2024 Music On Vinyl Reissue

Living Colour: Vivid (1988)

Living Colour burst upon the scene 30 years ago with Vivid: an album that allowed countless rock fans to proclaim that, yes, there were indeed African American artists present in their record collections.

Now, I’m not trying to start any trouble here, but I also won’t let the average ‘80s rock consumer (myself included) off the hook, because Living Colour’s skin color most definitely stoked curiosities and contributed to their sales amongst hard rock listeners, eager to display their racial acceptance.

So much so, that I think we overlooked the fact that Vivid was anything but a stone cold classic, and even a little spotty, in places -- specifically the easily souring pop-rock of “I Want to Know” and “Middle Man,” or lazy surf rock of “Broken Hearts.” 

Now, having said that, other songs still rock and resonate today, musically and certainly lyrically, including the urgent “Desperate People,” the emotional and always relevant “Open Letter (To a Landlord),” and the funk-metal rant against habitual racism, “Funny Vibe.”

Which leaves two very famous songs I’m strangely ambivalent about, despite their being this album’s biggest hits. 

First being “Glamour Boys,” whose strummed melodies irritate me as much as its crunchy power chords appeal, backed by a video that’s half monochrome New York City noise rock and half Cosby Show technicolor.

And second being the group’s signature anthem, “Cult of Personality,” which fundamentally still rules, but seems a little clunky to me today, as though Living Colour were intentionally losing their groove to play like white guys.

Ok, maybe I am looking for trouble, so please take all of the above with a heaping grain of salt and don’t let my over-analytical appraisal taint (get it?) your opinion of Vivid’s bright musical colors.