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Mick Greenwood - Mick Greenwood - Living Game (1971)

Track listing:
  1. Taxi 2:56
  2. Friend of Mind 2:42
  3. Living Game 4:34
  4. My Life 3:50
  5. To the Sea 3:22
  6. After the First World War 5:50
  7. To the Farside 2:45
  8. Truth Seeker 2:46
  9. Situation Number Four 2:22
  10. Keep Coming Back 4:07
  11. Sight 4:04

Notes

Size: 82.4 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included
Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Living Game is the most appealing of Mick Greenwood's '70s trilogy of albums, more focused than 1972's To Friends and much less slick than 1974's Midnight Dreamer. Recorded with members of Fotheringay (drummer Gerry Conway) and Fairport Convention (bassist Dave Pegg), among others, Living Game is a straightforward British folk-rock album with some pop and psychedelic influences. The lilting opener, "Taxi," sounds rather like Kiln House-era Fleetwood Mac (although Lyn Dobson's fluid, mellow flute work adds a not-unappealing hippie-ish edge) and the quite pretty, Indian-accented closer, "Sight," features both the album's best lyrics and strongest melody.

Some of what lies between is forgettable post-hippie singer/songwriter stuff, but surprisingly, what could potentially have been the album's worst track, the lengthy centerpiece "After the First World War," is one of its triumphs. Greenwood and lead guitarist Jerry Donahue up their instrumental intensity a few notches here, for a sound that melds folkish grace and heavy electrics in the manner of contemporaneous Fairport Convention, and Greenwood spits out the ironic lyrics in a credible sneer. Living Game isn't a buried treasure or anything, but it has much that would interest a curious fan of British folk-rock.

Mick Greenwood's Career Took off after He was Discovered by Columbia Record's John Hammond who Had also Launched Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin. Living Game was Originally on the MCA Label and was Highly Acclaimed at the Time and Became Cashbox's Import of the Week. It was Recorded at Cbs London and Sound Techniques Chelsea and Featured Celebrity Musicians. These Included Ex Fotheringay's Jerry Donahue, Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway, Along with Keyboards/Arranger Tony Cox and Fairport Convention's Dave Pegg. There is also a Host of Top Jazz Musicians Namely, Lynn Dobson (Third Ear Band) Karl Jenkins,(Soft Machine) Bud Parkes, Derek Wadsworth and Dudu Pakwana.

01. Taxi
02. Friend of Mind
03. Living Game
04. My Life
05. To the Sea
06. After the First World War
07. To the Farside
08. Truth Seeker
09. Situation Number Four
10. Keep Coming Back
11. Sight