Cats on the Coast is the second album by American rock band Sea Level.[1] It was released in 1977 on Capricorn Records.

Cats on the Coast
Studio album by
Released1977
RecordedCapricorn Sound Studios, Macon, GA
Length38:12
LabelCapricorn
ProducerStewart Levine
Sea Level chronology
Sea Level
(1977)
Cats on the Coast
(1977)
On the Edge
(1978)

The leadoff track, "That's Your Secret", reached #50 on the Billboard Hot 100, the band's only charting single.

Reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[3]

In a review for AllMusic, Dave Lynch wrote: "Some great music from Sea Level was still to come, but the best moments of Cats on the Coast wouldn't be topped."[2]

Exposé's Peter Thelen stated that, with the album, "there... seemed to be a new emphasis on the vocal material, which seemed to be changing from a country funk sound into more of a funky white soul a la Boz Scaggs. Only four instrumentals this time out, one under two minutes, but still the high point of the album, especially the title track."[4]

Track listing edit

Side one edit

  1. "That's Your Secret" (Randall Bramblett, Davis Causey) – 5:15
  2. "It Hurts to Want It So Bad" (Charles Feldman, Tim Smith, Steve Smith) – 3:38
  3. "Storm Warning" (Chuck Leavell) – 5:23
  4. "Had to Fall" (Randall Bramblett, Jimmy Nalls, Lamar Williams) – 4:35

Side two edit

  1. "Midnight Pass" (Neil Larsen) – 6:30
  2. "Every Little Thing" (Randall Bramblett) – 4:40
  3. "Cats on the Coast" (Davis Causey) – 5:38
  4. "Song for Amy" (Chuck Leavell) – 1:40

Charts edit

Chart (1978) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 99

Personnel edit

  • Randall Bramblett – organ, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, vocals, percussion
  • Davis Causey – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jai Johanny Johanson – congas
  • Chuck Leavell – piano, organ, electric piano, ARP Odyssey, clavinet, percussion, vocals
  • Jimmy Nalls – guitar, backing vocals
  • George Weaver – drums
  • Lamar Williams – bass
Technical
  • Stewart Levine – producer
  • Rik Pekkonen – engineer
  • David Pinkston – engineer

References edit

  1. ^ "Country fools". Jazziz. Vol. 19, no. 7. Jul 2002. p. 21.
  2. ^ a b Lynch, Dave. "Sea Level: Cats on the Coast". AllMusic. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Thelen, Peter (April 1, 1999). "Reviews: Sea Level". Exposé. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  5. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 267. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.