Re: Happy Rhodes' _Warpaint_ at Rough Trade in SF

[lester@gandalf.etdesg.TRW.COM (Jeffrey A. Lester)]

Dan M. writes:

>>Is a poisonous garden tonight."    UUCP=..ames!pacbell!sactoh0 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>    A truly awesome song by Concrete Blonde!  I don't know what anyone else on
>here thinks about her and the band, but Johnette Napolitano has one of the
>coolest female singing voices in rock today!  She can achieve a kick-ass kind
>of growl at one moment in a fast song and yet turn around and sing a ballad with
>some of the most beautiful, sorrow-filled, tear-jerking vocals you'll ever
>hear.  For reference, on _Bloodletting_ for example, listen to the above song
>or _The Vampire Song_, and then listen to _Lullaby_ or _Tomorrow Wendy_.  She's
>truly amazing!

Living in Los Angeles, I have had the opportunity to see Concrete Blonde a 
number of times (9 at last count). They are a great band, though unfortunately
some what less great than they used to be. I was actually a bit disappointed
by Bloodletting, as the songwriting didn't seem to me to be as good as the
two earlier albums (Concrete Blonde & Free). Check out Scene of A Perfect 
Crime or Carry Me Away from Free. The changing of drummers also had an adverse
affect on the music. It's good that Johnnette is back to to playing bass, 
though. Drop me a line if you want to talk more about Concrete Blonde (I have 
few tapes as well).

-Jeff Lester
lester@gandalf.etdesg.trw.com