The Essential (Concrete Blonde album)
The Essential is a compilation album by American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde, released in 2005.
| The Essential | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | March 29, 2005[1] | |||
| Length | 54:11 | |||
| Label | Capitol, EMI | |||
| Concrete Blonde chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [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. | Title | Writer(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 Blonde | 4:23 |
| 5. | "Happy Birthday" | Concrete Blonde | 2:20 |
| 6. | "Sun" | Concrete Blonde | 2:18 |
| 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
- Frank Collura – compilation producer
- Evren Goknar – mastering
- Asterik Studio – design
- Diana Barnes – art direction
- Gerri Miller – liner notes
- Paul Natkin, Chansley Entertainment Archives – band photography
References
- Loftus, Johnny. "The Essential - Concrete Blonde; Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
- "Concrete Blonde: The Essential". PopMatters. June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 22, 2022.