Customer Reviews

Concrete Blonde (Spec)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm amazed that this album is so hard to find. My ancient vinyl version was bookended by the two versions of "True." This album came out at a time in the late eighties when rock music had pretty much ceased to respirate.


"Beware of Darkness" is a great cover of an old George Harrison song, "Little Sister" features some of the personal and vibrant lyrics on the album. The vocals and playing are excellent throughout the album.

Found some change in my pocket, thought I'd take a chance and dial...

This album came out during a dark period in my life and the music has intense personal value and meaning. It's more than worth the money. You ought to buy a copy while it's available. You never know when you're going to need it. Music has kept more than one lost soul off the rocks. This isn't music for idiots. You'll need to bring a little something to the table.

A feeling of urban grit but delivered with a clear, sober exactitude that feels much more like poetry. From what I can recollect the band instantly fell into the standard L.A. black hole of one-album-success-and-a-lifetime-of-heroin-use. But I'm surprised to have to dig to find this album again, this truly is one of the best rock albums ever recorded.

Evolving from Dream Six, CB 's first album is short, loud, and sweet. Slower, soulful songs like "Beware of Darkness" and "Make me Cry" with its awesome harmony vocal, are mixed with full speed ahead hard rock monsters like "Over Your Shoulder", "Still in Hollywood", and "Your Haunted Head".

In between are mid tempo rockers like "True" and "Cold Part of Town". There is not a bad song on the album, and most are memorable. "Little Sister" (only half a heart away) and "Song For Kim" are superb.

The band at this early stage is solid. Harry Rushakoff is not flashy on drums, but solid as a rock, his bass pedal mixed up front, working with Johnette Napolitano's bass guitar to lay down a very effective rhythm. Jim Mankey is outstanding on the rhythm guitar parts, but has not evolved into the blazing fast, agonizingly tortured demon he would become. He sounds more like The Edge than Jimi Hendrix on this album, but is effective enough.

Johnette's voice and songwriting are the attraction, however. The songs always mean something, are never just words to sing for the song. But, the true attraction with Concrete Blonde was Johnette's voice.

She has a low voice compared to most female singers, and it is soulful and powerful. She hits the notes, and does it with great control and volume. It is as good a female rock and roll voice as there has ever been. If you are looking for a high pitched, cutesy little voice, popping along with peppy tunes, and a massive backbeat for dancing being the only memorable part of the instrumentation, pass this one by. If you are thinking Avril Lavigne, or Madonna, forget it. Think Janis Joplin with power and even more attitude, with great lyrics, and you are close.

What you have is exactly how most of us would put together a Chick fronted Rock band. Powerful drumming, blistering guitar, and a Chick with attitude, thrashing the bass while she belts out songs with a set of pipes you won't believe.

I'm so glad they finally remastered this classic, Concrete Blonde is one of my all time favorite bands and will forever be played on the Bradley Buzz. I just recently came up with the cash to buy the first CD in this remastered version and can't believe I didn't pick it up earlier. Featuring my ultimate fav CB song "True" plus their classic "Still In Hollywood", the moody and sassy "Dance Along The Edge", the hard rock chill of "Over Your Shoulder", the moody and sad (Makes my sister cry) "Little Sister" ('you're only half a heart away'), this is one of those albums that everyone in the world should own - so go buy it!

Contrary to what Gordon Wagner said, Concrete Blonde did not fall immediately into "...the standard L.A. blackhole of one-album-success-and-a-lifetime-of-heroin-use." CB has recorded a few more albums --and I believe are still a band and recording new material-- since this one; and, although they may not have duplicated the chart success with their later efforts over the subsequent years, they did have a modest hit on college and mainstream radio with the Bloodletting tracks "Joey" and "Caroline." Because CB had established a loyal fanbase on alternative radio --when that term still meant something--, singles from subsequent albums had regular airplay on the modern rock stations I listened to throughout the early and mid-'90's, long outlasting the shelflife of fellow bands that emerged at the same time in spite of the fact that the band was led by a female bassist-vocalist which was an original twist on the typical band format. Though rare, there have been bands over the years led by bassist-vocalists and there have also been bands with female bassists as well, but CB is the only one I can recall --Sonic Youth not included b/c Kim Gordon isn't SY's only vocalist on all of that band's songs - swaps singing duties with now-husband Thurston Moore-- to combine the two wildcard band line-up formats. They long outlasted the shelflife of those other bands because they had new things to say and new thematic territories to explore beyond what their first efforts offered, promised and delivered where the vast majority of bands fail to come up with something new to say after the success of thier first effort, hence the term "somphmore jinx." CB experienced no such shortfalls; in fact, they grew in new directions lyrically and mucically and became, in my opinion, one the better of the non-grunge alternative/modern rock acts of the late-'80's to mid-'90's.

--not having been familiar with this particular CB album prior to encountering it here on Amazon, I assigned the rating of 4 stars b/c, based on my high regard for CB's songcraft and musicianship, I'm sure this album's at least above avg., but due to my not actually having heard I'm reluctant to assign any value greater than 4 stars. However, I do plan to buy a copy as soon as I can, so I can get a listen and determine if it's worthy of a rating of 5.

Johnette has one of the sexiest voices I've ever heard and have been a fan from this release on. She captivates whether on a tender balad or growling on one of the more punk influenced tracks. Highly recommended!

I can hear all the parts the way they were intended--better than a record because no scratches or turntable noise. One of the best CDs ever! Johnette can't be human can she??

I'm excited to see that there's enough faith in this album today to cause a remastered version of it. The record is almost 20 years old but it's a terrific accomplishment for a debut artist by an unknown group in that it's still amongst the group's best work, even as their sound continued to grow for the 8 years or so they were a favorite underground group. They try on punk for brilliant size in "Still in Hollywood" and "Your Haunted Head," and it's a rough-cut thrill, but their real accomplishment is in the heart of their soft songs - "True," "Cold Part of Town," "Can Make Me Cry," they're amongst the most genuine and touching songs the band wrote.

Great album by a terrific band that should have got a lot more recognition. It's the perfect late 80s album that features a dark sound with haunting lyrics.

"And we're happy here, but we live in fear
We've seen a lot of temples crumble.
Some of flesh and blood from love under glass.
Will we come undone? will we turn and run?
And will we know it when we find it?
It's a game the way we dance along the edge.
And we'll walk the line and we'll do our time
For just as long as we've been given,
And pretend that we don't hear the things they've said.
Can we promise love? is it all too much
And do our old souls still believe it?
It's insane the way we dance along the edge."

Johnette Napolitano -- "Dance along the Edge"

1986's "Concrete Blonde" #96, is a rock solid debut album. This L.A. based band led by charismic lead singer Johnette Napolitano and guitarist James Mankey hit the charts running with a variety of styles punk,rock,and sweet ballads. They released 3 singles on this disc and they all failed to chart, but they were great songs anyway. The rockers on here are, "Still In Hollywood" and the punky "Your Haunted Head", they covered George Harrison's "Beware Of Darkness". What they really did good here were there rock ballads "True" which I think should of been a bonafide top 10 hit! Also "Make Me Cry" one of Johnette's simple classic songs. The moody "Dance Along The Edge", is also a favorite. The bonus tracks include "True II" (instrumental) and "It'll Chew You Up And Spit You Out" a remake of "Still In Hollywood" with different lyrics. This was a solid release and they would keep growing in the next few years.

I purchased this because I had (and liked) the LP back when this was the medium. Still like the group.