Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Very enjoyable, dad rock that’s not Steely Dan
Cult of Personality is still great. The rest of the album is pretty solid but maybe a little dated. Vernon Reid can shred.
This was great, altho the formula got a bit old by the end. Still a really fun listen
Отличный рок 80х с остросоциальными текстами и безумным и оригинальным для того времени инструменталом, но помимо этого я не могу выделить что-то конкретное, каждая песня просто хорошая. (8)
I’ve been a rock/metal/hair fan my whole life, and this was the first time I have listened to Living Colour. I have missed out for the last 35 years. This is a sincerely great album, and sad that the rock station I grew up with didn’t have this in their daily rotation.
It's all about that bass!
Pretty solid
Sort of what would happen if you let Faith No More and Prince spent a few weekends together. In the best of all possible ways.
this album unlocked childhood memories i didn't know i had, especially cult of personality & what's your favorite color? those were played in my grandpas car a lot when i was a child. definitely a fan, the album looses me a little in the middle but still a fan
This album is good, very funky.
The only song I've ever heard from the band Living Color is Cult of Personality. I really like that song, just never looked into their stuff any further before, so I am looking forward to this listen! And Cult of Personality is the first song on this album, so it's starting off right! Living Color are a rock band from New York, and this is their debut album. The single Cult of Personality did very well, winning a Grammy for best hard rock performance in 1990. The band was also named best new artist at the 1989 mtv video music awards. The band draws influence from jazz, funk, heavy metal, and hip hop to name a few. They sound kind of like Huey Lewis except heavier by times. That signature 80s sound is there, but much heavier than most of the music being created at the time. A few songs on this album were a social commentary on the racism seen in the USA at the time of recording, and they still ring true today (notably Funny Vibe and Which Way to America). There are also some personal lyrics (Open Letter (To A Landlord)). Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed today's album, and may explore Living Colors catalog further. Favourite songs: Which Way to America, Cult of Personality, I Want to Know, Open Letter (to a Landlord), Funny Vibe, What's Your Favourite Color? Least favourite songs: Broken Hearts, Glamour Boys 4/5
"Vivid" is the debut album by American band Living Colour. This album was described as hard rock, funk metal, alternative metal and heavy metal with elements of funk, jazz, soul, avant garde jazz, arena rock, punk and rap. Woah, I'd say just say everything but country; however, I did hear a twangy slide guitar in one song so add that. The band really had to work to get signed and this album released. Being an all Black band, they had trouble getting signed by a major label since the labels thought they were too Black for rock audiences and and too rock for Black audiences. Mick Jagger actually helped them after hearing the play and giving them spare studio time. They eventually got signed. The album moved slow too, finally reaching the Billboard charts ten months after its release and peaked at #6. All the musicians are great but the guitar playing of Vernon Reid is just fantastic. He's all over the place with multiple riffs, solos, styles...heck, within a song. The lyrics tend to be social commentaries, sometimes serious and sometimes comical. Their hit "Cult of Personality" starts things off with a Malcolm X speech and then Reid's guitar just explodes. A pounding rhythm with Will Cahoun's drums. Shreading guitar solos. A fine line between charisma and megalomania and the slippery slope between faith in leaders and being subservient to them are the themes. "Middle Man" was actually the first single released. Very catchy guitar chorus and riff. A solid rhythm section. He wants to be his own man. Lead singer Corey Glover gives a more soulful voice to "Open Letter (To a Landlord)." The song commenting on gentrification of neighborhoods specifically working-class. "Funny Vibe" is a good example of multiple styles. It starts hard and fast almost thrash metal and then out of nowhere goes funky. And then we have Chuck D and Flavor Fav joining in the rap. A sort of serious and funny poke at racial profiling. Another funky song which I remember quite well is "Glamour Boys." A happy song with its guitar and for some reason a tropical feel. Glover making fun of the aspects of high society guys with their clothing, action...all smoke and mirrors. I liked this album a lit when it came out and it sounded great today. I also recommend their next album "Time's Up" which I think is just as good.
Amazing record! Amazing band!
I love it
pretty good, a few skips
Great guitar work in this one and even besides it, the songs had, for me, the perfect combination out of catchy music and metal-esque heavyness
Good album, solid songs that rock.
A really fun album! The first few tracks hint at what might be a full-on assault of 80s rock/metal. It would have tired pretty quickly were that the case, but the album takes lots of detours... the genre-shifting works a treat in that respect. Sails close to the edge in being too busy, but doesn't go over the top, and the playing is just fantastic throughout. Sounds like a band who are bloody good at what they do and are having a blast while they do that. Prime cut: Memories Can't Wait. Might be a cover, but so well done.
Liked it. Need more listens. Lyrics are a little on the nose
The good kind of metal!
Pretty cool to find a political hard rock/glam metal band that's also not white. Liked the singles, "Glamour Boys," and "What's Your Favorite Colour?"
Nice album and great band, look forward to trying this album again
Oh fuck yeah. I actually saw these guys play an afternoon set at Riot Fest in 2021 and they sounded super tight. Obviously Guitar Hero 3 did a ton of work for them with Cult of Personality, but this is one in particular that I'm super excited to see. I'm such a sucker for a good guitar solo. Anyway, loved it. Surprisingly consistent. Standouts: Cult of Personality (OBVIOUSLY), Middle Man, Desperate People, Open Letter (To a Landlord)
Great album. Really helped get 80s rock out of its stale funk. Cult of Personality is as relevant, if not more so, today.
Living Color bring funk's swagger to the at-the-time dreadfully unstylish swamps of hard rock.
Not the most impressive album-wise, but exceptional in terms of most tracks individually
A cornucopia of sounds that shouldn’t work together, but do. Like if the Chili Peppers weren’t so cringey. Fav tracks: Cult of Personality, I Want to Know, Desperate People, Broken Hearts
Imagine throwing the Beastie Boys, any 90s metal group and a funk group together and told them to take turns to make an album!!
I really enjoyed this album and only knew one song going in!
Not my style but great album.
Pas trop fan des parties jazz fussion, dans l'ensemble c'est un peu trop glam pour moi, mais le concept global est cool.
i wasn't expecting to have such a good time with this album. definitely will be coming back to this
Lots of great music, but the production on the album is very 80s, with treble in overdrive. Gets a little grating, despite the great songwriting and musicianship. Favorite songs: Cult of Personality, of course - it's a great song and never gets old. Funny Vibe - the lyrics hit hard - make sure to check out the Funky Vibe Mix on the extended version of the album. Memories Can't Wait - great Talking Heads cover. Glamour Boys - For some reason I always thought this was a cover - it's a great example of the wide range on this album. Not a bad song on the album (although I think the beginning of Open Letter (to a Landlord) sounds like Corey Glover doing his best Michael Bolton). I'd give it a 5 but the production style unfortunately takes it down a notch for me.
absolutely loved this, which was such a surprise for me as im usually not big on 80s rock/metal and tend to stick with the 70s. This is very nearly 5 star, but for now sits at a very very high 4. will definitely revisit!!
Once again the only track on this LP I was familiar with was the hit single - Cult of Personality. Although I do own the 7 inch single of the Clash cover, Should I Stay Or Should I Go, which appears on the CD reissue, and which I’m quite fond of. Anyway, I really enjoyed the album. At the time it was released it was pretty unusual to find a guitar-based rock band membered by a bunch of black guys. But I have to say that these guys do the memory of Jimi Hendrix proud. Side 2 is terrific. It begins with Funny Vibe, a great track with a false ending featuring the dudes from Public Enemy, and an excellent cover of the Talking Heads’ Memories Can’t Wait. Mick Jagger’s harmonica opens and closes the album’s only ballad, the beautiful Broken Hearts. I love What’s Your Favourite Colour? and cannot understand why it was edited to less than 2 minutes on the vinyl. The side ends with Which Way To America?- which opens like an INXS song but then goes guitar-crazy. Loved it. Realy enjoyable.
Again, another album I loved as a teenager. Hard rock/metal that isn't mind-numbingly dumb (although the lyrics are not the most sophisticated ever. They tend towards basic agitprop, but they aren't stoopid). They leaned into being a Black metal band, bringing their politics and musical influences with them (particularly elements of funk). Great, but unsurprising in retrospect, to see Chuck D and Flavor Flav guesting. Good on Mick Jagger for recognising their talents and producing a few tracks (although they are not my favourite tracks on the album). I tend to play Times Up more often as my real favourite Living Colour album, but this stood up really well. I think my own nostalgic fondness really helps boost this record for me. Probably a 3 star for most people, but I love it enough for 4.
Rock muy interesante
Awesome rock, awesome variety, awesome messages!
Impressive debut, but they really hit their stride on Time's Up
Really enjoyed it!
Wat glam-metal/rock is meestal wel leuk om naar te luisteren. Al vond ik deze ondanks de goede bas-riffs niet echt een uitschieter
Always enjoyed driving around San Andreas listening to ‘Cult of Personality’. Rest of the album is pretty good too
Really enjoyed this album. Why aren't there more Black rock bands? Started out mid-level but as the album progressed I loved the diversity of Genres they played with. Early tracks reminded me of 80s Hair rock, later tracks reminded me of Barenaked Ladies. Some ska, reggae, metal, and even rap in there. FUN. GOOD JOB GUYS.
This is an absolute riot - noisy, rocky, with some great moments of samples and beats, and finishing on a wild cover of Should I Stay Or Should I Go. I'll be going back to that one I bet.
Pioneers of funk metal! This album is definitely of it's time
Fun. Good guitar playing.
My heart bursts with semen every time I hear this record. It's like the first sunshine of the summer, or a rousing Nazi rally...just really tugs at the heart strings. Its beauty is so exquisite that it can make a grown man put his own cat in a blender and wank as it liquidises in front of his stupid crying face.
Funky rock n' roll. Hey Red Hot Chili Peppers, over here 👋. Listen and learn, it can be done without sounding shit.
I put this at a 3.5 mainly for Cult of Personality. The rest is ok
Just a fun rock album with some great guitar.
Great album. Cult of Personality and Glamour Boys lead the charge of a solid set of songs.
Cult of Personality is a masterpiece, carries the album but the rest is solid.
Cult of Personality is better than it has any business being. This album kicks though. Good riffs, some cringy 80s style posturing on social issues instead of 70s style, outright, protest style commentary. But, hey, at least they're trying. I will keep this album in the short list of decent 80s rock and roll.
I forgot how much I loved this album when it came out. It was one of the first heavier bands I ever listened to. I always admired their mix of punk and metal. So much energy, so much rage.
Good indeed
This was a pretty good glam album with a unique sound. First song of course is the biggest hit and sounds very arena rock, while some other tracks have kinda of easy going reggae-voice like sound. 7/10.
Reid and the crew take a detour just too far into camp for my taste, but Vivid should still live forever. It's a wonderfully accessible album, with performances that balance fun with virtuosity, gracefully-aging social criticism, a collage of genres, and excellent basslines.
They are Glamour Boys!
Younger me really should have bought this album when I loved Faith No More and Extreme and all those bands. I can appreciate it now, but I think it would have blown my tiny mind back then.
Hidden gem! I've never heard of this band before, but I'm really digging their sound. I love the lead singer's vocals, and I love the funky rock fusion. I'm guessing this group has never come up before for me because they were marginalized black voices at a time where there was no room for anyone but white male bands e.g. RHCP or Faith No More. And that means no airtime on MuchMusic. But I'm sure glad I've become acquainted with them now, will definitely revisit! Also, I like that the album art looks like it was designed in MS Paint.
Great album - 90s hard rock
Funk and glam make for a surprisingly tasty treat.
Really love their funky vibe! Over all a good album but the hit stands out
Just tällasten toivossa aloitin tän haasteen! Voi pojat, mitä musiikillista iloittelua. Jos oisin viitisentoista vuotta sitten gh:n myötä tutustunut cult of personalityyn tarkemmin, niin olisin löytänyt herkkuja. Se oli tosiaan kipaleista ehkä vähiten kiinnostava, mutta kaikki muu olikin sitten priimaa. Tekstit kantaaottavia, kitarointi puhdasta, kuivaa ja funkya. Genrejä ainakin rap, rock ja funk. Muistuttaa paikoin hyvin paljon rhcp:tä kasarilla. Tutustun tarkemmin!
Heavy heavy funk
I remember this from early teens…. OMG.
I liked the album the start of the album was the best bit but a good sold rock album
Wow, this is solid 😝🤘
From the title and cover art I did not expect this to be a heavy rock album. From the era I did not expect this late 80's heavy rock album to have aged well. My expectations have been proved resoundingly wrong. This is a hugely enjoyable album with well constructed songs, catchy choruses, faultless musicianship, a variety of styles (arena rock, metal, funk, soul, rap) and interesting themes. 4/5
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Cult of personality, I want to know, Which way to America
This was a solid, fun to listen to album. Like probably a lot of people, I'd heard 'Cult of Personality' before but nothing else by these guys. A pleasant surprise to discover that the rest of the album holds up to that standard!
Terrible album art but this was alright.
Love this album. A cool mix of rock, blues, fun good shit.
Having been aware of Cult of Personality for half of my life this far, I went into this album with high expectations and they were exceeded. Elements of this album remain relevant and impactful thirty plus years on and is thus essential listening. Favorites: Cult of Personality, I Want to Know, Desperate People, Broken Hearts and Glamour Boys.
Look in my eyeeeeeeees what do you see? This was actually an awesome album. They are more than a one hit wonder and his voice grew on me with every song. Great stuff to start the year.
Kom stórkostlega á óvart. Las mér síðan til um bandið. Frábær skilaboð. Ekki verið að syngja bara um sólarlagið heldur texta og lagasmíðar með bit!
I really loved this, it was a few songs shy of being a ten out of ten for me
Hard Rock, quindi mi piace. Bella 'Cult of Personality'. Anche 'i Want to Know' continua sullo stesso, piacevole stile. Arrivato a 'Open Letter (to a landlord)' posso dire che l'album mi piace molto, ma gli manca qualcosa per fare lo scatto definitivo a masterpiece. Bello però, un 4 pieno.
Solid
Better than I expected!
Enjoyed Middle Man
This band. What a sound. Corey Glover. What a voice. Fuck yeah. This album gets double horns. \m/ \m/
Rock animado.
bella scoperta molto glam
I've heard a couple of songs on this album before but had no idea what band sung them. The albums great - I listened to a couple of the songs multiple times!
Genre defying: metal/funk/hip-hop/rap. An eye-opener!
I listened to it, it wasn't quite my cup of tea, not bad though
I really like the "groovy funk" feel of songs like Middle Man. Then the heavy drums of songs like Desperate People. Seems weird to me that as much as I loved Cult of Personality in my youth and the rest of my life, I don't think I ever heard this whole album before. And lots of powerful lyrics like in Which Way to America.
281121 14:48 4
Good album - thoughtful lyrics
So, I loved this band when they first came out. I generally preferred Time's Up, which I thought had stronger songs across the board. But listening again, it does have Cult of Personality, Glamour Boys, and Middle Man, all of which are very strong. Some dated production choices aside, it still sounds great. Everyone's playing at their peak. Contemporaneous live recordings by the band tend to cut loose a bit more, which is wild. It has the advantage of a metal album that incorporates other influences (most notably funk, which was pretty fresh at the time, if later to become cliched) and not-dumb lyrics (occasionally a little heavy handed, but forgivably so). Politically aware, energetic, heavy. Still a great listen
Second great album in a row from 1988 (got Tracy Chapman's ST yesterday) and man Vernon Reid is a monster! I still dig a lot of this, obviously Cult of Personality is great song with a classic riff. I had forgotten about Chuck D and Flava Flav popping up in Funny Vibe. Open Letter To A Landlord and (Talking Heads cover) Memories Can't Wait are also highlights.
3.5 | En realidad no conocía mas que Cult of Personality y no tenía bien idea de qué esperar. En mi opinión el disco llega a su pico de manera inmediata con esa canción y nunca llega al mismo nivel, sí es un caso en que la canción y el sencillo es lo mejor que tiene que ofrecer, sin embargo no es para decir que el resto sea malo, quizá solo que es demasiado estandar. Por letras en realidad nada que poner atención, todo lo esperado y sin cosas notables. La música bien hecha, hard rock/pop noventero que suena muy correcto, a veces un poco más pesado, a veces más baladesco, un poco de funk, metal... suena bastante a RHCP pero sin sentirse forzado ni copia... simplemente es la manera en que hacen canciones. Buen disco , muy sólido pero lo realmente brillante es esa primera canción.
Después de reconocer Cult of Personality no tenía grandes expectativas pero fue una grata grata sorpresa. Los solos bastante atascados y los poderosos riffs hacen de este disco una chulada. Mi único pero son las dos últimas canciones que siento son los tracks más flojos del disco pero en general, gran sorpresa. Songs: I want to know, Middle Man, Memories Can't Wait, Cult of Personality
Dope album with some really inspired tracks. Totally worth the time.
Oh, those late 80's vibes, the 90's were just around the corner and things were taking a good shape. Love how these guys would mix several influences into their brand of groovy hard rock.
Rocking, social commentary, catchy. I had heard Cult of Personality a million times on GTA but really enjoyed this listen. Blunt. Aware. Cool. 4/5.
I have listened to all of this album before. I liked it enough back then, that I listened to the next album too. I like "Cult of Personality" and "Glamour Boys" enough that they are on my 'I will listen to this again' list (5 stars). As a whole, my opinion of the album is still the same as it was when the album first came out. I like some tracks very much, but most of the album is okay (3 stars). With rounding, I guess the album gets 4.
Nice. Pretty good rock album.
Unexpectedly enjoyed this!
Fantastic album. Brings all the songs of yesteryear back to me.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas let’s goooo!!!!!! Really enjoyed this one - full on late eighties nostalgia - the sound is so crisp and clear! - and the playing is incredible, especially Vernon Reid’s funky guitar solos and Muzz Skilling’s amazing melodic bass. A funk rock fusion to savour- just blast the album and enjoy musicians doing their thing.
An excellent album that I haven't listened to in far too long.
Very solid debut from this quarter of NYC music students. Some classic songs here, with just a little bit of filler(“What’s Your Favorite Color” in particular never landed for me). But it has aged well, and the performances and production are both fantastic. The band’s next album, Time’s Up, is their masterpiece imo.
Reminds me a lot of mother love bone. Had a few listens of this just on in the background. Think it needs a proper listen. I'll revisit it but going high and giving it a 4.
Two bands helped save the boredom of rock at the end of the 80’s: Jane’s Addiction and Living Colour. Vivid was killer through out and still got something to it.
Sequência de riffs que verdadeiramente arrebata.
Was hoping for an aural detox after yesterday’s fiasco. Dare not say the name. And BANG! Hit with a hard rock banger that brings back the excitement of playing GTA San Andreas. Opening track, Cult of Personality. I would have struggled to stay alert for another 1 star album and I’m conscious not to let that skew my review of this album. Style is in line bands of the time. Faith no More, Janes Addiction, RHCP and even Mr. Big. However as the album progresses, there are harder rock and cheesier riffs that drag us back to the 80’s and give off Van Halen feels. Have to remember this album is ‘88. Some very catchy, punchy bass riffs that are keeping me interested and even reminding of Big Country in part. Nice to hear songs I’ve definitely heard before but maybe wasn’t sure who the song was by. “Funny Vibe” could be straight out of RHCP’s Mother’s Milk. It’s interesting to see this band is a group of black New Yorkers and have produced very similar sounds of mostly white LA 80’s funk rockers. Verses of “Which Way to America” is borrowed straight from Talking Heads which is good to see. Very Tina Weymouth with heavier tone. Decimalised ratings would have helped me rate this more effectively. It’s better than a 3 but not quite a 4. I’m not counting any of the bonus tracks included on the Spotify bonus version.
What an amazing album. I came in pretty cold - had only heard "cult of personality" before. But wow, they sound like a few other bands from the time but have their own distinct twist. And what a varied album, hard rock, pop rock, funk, soul, rap, little bit of country. Memories can't wait is a great cover. Every song is fantastic. Coming out of the gate with a debut album like this, I dunno how I've never listened to them before but I'm blown away. I'm keep 5-star ratings for what I consider to be perfect albums. I would give this a 4.5 but have to round down.
Solid jams, songs are a little repetitive but the sound is good so it's the worst thing.
It is ironic (not the right word… cosmically aesthetic?) that I got Living Color the day after Rage Against the Machine, since RAtM basically took “Cult of Personality” and “Funny Vibe” and ran with it. But here we are decades later, and these songs are still sadly relevant. Bit more funkay than RAtM, bit less serious. I can dig it. Now I’ll stop before I embarrass myself further.
Creo que está un poco pasado de moda pero se deja escuchar.
I liked that
Finde es tatsächlich n gutes Album. Vereinzelt echt gute Lieder!
Really enjoyed this album...except for the last song. It sounds ahead of its time by about 10 years. It's made me want to check out their other albums.
Ja ik mag dit wel. Fantastische stem, en lekker energiek. Duidelijk de sound van eind jaren 80, maar nog steeds goed te pruimen. Beetje oude Chili Peppers maar dan met een echte zanger 😁
Awesome album! Not quite a 5/5 but close!
In 1988, few heavy metal bands were comprised of all black members, and fewer had the talent or know-how to inject different musical forms into their hard rock sound (funk, punk, alternative, jazz, soul, rap) -- but N.Y.C.'s Living Colour proved to be an exception. Unlike nearly all of the era's metal bands, the group's music has held up over time, thanks to its originality and execution. Living Colour leader/guitarist Vernon Reid spent years honing his six-string chops, and was one of the most respected guitarists in New York's underground scene. He couldn't have done a better job selecting members for his new rock band -- singer Corey Glover, bassist Muzz Skillings, and drummer Will Calhoun -- as their now-classic debut, Vivid, proves. Though the album was released in mid-1988, it picked up steam slowly, exploding at the year's end with the hit single/MTV anthem "Cult of Personality," which merged an instantly recognizable Reid guitar riff and lyrics that explored the dark side of world leaders past and present (and remains LC's best-known song). The album was also incredibly consistent, as proven by the rocker "Middle Man" (which contains lyrics from a note penned by Glover, in which he pondered suicide), the funky, anti-racist "Funny Vibe," the touching "Open Letter (To a Landlord)," plus the Caribbean rock of "Glamour Boys." Add to it an inspired reading of Talking Heads' "Memories Can't Wait," the Zeppelin-esque "Desperate People," and two complex love songs ("I Want to Know" and "Broken Hearts"), and you have one of the finest hard rock albums of the '80s -- and for that matter, all time.
Really good album beginning to end
I grew up hating the cult of personality. I can't tell you why other than people having different taste but I loved rock and alternative so it's the kind of song I should've liked but I didn't. Skip to today. This album is on my list and I listen to all of them even if I suspect I will dislike it. Wow. Was I missing out. The album starts with cult of personality but this time I'm thinking, "maybe I wasn't very fair with this song. It's not as bad as you thought." I actually kind of liked it. After hearing it a million times maybe it's acquired taste! The rest of the album though I really did like. I was missing out on a great album that was always there and available for me at any time. Can't go back now but I'm glad I listened and changed my mind.
Buen rock, creo que no ubicaba a una banda de rock cuyos integrantes fueran todos negros. Lo disfruté y además lo que tiene de denuncia social fluye junto con lo demás. "Cult of Personality" y "Funny Vibe" fueron mis favoritas. 8.5/10
4 exactly. hard to put cult of personality as the first track and be able to follow that up
Funky metal
This album was so groovy! Not sure if everyone had the live versions or if mine was extended somehow but I didn’t love the live versions. Loved the rest of it though!
apparently cult of personality comes off a woke bop of an album
Enjoyable album great rock and hip hop inspiration at points 3.8
Good stuff! Luv
Metal/hard rock with clear singing. Some songs stand out, most others are solid
Can't believe I've never heard this before. Great album.
Cult of personality!
I thought of this band as a one-hit wonder before today, but that was unfair. This album is full genre-bending goodness. Best track: Cult of Personality
Love the variety here, great album
This was really quite good! Not nearly as heavy as I was expecting, given the Wiki article, but still a good combination of different genres imo.
i was excited about this album when it showed up and i'm FEELING it!!
Heard this album a fair few times, it's funky and metal and just fuckin cool 4/5.
Remember when this came out. Surprised to see this today, not because of merit or anything just surprised. It for me holds up better because the fusion is more the "other" than the rock. As a youth and liking rock at the time I now really struggle with that 80s heavy rock sound. This was ok today, enough variation I the playing. 3 Star . 3 Star
Gotta say I'm a bit disappointed. It's fine, listenable late 80s hard rock. That's really all it is. The uniqueness of it being played by an all black band doesn't change that fact.
627/1089 - It's decent hard rock with a bit of funk sometimes.
There’s some highlight tracks in here (obviously the first one but also both side’s closers at least), and I can understand the historical importance to it as a recognition of black rock bands and a stepping stone along the way to some other even further politically minded acts like RATM and helping bring a bit more funk and soul to other rock bands besides. But a lot of it just feels very jumbled as to what they want to do - sort of a jack of all trades of influences rather than nailing a sound down - and a lot of that then doesn’t feel like it pays off well. The fact that the band are good also gets buried a bit between that and the production just sort of flattening things down. A disappointment as a whole album, but at least that single is killer.
Not too bad. I had higher expectations I guess -- I would certainly not describe this as metal. Much softer than that. Actually almost cringe or cheesy at times. But, it's still a very cool group making good music. The 80s-isms bring it down a bit once again, but on the whole I'm a fan. Fave tracks: - Cult of Personality - Middle Man - Desperate People - Open Letter (To A Landlord) - Funny Vibe - Memories Can't Wait - Which Way to America
Got kind of bored with it. 2.5/5
Interesting
At worst it's a little knockoff Motley Crue but some really good fast guitar riffs and great bass parts. Don't love the singer. The Talking Heads cover is fun it's like what if David Byrne wasn't so trapped by being David Byrne.
Schlocky and kitsch 80s hard rock, kinda fun but nothing special and not really for me
a lot of times, lyrics just flow through one ear right out the other for me. man i hope that was the case for this album. maybe this is a generational difference, but this feels like an amazing groove rock album marred by childishly surface level lyricism. cult of personality is still a banger.
It’s alright. Personality and the Talking Heads cover are sick.
I liked this one well enough, but it only has 1 or 2 songs that I'd consider very memorable.
This blended so many genres. Obviously rock. Cult of Personality was a ton of fun. There were bass lines on here that ranged from funk to disco. I really enjoyed it.
It is quite interesting that in the same week I was recommended Jane's Addiction's music I also get yet another heavily influential project in nearly the same exact styles of Hard Rock and Funk Metal with Living Colour's Vivid. I didn't expect this album to be so lighthearted and very influential for its' time. This album mixes Funk, Metal, Pop, Rock, and even Hip Hop with its' occasional sampling. This album is a lot more upbeat than Jane's Addiction music as it feels like the golden child of the two bands as they both delve into different sides of the same coin. The music here is jumpy, fun, and feels like a blast to hear even if it does come off a bit dated. You can't take the fun out of the music no matter how hard you try and Living Colour is proof of that. Vivid very much surprised me in almost all fronts and is one of the best surprises I could have asked for when diving into this weird and wacky list.
Ja dit vind ik dus echt helemaal geweldig. Dit is gewoon zo'n ongelofelijke nostalgieboost, die je hier meteen krijgt. Heerlijk om even weer te mogen denken aan die mooie oude tijd aan de diepenveenseweg 35, waar we met zn allen kunnen genieten van een potje risk. Niemand die weet dat ik repelsteeltje heet, en daar komt dan ook nog eens bij kijken dat ik hier zit te genieten van een kantoorgenoot die gewoon durft te zingen in mijn bijzijn. Wirklich heel erg bijzonder en ik denk niet dat iemand mij ooit zal begrijpen. Ook al wil ik in het hier en nu wel even benadrukken dat deze kantoorgenoot wel uiterst voorzichtig is en ook niet per se volluit zit mee te zingen. Maar goed, dan zou het leven ook wel heel erg mooi zijn, vind je ook niet?
Bien
All over the place, with Cult of Personality and Glamour Boys being complete polar opposites. Kept me engaged and was a good vibe. Rating: 6/10 Favorite Song: Cult of Personality
Pretty good, a lot of it just kind of blended into classic rock. Favorite Track: Cult of Personality
Did nothing for me in the slightest. Most "Now That's What I Call Music" album thus far.
I wanted to really like this and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. Some of the timing was off by a significant margin and that made it hard to appreciate some of the other good aspects of the album. It seemed pretty basic musically although there were some interesting instruments used.
Quite enjoyed it, RHCP but less self indulgent and a bit more generic
There’s nothing I ever return to in this album except Cult of personality, even though it’s never bad (except maybe Glamour boys)
An album mistakenly labeled as metal, many such cases. This was a really cool album... for like two songs in the middle.
RATING: 6.5/10 HIGHLIGHT: Cult of Personality LOWLIGHT: Funny Vibe
It was good.
*1988. *Cult of Personality of course. *Not sure what to call this - several music genres here (blues, jazz, pop, etc.) But it mostly works. *We saw these guys for at Epcot (like 30 minute set), and it was good but totally unmemorable. *I wouldn't actively listen to this again, but I wouldn't be upset at all if someone had it on. RATING - 6.5/10
Not really my style of music, but I appreciated the virtuosity of the instrumentalists.
3.0
niet slecht, maar niet goed genoeg om een hele plaat na elkaar te degusteren
Kevin loves me!
I had high hopes for this album because "Cult of Personality" is such a banger, but the rest of the album fell a bit flat.
It's hip to be colour
Veeeery 90s. Not always in a good way.
I loved the Talking Heads cover - unusual choice but very well done.
In the end settles on a three - there's a lot to like about this album
Good tunes but not my style :)
3.09
Ich mag Love Rears It's Ugly Head sehr aber auf diesem Album sind nicht so viele Songs, die herausstechen (außer vielleicht der erste(
Something like Motley Cru but better than Motley Cru. Not sure this was super memorable, but it's certainly a product of its era. If you like anthem rock of 80s, this should be right up your alley. Not sure why you don't hear more of this on classic rock stations. Well, probably I do know... 3/5
This has some hits and some misses. I really liked Cult of Personality and Broken Heart.
Rad and talented. Cult of personality still a banger.
Cool stuff
This was boppin rock album that I had a lot of fun listening to, loved the Talking Heads cover. Will definitely listen to it again!
Nicht meim Stil, aber ganz ok anzuhören.
It's like the bridge between the 80s and the 90s. Half of it sounds like a heavy version of Red hot chilli peppers before they became themselves, and half of it sounds like Genesis after they became themselves. So it's kind of of it's time, and ahead of it's time, whilst sounding dated. Fun album.
Some catchy hooks, ultimately pretty standard post glam/hair metal stuff that hung over to the 90s
Haven't heard the album outside of cult of personality. Mostly good, but glamor boys was almost a skip
Awesome but inconsistent. Banger track followed by blegh. More good than bad though. Really enjoyed the Talking Heads cover here, Glamour Boys was also fun.
Real nice.
Pretty good, the first track was easily the best, cool guitar solos and riffs. Definitely an inspiration to future artists considering this album came out in 1988 and sounds like a 2000s alt rock album
Never got around to listening to Living Colour albums much at the time. Their sound is really not for me. I like them best when the funk is emphasized, and least when the guitar hero vibe is ascendant. "Did I really hear just hear someone say, 'Like Josef Stalin and Gandhi'?" Yes. I most certainly did. That is an unexpected experience.
I had this record when it came out, but didn't listen to it a lot all the way through. Relistening in 2026 I can see both why I bought it at the time, and why I didn't exactly wear it out at the time. There are some songs on here I really like (esp Glamour Boys) and others I just couldn't wait to be done with. But for me even Glamour Boys feels dated. I'm slotting it in the 3-star category which in this case means I have certain sentimental reasons for not relegating it, but I also probably won't relisten to this at any point in the near future.
WWE type shit
7.5 / 10
So, I finally gave Living Colour's Vivid a spin. I totally get why it was such a big deal in '88, the energy is wild, and Vernon Reid’s guitar work is just unreal. The way they mixed hard rock, funk, and metal was a real wake-up call to all that stale hair metal taking over at the time. Obviously, "Cult of Personality" is a total monster of a track... That opening riff still hits like a truck and sounds just as relevant today. But, if I’m being real, the rest of the album never really hits those same highs. I definitely respect the talent and the social message on songs like "Open Letter (To A Landlord)," but the production feels pretty dated, and some of the lyrics are a bit clunky.
Cult of Personality is a banger, so minimum 3 for this album. The question is whether there's anything else that justifies going to a 4, which is really just another way of asking whether Glamour Boy is worth a full point on the 1-5 scale, since everything else is just kinda eh. No, no it is not.
was not expecting Public Enemy to show up on Funny Vibe lol. not really that strong to me, but when it sounds the least like late 80s cock rock it can be pretty fun. pretty social too. I like when those two things are combined like on Which Way to America. deserves to be one of the 1001? maybe
Kinda got me pumped
The album is okay but Cult of Personality is a 5-star song
"Vivid" is a debut studio album by Living Colour. This album combined rock, metal, soul, funk and jazz fusion. The album starts with banger song "Cult of Personality" which is signature song of the band as well as highlight track from the album. It brings energy to listen to rest of the album. Other best tracks I like are "Open Letter (To a Landlord)", "Which Way to America?" and "Desperate People". I also love how this album sound fresh still today. The instruments especially guitar performance and vocal of the singer is also wonderful to listen in this album. But sometimes I find the album sounds repetitive . Some songs I don't like are, "Funny Vibe" , "Broken Hearts" and "Glamour Boys". Overall great debut album by Living Colour
"Cult of Personality" is a banger, but the rest of the tracks fail to live up to that high standard. Still, this is pretty good.
Living Colour was so revolutionary at the time. Totally just blew everyone else out of the water. A shame they didn't manage to keep riding the wave of popularity.
This had some nice moments, but nothing outstanding.
Hmm, already forgotten
Not bad
Cult of Personality is just so good, long live guitar hero
I feel like this album is a culturally important piece, It sounds quite modern, considering It is from the 1980s. However, It did tire me a lot and I don't think I will be giving It a relisten.
Not a big fan of songs that offer up listicles of historical figures (i.e. Billy Joel We Didn’t Start the Fire - even worse Fall Out Boy, or REM End of the World As We Know It or this Cult of Personality. Congrats for name-dropping Leonard Bernstein, JFK, MLK, Stalin, blah blah blah. Does nothing for me. this album well equally being decent at times does nothing for me musically. Just cause it’s a bunch of black dudes making rock music instead of rap it’s all mid. Not horrible but nothing to get me excited about hearing ever again.
Great 80s rock. No denying these guys can shred. But other than the hit single I doubt I’ll have it on heavy rotation. Cult of Personality
Cult of Personality is a total banger. The rest is fair to middling.
Great opening song. Quite a strange fusion of styles on this album, cool riffs and musicianship. Sounds dated now but still worth a spot on the 1001.
It's not exceptional rock but it's pretty good and above average in my opinion
Fønki og fin den altså. Starta sterkt og falt sakte men sikkert.
Some good tracks on this one, and some really good guitar skills on display. Some of the social commentary is pretty good, and sadly as true today as it was then. Flava Flav was a nice, if not minor, touch.
Just okay
Nossa, quanto barulho! Também achei datado em alguns momentos, mas legal saber que esse projeto existe.. eu acho...
I like the attitude and creativity. But the songs don’t do much for me. They’re mainly just vehicles for Vernon Reed’s guitar. He’s got a sound, but it’s not my style. A 3.
I’d listened to Cult of Personality when I was younger because it is CM Punk’s theme song lol. Listening to it now some lyrics are kind of corny but still good. Rest of the album is fine.
I don't even remember this album and I'm in the middle of listening to it. 3/5.
enjoyed listening, prolly won't revisit.
Nothing special, it was a fine listen though.
Duller than I remembered
I never really understood the idea of comparing Kennedy and Stalin in “Cult of Personality,” but the song rocked. The rest of the album reminds me of Fishbone.
Cult of Personality is an all time great. The rest has its moments especially when they let Vernon Reid off the chain. Corey Glover is a respectable lead vocalist.
Sick opener. Great energy.
Honestly this isn't my favourite sound, but I do think it's a good version of what it is and I can hear the influence of a bunch of different genres within this album, which is cool.
Cult of personality was honestly all I thought was worth listening to. Nostalgic song due to me shredding that shit on Guitar Hero 3.
really fascinating look at the state of rock music pre-grunge, a combination of the earnestness of 80s stadium music with things rawer and heavier, as well as the genre's Black music roots. the band takes a lithe, driving approach to social-issue songs, and while some can drown in their own riffage, the highlights are incredibly purposeful and clear. the songs do get a bit samey after a while, and it's too bad that the genre experiments don't work quite so well given the band's funk roots. i've heard subsequent releases are angrier, more raw, and i'm intrigued by that, given the very genuine fury of this record's closing track - i wonder if the band finds their own weird outsider path, smashing the mirror they here hold up to friendlier rock music of the era. i hope they do!
Was surprisingly decent but felt like a parody hair rock band from a comedy movie set in the 80s
Great record! These guys kill it live. Cult of personality a cracker tune. But plenty of other bangers here!
Eclectic album that does a lot, just not many things very well 3/5
I really liked Love Rears It's Ugly Head -the single from the follow-up album- when I was a kid. It's quite a cynical message for a 10-year-old to enjoy but it's got a swing and I think it possibly reminded me of Paula Abdul, the video for Opposites Attract features singing cat which was very much the sort of thing young me was into. As to this record, Cult of Personality is cool and all but 80s guitar shredding just isn't my thing and has dated pretty badly. They do try to expand the musical palette a bit as the record goes on but it feels a bit aimless.
I'd only ever heard "Cult of Personality," which is no wonder because it's the best song on this album. Personally, I wish there was a bit more pop to this album, as I'm not really enthusiastic about this style of heavy metal. Respect to these dudes for being outrageously talented, and I can see how this influenced a lot of bands who followed.
The way Cult of Personality just transported me to playing guitar hero legends of rock in the early 2000's is crazy.
More hokey than I thought it would be, but fun overall
Knew "Cult of Personality," obviously, but I forgot "Glamour Boy" was also in pretty constant MTV rotation way back when. I thought this was a pretty good listen, and Vernon Reid is very talented. Was kind of blindsided by the Talking Heads cover, but it's good. Don't think this will hit my regular rotation, but I liked it.
Imagine if more New Wave evolved into this instead of Synth Pop. I like the mix of funk and metal. I feel like metal is the musical equivalent of what salt or vanilla or lemon juice are to cooking... a little bit helps enhance all the other flavors, but too much will overwhelm everything else. I think they got it right here (at least considering how popular metal was in 1988).
Dated 80s alt metal mixing but I love the energy. I see the RHCP comparisons.
I liked the second half better than the first half.
What a great album. Cult of Personality certainly shines against the rest of the album - but there are other highs on the album. Some of the basslines were amazing.
Kind of a top heavy album. The playing is good throughout, but most of the songs don't come close to the quality of "Cult of Personality". 3/5 Might listen again.
i had never heard of or listened to this group before, it definitely has a uniqueness to it that i appreciate. theres a freshness to the classic rock vibe. it has insane guitar riffs and vocal elements that you wouldn't expect. great basslines too. the vocals are incredible and have such great tone. i can't believe i have never heard any of them before but i'm glad i got to experience this now!
I feel like outside of Cult of Personality this album is very meh. 3/5
I now understand why I only know them for the one song, amazing on it own but the album as a whole was just *okay*
I'm pretty ok with it, good guitar hero memories Will I listen to again: 39%
Only knew the one hit. The others sounded about what I would expect from them, not in a bad or good way. Just in how similar it sounded.
Bit corny but amazing musicianship. I love the influences that came from this album.
One of the so many average albums on this list. Quite nice but nothing special and nothing more.
Corey Glover has the perfect pipes for music like this, damn. What a clear, powerful voice. I’ve heard the immortal “Cult of Personality” many times before (it rips), but the rest of the album was unfamiliar to me. There’s a streak of hair metal through this that really works. Instead of being corny, it imbues the record with a bright popiness that (in my opinion) makes it more gripping than other metal albums of its time. That also means that it sounds a little dated, but, hell, it was 1988. That sonic palette really sticks to things. Strong three.
te bien, quizás se pueda hacer un poco repetitivo, pero esta bueno
I've been acquainted with Cult of Personality for about 20 years now, since Guitar Hero 3 (I played a ton of San Andreas too but almost exclusively listened to K-Rose). But I don't think I've ever listened to the entire album in all of that time. I was a bit nervous the album would have no edge from I Want To Know and become pretty poppy, I don't think I would have enjoyed the rest that much if it was like that. But there's still punch in tracks like Funny Vibe and Middle Man A good funky time. 3.5 Highlights: Cult of Personality, Middle Man
Ihan ok funk rockia. 3/5.
Kicking off with Cult of Personality sets a bar that's hard to top, and this record kinda fails at that. It's a fun and consistent listen. I didn't find any bad songs, although some of it sounded like fairly generic 80s metal. The middle of this dragged a bit, and overall it felt like a curio rather than a proper record
Got that 80s American hard rock vibe with funky bass lines thrown in. Never heard of them, glad I came across them. 3.5 stars.
Not my genre of music
Had me, lost me, got me back 3.5/5
3 or 4
My wife and I were listening to “Glamour Boys” and she said she thought they were saying “I am the river boy” and I said they were saying “I am Banana Boy” like a fruit-themed superhero’s sidekick. Mango Man and Banana Boy. https://tenor.com/mYK0EXm9hU6.gif
It's CLOBBERING TIME
#382 / 1089 Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ I remember when this came out. I was kind of disappointed, because from the hype I expected proper metal album, but was greeted with a hard rock one. Took me quite a while to appreciate them, especially since in '88 I was already elbow deep in thrash and death metal. Their hard rock is sort of bouncy, fast to tun into another direction, but also very familiar, of the same era it reminds me of Joe Satriani's "Surfing With The Alien" record, while not as guitar centric. It's not bad, but it holds so much skewed nostagia that I'm not really shure if it's awesome or not. I'm torn between 2 and 4/5, so 3 it is. 3/5
I’ve heard Cult of Personality hundred - if not thousands - of times before, but pretty sure this is the first time I’ve listened to the rest of the album. It’s still very late 80s, but some of it is way more Huey Lewis sounding than I expected. I hear the mid-80s melodies and late-80s bass drums. I certainly appreciate their impact on 90s music much more after listening to the complete album.
This album is basically Cult of Personality under different disguises. If that’s all it takes, that’s fine. Not a great album but it keeps the tempo up from start to finish. Choice cut: Cult of Personality
fierce
a good listen but wouldn’t be a go-to for me.
giving this album one extra star just cause the cover art. #weloveagoodalbumcover
yeah i know the lyrics and themes of most of the songs still holds up this many years later due to the trump administration but its just so... ok. 3.5/5
A Heavy but very funky albums . and that’s cool to listen to once. I rate. Would be cool live . Bass tone is very mmmmmm tho
This is definitely a fun album; the funk metal is actually a great combination. Cult of Personality is definitely the best song on the album, but the final two tracks are pretty good. Especially, Which Way to America, which sounds like an INXS song (not the screaming part ofc) in my mind (I can't believe they aren't on the list).
por favor lo que pellizca ese bajo!!!!!! no conocía esta banda pero sin lugar a duda pasa a estar en mis playlists
very very ok. only worth listening to cult of personality.
This was a fun album to listen to.
Lo escuché mientras caminaba y hacia lo de morfo
Cult of personality I want to know Middle man Broken hearts
This album doesn't really do anything to break the mold, but still somehow feels unique and fresh which I believe is a testament to how well made the tracks are. The tracks sound diverse while still managing to form a cohesive album. It's also surprising that this was made in '88. The album holds up very well and does not sound dated. Unfortunately, most of the tracks aren't really my kind of music. I liked "Cult of Personality" though.
It grew on me over the day! Hard rock with funky elements that reminded me in the base lines of early Chillis. Also, Cult of Personality has such strong guitar hero memories.
Ok black rockers!
Not what I was expecting. Shades of RHCP and Faith No More. It probably won't see repeated play from me, but I didn't mind hearing it.
That was hard rock—pretty heavy at times and surprisingly funky. Overall, it was nice to have given this album a listen. But I don’t think it’s really my cup of tea. I won’t be listening to it again anytime soon. 3/5
It was just alright. I feel like ive been unexpectedly bored by the metal albums ive rolled so far. I did like some of the funk elements in here.
Better than I expected, but still not my cup of tea. Sounds very dated.
Cult of Personality = certified banger Open Letter is a powerful, beautiful song Glamour Boys is fierce (hahaha) Would have like to see this band with more staying power
There’s some filler but this was fun. Glamour Boys is a bop.
Pretty fun. Cult of Personality is the obvious standout, but the rest is decent too.
When rock and roll first came onto the scene, recording technology would naturally have this distortion and slight roughness to sound. By the mid to late 60s you could get a really crisp sound and the expanding genres that encompass rock really took advantage. My first thought when listening to this album is that rock really did in a roundabout way return to that roughness, but on their terms, to continue to develop the genre.
Lowkey fiery.
Me gustaaaaa. Es raro, versatil, creo que tier bastante de (nonme sale la palabra de probar cosas nuevas)
Wouldn’t call it metal but would call it solid early 90s rock with some sleeper social messages. Really loved Cult of Personality and Letter to a Landlord.
better than i expected. not a big fan of heavy metal so not my kind. but it's not a bad album.
i enjoyed it.
Ok, put "Cult of Personality" on a 1001 Songs list, it's genuinely one of the great songs of the 80s, but ugh, the rest of the album... nope. "Cult of Personality" was a sound no one else could imitate, but then the rest of the album, with occasional exceptions felt like imitations. It often feels like 80s hair metal, but a bit funkier, a bit cheesier, without the sex & drugs swagger (definitely a plus), and with a better vocalist and a much more interesting guitarist (also a plus!). Yes the songs are less formulaic, too, but they sometimes get awkward without a formula. Does it belong on the list...? The one song really was a big deal and was part of the recovery of rock without the hair metal pose, but... probably overall, nah, but I give it 3/5 mostly on the basis of its high points. "Glamour Boys" was just an awful single to follow up "CoP" and that kinda sums up the album.
This is about the safest, middle-of-the-road 80s music you can find. Nothing to hate here, but not much to love either. I wouldn't say you're likely the regret the 45 minutes or so you spend listening to this, but three or four days from now, you're also not likely to remember much of it.
Very dynamic and fun, vocals are money, but starts to become uninteresting towards the second half
The album had one hit. The rest were mediocre
Background music
I thought this was actually pretty solid. They’re kinda doin too much tho you can tell. This is a 3.5 but rounding down to 3
Rating 5/10 Best Song - Memories Can’t Wait
I liked the one that sounded like it was from Rent
3.1 2x i've heard cult of personality 100s of times and never realized they were black. decent album for sure.
Jaajaja Gar nüd speziells Tres puntos
29# Not a single idea to what this will be, the hope real. This has energy, its clever on its lyrics on the opening track which is the best. Nothing much to add, didn't really have the time to hear it with much attention. That's the thing with an album a day, some won't have the amount of concentration that is deserved. I like the mood this leaves me in, gives me energy and motivation. The context about this being a hard rock band formed of black guys is interesting.
Exciting, frantic, a little too much. This was fun, but really outstayed its welcome fast. Would be fun at a party.
Cool album. Cult of Personality is obviously great.
Rating: 6/10 Fun,cheesy, and funky late 80's hard rock and protest music that just barely veers the line of metal. Not my favorite thing cause it never hits the heights of the first song and starts to overstay its welcome a bit, feeling a bit samey. But it's not bad. Cult of Personality got stuck in my head the rest of the day and now it's stuck in my head again writing about it.
Starts strong with "Cult of Personality," a perfect 80s rock single... great even when you can hear him trying to wring every last drop of juice out of the words "cult of personality" near the end. Unfortunately, the rest of the album didn't have much that spoke to me. When they say "glamour boys" I hear "grammar boys;" that could've been a good Sesame Street bit.
it was an interesting mash up of styles and genres. didn't hate it but didn't love it. sounded like a bunch of bands all rolled into one!