Genre: rock
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Their First Album
Company: Tonsil
Catalog: T-4001
Year: 1970
Country/State: New York
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear; gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
GEMM Catalog ID: 5474
Price: $15.00
So what's the story with this New York-based octet?
Plain and simple, they wanted to rip off Blood, Sweat and Tears ...
Signed to the small New York Tonsil label, the band's 1970 debut "Their First
Album" teamed them with producer Teo Macero. Musically the comparison with BS&T simply couldn't be missed. Backed by a BS&T-styled horn section (Richard Grando, David Gross and Enrico Raja), singer Bobby Osborne's growl came off as little more than a David Clayton-Thomas wannabe. With Olivia responsible for the majority of the material (Gross contributing two selections), tracks such as
'If You Just Think of Me', 'Light the Road' and 'Just Like That' weren't bad (particularly if you liked early BS&T). On the other hand, why bother when the original was readily available?
Sales proved non-existent; certainly not helped by a dumb name and one of the year's ugliest album covers. (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.)
"Their First Album" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) If You Just Think of Me (Nick Olivia) - 4:14
2.) Light the Road (Nick Olivia) - 2:42
3.) The Immigrant (instrumental) (David Gross) - 5:34
4.) Just Like That (Nick Olivia) - 4:35
5.) Thank You My Dear (Nick Olivia) - 3:35
(side 2)
1.) I'll Go Blind
(Nick Olivia) - 4:43
2.) The I Ching Thing (David Gross) - 5:31
3.) Watch Myself Grow Tall (Nick Olivia) - 3:21
4.) Nothing To Do Today (Nick Olivia) - 3:15
5.) Young Man (Nick Olivia) - 4:02