Genre: blues-rock
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Somewhere Down the Line
Company: A&M
Catalog: SP-4208
Year: 1968
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: white label promo copy; DJ sticker on back cover; original inner sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4932
Price: $60.00
I've always been amazed at how many English bands got caught up in the mid and late 1960s blues explosion. It almost seems like there was a UK blues bands for every citizen of the world ... Well, here's another one to add to the list.
Signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records (A&M acquiring US distribution rights), Tramline featured the talents of singer John McCoy, lead guitarist Mick Moody, drummer Terry Popple and bassist Terry Sidgwick. Produced by Blackwell, 1968's "Somewhere Down the Track" showcased the band's intense commitment blues genre. The only non-blues selection was a strange cover of Stephen Stills 'Rock and Roll Woman'. Blues material like 'Harpoon Man' and 'Sorry Sorry' was never less than competent and professional, but with the possible exception of pseudo-funky 'Look Over Yonder Wall' and the pretty instrumental 'Mazurka' the album simply didn't generate a great deal of excitement or do much to expand the musical envelope. Still in his teens, Moody was certainly a talented slide guitar player though the band's full hearted devotion to the blues didn't exactly give him a platform to showcase those talents. Similarly, as lead vocalist/harmonica player McCoy was a decent, if somewhat anonymous performer. Unfortunately that description was pretty apt to the entire album - 'decent, but anonymous.'
"Somewhere
Down the Track" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Harpoon Man (Wayne Moss - Neil Wilburr - Ken Buffrey - C. McCoy) - 4:03
2.) National Blues (instrumental) (Mick Moody - Thomas) - 3:24
3.) Sorry Sorry (Mick Moody - John McCoy - Terry Popple - Terry Sidgwick) - 8:58
4.) Look Over Yonder Wall (Mick Moody - John McCoy - Terry Popple - Terry Sidgwick) - 4:40
(side
2)
1.) Rock and Roll Woman (Stephen Stills) - 4:00
2.) Somewhere Down the Line (Taylor) - 3:37
3.) Mazurka (instrumental) (Mick Moody - Terry Popple - Terry Sidgwick) -2:50
4.) Statesboro Blues (Taj Mahal) - 3:38
5.) Killing Floor (Chester Burnett) - 4:55
I've never heard it, but there's also a second LP - 1969's "Moves Of Vegetable Centuries" (Island catalog number ILPS-9095).
Moody went on to play with Juicy Lucy, Snafu and enjoyed considerable mid-1990s success as a member of Whitesnake.
A white label promo copy of the US pressing of Tramline's 1