Cats on the Coast

Cats on the Coast
Studio album by Sea Level
Released	1977
Recorded	Capricorn Sound Studios, Macon, GA
Length	38:12
Label	Capricorn
Producer	Stewart Levine
Sea Level chronology
Sea Level (1977) Cats on the Coast (1977) On the Edge (1978)

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

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

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	B− [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

Side one

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

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

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

Personnel

• Randall Bramblett – lead vocals (tracks 1, 4, 6), piano (track 1, 6), organ (tracks 2, 3), backing vocals (tracks 2, 4), soprano saxophone (tracks 3, 6, 7), alto saxophone (track 5), percussion (track 5)
• Davis Causey – electric guitar (tracks 1-7), backing vocals (track 2)
• Jai Johanny Johanson – congas (tracks 1, 3, 7)
• Chuck Leavell – piano (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8), percussion (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6), organ (tracks 1, 6), harmony vocals (tracks 1, 6), electric piano (tracks 2, 3, 5), ARP Odyssey (track 3), clavinet (track 7), lead vocals (tracks 2, 4), backing vocals (track 4)
• Jimmy Nalls – electric guitar (tracks 1-6), backing vocals (tracks 2, 4), acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 6), slide guitar (tracks 4, 7)
• George Weaver – drums (tracks 1-7)
• Lamar Williams – bass (tracks 1-7), backing vocals (tracks 2, 4) ^[6]

Technical

• Stewart Levine – producer
• Rik Pekkonen – engineer
• David Pinkston – engineer

References

1. "Country fools". Jazziz. Vol. 19, no. 7. Jul 2002. p. 21.
2. 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.
6. https://www.discogs.com/it/release/401048-Sea-Level-Cats-On-The-Coast