Do you ever revisit a band that you hadn't listened to in a long time, and when you do, do you start to notice things that you'd never heard before? That's what listening to this Living Colour album was like for me.
Living Colour's first album, Vivid, came out back in 1988, just around the time I was getting into music. I know, later than most, but at least I discovered it, right? Anyway, I really liked this album and the 1990 follow-up, Time's Up. But, as my lack of musical focus attests, my attention drifted to other pursuits. Over the years my tastes have widened somewhat, and my ear has changed. Whether or not that makes me any better a judge of music has yet to be seen. Back to the CD, before I get too sidetracked.
Everything is Possible collects the best cuts from their five albums, plus one from a soundtrack. The two albums with the largest representation are those classic first two, with 11 of the 17 songs. Something else I like about the disk is that it has the tracks in chronological order by album. I've never particularly cared for when songs aren't put in order; one of the best things about greatest hits collections are listening to a bands' progression, or lack thereof.
We begin our tour through Living Colour's history with their biggest hit, "Cult of Personality." The song starts strong with a defined riff progression, and backbeat that you can't help but get sucked into, then the powerful, clean vocals come in over top of everything, tying it all together. From there we move on to the somber "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" and the attack on yuppies with "Glamour Boys."
The highlights of Time's Up are "Pride" and the title track. Included amidst the originals are a couple of cover songs, Jimi Hendrix' "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" from the album Biscuits, and a rather heavy version of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" from the True Lies soundtrack. Closing the album is a soul/hip hop remix of "Love Rears its Ugly Head," a song that originally appeared on Time's Up.
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Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
Great job, Chris. Living Colour, at its peak, was such a great mix of hard rock and soul, super unique and super kick ass rock. They had a great diversity to their sound as well even as they later drifted into more eclectic territory.
Was "Type" included? That's one of my fave hard rock songs of ever.
2 - Chris Beaumont
Thanks, Eric.
Yes Type is included, it is a good song. I have so much more respect for Reid now, his playing is incredible!
3 - Eric Berlin
You know the old story on him, right? He would practice guitar until his fingers bled. And yeah, he's pretty incredible.
4 - Mark Saleski
Reid is one of my favorite electric players. i love the way his solos seem to flirt with the boundary of out of control-ness.
for a weirder version of his work, check out his collaboration with Bill Frisell, Smash and Scatteration.
5 - JR
Call me a skeptic, but if I ever hear Vernon Reid play a solo where he sounds in control, I might give him more credit for practicing until his fingers bleed.
Well, he does his thing and that's cool even if it's not to my taste. I'll have to pick up that collaberation, 'cause pretty much anything by Bill Frisell is worth a listen.
6 - DJRadiohead
It would be easier to take Reid's 'out of control' nature a little more seriously or hold it in higher regard if I thought he could play under control and just chose not to do it. That said, his freak-out style of playing is completely amazing to hear.
7 - Mark Saleski
really? hell, Ornette Coleman might be able to play straight bop, but i don't really care if he can or not.
i want to hear "his thing". that's what i'm there for.
8 - DJRadiohead
It's a fair point and reasonable way to look at it Mark and I don't disagree with you. I just... I liken it to the story about the ugly woman who boasts of her... virtuousness. Are you virtuous because you place an emphasis on virtue or are you virtuous because you can't sell what you can't give away? Does Vernon Reid break the rules because he can't follow them or does he break the rules because it's more fun that way? Either way, I do find his playing a fascinating listen.
9 - Mark Saleski
yea, i'm not saying that people must like his style or anything. for me, the very off-kilter-ness of it resonates.
there are some jazz/improvised guitarists who have the same sort of unique thing going on: Joe Morris, Bruce Eisenbeil and (the granddaddy of 'em all) Derek Bailey. i don't know if any of them can play it straight, and have no interest in finding out.
10 - DJRadiohead
I know three guitar chords... and if you don't need me to swap from one to the other I am really good.
11 - JR
So you could be the Freddie Green of modal jazz.
12 - Mark Saleski
good one!
13 - DJRadiohead
If we were talking bass, I could be Michael "The E-String Rider" Anthony. A bass player friend of mine wrote a song called "E-String Rider" and dedicated it to Michael Anthony.
14 - Mark Saleski
yes, but can you play a week-ass solo while swinging from a rope while simultaneously drinking from a fifth of jack?
15 - Guppusmaximus
Good 'Ol Living Colour!! "Love Rears it's Ugly Head" is one of my favs as well as the "The Glamour Boys". They had a nice fusion sound and they were Berklee students (Well isn't that special)
F.Y.I: Did you know that Corey Glover's father is Danny Glover(Lethal Weapon)?
Great Review Chris...
16 - Chris Beaumont
Thanks, Guppus!
I am pretty sure the Danny/Corey connection is an urban legend, though. I don't think the ages match up too well, and I have yet to find any hard evidence of the relation....
17 - Scott Butki
According to Wikipedia, Danny Glover only had one child and it isn't Corey.
18 - ilovezac
how luvs zac
19 - ilovezac
efron
20 - zeruch
People who have heard Reid's work outside of LC have no idea that he can in fact, play very much in a controlled, clean manner. He is however, a long time player in the edge scene of downtown NYC, which is a large part of his eclectic nature.
His blues playing with James "Blood" Ulmer, his session work with Geri Allen, Madelaine Peyroux, Tracey Chapman, as well as his ever expansive side projects Masque and Yohimbe Brothers just shows a guy operating somewhere between Ornette Coleman and Robert Fripp -- a weird mix of the very constructed and the very entropic.