Fans of
AC/DC's original singer
Bon Scott who pick up
Livestock expecting to hear
AC/DC redux will be rather surprised with this release. These cuts, recorded in 1971 with
Scott's previous band,
Fraternity, reveal a drastically different sound than the bluesy hard rock
Scott made his name with.
Fraternity veer all over the stylistic map, from the funky "Summerville" to the extended prog-rock epic "Raglan's Folly" (which wouldn't sound out of place on an early
Genesis album). Only "Race" (both parts) and "Livestock" bear any resemblance to
Scott's most famous band, and even then just barely, since they sound closer to
the Doors or mid-'60s
Rolling Stones. Part of the discrepancy is that, as the extensive liner notes explain,
Scott had very little creative input in
Fraternity, which was chiefly the vision of bassist Bruce Howe and guitarist Mick Jurd.
Scott only has one writing credit here (ironically enough, on "Raglan's Folly") and several of the songs ask him to sing in keys which are far outside his range, which is why his voice is barely recognizable here. That's not to say some of the material here isn't pleasant on its own terms, but none of it is really that groundbreaking or unusual, and would probably have faded into obscurity without
Scott's later notoriety.
Livestock serves a good historical purpose, but is of limited interest to anyone but hardcore
Bon Scott fanatics. ~ Victor W. Valdivia