Search - Concrete Blonde :: Group Therapy

Music to slit your wrists by?

A. Reid | NC, USA | 12/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this c.d. out of a lingering sense of loyalty to a band that I once enjoyed tremendously. I was sad when they broke up. I was nostalgically pleased when they got back together. But I have to admit that I wasn't expecting that much. In my general experience, bands split when they run out of stuff to say, and they get back together because they miss the moolah, not because they suddenly found new material. I would have been satisfied with a few good songs on this disc. Instead, I got a really solid album that's a, um, bit of a downer.



The album is riddled with nostalgia, longing and an awareness of the pending end. This always introspective group is digging deep into the territory of grief-expert Kubler-Ross. There are tributes to the glory days of other musicians (David Bowie-"all the young dudes" and Rod Stewart-"maggie may") and their own ("I know you liked me better then"). There's a teary-eyed nod to the Roxy and what reads like a lament for lost good-ol' days (in Violent, where "nothing seems to mean what it meant"). There's what seems to me an element of lash-back anger towards the accouterments of celebrity in Valentine, essentially a threat-song from a steel-spined goth queen who seems contemptuous of at least the chroniclers of celebrity. There's the "life is lonely" lost connections, lost love, last calls, last chances of the Latino-tinged Llorona and the superior boozer Take Me Home. Then there is the "ubi sunt"-the "those days are gone," the time-is-ending, end-is-near, days-are-passing songs, like True Part III ("& when / I leave this life / what will you say of me / you who never knew my heart?") and the finale, Memory.



If I had to pin `em to a mood, I'd say it's overall one of bittersweet acceptance. In spite of the wistfulness of When I Was a Fool, for instance, and the awareness of lost chances ("do I surrender & give up my dream / for a brick in the wall & a washing machine"), the song's ultimate message is a strong one: "still, I'd rather be me / than anyone else."



The album seems to intermingle hope and despair, most graphically on the song Angel, made menacing, mocking and tender by lead-singer Johnette Napolitano's razorwire whisper and sardonic laugh. Musicially, it is largely lacking the kind of hooks that make good radio play with a possible exception on Fried, a rap-rock-rage song that could use a little more of the old Concrete Blonde energy, ala Jesus, Please Forgive Me (For the Things I Am About to Say) and a definite exception on Tonight, a relatively upbeat and poppy song that is as short on meaningful lyrics as it is long on sound.



But the album is a cohesive, coherent whole, a melodic soundtrack for an evening with a bottle of whisky and a few old friends, or, anyway, very good inspiration for a bout of bittersweet introspection.



I recommend."

Subdued, but cool...

Steve Marshall | St. Louis, MO USA | 01/17/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After eight long years, Concrete Blonde (with all three original members) has just released a new CD. My initial impression of the disc was one of disappointment. However, after a few listens, the songs started to grow on me and aspects of the trademark Concrete Blonde sound began to shine through. Overall, the CD is fairly subdued. Aside from "When I Was a Fool," vocalist/bassist Johnette Napolitano seldom reaches the upper range of her voice.The first single, "Roxy" gets things off to a nice start. Reminiscent of their biggest hit, "Joey," the song is a tribute to one of Napolitano's favorite bands, Roxy Music. Up next is "Violent"--a song that's both good and bad at the same time. Musically, it's a great tune. Guitarist James Mankey serves up some tasty fretwork on the song, but the lyrics are inexcusably bad. "You and me and we make three, k-i-s-s-i-n-g." Puh-lease... You would think that after all these years of writing that the band (I'm generalizing here because there are no explicit songwriting credits listed) could be able to come with something better than that."True, Part III" finds the band in their dark ballad mode, a features more of the classic Mankey guitar sound. Tracks like "Tonight" and "Inside / Outside" find the band taking a trip back in time to the esoteric feel of earlier tracks like "Scene of a Perfect Crime." Things move along pretty well until they get to "Valentine." They could have left this song and "Fried" off the CD and no one would miss them. The last few Concrete Blonde albums have featured at least one track with somewhat of a flamenco sound, and this one continues in that vein with the exquisite "Your Llorona." It's clear that Mankey has kept up his chops over the years. "Take Me Home" is another highlight, capturing the early Concrete Blonde sound beautifully. The best song on the CD (and one of their best, period) is the sparse, guitar-less "Angel." Napolitano's bass work on the cut is some of the best she's ever recorded. It's hard to say if Group Therapy will garner any new fans for the band. Existing ones are sure to enjoy it, but you may need to listen to the songs a few times to really appreciate them."

Finally, a NEW Concrete Blonde album!

TRACY L DALE | ST. PETERSBURG, FL United States | 01/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Being a long-time Concrete Blonde fan, from their inception back in the latter '80's, I have nothing but good words to say. This album could have been trash and I would have given it at least 2.5 stars just out of principle - but, it's not trash, it's excellent. For the fan who knows their work, you'll find this album is a little "softer around the edges" than a lot of their previous work. The 2nd track on the album is reminiscent in energy of "100 Games of Solitaire", and that made me smile. This is good work, and it's incredibly excellent when you consider they've been out of commission for awhile. If you like Concrete Blonde, give this album the chance it deserves. It's on a small label, and I for one would like to see them come back to us with another album in the future. Plus, Johnette's voice is still in full form. They've still got it, be it a little suttler than previous efforts and on a smaller label, they've still got what it takes to stick to your ribs."