reflects the non-conformist, profound, and occasionally otherworldly spirit that characterized the youth in Lima during the late '60s. The influence of Anglo-Saxon psychedelia is evident, representing a defiance against the prevailing conservative traditions of the city. Released in January 1970, the album exhibits the bold and free spirit of late '60s pop music, drawing inspiration from post-Sgt. Pepper's rock and Peruvian psychedelia. The lyrics, predominantly in English, emphasize the youthful desire to break free and search for answers in both the real world and the hidden corners of a stimulated mind. The album was a gateway to a more pedestrian future, where Latin music exerted greater influence, and individual egos re-emerged in the wake of hippy collectivism. Virgin also reflects the band's desire to express themselves freely and dream of becoming rock stars. The recording process involved meticulous analysis of foreign records, shaping the band's ability to mix and arrange their own compositions. The album's context is set against the socio-political backdrop of Peru in the late '60s, characterized by a military dictatorship with progressive policies. While most local rock bands embraced the aesthetics of psychedelia, they were viewed with distrust by political activists. Traffic Sound, however, adopted a political stance with the song "The Revolution," criticizing the military government. Virgin itself is described as a sonic journey with carefully arranged tracks. The album's songs are divided into "Tomorrow" and "Today," each offering a unique emotional and sonorous experience. The album includes notable tracks such as "Virgin (I Can't Regret You, My Friend)," "Tell The World I'm Alive," "Yellow Sea Days," "Jews Caboose," "A Place in Time Called 'You And Me,'" "Simple," "Meshkalina," and "Last Song." These songs cover themes ranging from failed romance to personal rebirth and socio-political commentary, all infused with psychedelic and experimental elements. Virgin set a high standard in Peruvian rock in the early 1970s, showcasing Traffic Sound's musical prowess and leaving a lasting impact on the country's music scene. Despite releasing two more albums in the following years, Virgin remained the band's best-selling record, continuing to resonate with audiences even years after its initial release. Extensive liner notes and the original artwork on tip-on gatefold sleeve.
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3x7"
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MR 7324EP
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Peru enjoyed a thriving and exciting music scene since the mid-1960s. Bands such as Los Saicos, Los Shain's and Los York's, to name just a few, released a number of brilliant records that drove young fans crazy and set an example for many to follow. The end of the decade brought about an evolution in sound and new music genres, as Peruvian bands kept an eye on the groundbreaking British and US artists exploring baroque pop, psychedelic rock and early prog. One of them was Traffic Sound, founded in Lima in 1967. Over a very short period of time the band managed to successfully develop their career. Virgin, its brilliant debut album, released in 1970, showed the band swimming like a fish in the acid waters of psychedelia and experimentation. This LP also showcased the group's skill at developing their own quality repertoire, which was rare on the Peruvian rock scene at that time. Suddenly, that same year, Peruvian record stores received another musical delivery signed by the band, but with a title and simple design that contrasted with the intricate graphics of their first album. The six songs on the vinyl record were already familiar to diehard fans of the band, as they had been Traffic Sound's first three singles released sometime between the end of 1968 and halfway through 1969. A Bailar Go Go was the title of this mini-LP which included the first three singles recorded in the early days of the band before Virgin was released, and solely comprised cover versions of songs by artists such as Cream, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Jimi Hendrix and Iron Butterfly. These six tracks deserve to be placed in the right spatial and temporal context, as three of the best singles of electrifyingly advanced rock from 1968-1969. A Bailar Go Go is the portrait of one of the best rock bands in Peru taking its first steps and is reissued here on separate vinyl 45s for the first time.
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LP
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MR 398LP
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2022 repress. Peru enjoyed a thriving and exciting music scene since the mid-1960s. Bands such as Los Saicos, Los Shain's, and Los York's, to name just a few, released a number of brilliant records that drove young fans crazy and set an example for many to follow. The end of the decade brought about an evolution in sound and new music genres, as Peruvian bands kept an eye on the groundbreaking British and US artists exploring baroque pop, psychedelic rock and early prog. One of them was Traffic Sound, founded in Lima in 1967. Over a very short period of time the band managed to successfully develop their career transcending their starting point, in which they'd simply record covers of artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Cream, or The Young Rascals, moving on to the more mature sound of their first LP with self-written songs, Virgin (1969), a masterpiece of Latin rock, and this second self-titled LP, released in 1970. Traffic Sound incorporates here complex arrangements and long song structures with which they approach prog music. However, the immediacy of songs like "Yesterday's Game", with a fierce and contagious guitar riff, or "Chicama Way", a terrific anthem, clear any possible doubt about the sound principles of the band: groovy rock. While tracks such as "Those Days Have Gone" or "America" show the friendliest yet psychedelic side of the group, "Tibet's Suzettes", the opening song of the album, simultaneously introduces all the ingredients of the Traffic Sound recipe: hypnotic rhythms, untamed guitars, and very skilled playing. Although some influences cannot be ignored, this second Traffic Sound album is huge and deserves to be considered one of the greatest recordings of its time, even internationally, as essential as the most hailed works of Cream, Caravan, or Led Zeppelin that served as a bridge for rock music between the '60s and '70s. Presented in facsimile tri-fold sleeve and pressed on 180 gram vinyl.
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CD
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LION 7661CD
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"Willy Barclay and Willy Thorne were friends right from the start. At the age of nine, they began to play music together using acoustic guitars borrowed from their brothers. In 1964, they formed their first rock band. After that, they formed Los Mads, although they left that group a couple of years later. One day in January 1967, Thorne was walking with Barclay near Nicolás de Ribera street in Lima. They encountered two friends, Manuel Sanguinetti and Freddy Rizo-Patrón, who said they were looking to form a band with Jean Pierre Magnet and a drummer friend. Thorne said that he, Barclay, and Luis Nevares were already playing together, but that he would gladly gather everyone together and combine forces. Manuel and Freddy nodded -- and thus, Traffic Sound, one of the most important psychedelic bands from South America, came into existence. In September 1968, they signed on to make some records for the MAG label. The first three Traffic Sound singles were recorded on MAG's Ampex four-track. During rehearsals and long hours of recording in the studio, they composed songs, some of which would form the basis of their debut album, Virgin. Following the success of the song 'Meshkalina' -- released as a single in February 1970 -- the MAG label grouped together the band's three sold-out early singles, remixing 'I'm So Glad.' For the cover of the resulting compilation mini-album, called A Bailar GoGo, the label created makeshift art with some extra sleeves they had from another compilation album. This six song 'album' was released in mid-1970, after the release of the Virgin album, and before the release of the album Traffic Sound. This deluxe mini-LP sleeve, limited-edition CD reissue of the mini-album A Bailar GoGo is taken from the master tapes, as originally released. As bonus tracks, we've added seven remixes from the original four-channel tapes: instrumentals, acoustic versions, and remix/edits; these remixes were approved by Willy Thorne. Comes with a 20-page booklet with unseen pictures and detailed history of the beginning of the band in Spanish and English; also has a silk-screen printed replica of an original Traffic Sound concert poster. Hand-numbered limited edition of 300 copies."
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CD
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MR 317CD
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Formed in 1968 by members of bands from Lima, Peru, such as Los Hang Tens and Los Mads and other musicians, Traffic Sound started as a covers band playing songs by The Doors, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Their influences came from England and the U.S., and apart from some bossa nova played at rehearsals, Latin music didn't feature in their repertoire. However, their origin and background could still be heard in their sound, something which they embraced even more after Santana's success. Their first LP with self-written songs, Virgin (1969), is a masterpiece of Latin rock. In it, the band from Lima combined psychedelia, hard rock, a hint of progressive rock and a Latin tinge to create a personal, mighty sound full of details. The best example is "Meshkalina," a track with references to Incan culture which became an anthem of the period and was heard all over Peru. The LP was a great success and even saw a U.S. release. Traffic Sound would record another two albums (Traffic Sound and Lux) which took them to greater success and tours in Brazil and Argentina, before finally disbanding in 1972.
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LP
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MRSSS 509LP
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Formed in 1968 by members of bands from Lima, Peru, such Los Hang Ten's and Los Mad's and other musicians, Traffic Sound started as a covers band playing songs by The Doors, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Their influences came from England and the U.S., and apart from some bossa nova played at rehearsals, Latin music didn't feature in their repertoire. However, their origin and background could still be heard in their sound, something which they embraced even more after Santana's success. Their first LP with self-written songs, Virgin (1969), is a masterpiece of Latin rock. In it, the band from Lima combined psychedelia, hard rock, a hint of progressive rock and a Latin tinge to create a personal, mighty sound full of details. The best example is "Meshkalina," a track with references to Incan culture which became an anthem of the period and was heard all over Peru. The LP was a great success and even saw a U.S. release. Traffic Sound would record another two albums (Traffic Sound and Lux) which took them to greater success and tours in Brazil and Argentina, before finally disbanding in 1972. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl with the original artwork; housed in a gatefold sleeve.
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