Concrete Blonde – Mexican Moon (1993/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Concrete Blonde – Mexican Moon (1993/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:02:43 minutes | 2,55 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92)

After the demise of their original label, I.R.S., Concrete Blonde released Mexican Moon on Capitol in the fall of 1993. The band, once again, produced themselves with Sean Freehill, and Paul Thompson returned to the fold on drums after sitting out Walking in London due to immigration problems.

The album is a striking marriage of Johnette Napolitano’s dark, lyrical imagery and the band’s alternative-tinged pop sensibilities making it, perhaps, their most fully realized effort. “Jenny I Read” kicks things off with the tale of a chance encounter of a fallen, reclusive starlet. Guitarist James Mankey shows versatility playing acoustic and Spanish guitar on the dreamy title track and the wah-wah effects of the brooding “Jesus Forgive Me (For the Things I’m About to Say).” “Heal It Up” was the unsuccessful single but is a bracing number with a ferocious vocal performance by Napolitano. Despite the inspired playing, intelligent and insightful lyrics, and the crisp production, Mexican Moon failed to expand the group’s audience and would prove to be their last release before breaking up.

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Concrete Blonde – Free (1989/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Concrete Blonde – Free (1989/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 33:05 minutes | 1,34 GB | Genre: Rock, Alternative Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92)

Concrete Blonde beefed up their lineup by adding a second guitarist, Alan Block, for 1989’s Free. Like their self-titled debut release, the L.A.-based band focuses on the dark side of modern life, but they also intersperse a few lighter songs into the mix with good results. Free also found the band producing themselves. The grinding guitars and lead singer Johnette Napolitano’s passionate vocals made the searing “God Is a Bullet” a college radio hit. “Roses Grow” is an interesting track with Napolitano making barstool observations over a metallic drumbeat. It is the lighter moments on the album that really shine, though, like the gentle warmth of the optimistic “Sun” and “Happy Birthday,” a jangly pop rocker. The band also takes a stab at Thin Lizzy’s “It’s Only Money.” Free shows a considerable amount of growth in both the songwriting and playing of their debut and makes it a worthwhile follow-up.

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Concrete Blonde – Concrete Blonde (1986/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Concrete Blonde – Concrete Blonde (1986/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 38:02 minutes | 1,61 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Capitol Records

This debut remains a stunning representation of the band’s musical heart. „Concrete Blonde“ has two very distinct approaches that find a way to coexist. One is a straight-ahead punkish abandon with dry-sounding drums (“Your Haunted Head” and “Still In Hollywood”) while the other features more involved production; drums wet with effects and layers of harmony vocals (“True” and “Song For Kim”). While the overall production of „Concrete Blonde“ places the album squarely in the mid-’80s, the strength of vocalist/bassist Johnette Napolitano’s songwriting and emotionally driven vocals makes it timeless for fans of the band. The band’s lovely cover of George Harrison’s “Beware Of Darkness” was the first of many songs the band dyed “Blonde.”

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Concrete Blonde – Bloodletting (1990/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Concrete Blonde – Bloodletting (1990/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 42:27 minutes | 1,78 GB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92)

Though the sudden embrace of the trappings of goth culture via Anne Rice was a bit odd, given Napolitano’s long-standing fascination with both Catholic and Mexican imagery (and the elements of sex and death prevalent in both) it wasn’t too strange. Her songwriting and singing focus remains much more roots-oriented, as the opening strut/stroll of “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” makes clear. Not that she and the band can’t kick out the jams as well — immediately following that is “The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden,” a punk-speed thrash with deliciously decadent imagery to boot. The most well known song was “Joey,” which actually got some top 40 airplay; while it has a certain catchiness to it, ultimately it comes off as a less successful Heart song from the same era, which is saying something. Far more successful is nearly everything else on the album, from the dark chime of “Caroline,” addressing a departed friend, to the soothing “Lullabye,” which far from being a mere kiddie tune is a great love song with some fantastic guitar from Mankey. R.E.M.’s Peter Buck adds mandolin to “Darkening of the Light,” which adds to the song’s mysterious, haunting edge, while “I Don’t Need a Hero” is barely there, the softest of music accompanying Napolitano’s lyric. Her singing throughout Bloodletting is passionate and catchy, with a deep throaty ache on many cuts. Everything wraps up with a version of Andy Prieboy’s “Tomorrow, Wendy.” Having done a duet with him on his own recording of the song, she takes full lead here, delivering a bravura performance of the bitter, heartbreaking lyric.

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