Search - Living Colour :: Collideoscope

Black is Back!

F.N. Wright | Philadelphia, PA United States | 10/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These ain't no Glamour Boys, they're FIERCE!!! This is a deep, deep album and evidently too deep for some folks. That's OK but IMO it is their best yet. They're writing and producing as a band for the first time and taking some chances, and yes, some of the results caught me by suprise at first. BUT, let's all remember that these guys are seasoned pros who know what they are doing and who have a plan. They have said in interviews that this album is NOT a one-off and they are back to stay at least for a while, so this disc is what it is on purpose. They are definitely covering some new ground here. I disagree with someone saying "Operation Mind Control" is their worst song -- it is a powerful and driving, forceful shot to certain Gov't lackies. It's a great soundtrack for a revolution, among other things. If you ain't feelin' like that, oh well. Alot of people are, in fact, and this song summarizes these feelings VERY well. And about "Flying" -- if you aren't moved by this song then just cash in your soul. "Tomorrow Never Knows" has it's own killer groove and does justice to the original, more than any other Beatles cover I've heard.
It seems some folks want Living Colour to be as they remember them from 10+ plus years ago, but this is LIVING Colour, and as one LIVES, one grows and changes. This is a great, immediate and consistent CD from one of the greatest bands in history."

FINALLY!

Editrrr | NJ | 12/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm glad I waited to review this long overdue LC release because the album initially threw me a bit, as I'm sure it did no small number of the faithful. As an LC junkie, I wanted to let some of the
initial disappointments settle in and hear the music a few more times. Better yet, I saw them live for the second time since their reunion, this time at NYC's intimate Bowery Ballroom. Let's get
some of the obvious things out of the way first: To this day, LC still blows away all but a handful of top rock acts on the planet ... man for man, they'll outplay almost anyone, and that includes all
the hip-hop inflected, punk-funk-death-whatevercore nu-metalists they've obviously inspired. Seeing them prowl a stage only makes it more painfully obvious how we as rock fans have suffered
in the years since those great bands out of Seattle and the early-'90s days of bands that sounded vastly different from one another under the umbrella of alt.-indie. In other words, the days before
bands fell into only nu-metal, pop punk, emo or hip-hop categories. For gearheads, Vernon's tone is to die for ... I've never been a fan of his late-'80s clean tone -- too "plinky," too digital, not
warm enough. On the disc and on stage, he's finally found a gorgeously warm, supple, articulate clean to complement his searing, singing sledgehammer crunch. Not to be outdone, Doug
Wimbish goes toe to toe with gorgeously crafted, punch-and-groove bass lines, and handles a slew of atmospherics to boot. Corey and Will ... still the best, period. Name me a singer with
Corey's pipes and soul who can put that style over a sonic assault like LC's, who can preside over the stage with his confidence and swagger ... and yet rappers who embarrass themselves on the
rare occasions they try to turn tuneful will out earn this band by millions ... disgusting.Anyway ... "Collideoscope" ... 16 years after the 1987 debut "Vivid," 11 years after the 1992 masterwork "Stain," on which the band displayed its fully realized funk/punk/metal/blues/soul
fusion, and 9 years after their last studio effort (the four songs recorded in Oct. 1994 that appeared on the 1995 best-of "Pride"), we have a naturally more mature LC taking on a drastically
different world than they world that last saw them performing together. Let's call the first five tracks, which can be offputting to those expecting the traditional LC fare, their 9/11 suite. It's
understandable they felt compelled to address the horrors that befell their hometown. That may not make as much sense to those who don't live in and around NYC. And the experimental
soundscape quality of three of the tracks may seem trite and poorly executed by those expecting a more cogent statement. Overall, it might have been ill-advised for LC to attempt to mash
post-9/11 coping lyrics with obvious anti-war political and social commentary ... but hey, that's their prerogative. The poignant "Flying," to this amateur song writer, is a solid idea that comes
across a tad stilted. Written from the perspective of one of the victims who jumped out of the towers, the music is gorgeous and evocative ... but the lyrical content and phrasing leave something
to be desired. A little editing and rewriting could certainly have taken the song to a higher level of balladry. The first track, "Song Without Sin," is a functional LC-style groove that does work to
set the stage for the entire album and the smaller collection of 9/11 material.To cleanse the palate, LC covers "Back in Black." They address the obvious lyrical ironies on their Web site, and they tart up the song a bit with trademark processing gimmickry ... it's so-so but
interesting. The real payoff comes next. "Nightmare City," "Holy Roller," "Great Expectations" and "Pocket of Tears" really shine as the true updated sound of LC, the document of how they've
progressed. Sometimes reminiscent of Corey Glover's solo material with his band Vice, it's LC's return to typically accessible tales of isolation, confusion, racism and despair amid rampant
consumerism and any number of accompanying social ills. But these are personal hells with a kick-ass soundtrack, which maybe prooves it's better to sound good than to feel good?? They also
chose to bring back "Sacred Ground," one of the four songs from Oct. 1994's studio efforts that would have been part of the follow-up to "Stain." I prefer the earlier, starker, darker and heavier
version to the slightly toyed-with version that appears here.I admit I had put the disc down after an initial listen or two, but I jumped at the chance to see them live. Hearing them perform the five openers (note-perfect, amazingly, given their sprawling,
fragmented nature) alongside classics from all eras, like "Love Rears Its Ugly Head," "Nothingness," "Memories Can't Wait" and "Ignorance is Bliss" (Ihad to leave the show in the middle of
"Type") with the conviction of seasoned pros who've had to swallow a lot of industry ambivalence over their artistry made "Collideoscope" a lot clearer, and it's now in my regular play rotation
next to EC's "When I Was Cruel" (another veteran's "return to form" effort that has drawn reviews all across the spectrum), Interpol, Tomahawk, Radiohead and QOTSA. Appreciate the disc for
what it delivers, forgive the "sins" of the parts that my have fallen short, and just be thankful LC have overcome their differences and are enjoying each other's musical company again. The
front-to-back purity and singular vision of "Stain" will be a hard one for them to live up to. But given an improbable reunion after an almost decadelong layoff, re-emerging amid a vastly altered
musical landscape (that sorely needed them back), they show on "Collideoscope" that they've picked up where "Stain" left off, and they'll move onward and upward with a vengeance."

Not what I expected, but pleased nonetheless.

morano75 | Buffalo, NY United States | 10/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I, like many other LC fans, have been anticipating the triumphant return of one of the most unique and talented rock acts of all time. Needless to say, I wasn't overwhelmed with utter joy when I gave this a first listen, but then again, I wasn't disappointed either and it's still growing on me.I must say that I first heard "Operation Mind Control" and "Pocket Of Tears" live back in May and I wasn't too excited at the time. Then when the album came out, I downloaded a few tracks just to get an idea of their sound 10 years after the last studio album. I decided I was going to buy it.This album is probably their most diverse yet, incorporating many of the sounds you may have heard if you had the opportunity to see them live lately (electronic, reggae). I can see how die-hards could be upset with this album given all the great expectations. Yes, unfortunately there are moments of mediocrity and uninspiration, but give it a few listens and you will find some of the best LC tracks ever written, including my fave "Nightmare City", "Flying", "Holy Roller", "Choices Mash Up/Happy Shopper", "Sacred Ground", and "Pocket Of Tears."I know LC has an affinity for covers. While "Tomorrow Never Knows" is very distinctive, "Back In Black", though a valiant endeavor, falls flat right at the get-go.It is great to have LC back and filling the void they left behind in 1993. This album, while not perfect, is still a testament to the genius that is LC."