LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

• 180 gram audiophile vinyl
• Insert
• First pressing of 500 numbered copies on green transparent marbled vinyl

Stain (1993) is the third album by Living Colour, released after previous albums Vivid and Time's Up [MOVLP553]. It is the first album to feature bassist Doug Wimbish (whose credits included work with Jeff Beck, Madonna, Mick Jagger, etc). Stain features a much heavier and aggressive Living Colour, containing elements of thrash metal and industrial music. It reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200. The band split up in January 1995 following a tour with Bad Brains.

Produced by Ron "Bad Brains" St. Germain, Living Colour's Stain showed the band's darker side even more, as samples were now added to the sonic mix. The tracks were more focused and streamlined when compared to the all-encompassing compositions on 1990's Time's Up, but were just as hard-hitting and thought provoking.

The pessimistic viewpoint evidenced in such past tracks as "Type" can be found again in such tracks as "Go Away," "Ignorance Is Bliss," and "Never Satisfied," while "Postman" pulls no punches in its depiction of a deranged killer. The explosive "Ausländer" was one of the album's best tracks, as was the melodic rocker "Leave It Alone" and the superb ballad "Nothingness".

Track Listing

Side A

1. Go Away
2. Ignorance Is Bliss
3. Leave It Alone
4. Bi
5. Mind Your Own Business
6. Ausländer

Side B

1. Never Satisfied
2. Nothingness
3. Postman
4. WTFF
5. This Little Pig
6. Hemp
7. Wall