There’s no denying that the early 1990s were a golden era in music; albums that would become classics were released by the dozens and, sometimes, real gems were overshadowed by these gargantuan blockbusters and ended up being buried treasures of sorts. The 1993 studio album, “Stain,” by the American crossover rogues, LIVING COLOUR, suffered such a fate for a number of reasons and that’s probably why I was blissfully oblivious to the fact that this magnificent album’s 30th anniversary took place already in March. The thing is – not only was the effort the notoriously “difficult third album” for the band but it was also out of print from the mid-1990s through the early 2010s. An American busybody who has by now become better known for his legal battles against bands than for his music sued the band’s label in 1994 for allegedly allowing LIVING COLOUR to infringe on his registered trademark that bore an uncanny resemblance to the album’s title. Lucky for us who had worn out their original vinyl bought some 30 years ago, the album was reissued in 2013.
Released on March 2nd, 1993, via Epic Records, “Stain” marked a new phase for the band in many ways. It was the first album to feature new bassist Doug Wimbish and it featured a remarkably heavier sound in comparison with the previous two avant-funk-metal endeavors. Perhaps stemming from the band’s internal and artistic struggles at the time, issues that would ultimately lead to the split in 1995, the songs resonated with a somewhat dark and pessimistic aura that showed a completely new facet of the band’s signature craft. There is an overarching theme of outsiders, outcasts, and flawed characters of all sorts – the stained. While some of the lyrics approach these stains in somewhat more poetic terms, the overall vibe is poignantly dark and heavy. Up until that point, I had thought of the band as a funk-metal outfit, one among the likes of FAITH NO MORE, FISHBONE, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, first and foremost. Yeah, remember? The hybrid of funk and metal was the coolest shit for a short while before grunge and whatnot washed over everything.
On this album, LIVING COLOUR toned down the funk quite a bit and geared up on the more punchy and raw metal aesthetic. You could sense the novel shade of darkness right from the album’s cover art: it shows a black woman wearing a brank or, as it is sometimes called, a scold’s bridle, which was an instrument of punishment and a form of public humiliation – an iron muzzle in an iron framework enclosing the head. It is an image that speaks volumes and easily gets stuck in your mind. To the band’s longtime fans, it probably came as no surprise; after all, LIVING COLOUR has never been a stranger to writing biting lyrics about the pain points of our modern ways of life.
Speaking of which, this time around, the album opener sounds particularly acerbic. “Go Away” is a fiery take on the subject of buying yourself a clean social conscience and the opening riffs are still among the heaviest the band has ever crafted. When the chorus kicks in, the band side-steps on the familiar ground of funk where Doug Wimbish‘s elastic basslines steal the show. To be honest, his name didn’t ring a bell when I learned that the band had parted ways with their previous bassist Muzz Skillings. Later, I realized that Wimbish had cut his teeth with such legendary funk and hip-hop institutions as SUGAR HILL GANG, James Brown, and George Clinton – and it shows.
Next up, “Ignorance Is Bliss” steers the course toward the sound of the band’s critically acclaimed and gold-certified album “Time’s Up” (1990). It is one of the tracks that balance out the heavy trodding. “Stain” was produced by Ron Saint Germain who had worked with BAD BRAINS, SOUNDGARDEN, and SONIC YOUTH, among others. No doubt, it factored quite a bit into the heaviness of the album. One of the heaviest moments, “Postman,” even takes quite a nod toward the sounds of the early-1990s Seattle, coming off like the sonic equivalent of repressed violence. Then again, the lyrics drew from a couple of real-life incidents, depicting the inner dialogue of a psychopath who’s cheering himself on to some terrible acts. “This Little Pig,” in turn, refers to the notorious Rodney King incident from 1991, which probably explains why the band opted for such an uptempo thrash-riffathon.
A few of the softer tracks offer an almost pop-tinted flavor. “Leave It Alone” was released as a single and it was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in 1994. It’s no wonder – the song is funky as hell and boasts quite a singalong chorus. “Never Satisfied,” which opened the vinyl B side, offers another round of this sort of ear candy. Ironically enough, while the music may sound a bit softer, the lyrics still cut no slack, none whatsoever. By contrast, “Bi” is a humorous take on sexual matters, lightening up the mood a bit – well, at least in retrospect: at the time of its release, the song was quite controversial – it was DECADES before KATY PERRY‘s “I Kissed A Girl,” after all.
So far, these tracks would have made a pretty decent album – but this funky bunch had a few more aces up their sleeves. First, taking inspiration from the immigrant situation in German at the time, “Ausländer” throws in a high-octane funk-thrasher with a killer chorus. Then, “Nothingness” is an experimental fever dream, a ballad if you will, driven by a beautiful bassline. Last, doing the honors of closing the album, “Wall” puts the icing on the cake; driven by a funky, slapped bassline, the song unfolds as yet another biting take on the things that seemingly separate us. These three songs alone would have been worth the price tag at the local record store. Yet, for some reason, “Stain” was the band’s first album not to crack the Top 20. Perhaps the timing was not right. While the crossover aesthetics were trending at the time, this bunch was probably too much ahead of their time, crossing over cultural faultlines that weren’t supposed to be crossed just yet. Nonetheless, or perhaps because of exactly that, “Stain” stands out as an album that everyone should definitely check out. Now, 30 years later, its messages sound more relevant than ever and, musically, it is such a solid selection that it surely meets every bit of the criteria set for a forgotten album classic.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Go Away
- Ignorance Is Bliss
- Leave It Alone
- Bi
- Mind Your Own Business
- Ausländer
- Never Satisfied
- Nothingness
- Postman
- WTFF (What-The-Fuck Factor)
- This Little Pig
- Hemp
- Wall
Lineup
Corey Glover – vocals
Vernon Reid – guitars, guitar synthesizer
Doug Wimbish – bass, ambiance
Will Calhoun – drums
Label
Epic
