I think when I reviewed Living Colour’s Who Shot Ya a few months back, I mentioned my biggest disappointment with the EP was that it wasn’t the promised, and often delayed, full-length Shade. Well, on Sept. 8, 2017 that will be remedied when the band finally releases the album in all its glory.
The first single “Come On” gives us a hint as to what’s in store and, if it’s representative of the whole project, Shade is well worth the wait.
Living Colour has long been expert at packing formidable instrumental prowess into a compact rock song structure, and “Come On” is no exception. Vocalist Corey Glover has lost nothing of his craft, shifting from his lower register in the first verse then meeting the power of Vernon Reid’s heavy lead guitar at the chorus. In quick succession, bassist Doug Wimbish and drummer Will Calhoun grab the rhythm in a choke hold and power the song forward.
Reid’s solo is distorted and growling, with touches to delay. The only complaint here is that it’s too short – and I have no idea how Reid does it. OK, I guess that’s two complaints. Meanwhile, Glover delivers the hook like nobody’s business, and clearly sings Living Colour’s typically concise-yet-urgent lyrics which almost go unnoticed due to the heightened instrumental barrage.
At a little more than three minutes, “Come On” gives you all you need in a great rock song –
and almost all you need from Living Colour. Hopefully in September, we will be fully satiated.
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