“Known internationally as a neon-light sculptor, Ben Livingston won a fellowship with the National Endowment for the Arts for his discovery/invention of the infinite phosphorescent color palette. Trust Your Equipment is almost equally inventive. “Golfers Are Fat” and “Smart Fools From Art School” are Zappa-esque social commentary, but some of his observations are pure Texas poetry. The essence of Livingston’s musical vision is lighthearted – he even attempts Tuvan throat singing on a couple of tracks – but when he gets serious as he does on the luminescent “It’s All Water,” he recalls James McMurtry with an extra twist of the knife. From blues-rock fiddler “Evil Spirits” to the soundscape jam of “11:11 Floor Elevator,” Livingston’s all over the place musically, but Trust Your Equipment marks him a true original.”

- The Austin Chronicle 

Ben Livingston claims the title of story and song maker. Breaking apart the whole is the territory where Ben is king. His characters come to life in the songs found within ‘Trust Your Equipment’. In “Fleming Prairie”, the narrator tells the tale of Madeline O’Connor, turning the tables from her art into a more personal tale of writing a letter, the back story has the narrators’ eye capturing what Madeline brings into her painting, realizing that without Madeline tutoring, his eyes could look deeper and find more to see. That template moves through Ben Livingston’s writing. The plots and characters intertwine within the opening and closing riffs and chords. The winding twists and turns of story line and characters all manage to form into a solid unit. He has opinions.....as a stripped down arrangement opens “Golfers Are Fat”, Ben gives a bird’s eye view of how he perceives the sportsmen. School as an option, and those that pick that path, are open season on “Smart Fools From Art Schools” while “Somewhere Down the Road” showcases the results of decisions. 

Ben Livingston is an art multi-tasker. He is internationally known for his work as a neon sculptor, winning a fellowship with the National Endowment for the Arts with his discovery/invention of the infinite phosphorescent color palette. Ben draws from as wide a range in the use of diverse styles on ‘Trust Your Equipment’. A blues crawl anchors “Evil Spirits”, a sole acoustic guitar complements the words and voice in “It’s All Water”, as a full on rock show explodes in and around the arrangement on “Walking to San Antonio”. The styles, characters and delivery may differ but like other forms of art, the artists brand is alive and well within each of his creations.  

- The Alternative Root Magazine