Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Tiitle: Living On Giving
Company: Guinness
Catalog: GNS-36005
Year: 1977
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: cut top right corner
Available: 2
GEMM catalog ID: 4965
Price: $70.00
I own quite a few 'tax loss' LPs and will be one of the first to admit that most aren't particularly good. On the surface 1977's "Living On Giving" would seem to be a pretty standard tax loss release. Those characteristics include the throw away cover art and barebones performance credits on the liner notes. The fact that it seems to have been cobbled together from two separate acts also gives you the impression someone put this together for business rather than creative reasons.
That said, musically the album's quite a bit different from your standard tax loss release. Side one features six tracks credited to a 'Neil Nicklas'. Musically material like 'Let Things Pass', ''Heart My Love and 'Mother Nature' offered up a surprisingly engaging set of progressive-lite faire. Imagine early Styx and you'll be in the right neighborhood. In contrast, side two featured four tracks credited to Philip Settle. Occasionally recalling Emmitt Rhodes, 'Think of Me' and 'Conformist' offered up a set of keyboard-propelled pop that wasn't particularly original or imaginative, but was quite commercial. Probably due to the fact it sported some nice guitar and a more rock oriented flavor, 'Night Train' was the stand out number. This doesn't even come close to being essential, but in the tax loss catalog it's pretty darn good.
"Living On
Giving" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Let Things Pass (Neil Nicklas) - 2:12
2.) Heart My Love (Neil Nicklas) - 3:14
3.) Mother Nature (Neil Nicklas) - 1:48
4.) Just You (Neil Nicklas) - 2:16
5.) On Living (Neil Nicklas) - 2:20
6.) Smooth Out (Neil Nicklas) - 6:04
(side
2)
1.) Think of Me (Philip Settle) - 3:55
2.) Conformist (Philip Settle) - 4:41
3.) Night Train (Philip Settle) - 3:50
4.) Once We Start To Roll (Philip Settle) - 4:40
ettle) - 4:40