"Concrete Blonde" is the debut studio album by the alternative rock band Concrete Blonde. Released in 1986, the album was primarily produced by Earle Mankey, which marked the beginning of a multi-album production collaboration between the band and Mankey. The band Concrete Blonde got its name from label I.R.S. Records, which Dane described as a combination of "the hangover of the punk scene" and a portrayal of the contrast between the hard, rough images with the sensitive lyrics presented in the songs.
"Concrete Blonde" features a mix of rock, punk, and new wave influences, resonating the band's origins from the Los Angeles post-punk scene. Although the album did not chart on Billboard at the time of its release, songs like "Still In Hollywood," "Your Haunted Head" and "Dance Along The Edge" helped establish the band's reputation and are still fan favorites.
The album showcased the rich, distinctive vocals of Johnette Napolitano and received critical acclaim for her poignant songwriting. The band's early sound on this album has been compared to mid-era Roxy Music by some critics. "Concrete Blonde" proved to be a strong introduction to the band's distinctive blend of punk, pop, and rock and served as a stepping stone to the band's later commercial success.
In the years following the release of "Concrete Blonde," the band gained considerable recognition, particularly for their 1990 single "Joey" from the album "Bloodletting," which reached number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. Despite their breakup in 1995, the impact of "Concrete Blonde" remains significant in the realm of alternative rock.
