The Trammps: Trammps - 1975

Also on the cusp of the burgeoning disco period was this debut album from The Trammps. It had a disco-ness to it, but again, it was more of an orchestrated soul offering, with definite Philly airs (understandable as they were on the Philly subsidiary label Golden Fleece). 

Yes, there is some good dance material to be found here alongside the lush ballads like Every Dream I Dream Is You but it exists as a precursor to disco as opposed to the full-on thing. Tracks such as Stop And Think, I Know That Feeling and the Love Train sound-alike but still impressive Love Epidemic are very O'Jays in their sound and one such as Trusting Heart puts me in mind of Teddy Pendergrass' work with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. There is a grittiness to the vocal. 

Save A Place and the female vocal-enhanced Where Do We Go From Here? are good tracks too and I guess the fully orchestrated, sweeping Trammps Disco Theme gave the strongest pointer as to the new era. Check out that classic disco guitar line on it, along with the strings, flute, brass and one hell of a throbbing bassline. It brings to mind the group's great non-album single Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart. The album ends in lively style with a kick-ass cover of The Isley Brothers' Shout as well.

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