True (Concrete Blonde song)

"True" is a song from American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde, which was released in 1987 as the second single from their debut studio album Concrete Blonde (1986). The song was written by Johnette Napolitano and James Mankey, and produced by Earle Mankey and Concrete Blonde. The song reached number 42 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.[1]

"True"
Single by Concrete Blonde
from the album Concrete Blonde
Released1987
Length2:59
LabelI.R.S.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Concrete Blonde singles chronology
"Still in Hollywood"
(1986)		 "True"
(1987)		 "Dance Along the Edge"
(1987)

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Jane Simpson and produced by Tina Silvey for Silvey-Lee Productions. It achieved medium rotation on MTV.[2]

Critical reception

On its release, Cash Box wrote, "Somewhere between Suzanne Vega and Chrissie Hynde, Concrete Blonde's Napolitano has delivered one of the most compelling, searing performances of 1987 here. Like the name suggests, there is something tender, something tough to this group."[3] Billboard described "True" as a "tasty neo-Velvets tidbit, with Napolitano landing somewhere between Nico and Chrissie Hynde."[4]

In the UK, Len Brown of New Musical Express described "True" as being "as vulnerable as Velvet" and noted the contrast to its "as tough as a Tonka truck" B-side "Still in Hollywood". Brown added that the band were "blessed with the low (Mc)Kee vocals" of Napolitano.[5] Paul Massey of the Aberdeen Evening Express described Concrete Blonde as a "promising Los Angeles trio" with "True" being a "cool, mid-tempo rock ballad distinctive for Napolitano's fragile, edgy vocals".[6]

Formats
7-inch single (US and UK)[7][8]
No.TitleNotesLength
1."True" 2:59
2."True II"Instrumental2:22
7-inch single (Europe)[9]
No.TitleLength
1."True"2:59
2."Still in Hollywood"3:40
7-inch single (Australia)[10]
No.TitleLength
1."True"2:59
2."Cold Part of Town"3:10
7-inch promotional single (US)[11]
No.TitleLength
1."True"2:59
2."True"2:59
12-inch single (UK)[12]
No.TitleNotesLength
1."True" 2:59
2."It'll Chew You Up, and Spit You Out" 4:32
3."True II"Instrumental2:22
12-inch promotional single (US)[13]
No.TitleLength
1."True"2:59
2."Still in Hollywood"3:40

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Australian and European 7-inch and UK 12-inch sleeve notes.[10][9][12]

Concrete Blonde

Production

Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 91
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 42

References
  1. "Concrete Blonde - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  2. "Video Music: New Videoclips" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 12. March 21, 1987. p. 45. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  3. "Single Releases: Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 50, no. 37. March 14, 1987. p. 9. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  4. "Video Music: New Videoclips" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 11. March 14, 1987. p. 73. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. Brown, Len (March 14, 1987). "45". New Musical Express. p. 15.
  6. Massey, Paul (June 10, 1987). "Citysound - Singles". Evening Express. p. 4.
  7. True (US 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. IRS 53053.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. True (European 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. IRM 136.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. True (European 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. ILS 650492 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. True (Australian 7-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. 650308 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. True (US 7-inch promotional single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. IRS-53053.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. True (UK 12-inch single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. IRMT 136.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. True (US 12-inch promotional single sleeve notes). Concrete Blonde. I.R.S. Records. 1987. L33-17268.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. "Concrete Blonde Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
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