Before we dive into the August edition of the Do You Remember series, we have to set the scene first. It’s 1988 and all-around hair metal has taken over. Bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Cinderella and Mötley Crüe dominated the airwaves with hard guitar riffs and heavy drum beats. You simply could not turn on the radio without hearing one of the bands mentioned above. Each group had their hair teased up and their makeup perfectly on.
But, a small quartet out of New York blasted onto the rock scene with heavier riffs, funkier basslines and harder drum beats. Living Colour released their debut record, Vivid in the spring of 1988. The four band members, lead singer Corey Glover, guitarist Vernon Reid, bassist Muzz Skillings and drummer Will Calhoun had magic on this record. Vivid reached the No. 6 position on the US Billboard 200.
Track one, “Cult of Personality,” is a track that everyone knows but they might not have been able to name the band that plays it. The tune – which ended up becoming WWE superstar CM Punk’s theme song – is one for the ages. “Cult of Personality” is the perfect opener for this record. No song could have done a better job than this tune. Reid’s flashy guitar solo is the best on the entire record. The highlight, besides Glover’s spectacular vocals, is the jam at the end of the song that leads back into the last verse. This five-minute headbanging tune sets the listener up for a great record.
Tracks two and three, “I Want to Know” and “Middle Man” have the same hard drum beat and driving guitar riffs which make them both enjoyable. “Middle Man” contains a joyful 40-second solo from Reid who incorporates more shredding and Eddie Van Halen-style whammy bars.
Track four, “Desperate People” is one of the harder songs on the record. The guitar and bass riffs on this song blend perfectly with Calhoun’s drumbeats. They create a loud, wonderful wall of sound. Glover also showcases his vocal range on this record. When people think of Glover as a singer, they might categorize him as one of the most underrated singers of all time. But in the case of this record, he’s one of the best to come out of the decade.
By song five, “Open Letter (To a Landlord)” fans find themselves at a more quiet opening than the rest of the record. While it’s not considered a ballad, for the band, it’s ballad-like in the hard rock sense. The song’s chorus will get stuck in the listener’s head for days. They’ll repeatedly come back to listen to this song over and over. Like “Cult of Personality,” there is a great jam in the middle of the song that reveals another Reid solo which is more tamed than the rest.
“Funny Vibe” checks in as the sixth song on this record. This song shows the band’s versatility and sets them apart from the others that were up and coming in ‘88. This funk-infused rock song is one of the most underrated on the record. The lyrics are early rap-rock and hip-hop style and it works for this band. No one would expect this on a hard rock record but it stands out from the rest. It’s not your typical middle-of-the-record throw-away song, it’s not filler. It’s powerful and unique.
Track eight, “Broken Hearts” features a special guest. The Rolling Stones’ very own, Mick Jagger can be heard playing harmonic at the beginning of this “traditional” ballad. The right call was made on this tune by producer Ed Stasium to show Skillings some bass love and allow him to have some spotlight and solo for a few seconds. This flows right into another amazing Reid solo which by this point has become standard on this album.
The next song, “Glamour Boys,” starts with another meaty bassline from Skillings and a lighthearted riff from Reid. This peppy song is completely different from “Broken Hearts.” Jaggar can again be heard on the background vocals of this tune. He also is credited with its production. The chorus on this song is so catchy and by the end, you find yourself singing along.
The second to last tune, “What’s Your Favorite Color?” is another funky song that makes listeners fall more in love with this group. The track showcases the group’s versatility. It’s an under two-minute song yet is one of the most memorable.
The final tune, “Which Way to America,” is a mashup of more funk and hard rock. You can hear the group’s influences on this tune. The uniqueness of going from a funk guitar riff to a hard rock beat was unheard of and, in fact, still is for the most part. This song is angry, amazing and perfect all rolled up in between the comfortably loud speakers of the band.
Vivid is one of the most underrated records of the 1980s. The massive hair metal and heavy metal takeover of the decade unfortunately overshadows it. With that said Vivid still does a great job of differentiating itself from the rest of the pack. The album is a fantastic listen and rightfully deserves to be remembered as a great record.
Rating:
7/10
Tracklist:
1. Cult of Personality
2. I Want to Know
3. Middle Man
4. Desperate People
5. Open Letter (To a Landlord)
6. Funny Vibe
7. Memories Can’t Wait
8. Broken Hearts
9. Glamour Boys
10. What’s Your Favorite Color?
11. Which Way to America
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
