0846. Living Colour
Vivid

Classified as heavy metal, but with a different ethos than the ususal metal act (and maybe a bit more related to funk metal), Living Colour may come across as either pretentious or naïve.

But in spite of the sentimentality perforating Open Letter (To A Landlord) and Corey Glovers (at times too) schooled voice and the general smoothness of the production, Vivid's a pretty neat album (at least if you skip Glamour Boys).

What makes it one to hear is the opener, the monumental Cult Of Personality, where among others Stalin and Ghandi are name-checked. A fantastic song, breaking down the pedestals on which we've put some prominent people.

Somewhat discovered by Mick Jagger (who also performs on the album - as do Public Enemy) while playing CBGB's, Living Colour debuted fiercly strong!