You know Corey Glover's powerful voice. Corey was the lead singer and one fourth of the pioneering, Grammy winning, platinum selling rock band Living Colour. The steps Corey took to reach this point in his career are well known. As a founding member of Living Colour, Corey helped prove that not only could black guys kick out the jams, but that they could be embraced by a vast expanse of fans. Living Colour earned numerous industry awards including back-to-back Grammys for Best Hard Rock Performance of 1989 ('Cult of Personality') and 1990 (Time's Up) and emerged as one of the most influential rock acts of all time: regularly selling out arenas and selling millions of albums. As vocal proponents for black self-reliance and pride, they broke down more than their fair share of musical barriers and served as role models for other black bands who had their sights set on hard rock recognition.
After four Billboard charted albums, the group disbanded in 1995. Almost immediately Corey began laying the foundation for what you now hear. Hymns. The debut solo album from a rock legend. "I always wanted to do rock stuff and I did. But I've always wanted to be a loveman and sort of split the difference. I think I've done that with this album and with this band."
Alternative salty and sweet, hushed and defiant, and undeniably sexy and melodic, Hymns takes you back to the day and yet is a reminder that not all good songs were written years ago. Hymns is packed with 10 spicy, emotion filled tracks which confirms Corey Glover's place in every genre, not only rock, but alternative and soul as well. Hymns clearly has tracks for everyone, crossing all boundaries and showcasing Glover's undeniable vocal abilities.
The road to Hymns began a few years ago, when Corey hooked up with some like minded musicians, among them his current band members guitarist Mike Ciro and bassist Booker King. After adding a few more key ingredients the band began to play out and soon built up a rep as a serious live act. Anyone who's seen Corey can verify, when he steps on stage his energy and emotion are so powerful, they provide an electric performance which leaves you wanting to see him again, and again.
When it came time to take that rep and put it on tape, Corey hooked up with his old friends and fellow musical provocateurs Peter Lord and V. Jeffrey Smith. Both are members Elektra recording group The Family Stand, and are seasoned song writers and producers.
"I thought about Pete and Jeff immediately because of their songwriting expertise and because they're musicians. And like me, they had the concept of making this a real organic record. No synthesizers. To have real strings, real horns and have it played by a real, core band, live in the studio."
The first song that Corey, Jeff and Peter cooked up at their songwriting sessions was the sizzling "Hot Buttered Soul" and from there, the grooves and the ideas flowed. "The whole process from start to finish was natural," Corey says. "But at the same time, I really pushed myself as a songwriter. I was reaching into areas I never had before." By the end of the process Corey, Peter and Jeff had collaborated on four cuts, including the transcendent and sure to be legendary "April Rain", a song that Corey calls "Prince meets the apocalypse".
Then there's Hymns propulsive lead off single "Do You First, Then Do Myself". This explosive, gutsy track is an no holds barred ode, to well, doing it. "It needs no explanation beyond that!" laughs Corey. "It's a song about sex."
Among the other highlights on Hymns is "One" which finds the common musical ground between the Beatles and Stevie Wonder and the sexy, persuasive Memphis vibe of "Little Girl".
Corey describes the differences between his days with Living Colour and the music he's making today as "a natural progression from what I did back then." He explains, "Because the whole attitude and feeling behind this solo album is what my contribution was to Living Colour. Completely. The thing that has changed is that before I fit my vocals into a slot and now I don't."
If you're not familiar with Corey Glover, that is sure to change. Whether he's belting Living Colour's prize recording "Cult of Personality" or one of his new tracks from Hymns, Corey is sure to entertain you and leave you feeling good. His debut solo album Hymns is destined to be embraced by the music world today, as it's filled with skilled production, eclectic tracks and powerful vocals.
Living Colour fans will love Hymns, Alternative fans will love Hymns, Soul fans will love Hymns, Music lovers will love Hymns.
