Concrete Blonde: Group Therapy

...if the new material never quite achieves Cohesive Statement status, it is a grand, welcome survey of the schizophrenic ingredients that make these three musicians such a compelling animal. Steven Chean, Rolling Stone
(January 14, 2002)

'Group Therapy' was the first release after an 8 year haitus from the three original members of L.A's Concrete Blonde: vocalist/bassist/Johnette Napolitano, who has worked with the (Talking) Heads, the late Marc Moreland of Wall of Voodoo, and former NIN Danny Lohner; guitarist Jim Mankey, an original member of Sparks and drummer Harry Rushakoff. Originally released on the L.A. indie label Manifesto in 2002, the record was recorded at the now-defunct legendary Hollywood recording studio Cherokee in 10 days in the month of August before September 11th. "I had an impending sense of doom" says singer/main writer Napolitano, "it was hell. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I was having nightmares and overwhelming panic attacks and paranoia. It was absolutely necessary to make a record, I was in a physical state of emergency."
The band quickly reunited and locked themselves in a rehearsal studio in Venice, California for 2 months over the summer to write and rehearse 'Group Therapy' before heading in to the studio. "After 911" says Napolitano; "it became very hard to listen to the lyrics in some of these songs, like "Violent" or "Angel". All of a sudden it hit me, that's what I'd been feeling".


1 Roxy
2 Violent
3 When I Was A Fool
4 True (Part III)
5 Tonight
6 Valentine
7 You're LLorona
8 Take Me Home
9 Inside Outside
10 Fried
11 Angel
12 Memory