Colour - Vivid (Epic) 1988
1. Cult Of Personality (4:55)
2. I Want To Know (4:24)
3. Middle Man (3:47)
4. Desperate People
5. Open Letter (To A Land Lord) (5:36)
6. Funny Vibe (4:20)
7. Memories Can't Wait (4:31)
8. Broken Hearts (4:50)
9. Glamour Boys (3:40)
10. What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song) (3:56)
11. Which Way To America (3:42)
Living Colour are an American hard rock band from New York. I was in college when this album was released and it was all the rage. Everyone loved them! Living Colour broke down music and racial barriers, as did some of the rappers at the time. They were being billed as a "all black heavy metal band", though that really isn't the case. The band were made up of four black men, who not only played a style that crossed racial barriers, but also was beyond proficient. Vernon Reid could tear up a fret board with the best of them. Their sound was a mixture of Fishbone, Faith No More and the glossy heavy metal coming out of L.A. at the time. At times they remind me of Extreme, though they never really seemed to box themselves in musically. They are probably best described as hard rock, though they mix in elements of jazz, hip-hop and funk as well. A song like "Funny Vibe" can't be described as anything but funk. The song features guest vocals by Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy fame. "Vivid" sports what is probably the band's most well know song, "Cult of Personality". It's an upbeat rocker with an undeniable hook and ton of groove. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 1989. However, the album as holds such classics as "Open Letter" and "Glamour Boys", both of which were fairly popular at the time "Vivid" was released. However, it is my opinion that "Vivid" is a solid listen from beginning to end.
From what I have read on-line, "the remastered version of this CD is completely messed up. While the low-end had been enhanced, the album is added to the growing number of remasters in the loudness wars. As such, the low-end is muddy and the high end is irritatingly muffled. Also, the song "What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song") has been chopped on the remastered version down to about 1:44 from 3:55." So, I am glad that I have the original mix/master CD.