This album is a game of two halves, the first being a lot more heavy metal (bringing to mind Aerosmith in its delivery), the second being more funky, but both sides blending in elements of rock and funk. Like Bad Brains, Living Colour are some black guys doing heavy metal, which really ought not to be something to remark on, but they do kind of make it part of their USP, so what’s a humble listener to do?
There are some great basslines on here from bassist Muzz Skillings, that would make Nile Rodgers weep with inadequacy, especially on Side Two with tracks like What’s You Favourite Colour. Open Letter To A Landlord mixes more of Skillings’ super-funky bass with some big hair-metal choruses and is a fine example of the Living Colour sound (at least for this album, one shouldn’t draw too many inferences). Vernon Reid on guitar does some super-fast Zappa-esque fretboard runs on I Want To Know.
Blending musical genres still further, Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flava Flav appear as a little teaser for the next album in the list, on the track Funny Vibe, laced through with hip-hop elements (and again strengthening the similarity to Aerosmith). Although I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the name Living Colour before, I couldn’t say for certain if I’ve heard any of their tracks (definitely none from this album), and for such talented guys they seem sadly under-rated.
I just realised, too, that although they're American, I haven't adjusted the spelling, they really do call themselves "Colour" and not "Color". I like that.
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