My Amazon Reviews: Concrete Blonde "The Essential"

Concrete Evidence
4 Out Of 5 Stars
 
The husky, sultry voice of singer/songwriter Johnette Napolitano led Concrete Blonde to a successful career, and this Essential Collection gathers 14 songs to showcase both her voice and the tight combo playing of Jim Mankey and assorted drummers. The lone hit, "Joey," is here, along with alternative faves like "Dancing On The Edge" and "Still In Hollywood." Owing more than a passing debt to The Pretenders, songs like "God Is a Bullet" and the mournful "Caroline" (about the passing of a friend) tease the shadow of Chrissie Hynde.

Napolitano is still a force of nature, as the rockier songs attest. "The Sky Is A Poisonous Garden" pounds away and the cover of Hendrix's "Little Wing" is true to the original while still giving Napolitano an imprint of her own. At the same time, the band's pop instincts were as good as any other IRS stablemates. "Joey" is all Spector Girl Group and "Happy Birthday" is nearly jangle-pop. There's a pretty even representation from the band's four IRS albums, leaning towards the gold "Bloodletting" (whose title song should've been included). Overall, a satisfying collection from an underrated band.

      

My Amazon Reviews: JP, Chrissie and The Fairground Boys "Fidelity!"

Low Fidelity

2 Out Of 5 Stars

Chrissie Hynde is a rock goddess. I think if I saw her in a bar, I'd saunter up to her, too. Which is what happened to JP Jones, a singer of unknown repute until this CD. Seems he and Chrissie had a fling and, once it became apparent that their near 30 year age difference wasn't going to work, they broke it off. But they also decided to make an album about it.

And that album is "Fidelity." It is, believe it or not, the first album Chrissie Hynde has ever released that wasn't under The Pretenders banner. I hate to say this, but it's pretty awful. The soulful, husky voice of Chrissie remains a universal wonder, and when she sings, she still sounds great. JP, on the other hand, has a range of about five notes, and has a problem hitting most of them. When Chrissie opens "Fidelity" with the lament that "I found my perfect lover, but he's only half my age," you can feel that she's still got it as she nears 60. That talent is even more emphasized as soon as JP opens is mouth. He begins interjecting observations into "Perfect Lover" that sound like some joker prank calling the studio and getting caught on-mike.

Which pretty much sums up this album. There are some pretty good songs here just aching to get out ("Your Fairground," "Courage," "Misty Valleys"), but they crash to the dirt every time JP's carny barker donkey-bray hits the speakers. Next to Rufus Wainwright's "All Days are Nights/Songs for Lulu," this album is one of the year's biggest disappointments. Mark JP Jones in your trivia book now.