Twenty-nine years after their debut, it’s safe to say that Living Colour is right back in that limelight. While they briefly broke up for five years (1995–2000), Living Colour recently released their sixth album Shade, a disc inspired by the spirit of Robert Johnson and other not-so-obvious bluesmen including Marvin Gaye and Biggie Smalls’ (they cover both “Who Shot Ya” and “Inner City Blues” on the album.) The album’s first single “Come On” is as gut-bucket funky (with hints of Stax) as it is electric-guitar heavy.

“We recorded ‘Come On’ like a revved-up blues,” says singer Corey Glover, who was also raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. “There’s a little bit of gospel in there too because for us it’s all connected. The blues begat Little Richard, James Brown and Ike Turner, and if you follow the great migration you’ll see how the blues birthed rock, funk and hip hop. For me, ‘Who Shot Ya?’ is one of the best blues songs of our generation.”

LIVING COLOUR STAY SHREDDIN’ ON ‘SHADE’: https://massappeal.com/living-colour-keep-on-rockin

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