Trammps [Expanded]

• Artist: The Trammps
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1975 07
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The Trammps' first album was viewed as an early disco effort, and while there is a good amount of disco here, it's fair to say that it's pretty Philly soul-rooted disco. The group was not an entirely faceless front for dance tracks, but a pretty solid harmonizing soul outfit, even if the mid-'70s Philly soul backing grooves are a little generic (if very accomplished). Three of these cuts had already been small R&B hits -- "Love Epidemic" (which seems to take no small inspiration from both the O'Jays' "Love Train" and James Brown's "Night Train"), "Where Do We Go From Here," and "Trusting Heart" -- though actually some other songs ("Stop and Think," "Save a Place," the B-side "I Know That Feeling") sound at least as worthy of single release. Away from the soul-funk-disco train, there was silky pillow talk balladry ("Every Dream I Dream Is You," "Down Three Dark Streets") and a lightly disco-fied cover of the Isley Brothers' "Shout," though it might have been the instrumental "Trammps Disco Theme" that pointed most firmly to their future successes. The 2002 CD reissue on Epic/Legacy adds three bonus tracks from the 1977 album Disco Champs that were actually recorded in 1973 and 1974, one of them an extended version of "Love Epidemic." [An expanded edition of the album was released in 2002 and contained three bonus tracks.] ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Stop and Think	Ronald Baker	The Trammps	(3:08)
Trusting Heart	Melvin Steals	The Trammps	(3:17)
Every Dream I Dream Is You	Ronnie Baker	The Trammps	(3:58)
Love Epidemic (Lyrics)	L.C. Green, Norman Harris	The Trammps	(4:47)
Save a Place	Ronnie Baker	The Trammps	(4:59)
Trammps Disco Theme	Earl Young, Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris	The Trammps	(3:22)
Where Do We Go from Here	Ronnie Baker, Bobby Womack	The Trammps	(3:43)
Down Three Dark Streets	Ronnie Baker	The Trammps	(4:59)
I Know That Feeling	Ronnie Baker	The Trammps	(3:09)
Shout	O'Kelly Isley, Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley	The Trammps	(3:32)
Oh Waa Hey [*]	Jimmy Ellis, Stanley Wade, Dennis Harris, Earl Young	The Trammps	(2:38)
Just Say the Word [*]	Ronnie Baker	The Trammps	(4:32)
Love Epidemic [Extended Version][*]	Norman Harris, L.C. Green	The Trammps	(5:58)

Credits

Patti Matheny (A&R), Carl Paruolo (Engineer), Roger Stevens (Trumpet), John Davis (Saxophone), Ronnie Baker (Arranger), Norman Harris (Producer), Don Murray (Mixing), J. Paul Simeone (Photography), Tom Moulton (Liner Notes), Ron Kersey (Piano), Ronnie Baker (Producer), John Hart (Organ), Norman Harris (Arranger), Howard Fritzson (Art Direction), Micaela Boland (Design), Don Hunstein (Photography), Earl Young (Drums), Earl Young (Vocals), Doc Wade (Vocals), Jimmy Ellis (Vocals), Joe McEwen (Liner Notes), Joseph M. Palmaccio (Mastering), John Hart (Vocals), Don Murray (Engineer), Michael Hart Thompson (Drums), Earl Young (Producer), Carl Paruolo (Mixing), Dennis Harris (Guitar), Fred Jointer (Trombone), Joe McEwen (Reissue Producer), Earl Young (Arranger), Harry Chipetz (Liner Notes), Leo Sacks (Reissue Producer), Ron Kersey (Vocals), Doc Wade (Guitar), Darren Salmieri (A&R), Stanley Wade (Vocals), Kyle Wofford (A&R), Stanley Wade (Bass)