Time's Up (Living Colour album)

Last updated
Time's Up
Living Colour Time's Up.jpg
Studio album by
Living Colour
ReleasedAugust 28, 1990
Recorded1989–1990
Studio A&M (Hollywood)
RPM (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length57:35
Label Epic
Producer Ed Stasium
Living Colour chronology
Vivid
(1988)		Time's Up
(1990)		 Biscuits
(1991)

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 (as he appeared on the Biscuits EP). In late February 2014, the album was reissued in Europe by Music On CD and is available once again.

Contents

Background

In 2015, Corey Glover explained, "Time's Up was an interesting one, because we spent part of the time making Time's Up in California - we were in LA. We did some of the basic tracks in LA. And that was really weird, because we're New York guys. Hanging out in California and being very 'California' was very strange to us. We were staying in the Valley, and it felt like we were in school, because we had to get up in the morning and I met Will at what felt like the bus stop. It was like, 'OK, we've got to go to work.' And jogging around in California and hanging around in California - and hanging out with the Fishbone guys while we were out there. Just hanging out and trying to dig this California thing, it was very, very interesting. I think it does hold up. With a few exceptions, it might falter, but 'Time's Up' and 'Pride' and the stuff we still play today, I think it still holds up and still works. The song 'Time's Up' is about the environment, and we're still talking about the environment - and the record is 20 years old!" [1]

Music

Time's Up has been described as a hard rock, [2] heavy metal, [2] and funk metal album, [3] with elements of hip hop, [4] [5] [6] jazz, [4] [5] funk, [5] [6] jazz fusion, [6] Delta blues, [6] soul, [6] punk rock, [5] and art rock. [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Chicago Sun-Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [9]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [4]
Entertainment Weekly A [2]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [10]
NME 7/10 [11]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Select 4/5 [14]
The Village Voice A− [7]

In The Village Voice 's annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll for the year's best albums, Time's Up finished at number five. [15]

The album came in at #18 on the 1990 top-25 'albums of the year list' in Kerrang! . [16]

Accolades

Grammy Awards

YearWinnerCategory
1990Time's Up Best Hard Rock Performance

Track listing

All tracks are written by Vernon Reid, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Time's Up"Reid, Muzz Skillings, Corey Glover, Will Calhoun 3:05
2."History Lesson" 0:52
3."Pride"Calhoun4:55
4."Love Rears Its Ugly Head" 4:19
5."New Jack Theme" 3:30
6."Someone Like You"Skillings3:47
7."Elvis Is Dead" (feat. Little Richard) 3:50
8."Type" 6:26
9."Information Overload" 6:11
10."Under Cover of Darkness" (feat. Queen Latifah)Glover4:17
11."Ology"Skillings1:07
12."Fight the Fight"Calhoun, Glover, Reid, Skillings4:32
13."Tag Team Partners" (feat. Doug E. Fresh)Glover0:48
14."Solace of You"Glover, Reid3:38
15."This Is the Life" 6:23
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."Final Solution" (Live in Chicago 1990)Craig Bell, Tom Herman, Scott Krauss, Peter Laughner, Dave Taylor, David Thomas, Tim Wright 5:44
17."Middle Man" (Live in Chicago 1990)Glover, Reid3:40
18."Love Rears Its Ugly Head" (aka Soul Power Mix) 4:05

Banded version

A special US advance promo version omitting "History Lesson", "Ology1" and "Tag Team Partners". Along with the CD, it was also pressed on transparent gold vinyl. Catalog number ESK 2171

No.TitleLength
1."Time's Up" 
2."Pride" 
3."Love Rears Its Ugly Head" 
4."New Jack Theme" 
5."Someone Like You" 
6."Elvis Is Dead" 
7."Type" 
8."Information Overload" 
9."Under Cover of Darkness" 
10."Fight the Fight" 
11."Solace of You" 
12."This Is the Life" 

Personnel

Living Colour

Guest musicians

Technical Personnel

Charts

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [17] 15
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [18] 24
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [19] 56
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [20] 10
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [21] 13
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [22] 11
UK Albums (OCC) [23] 20
US Billboard 200 [24] 13

Related Research Articles

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

Vivid is the debut studio album by American band Living Colour, released on May 3, 1988, through 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.

<i>The Real Thing</i> (Faith No More album) 1989 studio album by Faith No More

The Real Thing is the third studio album by American rock band Faith No More, released on June 20, 1989, by Slash and Reprise Records. It was the first album by the band not to feature vocalist Chuck Mosley, instead, the album featured Mike Patton from the experimental/funk band Mr. Bungle. On this album, Faith No More continued to advance their sound range, combining funk metal, rap metal and alternative rock.

<i>There Is Nothing Left to Lose</i> 1999 studio album by Foo Fighters

There Is Nothing Left to Lose is the third studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on November 2, 1999, through Roswell and RCA Records. It marked the first appearance of drummer Taylor Hawkins, and is often seen as a departure from the band's previous work, showcasing a softer, more experimental sound. Vocalist and guitarist Dave Grohl has stated that the album was "totally based on melody" and that it might be "[his] favorite album that [they've] ever done." The album was recorded using only three musicians, Grohl, Hawkins, and bassist Nate Mendel.

<i>Road to Ruin</i> (Ramones album) 1978 studio album by the Ramones

Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones, released on September 22, 1978, through Sire Records as LP record, 8 track cartridge & audio cassette. It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone, who replaced Tommy Ramone. Tommy left the band due to low sales of previous albums as well as stress he experienced while touring; however, he stayed with the band to produce the album with Ed Stasium. The artwork's concept was designed by Ramones fan Gus MacDonald and later modified by John Holmstrom to include Marky instead of Tommy.

<i>Biscuits</i> (EP) 1991 EP by Living Colour

Biscuits was an EP of live and unreleased cuts by Living Colour, released on July 16, 1991. The Sony Music Japan edition of this disc had nine extra tracks not available on the international editions, making Biscuits a compilation album. This is the final Living Colour release to feature bassist Muzz Skillings.

<i>11</i> (The Smithereens album) 1989 studio album by The Smithereens

11 is the third studio album by American rock band The Smithereens, released on October 24, 1989, by Capitol Records. It includes the Billboard Top 40 single "A Girl Like You". The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 1990.

<i>1916</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Motörhead

1916 is the ninth studio album by British rock band Motörhead, released in January 1991. It was their first on WTG Records. The single "The One to Sing the Blues" peaked at number 45. The album was the final Motörhead album to feature Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor on drums in its entirety.

<i>The Crimson Idol</i> 1992 studio album by W.A.S.P.

The Crimson Idol is the fifth studio album by heavy metal band W.A.S.P., released in June 1992 through Capitol Records, their last album for the label. It was the first album by W.A.S.P. since the band's temporary breakup in 1990; this was because vocalist and rhythm guitarist Blackie Lawless had intended to release The Crimson Idol as a solo album, until he decided to release it as a W.A.S.P. album. The album charted within the top 40 in five countries. The Crimson Idol is a rock opera, telling the story of the rise and fall of a fictional rock star named Jonathan Steel.

<i>R.</i> (R. Kelly album) 1998 studio album by R. Kelly

R. is the third solo album by American singer R. Kelly, released as a double album on November 10, 1998, by Jive Records. It marked the first time Kelly worked with other producers as opposed to producing the entire album himself. Its cover artwork uses the same image of Kelly from his 1993 debut 12 Play, only in silhouette form against a red and black background.

<i>Stain</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Living Colour

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.

<i>Ragged Glory</i> 1990 studio album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Ragged Glory is the 18th studio album by Canadian / American singer-songwriter Neil Young, and his sixth album with the band Crazy Horse. It was released by Reprise Records on September 10, 1990. Ragged Glory was voted the 36th best Grunge album of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2019.

<i>Instinct</i> (Iggy Pop album) 1988 studio album by Iggy Pop

Instinct is the eighth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was released in June 1988 by A&M Records.

<i>In the Army Now</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Status Quo

In the Army Now is the seventeenth studio album by the English rock band Status Quo, released on 29 August 1986 by Vertigo Records. Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Oxfordshire and Jacobs Studios in Surrey, it was the first album with the post-Live Aid lineup, featuring bassist Rhino Edwards and drummer Jeff Rich, both of whom joined in March 1986.

<i>The Information</i> (Beck album) 2006 studio album by Beck

The Information is the tenth studio album by American musician Beck, released on October 3, 2006 by Interscope Records. It was produced and mixed by Nigel Godrich, with whom Beck recorded Mutations (1998) and Sea Change (2002). Recording took place from 2003 to 2006, with Beck concurrently working on 2005's Guero with the Dust Brothers. The album received positive reviews from critics and made several publications' year-end lists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Stasium</span> American record producer and audio engineer

Ed Stasium is an American record producer and audio engineer, who has worked on albums by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Motörhead, the Smithereens and Living Colour.

<i>Crank</i> (Hoodoo Gurus album) 1994 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

Crank is the sixth studio album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released in February 1994 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA charts. The album was produced by Ed Stasium, who had mixed Hoodoo Gurus previous studio album, Kinky in 1991. It was the band's first release on Zoo Records.

<i>Poison the Parish</i> 2017 studio album by Seether

Poison the Parish is the seventh studio album by South African rock band Seether. It was released on 12 May 2017. It is the band's first album to feature a new band logo on the cover. The first single, "Let You Down" was released on 23 February 2017. On 23 March 2017, the band released a new track titled "Stoke the Fire". On 13 April 2017, "Nothing Left" was released. On 5 May 2017, "Count Me Out" was released. On 9 August 2017, the album's second single, "Betray and Degrade" was released. On 8 April 2018, the album's third single, "Against the Wall", was released.

<i>Two-Fisted Tales</i> (album) 1987 studio album by The Long Ryders

Two-Fisted Tales is the third studio album by American band the Long Ryders, released in 1987 by Island Records. It was their last studio album for 32 years until 2019's Psychedelic Country Soul. The album yielded two singles, a cover of NRBQ’s "I Want You Bad" and "Gunslinger Man". On Two-Fisted Tales, the Long Ryders moved further away from their country rock origins towards a more college rock direction.

<i>Medicine at Midnight</i> 2021 studio album by Foo Fighters

Medicine at Midnight is the tenth studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters. It was released through Roswell and RCA Records on February 5, 2021, after having its release be pushed out of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Produced by Greg Kurstin and the band, the album shows a slight shift in the band's style, pairing their usual rock sound with elements of dance-rock and pop. It is the final Foo Fighters studio album to feature drummer Taylor Hawkins before his death the following year.

References

  1. ↑ Prato, Greg (2015). Survival of the Fittest: Heavy Metal in the 1990s. Kindle Direct. p. 494. ISBN   9781500328184.
  2. 1 2 3 Sandow, Greg (September 7, 1990). "Time's Up". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  3. ↑ "The 25 Best Albums of 1990". Paste . November 11, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Kot, Greg (August 30, 1990). "Living Colour: Time's Up (Epic)". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gallucci, Michael (March 3, 2018). "Living Colour Albums Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Law, Sam (July 8, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums From 1990". Kerrang! . Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (September 25, 1990). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  8. ↑ Prato, Greg. "Time's Up – Living Colour". AllMusic . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  9. ↑ McLeese, Don (September 3, 1990). "Living Colour, 'Time's Up' (Epic)" . Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ Hochman, Steve (September 9, 1990). "Colourful Anthems to Black-Rock Movement". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  11. ↑ Fadele, Dele (September 1, 1990). "Living Colour: Time's Up". NME . p. 31.
  12. ↑ Light, Alan (September 6, 1990). "Living Colour: Time's Up". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on August 4, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  13. ↑ Considine, J. D. (2004). "Living Colour". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p.  491. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  14. ↑ Putterford, Mark (October 1990). "Perfect Timing". Select . No. 4. p. 107.
  15. ↑ "The 1990 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. March 5, 1991. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rocklist.net...Kerrang! End of Year Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Living Colour – Time's Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Living Colour – Time's Up" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Charts.nz – Living Colour – Time's Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Living Colour – Time's Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Living Colour – Time's Up". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Living Colour | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Living Colour Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
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.