Review : LIVING COLOUR – “The Chair In The Doorway”

Living Colour – “The Chair In The Doorway”
released September 22, 2009 on Megaforce

Well it’s been five years since their reunion album Collideøscope, and thankfully, one of the music world’s great welders of funky, bluesy, experimental metal has more to offer.

A slow, suspicious start to “Burned Bridges” gives way to a revealing, rhythm-driven rocker with some frenetic Vernon Reid licks to finish you off. They amp up the heaviness with the following two tracks before unleashing some fun in “Young Man” amidst the autobiographical lyrics, with a dancey backbeat. A darker electronic mood pervades “Method”, but then “Behind The Sun” shines some light down with Glover’s most charismatic performance here. The loose groove running through “Bless Those” is irresistible, and features another stunning solo from Reid. I wasn’t really impressed again until “Out Of Mind”, which has the album’s nastiest riff and unbridled vocals, but then got surprised again…threefold. First with a gorgeous mellow brooder that feels like the end, then track 12 with 4’33’’ of silence, and finally by a deft, anti-pop, hidden love jam called “Asshole”.

Living Colour continues to prove necessary as––at the very least––a quality standard for those that dare follow.

FCC: 3, 13
Try 1, 2, 7, 10

01. Burned Bridges
02. The Chair
03. DecaDance
04. Young Man
05. Method
06. Behind The Sun
07. Bless Those
08. Hard Times
09. Taught Me
10. Out Of Mind
11. Not Tomorrow
12. (4’33″ of silence)
13. Asshole

Rating: