The Essential (Concrete Blonde album)

Last updated
The Essential
Concrete Blonde The Essential 2005 album cover.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedMarch 29, 2005 [1]
Length54:11
Label Capitol, EMI
Concrete Blonde chronology
Mojave
(2004)
The Essential
(2005)

The Essential is a compilation album by American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde, released in 2005.

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
PopMatters 8/10 [2]

Johnny Loftus, writing for AllMusic, noted the compilation's similarity to the band's 2002 compilation Classic Masters, but felt that like its 2002 predecessor, The Essential fails to "adequately replace" the 1996 compilation Recollection: The Best of Concrete Blonde . Loftus noted the omission of tracks from the band's 1993 album Mexican Moon and also the lack of any unreleased material. He concluded it was "a pretty satisfactory overview of Concrete Blonde's IRS output" and "probably OK for the casual fan". [1] PopMatters described The Essential as "very good, if flawed overview of these cult darlings". They also noted the lack of any songs from Mexican Moon and also questioned whether the inclusion of "Little Wing" and "Roses Grow" can be considered essential. [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Johnette Napolitano except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Still in Hollywood" 3:43
2."True"Napolitano, James Mankey 3:00
3."Dance Along the Edge" 5:30
4."God Is a Bullet"Concrete Blonde4:23
5."Happy Birthday"Concrete Blonde2:20
6."Sun"Concrete Blonde2:18
7."The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden"Napolitano, Bruce Moreland 2:37
8."Caroline" 5:29
9."Joey" 4:06
10."Tomorrow, Wendy" Andy Prieboy 5:06
11."Little Wing" Jimi Hendrix 4:16
12."Walking in London" 4:49
13."Someday?" 3:29
14."Roses Grow" (Live) 3:05

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>No Control</i> (Bad Religion album) 1989 studio album by Bad Religion

No Control is the fourth studio album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on November 2, 1989, through Epitaph Records. Bad Religion began work on the album while touring in support of their previous album, Suffer (1988). No Control is stylistically faster than its predecessor, owing more to hardcore punk. Additionally, it was the first Bad Religion album not to feature a lineup change from the previous album.

A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be created by record companies without express approval from the original artist as a means to generate sales. They are typically regarded as a good starting point for new fans of an artist, but are sometimes criticized by longtime fans as not inclusive enough or necessary at all.

Concrete Blonde was an American rock band from Hollywood, California. They were initially active from 1982 to 1994, and reunited twice: first from 2001 to 2004, and again from 2010 to 2012. They were best known for their album Bloodletting (1990), its top 20 single "Joey", and Johnette Napolitano's distinctive vocal style.

<i>The E.P. Compilation</i> 1997 compilation album by Refused

The E.P. Compilation is a compilation album by Swedish band Refused, originally released in 1997. The album, which consists of songs from Refused's EPs, was reissued in 1999 as This Album Contains Old Songs & Old Pictures, Vol. 1. A different edition was released in 2002 and reissued in 2004.

<i>Ascendancy</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Trivium

Ascendancy is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on March 15, 2005, through Roadrunner Records and was produced by Jason Suecof and Matt Heafy.

<i>This Station Is Non-Operational</i> 2005 compilation album by At the Drive-In

This Station Is Non-Operational is a compilation album by El Paso, Texas-based post-hardcore band At the Drive-In, released May 24, 2005 by Fearless Records, four years after the band went on indefinite hiatus. Its tracks span the band's career from 1997 to 2000, with selections from El Gran Orgo (1997), In/Casino/Out (1998), Vaya (1999), and Relationship of Command (2000), as well as several rare tracks taken from singles and a previously unreleased cover version of The Smiths' "This Night Has Opened My Eyes". The album also includes a DVD with the music videos for "Metronome Arthritis", "One Armed Scissor", and "Invalid Litter Dept.", an electronic press kit, a discography, and multimedia content. It became the band's highest-charting release in the United States. Its title comes from a lyric in the song "One Armed Scissor".

Johnette Napolitano is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and bassist for the alternative rock group Concrete Blonde.

<i>The Rise of Brutality</i> 2003 studio album by Hatebreed

The Rise of Brutality is the third studio album by American metalcore band Hatebreed. It was released on October 28, 2003 by Universal Records.

<i>9.0: Live</i> 2005 live album by Slipknot

9.0: Live is the first live album by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The band recorded the two-disc album during a 2004–05 world tour that promoted their third studio album Vol. 3: . Released on November 1, 2005, by Roadrunner Records, 9.0: Live features tracks from Slipknot's first three studio albums: Slipknot, Iowa, and Vol. 3: . Many of the included tracks are rarely played live; "Skin Ticket" from the album Iowa was its first live performance. 9.0: Live peaked in the top twenty in album sales for Austria and the United States, and was certified gold in the United States. Critical reception was generally positive, with Adrien Begrand of PopMatters calling it a "very worthy live album".

<i>Mexican Moon</i> 1993 studio album by Concrete Blonde

Mexican Moon is the fifth studio album by alternative rock band Concrete Blonde.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bellrays</span> American rock band

The Bellrays is an American rock group that combines garage rock and punk with soul music, founded in Riverside, California in 1990 by vocalist Lisa Kekaula and guitarist Bob Vennum. They have been with several independent labels, including Upper Cut, Poptones, Alternative Tentacles, Bittersweet, Shock, Cheap Lullaby, Vicious Circle, Vital Gesture and Anodyne.

<i>Red Book</i> (album) 2005 studio album by Texas

Red Book is the seventh album from Scottish rock band Texas. It was released on 7 November 2005 and entered the UK Albums Chart at #16. It is named after the little red book that singer Sharleen Spiteri used to write the album songs. The album yielded two UK Top Ten singles, "Getaway" and "Sleep" and the UK Top 20 single, "Can't Resist". Four of the album's tracks were co-written with Brian Higgins of Xenomania — "Can't Resist", "Cry", "Get Down Tonight" and "Bad Weather".

<i>Pau-Latina</i> 2004 studio album by Paulina Rubio

Pau-Latina is the seventh studio album by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio, released on February 10, 2004, by Universal Latino. Musically, Rubio wanted to make a "futuristic folk" or a "cocktail of different music genres", thus incorporating eclectic latin music in its sound with instrumentation from techno beats, guitars, drums, synthesizers, strings and Spanish guitars musical instruments. Its themes range from love, dancing, friendship and feminist. Contributions to the album's production came from a wide range of producers, including Emilio Estefan, Chris Rodríguez, Toy Hernández, Marcello Acevedo and Sergio George.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation</span> 2005 single by Trivium

"A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation", often referred to as "Gunshot", is a song by American heavy metal band Trivium. Written by Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu, both of whom perform vocals and guitars on the track, it was featured on the band's second studio album Ascendancy in 2005. The song was also released as a promotional single in May 2005, with an accompanying music video following in September.

Earle Mankey is an American musician, record producer and audio engineer. He was a founding member and guitarist for the band Halfnelson, later called Sparks. He became a record producer, predominantly for Los Angeles area bands like The Pop, 20/20, The Runaways, Concrete Blonde, Jumpin' Jimes, The Long Ryders, The Three O'Clock, The Tearaways, The Conditionz, Adicts, Durango 95, Leslie Pereira and The Lazy Heroes, and Kristian Hoffman. He is the brother of Concrete Blonde guitarist James Mankey.

"Word of God Speak" is a song by Christian rock band MercyMe. Written by Bart Millard and Pete Kipley, "Word of God Speak" uses sparse instrumentation, featuring only piano and strings to accompany Millard's vocals. The lyrics to "Word of God Speak" reflect on the idea that it is impossible to speak of an infinite God with a limited vocabulary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrice discography</span>

The discography of Thrice consists of eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, five EPs, ten singles, and fifteen music videos.

<i>Andiamo</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Authority Zero

Andiamo is the second studio album released by punk band Authority Zero. It was released on June 30, 2004, on Lava Records and includes the single "Revolution" and a cover of the Wall of Voodoo song "Mexican Radio", with small lyrical changes included to include the song as the band's statement against the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The album title is Italian and means, literally, "we go," but can also be translated as "let's go." The title of the album can be split to read "And I Am 0", as seen faintly in the CD insert. (And) I Am Zero is the name of Authority Zero's live DVD, which was released in 2005. "Revolution" and "Painted Windows" had music videos made.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrow Wendy (song)</span>

"Tomorrow Wendy" is a song written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Andy Prieboy. Released in 1990 as the lead single from his first solo album ...Upon My Wicked Son, Prieboy recorded the song as a duet with Johnette Napolitano. In 1990, Napolitano would also record the song with her band Concrete Blonde for their third studio album Bloodletting.

<i>Dream 6</i> (EP) 1983 EP by Dream 6

Dream 6 is an extended play by American rock band Dream 6, released by Happy Hermit Co. in 1983.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Loftus, Johnny. "The Essential - Concrete Blonde; Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Concrete Blonde: The Essential". PopMatters. June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 22, 2022.