Stain (album)

Last updated

Stain
Living Colour Stain.jpg
Studio album by
Living Colour
ReleasedMarch 2, 1993 (1993-03-02)
Recorded1992
Studio Bearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York and Long View Farm, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
Genre
Length44:56
Label Epic
Producer Ron Saint Germain, Living Colour
Living Colour chronology
Biscuits
(1991)		Stain
(1993)		 Pride
(1995)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Robert Christgau A− [5]
Entertainment Weekly C− [6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 6/10 [7]

Stain is the third studio album by American rock band Living Colour. It was released on March 2, 1993, by Epic Records. It is the first album to feature bassist Doug Wimbish. Stain features a generally heavier sound with more pessimistic themes, the songs representing a range of genres. It peaked at #26 on the Billboard 200.

Contents

The song "Leave It Alone" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in 1994, but lost to "Plush" by Stone Temple Pilots.

From the mid-1990s through the early 2010s, the album was out of print due to rights issues after a lawsuit from Jon Stainbrook of the band The Stain forced Sony to cease production of the album. [8] [9] In November 2013, the album was reissued by Music On CD and is also available as an MP3 download. In June 2018, the album was reissued on limited edition green vinyl.

The album has retrospectively been considered a "dark horse" in the alternative rock, hard rock, and heavy metal genres. [10]

Background

In 2015, Corey Glover explained, "Stain was a darker turn for us. Muzz was out of the band at that point, and Doug had taken over, and we kind of got really dark. I think about songs like 'Postman,' and just how menacing and dark that song is. It had some very interesting things about it, and I think it was a turn. And part of that I think was about how far we had gotten to that point...I don't know if 'jaded' is the word, but we were sort of worn out by the world that we lived in. And just reflecting how worn out we were getting. I think it holds up. If you want to hear some really good hard rock - closer to the metal parts of our existence - I think Stain is the record that has the most of that." [11]

Album cover

The cover art features a woman, the model Mouri Mbonika, wearing a scold's bridle.

Critical reception

At the time of the album's release, reviews were mixed, including David Browne in Entertainment Weekly giving it a C− rating, and saying "What happened to the lively, spunky, and essentially good-humored band of Living Colour’s debut, Vivid? Stain doesn’t flow; it clots." [12] That year, the album did not even make the top-25 'albums of the year list' in Kerrang! , whereas both Vivid and Time's Up had in previous years. [13] But there were also positive reviews, including renowned music critic Robert Christgau giving it an A− rating in Consumer Guide Album, and saying "The best thing about this excellent record is how hard it crunches." [14] And in an interview with Vernon Reid in Rolling Stone that year, journalist David Breskin praised Stain as "by far their best record." [15]

Legacy

Stain was included in the 2014 book Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention. [16] In 2018, Loudwire said "But twenty-five years later, the album seems more relevant than it ever was in its day." [17] In 2023, Stain came in at #423 of a "Best 1,000 Albums Ever" list on the PopThruster site. [18] In a retrospective album review, AllMusic said that "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." [19]

Possible album re-recording

In 2022, the Metal Injection site reported the band may be re-recording the album, after a post on Instagram that showed Vernon Reid recording guitar parts for a new rendition of the song "Nothingness". [20]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Go Away"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish4:03
2."Ignorance Is Bliss"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish3:17
3."Leave It Alone"Glover, Reid, Wimbish3:29
4."Bi"Calhoun, Reid4:46
5."Mind Your Own Business"Reid3:17
6."Ausländer"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish2:38
7."Never Satisfied"Glover, Reid4:06
8."Nothingness"Calhoun3:30
9."Postman"Reid3:31
10."WTFF" (stands for What-The-Fuck Factor)Betts, Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish2:15
11."This Little Pig"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish3:04
12."Hemp"Reid, Fairley1:36
13."Wall"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Wimbish5:23
European CD Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."T.V. News"4:20
15."Love Rears Its Ugly Head" (Live)4:18

Personnel

Living Colour

Guest musicians

Technical Personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<i>Persistence of Time</i> 1990 studio album by Anthrax

Persistence of Time is the fifth studio album by the American thrash metal band Anthrax. It was released on August 21, 1990, through Megaforce Worldwide/Island Records and was nominated in 1991 for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance category.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Living Colour</span> American rock band

Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. The band currently consists of guitarist Vernon Reid, lead vocalist Corey Glover, drummer Will Calhoun and bassist Doug Wimbish. Stylistically, their music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, funk, jazz, hip hop, punk, and alternative rock. The band's lyrics range from the personal to the political, including social commentary on racism in the United States.

<i>Lateralus</i> 2001 studio album by Tool

Lateralus is the third studio album by the American rock band Tool. It was released on May 15, 2001, through Volcano Entertainment. The album was recorded at Cello Studios in Hollywood and The Hook, Big Empty Space, and The Lodge, in North Hollywood, between October 2000 and January 2001. David Bottrill, who had produced the band's two previous releases Ænima and Salival, produced the album along with the band, and became the last Tool album produced by Bottrill to date. On August 23, 2005, Lateralus was released as a limited edition two-picture-disc vinyl LP in a holographic gatefold package.

<i>Hybrid Theory</i> 2000 studio album by Linkin Park

Hybrid Theory is the debut studio album by American rock band Linkin Park, released on October 24, 2000, by Warner Bros. Records. Recorded at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California, and produced by Don Gilmore, the album's lyrical themes deal with problems lead vocalist Chester Bennington experienced during his adolescence, including drug abuse and the constant fighting and eventual divorce of his parents. Hybrid Theory takes its title from the previous name of the band as well as the concept of music theory and combining different styles. It is also the band's only album on which bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell does not play, however he is credited as a songwriter on some of its tracks.

<i>Vivid</i> (Living Colour album) 1988 studio album by Living Colour

Vivid is the debut studio album by American rock band Living Colour, released on May 2, 1988, by Epic Records. It was one of the most popular albums of 1988, peaking at number six on the US Billboard 200 chart and being certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>The Great Southern Trendkill</i> 1996 studio album by Pantera

The Great Southern Trendkill is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on May 7, 1996, through Elektra Records and East West Records. It reached number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. During the album's production, Phil Anselmo recorded the vocals alone at Trent Reznor's Nothing Studios in New Orleans while Dimebag Darrell, Rex Brown, and Vinnie Paul recorded the music at Chasin Jason Studios in Dalworthington Gardens. This would be Pantera's last studio album to be produced by Terry Date, who had worked with the band since Cowboys from Hell (1990).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Glover</span> American singer

Corey Michael Glover is an American singer. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Living Colour and has toured as the vocalist for the funk band Galactic. As an actor, he played Francis in the 1986 war movie Platoon.

<i>Times Up</i> (Living Colour album) 1990 studio album by Living Colour

Time's Up is the second studio album by the band Living Colour, released on August 28, 1990, through Epic Records. It was the follow-up to their successful 1988 album Vivid. Time's Up features a wide range of genres and also includes cameo appearances by Queen Latifah, Little Richard, Doug E. Fresh, Maceo Parker and James Earl Jones. The album reached gold status, peaking at #13 on the Billboard 200, and won a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. It is the final album to feature Muzz Skillings on bass, though it was not his last release with the band. In late February 2014, the album was reissued in Europe by Music On CD and is available once again.

<i>Collideøscope</i> 2003 studio album by Living Colour

Collideøscope is the fourth studio album by American rock band Living Colour. Released on October 7, 2003, it was their first studio album in eight years. Living Colour began recording Collideøscope in 2001; many of the songs are about the September 11 attacks.

<i>The Chair in the Doorway</i> 2009 studio album by Living Colour

The Chair in the Doorway is the fifth studio album by American rock band Living Colour, released on September 15, 2009. It was the band's first studio album since the release of Collideøscope in 2003, and their first release on Megaforce Records. The album met generally positive reviews and sold about 2,800 copies in its first week landing at #161 on the Billboard 200. This is their first album to chart since Stain in 1993.

<i>Repentless</i> 2015 studio album by Slayer

Repentless is the twelfth and final studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on September 11, 2015. This is the band's only album recorded without guitarist Jeff Hanneman, who died from liver cirrhosis in 2013 and was replaced by Gary Holt. It is also the first album to feature drummer Paul Bostaph since God Hates Us All (2001). Repentless is also the only album the band released on Nuclear Blast and was produced by Terry Date, replacing Rick Rubin after twenty-nine years and nine studio albums as their producer or executive producer. The six-year gap between World Painted Blood (2009) and Repentless was also the longest between two Slayer albums in their career.

<i>Dystopia</i> (Megadeth album) 2016 studio album by Megadeth

Dystopia is the fifteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth. It was released on frontman and guitarist Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label via Universal on January 22, 2016. It is the first Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro, the only album with drummer Chris Adler, and their last with bassist David Ellefson. The album was produced by Mustaine and Chris Rakestraw and features cover artwork by Brent Elliot White.

<i>Once More Round the Sun</i> 2014 studio album by Mastodon

Once More 'Round the Sun is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on June 24, 2014, via Reprise Records. On April 17, 2014, Mastodon released the album's first single, "High Road". On June 16, 2014, the album was made available for streaming on iTunes. Once More 'Round the Sun sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the band's highest-peaking album on the chart and their second consecutive Top 10 debut after their previous album, The Hunter, peaked at No. 10.

<i>.5: The Gray Chapter</i> 2014 studio album by Slipknot

.5: The Gray Chapter is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released on October 17, 2014, by Roadrunner Records. It was the first studio album by the band in six years and the first not to feature original founding members bassist Paul Gray and drummer Joey Jordison due to the death of Gray in 2010, and Jordison being fired from the band in late 2013, as well as the only Slipknot album to feature original guitarist Donnie Steele on bass, although the tracks he played on are unknown, and the first Slipknot album to have Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. The album includes six singles and has received commercial success and acclaiming reviews. A standard and deluxe edition of the album was released. It is also the band's final studio album to feature their longtime percussionist Chris Fehn before his dismissal from the band due to a lawsuit in March 2019.

<i>Shade</i> (Living Colour album) 2017 studio album by Living Colour

Shade is the sixth studio album by American rock band Living Colour, released in 2017. It was their first studio album in eight years, following The Chair in the Doorway (2009).

<i>Meliora</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Ghost

Meliora is the third studio album by Swedish rock band Ghost. The album was produced by Klas Åhlund and released on August 21, 2015. The album was generally well received, placing on several music publications' lists of the best heavy metal albums of the year and winning Best Hard Rock/Metal Album at the 2015 Grammis Awards. Lead single "Cirice" won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. In September 2016, the band released a special edition of the album, called Meliora Redux.

<i>Bad Magic</i> 2015 studio album by Motörhead

Bad Magic is the twenty-second and final studio album by the British rock band Motörhead. Released on 28 August 2015, it is the fifth release under the UDR / Motörhead Music collaboration of the previous five years.

<i>Flesh & Blood</i> (Whitesnake album) 2019 studio album by Whitesnake

Flesh & Blood is the thirteenth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released on 10 May 2019 through Frontiers Records. A music video was released for the lead single "Shut Up & Kiss Me". The album reached Top 10 on the UK Albums Chart and topped the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart.

<i>The Nothing</i> (Korn album) 2019 studio album by Korn

The Nothing is the thirteenth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. It was released on September 13, 2019, through Roadrunner and Elektra. The album was produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

<i>Zeit</i> (Rammstein album) 2022 studio album by Rammstein

Zeit is the eighth studio album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein, released on 29 April 2022 through Universal Music. Produced by the band with Olsen Involtini, the album was unplanned and recorded as a result of the band's tour being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the band, the enforced lockdowns due to the pandemic spurred the band's creativity, resulting in spontaneous writing and recording sessions. Rammstein recorded the album in late 2020 and early 2021 at La Fabrique Studios in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France, where they recorded their previous album. The album's title track was released as the lead single on 10 March 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Living Colour - Stain".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Living Colour - Stain". Metal Storm. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Stain Review". Almusic.com. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  4. ↑ Stain Review. Rolling Stone. 2004. ISBN   9780743201698 . Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Living Colour Review". Robert Christgau . Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Stain Review". EW.com. March 5, 1993. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ Norris, Chris (1995). "Living Color". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 226–227. ISBN   0-679-75574-8.
  8. ↑ "Man Sues Rock Band Over Use of Word 'Stain'". Associated Press .
  9. ↑ "STAIND Settles Court Case With THE STAIN". October 5, 2006.
  10. ↑ "Living Colour's 'Stain': Underrated and Ahead Of Its Time". loudwire.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ Prato, Greg (2015). Survival of the Fittest: Heavy Metal in the 1990s. Kindle Direct. p. 530. ISBN   9781500328184.
  12. ↑ "Stain". Entertainment Weekly. March 5, 1993. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Rocklist.net...Kerrang! End of Year Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Living Colour: Stain [Epic, 1993]". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Voodoo Child: The Rolling Stone Interview with Living Colour's Vernon Reid" (PDF). davidbreskin.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  16. ↑ Prato, Greg (2014). Overlooked/Underappreciated: 354 Recordings That Demand Your Attention. Kindle Direct. p. 115-116. ISBN   9781500328184.
  17. ↑ "Living Colour's 'Stain': Underrated and Ahead Of Its Time". loudwire.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ "LIVING COLOUR – STAIN: #423 OF BEST 1,000 ALBUMS EVER!". popthruster.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Living Colour - Stain Album Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Is LIVING COLOUR Re-Recording Stain?". metalinjection.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Living Colour – Stain". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Living Colour – Stain" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1718". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Living Colour – Stain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  25. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  26. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Living Colour – Stain" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  27. ↑ "Charts.nz – Living Colour – Stain". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Living Colour – Stain". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Living Colour – Stain". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Living Colour Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.