Reviews (page 4 of 9)
Late 80s hard rock. Debut. Really decent, strong 90s feel.
All in all a really enjoyable rock album even if I thought the album did tail off a fair bit. Cult of Personality sets a pretty high bar. Stonking opening with shades of Guns and Roses style bass but with far better vocals (also got GnR vibes from Open Letter). Some nice glam rock stuff to follow - I Want To Know was good fun and elements of Glamour Boys although it did get repetitive. After that, became a bit less memorable - Funny vibe had a nice mix of different influences, all of a sudden then the rest of the album leaned a lot more into jazz and the wider genres. Just about a 4, mainly on the strength of the first half.
Dont think I have heard most of this before. I have grown up on many similar iterations of glam rock and many become dated or sound overly pop tastic. I think its a credit to this slightly odd album that they remain fresh enough. They use different music forms to keep this album from going stale and while I love the over the top guitair I think the highlight is the powerful vocals but importantly they are really clean so avoids becoming strained or annoying. I enjoyed this and would rate some songs a 4 and others a 3. Hard to place it. Going to be harsh for now...
It's classic rock but enthused with Americana and a dash of funk. There is also an eighties flavour running through, sometimes reminding me of Phil Collins. You can tell this is a band who had some stuff they wanted to say, as well as make some music. JFK, Stalin, and Mussolini make an appearance in the first track which immediately sets it outside the pop norm. The lyrics slip into being a bit preachy here and there but there are some good guitar riffs, solos and a funky baseline underneath a lot of it. A lot of the right ingredients are there, so I was left wondering why this album didn't really click with me. Its mostly ok, with some minor lyrical cringe, but none of it ever moved me. It seemed a bit caricatured, perhaps a bit shallow. Like a rock margarita pizza.
A bit torn on this one. Overall, I really appreciated many of the lyrical themes tackled here, especially in songs like 'Cult of Personality', 'White Way to America', and 'Open Letter (To a Landlord)'. But musically, I felt it was way too boilerplate for its own good. Not bad by any means, but it clearly leans too heavily into early '70s hard rock nostalgia, and the punk and funk fusions aren't particularly standout or deep. The '70s throwbacks work fine at times, especially on the soulful cut 'Glamour Boys'.
Decent listen.
Idk. I liked it?
I've never understood the hype on this band. They're fairly plain and sound pretty dated.
Fun band and fun album. One of the better examples of 80s hard rock, and the emphasis on funk is cool. Great performances all around. Only knock is that the hard rock/glam metal sound is tired and I'm bored of it. However, like I noted, the funkiness helps. 3.0/5.0: Good
this album was pretty disappointing for me. i went in only knowing cult of personality and had high hopes for the rest of it. by no means is the album bad, but it doesn't come close to living up to the banger opening track. overall its well played funk rock that i think leans too much into pop to be truly great.
Anhörbar! Energydrink mit Kurzzeitwirkung.
The impact that this band had on metal can not be understated. Funky but heavy
some pretty good songs on here, but there is admittedly some filler as well.
When a novelty song is your second most known song, it’s not good.
liked this! big fan of cult of personality as a history nerd (this is my niche). cool album!
Track one, Cult of Personality. Not sure how many Living Colour songs I have heard but this is one of them. Pretty good song. Note: I'm listening to the Vivid remaster on YouTube Music and it sounds like shit right now. Adjusted my eq a little and it sounds better. Still quite thick sounding though. Sort of muddy on the low end. My first impression of track two, I Want To Know, isn't good. Lyrics are total foolish love nonsense. It sounds like a boy band song played by a rock band. Not for me. Track three, Middle Man. I bet this would sound sick live. Great rock song. Cool guitar solo near the end. Track four, Desperate People. It's just ok. Another decent guitar solo. Track five, Open Letter (To a Landlord) opens with a really soulful vocal part. Cool bassline follows. I can't say that I'm into the socially conscious theme of this one. Track six, Funny Vibe. Strong funk feel. Classic line -- "No, I'm not gonna rape you". Another socially conscious track. I'm not saying that it's a bad message, I just don't care for it in this format. I fully understand that they were a rock band in the 1980's comprised of black members and that songs like this were a way for them to express race struggles of the time. Track seven, Memories Can't Wait. I like this one. The playing is really great on this album. I'm just not into a lot of the songs for some reason. Track 8, Broken Hearts. It's a ballad with a country sound. I don't like it. Track 9, Glamour Boys. Way too happy sounding for me. Track 10, What's Your Favorite Color?. Short funk inspired number. Track 11, Which Way to America. Good closing track. Honestly, I'd probably give this album a 2.5 or 3 out of 5. I also gave Van Halen - 1984 and Aerosmith - Pump a 3 but they are actually more like 3.5 stars for me. For me, this Living Colour record wasn't nearly as enjoyable as those two.
Strong guitarwork and the vocals were surprisingly good.
Cult Of Personality and the Memories Can't wait cover are outstanding. A few other decent tracks and then the rest is forgettable.
Innovative sound and band for their time. Cult of Personality is a good alternative rock hit, the rest of the record is more of the same to lesser effect.
Just wasn't my thing. The first song is all you need. It just got tiring after that.
Completely fine.
Really enjoyed the first listen but got less excited wit the second one. Still some pretty nice guitar lines and vibes
It has a few okay moments and some really rough moments, pretty painful listen overall.
4.5
3.5
I still really dig this album, but the follow up *Times Up* is so ghood this fail in comparison (8.4) ★★★★
Not bad, but a style I don''t care much for. 2.5 stars
I thought this was a really interesting album when it came out. Not only was it from an all black band in a very white hard rock landscape in the 80s, but it really merged a lot of diverse styles. Hard rock, metal, funk, hip-hop, and alternative rock are all present here, and I think they brought some socially conscious lyrics to a genre that was pretty thin in terms of meaningful lyrics. In a way, they walked so Rage Against the Machine could run. The playing is really good here too, especially from guitarist Vernon Reid, but Muzz Skillings and Will Calhoun are a pretty killer rhythm section too. Some of it is a little dated in 2025, but I think there's still some really cool stuff here. "Cult of Personality" and "Glamour Boys" are great singles, "Broken Hearts", "Which Way to America", and "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" are solid deep cuts, and there's a cool Talking Heads cover. 4 stars.
Call it Guitar Hero 3 bias but opener Cult Of Personality is the only real crazy cool essential tune here and everything that follows just doesn’t live up to it. Funky and fierce in spirit but constrained by fusty and fumbled songs and production except for one bit of magic at the start. 3 stars because of how awesome Cult Of Personality is.
Yet another pointless rock album.
One or two good tracks, the rest average American 80s rock, not the best genre
Fun little number. I would have placed Cult of Personality more towards the middle of the album as it is the clearest standout. A little tweaking of the sequencing would have kept the remaining pretty good songs from sounding like a step down after that bold opening. Great vocals, killer band, and very fun live. 4/ 5
Genuinely terrible apart from Cult of Personality - one hit wonders
Very cool. Clearly a super 80's sound, which is not usually my jam, but I liked this.
What if '80s cock rock weren't completely douchey?
Exactly why I like this list
Good solid rock, nice, a blast from the past
Wasn't what I expected at all. I'd heard the name before but between that and the album cover I was expecting some sort of synth pop, rather than funk-metal jams. Definitely worth a listen, and certainly good playing, but not really my cup of tea I'm afraid.
The musicianship is top notch, but it has the emotional and political messaging subtlety of Zack Attack from Saved by the Bell
Dad rock
Honestly had some good tracks
9/10 Cool 👍
Cool stuff. I can’t think of anything else to say right now. Enjoyed it overall but probably wouldn’t listen again.
Nice to get a bit of rock for a change, but I got nothing out of this.
Cult of personality- memories of freshman year JMU ROTC Duke BN video
Fun! I love the fusion of different kinds of rock, funk, and jazz. This is definitely a late 80s sounding album. I love Queen, and I can hear similar type rock styles on Vivid as the Queen late 80s album The Miracle. I think Living Colour is a top notch rock band. Vernon Reid totally deserves his spot on Greatest Guitarists of all times lists, Muzz Skillings' funky bass lines propels the songs forward, Will Calhoun is a kick-ass drummer, and I enjoy Corey Glover's energy and delivery. Favorite Tracks: Which Way To America, Open Letter (To a Landlord), Desperate People, Cult of Personality I'd give this a 4.5 but since there's no half stars it's a 4. I get tired of the late 80s rock sound fairly quickly. I like that sound for a bit then want to listen to other styles. But I'm definitely going to check out more Living Colour albums because I liked them.
Was good, I liked the opener the best obv
didn't know this would be rock. fun
I mean cult of personality is as close to a perfect banger as you can get, the rest of the album is a lot of funny but just pales in comparison to the opening track
Hooky riffs and powerful vocals drive an infinitely catchy 1980s rock record.
10/10 absolute hits
Amazing album - had this CD when it came out. Besides Cult of Personality, there are some great tracks (Open Letter especially).
Well made, not my kind of music however.
Sauceometer: Borderline Vibe: Reading theory (cool style) What was I doing: taking a subway to go see Yin Yin/showering in the morning Favorite Song(s): Cult of personality Blurb: Cult of Personality is a top 100 rock song of all time but the rest of the album sounds a little samey but overall all good!
Pretty rad!
Surprisingly good.
6.5/10
2.5 stars
The highs are killer, funky fused metal and spastic guitar solos, but there are some mid songs that don't earn the fifth star.
Feels like pretty generic rock music to me - aside from the social commentary, which, while interesting and important, is pretty on-the-nose. The drums sound great, at least in the remastered version. Cult of Personality slaps.
Esse é um álbum 5 estrelas! Divertido, enérgico. Instrumentais e vocais entregando tudo de melhor. TRN Conch.
Cult of Personality 4.4 I Want to Know 3.6 Middle Man 3.5 Desperate People 3.5 Open Letter (To a Landlord) 3.7 Funny Vibe 3.4 Memories Can't Wait 3.6 Broken Hearts 3.4 Glamour Boys 3.6 What's Your Favorite Color? (Theme Song) 3.4 Which Way to America? 3.7 Score: 3.618181818
Fantastic heavy metal with a funky bass! There are also some more pop-minded hard rock tracks here. Even a touch of blues. It’s a great stew of influences. Very fun and full of personality. “Cult of Personality” is an awesome song! Listening to classic rock radio as a teenager, this song blurred in with the other heavy metal / pop metal songs (that genre wasn’t really my thing at the time) but man this track is excellent. I also love how Kennedy and Gandhi get mentioned alongside Mussolini and Stalin. The song isn’t just criticizing dictators — it’s about anyone who tries to make themself a symbol rather than just a person. It argues that we should be skeptical of all leaders, regardless of politics. I love that message. Wow! “Which Way to America” is amazing. Love the message, love the speed, love the energy. Living Colour is a great band just in terms of the musical performances, but they also elevate their songs with political and social commentary. I bet Rage Against the Machine cite them as influences. 4.5
"Cult of Personality" alone puts this album on this list and for good reason. It is a high flying epic piece of music that comes in at just under 5 minutes but when you're done with it you want more. I really love this song; it's completely jam packed with inventive guitar parts, evocative vocals, crushing drums that still have finesse, and a bass that bounces between supporting act for the guitar to then being an awesome foundation for the vocalist. It's a super impressive sound, and the small guitar flourishes throughout will forever be little moments that stick in my head. Of top guitarists of all time that I'd love to have some lessons from, Vernon Reid is pretty high up on the list. Exceptional phrasing, technicality, tone, innovation... the list goes on. He's absolutely incredible. There's so much flavor in his guitar parts and I love how out of nowhere he'll throw some really wild shred sections at you and send the energy of a song through the roof. Corey Glover also shines on this album. Sometimes they'll have a cheesy lyric or an overly "acted" vocal part, like on "Open Letter (To a Landlord)", but I don't mind. In fact, usually when I embrace the cheese a little bit on a record it tends to sound better, and it does here. This album is a 4/5 for me, right at a 4.0. It's a solid listen, is very fun, and is packed with energy. "Vivid" is the perfect name for it.
Pleasant surprise. Set the tone with Cult of Personality at the start and it didn't look back. Banger.
Cult of Personality is a real banger and there are some decent tracks peppered throughout. This one didn't do much for me beyond the one song I knew.
That opening track hits hard these days. Sounds a little dated, but the amazing vocals and great guitar work carry this album.
Eighties man
Late ‘80s classic
Cult of personality is a fucking banger, the rest is quite 80's phil collins vibe which just isn't my cup of tea..
This album starts off with Cult of Personality, which sucks, and then just continues to suck.
Cult of personality is one of my favorite bangers of the late 80’s. I had also forgotten a few other great songs on here…..Glamour Boys, Funny Vibe, Open Letter…. Great stuff. The pairing of Glovers smooth vocals and Reid’s ripping guitar is so satisfying.
Remember seeing these guys live my freshman year in college. They rocked then, they rock now. You're better off with this album in your life. Some of the best lead guitar and bass work you'll ever hear. Vern and Muzz were just dynamite together. Desperate People and Memories Can't Wait are the deep cuts to try. (The latter being a Talking Heads cover.) It was fun in the late 80's. Still fun now.
Maybe he is a glamour boy?
Loud noise.
This is always a great sounding, well made record that’s deserving of its classic status. It sounds like a Pearl Jam preview to me musically, and Cult of Personality is a banger. I respect the Talking Heads cover as well, even if I prefer the original. It’s not my favorite record personally, but I can see why some consider it a masterpiece and it sounds fantastic on a good sound system.
great album and great band
Vaguely remembered them … didn’t know any songs but was a perfectly fine 80s rock album.
Yes amazing album
Killer guitars. Funky bass lines. Catchy hooks. It took me many years before I listened to this album beyond Cult of Personality, but once I did, it was an instant favorite. And it still is to this day.
Criminally underrated and overlooked band that should have been way bigger that what they were. It's not perfect but this is a solid release with some fantastic playing. (Vernon Reid in particular) The 80s production is bit of a letdown but this is still worth listening to today.
Pretty generic. Maybe at the time this would have sounded different, but a lot has happened in the last four decades.
I should probably like this more than I do, but it’s not my jam
Has its moments.
cant believe ive only ever heard the single from this one, the whole album is great
Have never heard of them but it really surprised me. A few I really enjoyed, most I enjoyed enough to save, and only a couple that I didn’t. Some of the guitar parts weirdly reminded me of the Contortions as well. Rating: 4.2
LOVED THIS. How had Living Color passed me by? Much lead guitar, catchy riffs, it's simultaneously so of its time and still fresh and exciting? The rest of the album doesn't live up to the first track but that one is a solid 5/5.
I know the first song, but I didn’t know the name of the band who’s playing it.
Pretty fun rock album, great basslines ans it is quite funky.
Potente, entretenido, en linea con Faith No More y Fishbone pero mejor producido
j'aime vraiment pas les 3 premiers sons on dirait beaucoup trop le generique de ghost buster mais en moins bien
*** 1/2 Wasn't on my radar anymore. But I know it. And I basically like it. Sometimes a bit monotonous.
This is a good album. Honestly musically, they are incredibly tight. Corey Glover‘s vocals can be incongruously soulful, but that often works really well in a rock setting. See Soundgarden/Alice In Chains. But listening to the whole album at once made me realize that they were lyrically a little sophomoric. It wasn’t a lot of pros or depth to what they were saying. Which you don’t always need. Because there are definitely some hits. But when you listen to a song like Landlord or Funny Vibe, there is a lot in there. Some of the pieces like their cover of should I stay or should I go really makes you want a lot more punk out of this band than what you get. All in all, not bad.
Hell yes. This band was big but never got as big as they should have. I somehow did not know about Mick Jagger's involvement in this album before today, and also did not know that Corey Glover was in Platoon.
A pleasant discovery
The album is mostly a very strong 3 star album but after hearing Cult of Personality I don't see how anyone can go below 4. It's enough for me to go 5
I like parts of this! "Cult of Personality" obviously but enjoyed "Middle Man" and "Glamour Boys" as well.
Con sus estridentes ropajes (culotes, colores fluor) e imagen, marcaron una época. Antecedentes claros de los RHCP sin ir más lejos. Sonaban potentes, y la voz de Corey es una delicia. Venían apadrinados (y producidos) por Jagger, pero eso no les restó ni un milímetro de credibilidad, multiplicando su difusión. Mantuvieron el tipo con discos como Stain, algo más duro que este reluciente debut. Virutosos, potentes, con estilo. Sigue sonando igual que entonces. Middle man, Open letter es una de la joyas de su discografía, un grupo que tuvo un éxito fugaz pero que no acaba de mantener un reconocimiento que se merece.
I know them from their Guitar Hero song. Like the melodies.
Good album
3.3 stars rounded down. The singles are great. The rest is a little dated. Solid singles though: Cult of Personality, Memories Can’t Wait, and Glamour Boys.
It's decent fun, I've never liked Cult of Personality that much but past the first few tracks I got more into the album, it was a turning point listening to Letter to a Landlord when my brain called it "Huey Lewis goes Def Leppard"
This was much better than I expected. I only recognised cult of personality and that’s only from GTA.
Fuck. Yes. What an album
That’s some good rock. These guys deserved more than just one hit.
Not really my thing but do think it's good.
En sämre version av huey Lewis/faith no more
Shaped my musical evolution as much as any jazz classic. This goes into my Top Ten easy.
"Cult of Personality" is a great song, but otherwise I think this album is a bit of a one hit wonder. The rest of the album isn't bad, it's just not great. I will say that the guitarist is incredible and probably deserves to be talked about in lists of top guitarists (Hendrix, Van Halen, etc).
This album reminds me a bit of the Faith No More album we had earlier this week. Partially because they were released around the same time, but also because while they tending to be thrown into the Hard Rock/Metal bucket- they pull in other genres and sounds that make that label feel a bit restrictive. Like Faith No More, this might just be a 3, but I'm inclined to round up.
It's like someone munged the social consciousness of Grandmaster Flash with Van Halen - and you'd think that would be amazing but very few of the songs really resonate. There's no denying the catchiness of 'Cult of Personality' but the rest of the album struggles to achieve that same irresistibility. 'Open Letter to a Landlord' got me to double back and listen twice given the plaintive opening and relentless close, but very little else rose to that level. Listenable but very little sticks with you given the messages they're trying to land.
Living Colour, Vivid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For the sorta second-rate radio friendly Bad Brains that they are, it's still a pretty good album. Cult of Personality is the lightning in a bottle which would they'd chase the rest of their days. Memories Can't Wait is great punk/thrash. But then you get to Which Way to America and you think.... They couldn't have done that in the internet era. This is basically I Against I in less effective capsule. Whatever they'll never have the cachet that Bad Brains had but I can't deny their debut was solid and they probably deserved more afterward.
>>> the Beatles
Album 890 of 1089 Living Colour -Vivid (1988) Rating : 3 / 5 I came in somewhat familiar with “Cult of Personality” from its 80s radio run, and I had always filed them away as just another typical 80s band. Turns out, they’ve got a lot more going on than I gave them credit for. What impressed me most was how many different grooves they managed to hit across the album, and how solid they were at all of them. Metal, Hard Rock, Funk, Alternative Rock. Strong playing, strong songs, and plenty of energy throughout. Definitely not a one-hit band, and I’ll be glad to dig into them further.
This is way less hard than I remembered.
To be honest I'm still listening to Jurassic 5... This is a band I always wanted to like but could never really get down with. Something a little corny about the songs, maybe?
Gostosin
This album aas ok, I enjoyed some tracks but not all
I enjoyed this. I loved the single, “Cult of Personality,” obviously. But I never felt like investigating further and I feel sort of justified in that. I like the sound - it reminds me of early Chilli Peppers - that particular funk punk of late 80s America - but it doesn’t really have anything as hooky as “Cult of Personality”. I like the guitar sound. But, yeah, it’s alright.
Enjoyed this
Anyone growing up when this album was first put out knew Cult of Personality and for good reason. I remember when I started learning to play electric bass I was determined to learn it. It didn’t happen: it’s pretty tough. I never really listen to the rest of this album until today. I actually really enjoyed it and I’m sorry that it took me an additional few decades to get here. Doug Wimbush‘s bass playing is really solid and I don’t know why he’s never come up on any top bass player list. Corey Glover‘s vocals are also so unique and smooth. Key songs for me of course include Cult of Peronality, which is just a classic, But also Glamour Boys, which was very enjoyable and the song Funny Vibe was funky and eye-opening simultaneously. For me, Living Color was the first black rock group I had ever seen, followed by Body Country. It surprises me that LC didn’t have a bigger influence. Was it the rock culture itself or the advent of Rap’s Golden Age that made it so we wouldn’t see prominent black artists in rock until the late 1990s?
Random thoughts: * I should have discovered this when it came out. I would have liked the whole album. Unfortunately I only listened to radio for the most part and only knew "Cult of Personality". * The inclusion of this album was definitely to let us all know we missed out on something pretty great. * Cult of Personality still kicks so much ass and is sadly more apt than when it was released. * I'll have to revisit this one when I'm in a rockin' mood.
I wish my memories were still as such.
First time listen. Great rock album. Really well executed. Great lyrics
One of my favorite rock albums of all time. Just an absolute classic from start to finish! And fuck CM Punk. I refuse to let him ruin this band for me. Lol.
The bar was always going to be high since Cult of Personality is one of my favorite songs ever, but Vivid delivers. No skips.
scale: 1 - instaskip, 2-meh can be skipped/reaches point to skip, 3 -nothing wrong/easy listen/not seeking out, 4 - would listen to again, 5 - must listen "saying the name of the song early scale" (SNSES) Will be accounted for when I can remember. Cult of personality: 7, Guitar hero 3 sends its regards, freaking slaps. I want to know: 3 Middle man: 4 Desperate people: 5 Open letter: 4 Funny vibe: 2 Memories can’t wait: 3 Broken hearts: 4 Glamour Boys: 2 What’s your favorite color?: 3 Which way to America?: 4. Wonderful chaos. Overall 3.73
scale: 1 - skipping if heard it again/actually skipped it 2- meh can be skipped/reaches point to skip 3 -nothing wrong/easy listen/not seeking out 4 - would listen to again 5 - must listen Cult of Personality - 5 I Want To Know - 4 Middle Man - 3 Desperate People - 3 Open Letter (To a Landlord) - 3.5 Funny Vibe - 3 Memories Can't Wait - 3.5 Broken Hearts - 3.5 Glamour Boys - 3 What's Your Favorite Color? - 4 funked up Which Way to America - 4
I’m aware of LC only through _Cult of Personality_ and especially since it was on Guitar Hero 3, so I was glad to hear it included here and it got the album off to a great start, brilliant song that it is. Unfortunately, nothing else really lived up to it. That’s not to say it was bad, but it was a high bar by which the rest of the album falls short. I think this is another one that probably hits different at the time but its fusing of styles into a hard rock aesthetic feels fairly primitive in today’s musical landscape as potentially revolutionary as it was then. Nowadays this sounds like fairly traditional hard rock /funk metal of the time. Another one that I’d have no problem listening to but not one I’d choose to put on.
The guitar riffs in this album are strong. There's nothing really to complain about, and yet it's missing a certain something that could elevate it from good to great. 3/5
The first track is pretty cool
That was pretty cool. Nice guitar sound.
What a pleasant surprise.. Hard rock? Sounds 80s but also already 90s, I like the basss, the guitars, the voice.. 3.75, I already listened two times... Nice energy. (first time I listen to "Living Colour"). Thanks!
wow i know these people from my drumming grades woah
This may be an album that's important "for the time" but overall it's just meh.
Finally something exciting, I was getting a bit jaded with this.
Really fun rock album
Didn't know this is who wrote "Cult of Personality"! What a great rock band. Some of the tight vocal harmonies remind me of my favorite band, Queen. The themes of each song are clever, especially the aforementioned track and the "open letter". Of course, the music itself is badass. Love the heavy influence of blues, metal, early hip-hop, and funk. And "Funny Vibe" is wild! No base like 80s base. Great album.
Excellent album to be played at top volume. So glad it’s on this list.
Some pretty straightforward rock type shit
3/5
Huge opener that was an iconic anthem of late 80s rock. But the rest of the album struggles to hold that line. In fact, it doesn’t.
Phenomenal guitar work and some cracking songs throughout. Good stuff.
Really enjoyed this, Glamour Boys the best track
3.5 stars
After "Cult of Personality"-- it loses a lot of gusto... just same old.
Good debut album. "Cult" of course is their anthem but "I Want to Know" is a good one, "What's Your Favorite Color" is right there. "Glamour Boys" is a fun one to rock to, and it is always funny to sing along to "Funny Vibe" ... The cover of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a good one.
Not outstanding
Starts off good then becomes something else entirely
boring as can be
Well that was better than I expected. Quite rocky, and listenable. Not too much more I can say though, but worth a 3.
What in the 1980s, Miami Vice, cheese rock is going on here? Respect to the vocalist as he can sing right enough.
My HM workmates played this to me when it was first released. Obviously I was biased and hated it without giving it a chance. There went my brush with this band. Fast forward to today with the same preconceptions, but with older wiser ears. I loved it! Funky basslines, great guitar playing and excellent tunes. I may have to listen to this again, just to make sure I wasnt in some sort of funny mood!
Good album
Rock des années 80, très chouette 👍
A manifesto to reintegrate rock music in the mainstream. Shame we're still having the same conversations now.
Meh.
My favorite color is yellow
Generic hair metal
This is soulless, generic imitation music. In fact, if this hadn't come out in 1988, I'd suggest it was AI generated slop. Have you ever had a person you know try REALLY HARD to fit into your friend group, but they just don't because they're trying too hard? Like, if they'd just be themselves, they'd fit in and be very likeable, but because they seem so fake and in the uncanny valley, they make everyone unsettled and awkward-feeling. Ultimately, they come off as an empty shell impersonating a human. That's Living Colour; fake and plasticky. Who the fuck are these guys, really? They always sound to me to like they're making the music they think people want them to make, not the kind of music they actually want to make. These guys are OBVIOUSLY skilled musicians, which frustrates me ⭐⭐
Strong, strong opener, and while the album can't quite keep the steam up, it's good fun.
Vernon Reid is underrated as a guitar player. This album was released in 1988, and I actually think it was a few years ahead of its time; Cult of Personality certainly rode a wave into the late '90's. Open Letter is a personal favorite. Living Colour is also a terrific example of making a statement with your music in a good way. 3.5 - 4
Did not enjoy
90’s pop rock, nothing special
5/10 An odd one that didn’t really work for me. Hopping from genre to genre, from more pure hard rock/metal, to funk rock with fretless bass, to really mainstream pop rock and even hints of nu metal and grunge. The only stuff that actually worked for me was the more straight down the line stuff, that was where the more serious vocal delivery style and band were most in sync. Best: Glamour Boys
Much like this past year’s Summerslam, everything went downhill after CM Punk’s entrance. 2.5/5
Awesome debut, awesome band. Still great live after all these years
This is an album for its time. It feels very 80's metal...Aerosmithish perhaps. Its a good listen though, I'll be back to it
Lots of funk but a little dated which hurt the fun factor a little.
It's been decades since I listened to this. I was into it when it came out. The musicianship is stellar. Back in '89 I saw these guys in Oakland opening for the Rolling Stones. They played a kickass set and when they left the stage I headed to the restroom. Then I hear them start another song. When I get back to my seat my brother tells me Carlos Santana came out and played Johnny B. Goode with them. Good night nurse, something good is going down and I'm alone in the bathroom with my junk in my hand. Story of my life. Lol.
Hearing Cult of Personality for the first time in 1988 was such an incredible breath of fresh air, I still can hear Reid’s riff as something like “the future”. Alas, the bulk of Vivid never did much for me then and still does not today. CoP lyrically is a bit of a mess, but my sense is they had something hot with that riff and worked the song into shape super fast to get it out, so its political valence might not be as profound as the music makes it sound.
Day575 - i bet not many albums can mix mick jagger, public enemy and david byrne. im going to put this back into my music rotation
Najlepsze w tej płycie jest to, że mam poczucie że oni się bawią muzyką i nie traktują siebie zbyt serio. To bardzo eklektyczny album, widać że czerpią z różnych gatunków i nie boją się być inni. Jasne, część z tych utworów nie przypadła mi do gustu, ale doceniam tę niepohamowaną muzykalność. 7.5/10
I had heard of Living Color before, but I hadent ever heard any songs aside from Cult of Personality. The album is solid- I like their unique style and the politically active lyrics. I found a lot of the songs to be a little repetitive musically. Overall- decent album
Great for it's time. Aged awfully though. Too much up tempo, needs light and shade
Heard of this band but never listened to them before. Absolutely loved it, great vocals, heavy rock guitars, brilliant melodies, meaningful lyrics....
Sweet album. Tons of variation with heavy metal to straight up pop to more soulful cuts. Lots of energy and hooks on here so looking to coming back. 7/10
Big noise in the late ‘80s. It was, it seemed about time. Unfortunately a lot of it sounded the same.
Strong 7. Super groovy and fun album, used a bunch of 80’s rock stylings with stellar performances. The biggest issue was just that the songs sort of blended together after a while.
Strong. Fav song open letter
This was a strange listen. Loved Cult and Glamour Boys, as well as Open Letter--the Talking Heads cover was awesome and the last 2 songs very cool social commentary. The 2nd and 3rd songs are absolutely terrible and I'm not sure why they are not tucked into the back of the album, but after 15 minutes of listening I was at a 2. The album picked up for sure and I ended up at about 3.5 and I'm bumping for relevance, but man those songs are bad and the thrash/hair metal sound they have is so off putting. Reid smokes on guitar, but if it's all thrashy sounding what's the point? Also, some of Glover's lyrics are ROUGH, haha.
Fine enough but blurred into one and felt too long.
I loved this album when it came out. Vernon Reid is a monster on guitar. I didn’t realize at the time how funky some of these songs are either, so that was cool to relisten to it with that perspective. This is on a cassette in my garage, so I haven’t listened to it in a while.
A classic that I don’t think I’ve ever listened to all the way through before. Rounding up from 4.5 to 5 stars
After the aural turd that was The Joshua Tree yesterday, it was nice to have a rock album that had bits I actually enjoyed on it. There are some parts where it gets quite funky and Cult of Personality is a good song, but there's still not enough to make me care about listening again. One nice point though is that, despite being American, they've spelt colour correctly, so well done for that guys.
Good, but not really my thing. Should listen to it more. Cult is great tho. 3.5/5
Another pretty decent Rock album on here, 80s rock (or rock in general really) just isn't my thing though, or at least not often. I enjoyed it and it was a fun listen but I doubt I'll revisit many of it's songs. Was by no means a bad album though!
This is an album that had one song that I was super aware of while having never heard the rest of the album. "Cult of Personality" was seemingly inescapable when it was released and is still a song that I hear from time to time. I thought that this album would be more of the same but it isn't and that is a good thing. The remainder of the album has songs that are definitely rock or even hard rock but it also has songs that sound somewhat like 1988 R&B and even Terence Trent D'Arby (in a good way). The musicianship is great and that extends to the bass playing which is front and center on almost all the songs on the album. I will listen again.
This was definitely a pleasant listen without any songs truly standing out amongst each other for either being great or really poor. I probably wouldn't listen to the album again, but wouldn't turn off any of the songs individually if they were to play at random elsewhere. Overall, I would give this album a 3.5/5 however, it would be bumped down to 3 as it didn't separate itself enough.
LOOK IN MY EYES WHAT DO YOU SEEEEEEEE?! I only know that song since it's the theme song of a wrestler. It's pretty catchy. The vocal is so 80s. Sounds like a mix of Huey Lewis, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins at times. This man can belt out a tune. This is the kind of album I never would have heard if not for this list. I like the various style changes from hard rock to funk. 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.
7/18/25. Somewhat criminal that I've never listened to this previously, since I love Cult of Personality. Super energetic and funky! Really loved the rhythm guitar parts as well. Will definitely come back multiple times.
Of their first three albums, this is definitely the least exciting. Reid is a unique talent, no doubt, but that talent doesn't necessarily always translate to a complete, well-formed song. Cult Of Personality is the stand-out track, of course, and although you can pick out the diverse influences, the music still sits comfortably within the funk-rock and hair-hair parameters it aims to revolutionize. Time's Up was a lot more well-defined, and Stain was darker and deeper. Vivid is by no means awful, but 30-plus years have only made an album which once stood out from the crowd blend in with it's peers much more than you might have imagined.
No me gusta
Never heard of these guys before, which is a shame, because it's pretty nice. A fun hard rock album with good guitar work that's at it's best when it embraces more of the funk elements. What keeps it from being 'great' is that it sounds pretty dated on the one hand, and it's overshadowed by bands who took the same concept but were braver in implementing it. Faith No More sounds like an obvious comparison, who simply did a bolder and more interesting version of funk meets hard rock.
Beter dan verwacht
Not sure this qualifies as musical.
More or less exactly what I would have expected based solely on Cult of Personality.
Rechtig typisch ändi 80er Rock. Leider esch i de 80er Rock doch no gross gse. Das füehrt dezue dass mer rächt mues usestäche zom öberhaupt no spannend z si. Ehre Erfolg i dere Ufgab esch vo Song zo Song sehr onderschedlech. T mehrheit esch halt eifach okay. Es ged es Schlagzüg, ei bis zwöi Rockgitarre ond e Stemm. Es ged aber es paar songs wo mer jetzt positiv ufgfalle send wo das ganz klassische chli bräched: Open Letter (To a Landlord) fod eigentlech a wie jedes andere Lied. Denne chond aber de Refrain wo t instromänt plötzlech i de Stemm platz gäbed zom schiine. Das brecht ned nome s moschter sehr guet, es füehrt au e chli Melodie ih ond zeigt sini starchi stemm uf. Funny vibe esch no loschtig wels näbscht whats your favourite colour eitnelch e rock song esch, aber plötzlech extrem funky werd. Die zwöi genres fonktioniered debi erstuundlech guet zäme. Glamour Boys esch öppe mis lieblings lied us dem Albom. Es hed ned nome öppe am meischte Melodie, öppis wo söscht doch e chli sehr rar esch, mer ghört au rechtig wie Living Colour spass gha hed dä song z mache. Är esch also au sehr happy was emmer pluspönkt ged. Schlossändlech sett mer wahrschiindlech no öppe s berüehmtischte lied us em Albom erwähne: Cult of Personality. Das esch eigentlech mega easy, es brecht einigi strukture emmer weder uf was es spannend macht. Au geds ab ond zue verschednigi layers. Es esch aber au e sehr herte song wo i minere meinig hüüfig eifach au öberlade ond z luut esch.
A vibrant and energetic album. A mix of early grunge and punk with lyrics still relevant to today. These guys definitely deserve more recognition.
mid unfortunately
'Hey kids! Let's go!' Ze hebben er in ieder geval zin in, deze mij verder onbekende broertjes van Aerosmith. De laten jaren tachtig klinken er wel een beetje in door, en de hoes is ook al een product van zijn tijd. Maar het is met plezier gemaakt, en dat is altijd fijn.
Een wat ruwer klinkende Genesis. Althans die delen die ik oppik. Het is allemaal prima, maar het vervliegt naar de achtergrond. Ik zet het halverwege opnieuw aan, met hetzelfde effect. Voor de vorm laat ik hem nu doorspelen, maar tja....dit wordt een 3.
Dit album van Living Colour zit precies aan het einde van de jaren 80 net voor de grunge uit, maar het heeft eigenlijk al wel heel veel van die early 90s. Als je de hoes al ziet, zie je ook gelijk die clipjes op MTV, met van die gekke kleuren en letterlijk wazige video-effecten. Ondanks dat het overduidelijk een product is wat je meteen in de periode rond 1990 kan plaatsen (het hitster-kaartje zal niet moeilijk te verzamelen zijn), heeft het wat mij betreft de tand des tijds wel doorstaan. Al zul je dit, helaas, niet zoveel meer horen tegenwoordig. De gitaar heeft zo'n typische distortion uit die tijd, schurend en scheurend, en in de drums hoor je de gated reverb (en nr 2 heeft zelfs een koebel). Wat me wel opvalt, is dat de nummers redelijk lang zijn met veelal 4 minuten plus. Wat ik nog niet wist, is dat Mick Jagger dit album mede heeft geproduceerd. Dat zijn van die grappige dingen die ik weer kan toevoegen aan mijn lijst met nutteloze feitjes. Zelfs zonder dat feitje vind ik al dat dit album in de lijst thuis mag horen. Wederom een dikke 4, waarmee ik weer een lekkere streak heb.
The production is (predictably) shaky, but I appreciate the stylistic diversity and especially enjoy some of the more melodic moments. "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" is quite effective, and in general, Reid's lyrics are excellent. Much better than most mainstream rock from 1988. 3.5/5
Metal, funk, jazz, punk, alternative - unafraid to be who they are. 1988 was ready for "Cult of Personality", "Open Letter (to a Landlord)", and "Glamour Boys" and Living Colour STILL delivers the goods.
I did not use a private session for this one. I had this on CD, purchased not long after it came out. I listened to it a lot, because I was poor and didn't have a lot CDs. It was interesting to listen to and see how it held up. At the time, I didn't realize there was a Talking Heads cover on the album. It's rock, verging on metal, but the dude can sing so they featured that and the other dudes can play, I especially noticed the guitar work. Anyway, the album holds up, but I also understand why I gave my CD away to my friend Shawn.
Great rock album, a couple great tracks, just okay overall. But was running around listening doing chores. Crazy good for a debut album!
Pretty sweet. Heavy production and a lot of fun.
I only knew the opening track before going in to this, and I like it a lot, so it was nice to find out that the rest of the album is pretty good too. It never gets back to the heights of Cult of Personality in terms of heaviness, but the rest of the album explains how they got to that point. The instrumental work is crazy good; all three instruments are played exceedingly well, especially the bass. The singer's voice has got some real range and he can sustain a note CLEANLY for a long time, unlike so many of his contemporaries. I like the mixup of punk, metal, funk, and a pile of other things. There are so many bands that say that they do all those, but Living Colour actually does. They even go in to butt rock a bit, and Glamour Boys is either the best satire done in a long time or just a lyrical misunderstanding with the backing track. I'm sure it's the former, but I like to think it's the latter. The only complaint I have here is some of the lyrics are corny - "I Want To Know" coming after "Cult of Personality" should be a crime. Also that Spotify somehow is missing two of the original tracks for some stupid legal reason I'm sure. More of this kind of stuff please.
I'm disappointed this didn't have at least one Fire Marshall Bill" skit. No "Homie the Clown"? No "Handi-man"?! WHERE ARE THE FLY GIRLS?
Wow, I forgot this was a late 80’s release. I remember when it came out it being considered so cutting edge and genre blending. I thought I would like it more overall, but outside of the classic opener it fell mostly flat to me. Rounding up for the impact of the one hit and creativity. 2.5/5
I remember this cassette circulating in high school. It seemed to have come from left field, and at the time was a breath of fresh air. A different sound for sure. And while the intentions were good with the spirit and messages being delivered (especially songs like Open Letter and Which Way to America), outside of the banger Cult of Personality…it really doesn’t hold up. Revisiting this many years later I was pretty surprised at how much 80s cheese was here surprisingly. Rating up based on musical ability and the ubiquitous Cult of hit.
Do you wish you could hear the worst parts of 80s and 90s rock but combined? I have good news for you…
Such a weird blend of styles. Worked for Cult of Personality and maybe a few others were okay, but overall this just didn’t come together for me. Dude was slappin’ da bass though. 2.75
Was Glamour Boy the original fuck boi? 2.75/5
Another great discovery from the list. Hard rock with a funky twist that sounds impressive and doesn't bore even after all the eleven tracks.
When I was a teenager I listened to "Cult of Personality" and thought it was one of the most boring and overrated songs ever. And I lived with that prejudice for decades... I was so goddamn wrong. This is, so far, the best album I've heard during this challenge.
Definitely enjoyed this one- very solid rock album. Plenty of heavy guitars, forceful vocals, and tight rhythms. The bass got funky at parts too, which was a cool addition. The compositions themselves mostly weren't overly complicated or involved, but were strong in their straightforwardness. Certain parts did take it up a notch, too. The strongest part to me was probably the guitar, which showed some interesting flair and range. At times it screamed through, while others was more subtle. It seemed like it started heavier, but expanded as the album went on. It had a slide-like quality to start on Broken Hearts, one of the softer songs on the album, then came back up to rock out a solo. It was funkier on Favorite Color and Which Way, though the latter had plenty of grit when the solo came on. You could tell the player really was skilled based on how it shined through on each song. If there is a negative, it's really just that some of the tracks weren't very distinct from each other. A few did change up the pace to help with that (especially later on the album), so it wasn't overly distracting. I can't really point out anything as being bad. The only other critique I have is that there isn't anything necessarily better than very good to me. It's another album that has no weak parts, but also doesn't really hit greatness. That said, it's still quality music and something I enjoyed a lot. It sits near the top of the good range. Overall: 4/5
Straight-up fun, but not much else
Really good rock music from the late 80s. Looking back, most of the rock music I listened to back then doesn’t hold up. But this was really enjoyable.
This album feels to me like if Tenacious D was a real band. I have to give them credit for rocking out so hard, but aside from exhibiting comically corny pure 80's hard rock ethos the actual music didn't really do much for me.
This felt like fairly generic 80s hard rock with some funky bass lines. A couple tracks on the second half felt almost like early nu-metal influences. Overall, it was fun, but it's not really for me.
Great start with 'Cult of Personality' (shoutout to the GTA San Andreas soundtrack), but jeez Vivid is a huge mess. The lyrics are atrocious - obviously apart from the Talking Heads cover - and the funky hard rock elements are laughable at times. 1 extra star for the nostalgia trip.
Living Colour are lucky “Cult Of Personality” is such a strong opener. Vivid is most often just silly and in search of something sturdy to lean on. Muzz Skillings’ bass tries delivering that, but it’s not enough in its own.
Twas ok. I appreciated it though it was out of my normal repertoire
Good genre bending hair metal, enjoyed it.
If every song was as strong as the opening track,' Cult of Personality' this would be a 5/5 album and one of the best hard rock/heavy metal albums of all time, unfortunately, 'Cult of Personality' is by far the best song on the album, fortunately the other 10 tracks are all good and often very good. The 11 songs on Livid are all over the place genre wise from funk, hard rock, hardcore, avant-jazz, metal and whatever else I'm missing with strong performances linking them all and forming a definitive style all in living colour! Mick Jagger (yes THAT Mick Jagger) plays harmonica on track 8 and does backing vocals on track 9. A walloping feral debut. ACE!
Terrific debut! Vernon Reid's guitar work puts him in league with Alex Van Halen and his lyrics are as timely as Elvis Costello's
Jamming beats to this
Hell yeah! Woke me up with some excitement. Hard to beat Cult of Personality
Never heard of Living Colour but I thought this was pretty cool overall, just a bit all-over-the-place. Generally very 80s rock without veering too much into power-ballady territory. After a couple of goes through, only the opener really stayed with me but I liked the whole experience enough. May revisit again in future.
A series of timeless bangers that’s held back by everything slow, where the music sounds super dated. This one would be a 5 if they cut out about half of “Open Letter (To a Landlord) and the entirety of “Broken Hearts”.
It starts with a certified banger, and then drags for too long on some unremarkable songs. I won't lie, this album was a letdown. Still an underrated hard rock band though.
Not what I would expect
3.5/5
This wasn’t bad…but I didn’t love it either. I was completely unfamiliar with this band, and I think maybe if I had heard them back in the day, I may have liked it better then. In any event, I give it three stars.
Colour me surprised when these guys released Cult of Personality and I heard it on the radio and was instantly hooked. Amazing guitar work, strong vocals, really good drums and bass. Bought the CD and loved it. They came out of nowhere! Saw them on tour opening for The Stones and there were people actually booing them because they wanted to see The Stones. Granted, I still don't think it was a good fit for a opening band for a bunch of old dudes and Stones fans, but who am I to question that when I'm only 13 years old? Living Colour really defined my early teen years and this album was the catalyst. Love it still very much to this day. 3.5/5 stars. PS: Do not miss their cover of Talking Heads' Memories Can't Wait, it's outstanding and one of the best songs on this album.
not significant
Alright, let's talk about Living Colour's Vivid. I'd give this album a solid 3.5 stars. It's a great album, no doubt about it, and a huge part of the late 80s rock scene. Corey Glover's voice is just incredible; he's got so much power and range. And the band itself? Super tight, amazing musicianship all around. They can really play. The thing is, Vivid definitely sounds a bit dated now. The production is just too polished for my taste, especially listening to it today. It lacks a certain grit that I think would really make it pop. It's a fantastic listen if you want to take a trip down memory lane, but that overly clean production holds it back from being truly timeless for me. Still, it's a powerful statement, and because the band is so talented, I'm definitely going to check out their newer material to hear what they're doing now.
Bueno
Znam cult of personality, reszta średnia
I knew more of this than I expected! Some bops.
Cult of Personality is so good, but the rest just doesn't catch me and retains too much 80s rock.
Much like Bad Brains, you never get too far into reading about Living Color before getting the feeling that them being a black band is more important than the fact that they’re just making really great music.
solid
Solid jammers
One great song
Know cult of personality from guitar hero but haven't heard anything else so glad this came up. Is there another 80s rock/metal group with any black members? Living colour really shine a light on how narrow that whole genre is. I think they stand out musically too, really good as a straight up rock band mostly at the start of the album but the funk that is more prevalent towards the end really works too. Lyrics were more interesting than their peers, no questionable lines about girls. This isn't a genre I'm super keen on so I don't think I could give it a 5 but it's better than almost all of the other similar bands so 4.5.
Knew Cult of Personality, really nice 80s rock song. Memories Can't Wait was also solid - but I believe it is a Talking Heads cover. Other than the band being quite different from most other 80s rockers, I found the record overall rather generic.
Hadn't heard of living colour before. It's kinda like a mix of early rhcp and faith no more in parts, which sounds right up my street! Some really nice funky sounding bass. There were some tracks I wasn't convinced by though, didn't rate "glamour boys" or "the should I stay or should I go" cover. But there were some good tracks too, "cult of personality", "middle man"were good. Might give this another go but 3.5
Fun album, Cult of Personality is one of the hardest hitting mainstream rock songs of the late 80's. Besides that the album is just fine. Has some good politically charged songs in it, but I feel its a little ''80's overproduced''. Not every song on here is as big of a hit as well and there's quite a few forgettable songs here.
It was a decent listen, head rocking at some points but wouldn’t actively seek out this album.
like it. should've listened twice. funky rock
I love what they’re trying to do. Trying, in my opinion, a little too hard. The production seems to wash away the real heart within these songs. Nevertheless, there are a few standouts: “Cult of Personality” and “Which Way to America,” both of which remain relevant this long after the Reagan Years. Their cover of Talking Heads’ “Memories Can’t Wait” made me want the original back. Same with their cover of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” although I believe that is a bonus track. It only goes to show that Fishbone’s “Truth & Soul” is a monumental achievement. That funk/rock/soul fusion is untouchable…. Check it out next and see if you can’t help but agree. Not a bad album but reminds me of some
Heavy Metal is not my thing... generally. This album, however, is such a bright spot for metal in the 1980s. It harkens back to Rock's origins in the late 60s and early 70s with the big sound of the 80s. It's witty and accessible without compromise. The songs go beyond hooks without losing a sense of playfulness and fun. This was a surprise as I missed this one back in the 80s when it arrived. Shame on me.
Cult of Personality is the opener and a classic. And although I don't feel that the album ever reaches those heights again it is still overall very good.
Absolute powerhouse of musical chops across the board. Not much like it before or since. Vernon Reid is a god
Cult of Personality opens the album, but I think the second side of the record is the best.
Big guitars. Big drums. Big Bass. Big vibes. What a strange little bridge between 80s hard rock and 90s alternative this turns out to be. It punches like metal but sings like pop, and works better than it should. There's something theatrical about it, and slightly cheesy, but not in a corny way if that makes any sense at all. Honestly kind of refreshing. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions: - Cult of Personality - Glamour Boys - What's Your Favorite Color? - Which Way to America - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Hard Rock with an occaisonal touch of Funk - nothing special. Would this album be in this list if the band weren't all black? I'm not so sure.
Cool album love the big f u to the white rockers
Love this album. It's hard to believe I didn't have it in my rather small collection—so very relevant today. In a world of George Michael, Tracy Chapman, and Dirty Dancing, these guys hit hard. Seeing these guys rock on MTV was amazing to me.
Decent.
The album cover feels like the moment you've just cracked open a shrink-wrapped copy of first gen Photoshop and the art director says, "Go nuts" — and yet somehow, it's still not Vivid enough. Living Colour had been around for a while, but this was the record that broke through. And just two years later, a seemingly unrelated TV show In Living Color hit broadcast TV. Much of America in the late '80s and early '90s wanted to break out of tradition, to rupture the norms, but the social structures were more resilient than we kids knew. This album reflects that tension: there are moments that still sound fresh and boundary-pushing, and others so plodding and conventional you have to wonder if someone else hijacked the session. The first two tracks "Cult of Personality" and "I Want to Know" embody this divide. It doesn't take a genius ear to hear which is which. There's undeniable musicianship across the album, but too many of the songs lean on tired '80s hard rock tropes. It feels tempered by format. It's not entirely an album divided. Some songs like "Letter to a Landlord" live in the in-between where they're leaning on more conventional songwriting but manage to go somewhere meaningful. Overall and in retrospect, this record is more product than artistry and what once felt bold now plays like a debut too tangled up in the America it's wrestling with. Still not Vivid enough.
Love it, who the RHCP wanted to be
Good songs, strong musicianship. Vernon’s licks can only be heard so many times before I have to press Next.
I acc kinda fucked w it. So 80s but guitarist is so cracked
Think I have to give this a proper 4.5 due to some corny lyrics and no true standout tracks beyond the one I already knew. But hey. On a 12 hour drive. This woke me up. Some really great inventive rock with heart. Awesome stuff.
A pleasant listen. Sounds a little like a commercial rock album. Very upbeat. Cult of Personality is definitely a hit
Not bad
Absolute BANGER of an album opener. Not only one of the best opening songs of all time, Cult of Personality is one of the best songs ever made. Open Letter (to a Landlord), Memories Can’t Wait, Glamour Boys, and What’s Your Favorite Color and timeless and awesome. I love this album, and I think Living Colour is possibly the most criminally underrated rock band of all time. I also think that there are parts of this album that start to show its age. I’m really torn between four star and five star. On one hand, I don’t think it’s as good as most of the other albums that I have in the five star group. On the other hand, I’m very cognizant of the influence that it had on music, Culture, and me personally. And in those areas, it’s an easy five star.
Starts with an absolute tune. The rest is solid to good but can't live up to the first song.
I imagine only guys who watch a lot of football, drink beer, and never get off the couch listen to this. Is that the fan base?
Interesting to find a black rock band I didn't know about, but to me sound a bit too 80s. I liked "Memories Can't Wait" more than the other songs
Oh man, this will take me back to the Easter of ‘89 when my mom got me this tape and some baseball cards. Yeah, my mom was awesome! The only knock on this album is that their take on Memories Can’t Wait loses the haunting feel that the original Talking Heads version has.
A real mixed bag. A handful of good tracks and some nice guitar at times, interspersed with the forgettable, the cheesy, and the downright awful. The album never recovers from the whiplash of opening with Cult of Personality, only to lead into the truly dire, NKOTB-esque "I Want to Know".
Un peu générique à mes oreilles, mais je me doute que c’était précurseur en son temps et que ça annonçait le rock des années 1990
It’s ok
Cult of Personality was already well known to me, but this was a nice surprise!
Album is a mix of things, and I like most of them! Pretty unique. 3.8
I like the message in their lyrics.
More evidence that metal bands have some of the most interesting music. Lacks a bit of a hook here and there though.
plaah
Arrancamos martes (último análisis de la semana) con esta banda noventosa a morir. Me recuerda a otros proyectos como Faith No More, sólo que con letras más críticas. Irónicas. Me despido hasta la semana que viene.
3.5 Cult of Personality carried this one.
Cult of Personality is a jam. I had not heard any of the other songs on this album. It's hard rock that is fine, even if sometimes I cringe a bit at the lyrical content and the cover of the album essentially looking as early 90's as possible. I don't know how they pulled off Open Letter (To a Landlord) because based just on the title the song should not have been very good. The good news is this album is not from the 90's, so Living Colour were ahead of their time in that aspect. This is a pretty good album and I understand why it is in the book. The musicianship is strong and the sound is a fun listen. The songs aren't as strong as I would like to give this one 5-stars. My favorite tracks were: Cult of Personality I Want to Know Open Letter (To a Landlord) Memories Can't Wait Glamour Boys
War okay, aber Rock ist oft nicht mei nDing
Dated sound but a fun album I remember listening to them in my friends brothers truck in junior high
Look in my eyyyyyyes, what do you see? They never topped Cult of Personality but this is a great album for its time and genre. I’m torn on whether race helped or hurt them.
one of the most consistent, cohesive rock albums i've ever heard. every track jives with the one before it both in vibe and sound. really rad vocal melodies, and the instruments absolutely fuck.
I have never really listened to these guys beyond cult of personality, which is a great song, but I just never have listened to anything more, but this album was a great one! I enjoyed the whole thing!
#100 - really enjoyed this, quite unique energy!
It was okay
Cult of Personality is yet another proof of how the Grand Theft Auto series has shaped my musical taste over the years. I'll probably forget the other songs on this album. I'll probably even forget the name of the album. But Cult Of Personality will always have a special place in my memories.
Not for me.
What an album. This came out my Junior year of high school. It completely threw things for a loop. "Cult of Personality" shreds and is completely relevant in today's news cycle. Vernon's guitar work and Corey's voice are electric on this album.
Interesting, fun, but clearly of it's time. Never really sold on Living Color though. I didn't hate it, and it's clearly streets ahead of Morrissey. Three stars.
Good stuff. Very good at playing the instruments. Not my cup of tea but good anyways
Man, what a mix of emotion about this album. First of: Cult of Personality is an absolute banger, which is, I think, a problem for this album. The intro track is so good that the rest pales in comparison. The bass sounds great throughout. The guitar licks on a lot of the songs are lackluster and ok’ish. Buddy has a great voice with, sometimes, corny lyrics. Drums are good. I just don’t know where to land this one. It’s like 80s metal fused with 70s funk in places.
Not good