I've been a Living Colour fan for, wow, 20 years or so now. I remembe back in 1988 or 89 hearing noises coming from a guitar that I'd never heard before, one that many have gone on to emulate, a grooving funk style rhythm section and soulful vocals that round out a quartet that know how to make music. From there I was hooked.
Their 5th studio album 'The Chair in the Doorway' delivers exactly
what I love about this band, heavy riffs, weird guitars and awesome
vocals. I mean I'm only 3 songs in and this album sounds like nothing I've heard released in a number of years. So I guess you could call Living Colour unique and that's what the world needs more of. Diversity. How they aren't bigger really amazes me.
The album jumps around from heavy to funky to almost industrial. Yet the melody is never lost. Songs like 'The Chair' 'Decadance' and
'Young Man' couldn't be any more different yet all have the
distinctive flair that identify them as a Living Colour tracks. The
moody 'Method' is a stand out so far with it's almost Nine Inch Nails
style backing. Oh wait, hold the phone, what is this song?! 'Behind
The Sun' ok, this wins so far. I love this one. The underlying guitar
riff throughout the entire song is genius and catchier than Swine flu! It's my favourite track musically so far and will be hard to beat for favourite track overall.
Rhetorical question. Does a slide guitar belong on a Living Colour
record?! Hmm... Wow, nice change up they've just delivered on 'Bless Those (Little Annies Prayer)' a catchy little track. Not a huge fave but it has its moments. Ahhh a guitar solo. Song redeemed! Vernon Reid you are amazing. Can you please contact me and tell me how to do what you do?! Thanx. Corey Glover's vocals are so distinctive, as he belts out 'Hard Times' the power is still there. This cat can sing man.
As we round out the album, track 10 'Out of my mind' is heavy. Ooh
it's a good one. And we finish off with a track that I could've done
without, it's ok but fizzles out, it's called 'Not Tomorrow' but for
me it's 'Not today.' Ahhhh bonus tracks rule my life. Not only are
they unexpected but when they are awesome and as catchy as this one I'm happy! I don't know what it's called but they say 'Asshole' a lot so I'm calling it the awesome asshole song. Now THAT is a killer funky rockin track to close.
Living Colour have never really followed the verse, bridge, chorus
formula that most bands stick to but instead Living Colour have their own formula. One that makes them what they are and as I said before, unique. 'The Chair In The Doorway' is a great record, I can't wait to hear some of these songs live which is where they'll truly shine. Now if someone can move the chair out of the way, maybe, just maybe Living Colour can get through the doorway and out into the kudos they deserve.
