Customer Reviews

Biscuits

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A decade later, this EP still burns my ears! The whiplash roar of Vernon Reid's guitar is the dominant sound on this release, and to some listeners it may sound like overkill, but a little overkill can be a blessing sometimes! The scorching, wildly metallic version of "Memories Can't Wait" is downright frightening and a testament to the raw, wall-rattling power these guys generated in concert. This type of power should be harnessed, I'll bet we wouldn't have an energy crisis then!

"Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Nothin'" starts well (the band grooves quite well) but gets a little clumsy at the breakdown, and Lead vocalist Corey Glover pretty much butchers Al Green's "Love & Happiness" though the band locks into a walloping stomp that sustains the song well enough. The real star of this show is drummer Will Calhoun who delivers an astonshing solo on the closer "Money Talks" and drives the song at such a furious pace he almost seems to be channeling Elvin Jones! This song must be heard to be fully appreciated. All in all, this is a great release and can stand right along with the other great Living Colour releases of the early 90's.

The Japanese version has 15 tracks, most of which are live. I had the short version t'll I was travelling and came across the import version. Don't buy this one. Seek out the Japanese version with all of the tracks.

It's a very interesting register of one of the great rock'n'roll band all over the world. In spite of not being their best of the best, is very good to listen this not very much known work.

This EP is essential to anybody who loves Living Colour and needs to get there hands on as many LC tunes as they can. 4 never before heard tracks and 2 sweet live takes, this EP shows you how much they kick ass live and how good they are at doing cover songs(jimi hendrix, al green). Only problem is I think its too short. I'd have been happy with another track or so but hence why they call it an EP!

Highlights:
Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing: will get stuck in your head for days and its a great driving song!
Money Talks: classic Living Colour. why this didn't wind up on Time's Up is beyond me. Vernon Reid solorific with plenty of punch from corey, will and muzzy as well.

As a few others have said the Japanese version of this is the one to get - that has 15 tracks and the additional 9 are an absolute sensation with a lot of rare and brilliant live and studio tracks: some of their best work even, which is a little tragic it never got major release.

This EP however, in it's own right and if you can't find the Japanese one is a great little record. Coming after the Brilliant Times up and before Stain which was a complete generation jump this one sort of bridges the gap a little as it took Living colour - particularly with the incredible version of 'Burning of the midnight lamp' - being something less conventional than their work in the past but utterly enjoyable.

The rest of it is pure class, Old Living Colour live stuff is legendary and the rest of the songs are good.

But for sure it's 9 songs short of being one of Living Colour's greatest ever works.

The Japanese version has 15 tracks, most of which are live. I had the short version t'll I was travelling and came across the import version. Don't buy this one. Seek out the Japanese version with all of the tracks.

If you like Living Colour this is a must have. If only for the two live versions of "Memories Can't Wait" and "Desperate People" these two show what a furious live act this band was. If you were lucky enough to see these guys live, these two songs alone justify buying this album

This one got dissed when it first came out and it's hard to know why. If anything, the live version of "Memories Can't Wait" cuts the studio version to shreds. And the band's take on Hendrix' "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp" really, uh, burns! If you didn't like Living Colour to start with this one won't change your mind, but if you did, for goodness' sake, get it!

Dunno what went wrong here. I suppose the suits at the record company figured these tracks had been paid for so they might as well get some money for 'em. Which is fine for the boys at Sony but they didn't do the boys in the band any favours foisting this stuff onto their fan base, the only thing being achieved her is the diminishing of the bands sterling track record to date.

To specifics;
Track 1: Talkin' Lound and Sayin' Nothing. This is pretty cool and easily the best track here. And a cover version. Luckily LC have enough individuatlity to make it their own.
Track 2: Desperate People (live). There were bonus live tracks pegged onto the end of Times Up. Perhaps there is enough live material for a live album floating around. My call - they would of been better servied putting out such a live album. This isn't a bad run though of a cool early LC number.
Track 3: Love and Happiness. Another cover. Skid Row, Yngwie Malmsteen and Metallica amongst others have all put out cover albums. If LC were that way inclined I'd have preferred that this mish-mash EP. Not that this is horrid or anything. It just doesn't grab you.
Track 4: Memories Can't Wait. Cool LC song. Not a huge fan of the live album etc myself, but this tune is kinda cool. Another cover, but it feels more like theor own stuff due to having been on their debut.
Track 5: Burning of the Midnight Lamp. Vernon Reid was always unfairly compared to Jimi Hendrix. Only because he was black and liked feedback. It was so unfair to Reid who always had his own guitar stamp. But given those unfair comparisons picking a Hendrix song to cover was perhaps not the smartest move. Still, supposedly the boys were fans and the song has an open structure well suited to LC's mode of operation and they do an interesting job.
Track 6: Money Talks. An unreleased Reid track from the Times Up sessions. Not essential but it's their own tune and shows a third option for what this release could of been - ie if not a covers EP or a live EP then a 'leftovers' album as per Steve Vais Flexible Leftovers release.

And that pretty much sums up this '91 stopgap release. Not worth your dollar unless your an LC fanatic. Which I was at the time which is my excuse.