Living Colour

Dread is a Japan-only release that is split into three sections -- live material, an unplugged session, and B-sides. All the performances were recorded on the band's last tour (for 1993's overlooked Stain release), and show why many consider the band one of the better alterna-rock outfits of the '80s and '90s. Ten of the album's 17 tracks are in-concert, recorded at shows in Paris and Chicago in spring/summer 1993. Included are raging and extremely tight versions of such fan favorites as "Leave It Alone," "Time's Up," "Auslander," "Middleman," "Postman," "Funny Vibe," and of course the band's biggest hit, "Cult of Personality." Another four tracks ("Never Satisfied," "Love Rears Its Ugly Head," "Open Letter," and "Nothingness") were taken from an acoustic session for a Dutch radio broadcast in February 1993, while the final two are B-sides recorded during the Stain sessions (the Prince cover "17 Days" and an original, "TV News"). The only criticism of Dread is sonic; whoever mixed the live material did a less than adequate job -- it's all treble and no bass. Still, Dread is recommended to serious fans of the great (and sorely missed) Living Colour. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide