Living Colour
Vivid

THE REVIEW

I decided to write a review of Vivid because I love funk rock and because Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a masterpiece of funk rock and one of my favorite albums, has already been reviewed too many times (and not that well...).

Vivid is one of the few albums that authentically expresses that sub-genre of rock mixed with funk, which is funk rock. In this album, Living Colour includes heavy guitar riffs in hard rock style but alternates these with numerous pieces worthy of funk masters such as Funkadelic, Sly Stone (maybe I'm exaggerating). A dirty and defiant funk; Living Colour will be among the main exponents of the first wave of crossover, in addition to the already mentioned Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Rage Against the Machine, and Les Claypool's Primus.

An original style that of Living Colour, already introduced by RHCP in the '80s but calibrated differently by Corey Glover on vocals and Vernon Reid's lively guitar.

It is Vernon Reid who demonstrates his qualities in the album's flagship track; Cult of Personality, stylistically it is the classic hard rock song, full of emotion and an adrenaline-charged chorus. Vernon Reid in Cult of Personality is superb in managing his incendiary guitar, culminating in one of the most important solos in rock history, so much so that it ranks among music's top 100 solos. Middle Man and Open Letter (to a Landlord) follow the line of Cult of Personality; powerful riff and drums set ablaze. Energy and passion merge together in Desperate People and in Which way to America while we find authentic funk imprint songs: Glamour Boys, with a funky rhythm in the opening, showcases a hard rock chorus, and Funny Vibe is a lesson in the intertwining and distortion of musical genres, crossover in its purest form.

An album that stands among the pillars of '80s black music; a band underrated and almost ignored by the European audience, but in America, songs like Glamour Boys and Cult of Personality have captivated a large audience. Many say their subsequent album Time's Up is a more mature work, but what is expressed in that album originates from Vivid, in my opinion the band's masterpiece... Time's Up, which I also appreciate, may be more pleasing to some, but everything starts from Vivid...