Vernon Reid - Mistaken Identity (1996) {550 Music/Epic}

Mistaken Identity is the 1996 album by guitarist Vernon Reid. Known as the founder of the black rock band Living Colour, this album is not only filled with hard rock songs but it also has electronic and hip-hop qualities, due to this project being co-produced with Prince Paul, along with Teo Macero. Reid is helped out on this album by Masque, who were Don Byron, DJ Logic, Leon Gruenbaum, Curtis Watts, and Hank Schroy. This was released by 550 Music via Epic Records.

Facing Vernon Reid's first solo album with expectations of finding another Living Colour album would be a very wrong thing to do. Here is proof that the split was not caused by profane reasons like personal differences or even wanting to earn more money, but by at least one musician striving to step into different musical territories. For Reid, this partly means going back to his roots in jazz and funk.

Mistaken Identity is anything but a fast food album; it comes along as quite of a challenge to the unprepared listener. Large parts of it are instrumental; something such as a simple melody is nowhere to be found. Only repeated listens start to reveal hooks in the complex soundscapes. The most accessible tracks, like "CP Time" or "Saint Cobain", are characterized by a groundwork of percussions, strong bass, rap vocals, and Reid showing his muscles on the guitar, almost the only instances reminding of his past with Living Colour. Other tracks like "Lighnin'" have a prominent blues feel, with beautifully whining guitars, yet others are almost pure jazz. Another characteristic of Mistaken Identity is lots of creatively used samples. As so often occurs, the names of producers give a clear key to an album: besides Vernon Reid himself, these are Teo Macero, who has previously worked with jazz greats like Miles Davis, and Prince Paul, who produced De La Soul's masterpiece 3 Feet High And Rising.

Vernon Reid's Mistaken Identity may catch some buyers on the wrong foot, and will most certainly be less commercially successful than the platinum-selling Living Colour albums. But listeners taking their time to explore it will be richly rewarded. Here is a remarkable album made by highly gifted and dedicated individuals, perfectly produced, with new things to be discovered in every listen. Time will tell how it will hold up, but chances are that we are witnesses of what might once be considered an essential release by many.

01. CP Time
02. Mistaken Identity
03. You Say He's Just A Psychic Friend
04. Who Are You (Mutation 1)
05. Lightnin'
06. The Projects
07. Uptown Drifter
08. Saint Cobain
09. Important Safety Instructions! (Mutation 2)
10. What's My Name
11. Signed Fictitious
12. Call Waiting To Exhale (Mutation 3)
13. My Last Nerve
14. Freshwater Coconut
15. Mysterious Power
16. Unborne Embrace

1. Nitroflare (FLAC)
2. Nitroflare (MP3)
3. Icerbox (FLAC)
4. Icerbox (MP3)