Still in Hollywood

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A fabulous, flame-throwing alternate version of "Still In Hollywood" titled "It'll Chew You Up and Spit You Out" leads off this superb collection of rare, live, and previously unreleased material. Other highlights include covers of Leonard Cohen ("Everybody Knows") and Nick Cave ("The Ship Song," sung as a duet by Johnette Napolitano and Steve Wynn); an acoustic "Joey," the now-defunct trio's biggest hit; and a spooky remix of "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)." Jeff Bateman --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Still in Hollywood
Average customer rating:

I love CB but this album was just okay to me

My Favorite Album

The best band from L.A. since the Doors

Fills in the blanks...

Excellent b-sides, etc.

Still in Hollywood
Concrete Blonde
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mexican Moon

Concrete Blonde

Bloodletting

Free

Walking in London

ASIN: B000000QH6
Release Date: 1994-11-01

Tracks:

It'll Chew You Up & Spit You Out
Everybody Knows
Free
God Is A Bullet (Live)
Probably Will
Mandocello
The Ship Song
Joey (Acoustic)
Little Wing
Roses Grow (Live)
THe Sky Is A Poisonous Garden (Live)
Bloodletting (The VampireSong)-Extended Version
Simpple Twist OF Fate
Side Of The Road
100 Games Of Solitaire
Tomorrow, Wendy (LIve)

Amazon.com

A fabulous, flame-throwing alternate version of "Still In Hollywood" titled "It'll Chew You Up and Spit You Out" leads off this superb collection of rare, live, and previously unreleased material. Other highlights include covers of Leonard Cohen ("Everybody Knows") and Nick Cave ("The Ship Song," sung as a duet by Johnette Napolitano and Steve Wynn); an acoustic "Joey," the now-defunct trio's biggest hit; and a spooky remix of "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)." Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

I love CB but this album was just okay to me.......2007-01-13

I picked this album up for the Vampire-Live tune. And for all the other positive reviews. I was very disappointed. I have several of CB CDs and think they're great. But this CD just didn't do it for me.

My Favorite Album.......2006-10-24

This is my favorite album of all time. It is the album I would want to be able to play if I were stranded on a deserted island. More people have asked me what they are listening to when they hear me playing this album than any other. And they write it down when I tell them.

I usually skip one track, though - "The Sky is a Poisonous Garden." I find it too noisy and chaotic. But to have an album on which just one song is not that great is a pretty rare find.

The best band from L.A. since the Doors.......2005-08-09

Usually when a band (or more often a record label) puts out a "rarities" collection you can usually take it for granted that the horse is dead and being flogged a-plenty for the sake of exploiting an artist's popularity under the guise of promoting some of their lesser-known, more obscure work (while of course making as much extra cash as possible on their name in the bargain).

Thankfully this could not be further from the case with Concrete Blonde's "Still In Hollywood", a collection of B-sides, rarities, cover tunes, and live tracks that rivals any "best of" compilation (there are at least two others to date) that have also been released.

"It'll Chew You Up And Spit You Out" (more accurately "Still In Hollywood Pt. II") is a tremendous start-off point, with alternate lyrics that (to me) seem to better define the state of existence in L.A. as seen through the eyes of a musician who's seen the wrong side of it. "Everybody Knows" is so much more beautiful than Leonard Cohen's original version (which should go without saying; Johnette Napolitano's voice is a true thing of beauty, what Patti Smith could've been had she ever decided to, you know, take singing lessons). "Free" is a high-energy punk-influenced two-chord rant with a great chorus hook, and the live version of "God Is A Bullet" is SO much better than the studio original that I only ever listen to the live track anymore. Jim Mankey's pickless style of guitarplaying comes off better live than similar artists (Robby Krieger as an example) and really smokes in this one. "Probably Will" tones it back a bit, resolute and acoustically resetting the tone of the album. "Mandicello" is one my alltime favorite Cheap Trick tunes, and Johnette's voice actually sounds more masculine than Robin Zander on the original. This is another example of a cover version exceeding the original (handily).

"The Ship Song" I don't care for at all...it just doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the tracks (the fact that so much of this compilation CD works as a cohesive effort is testimony to just how good this band really was). And the acoustic version of "Joey" is as intimate as you could possibly expect; Johnette's voice is absolutely naked in its intensity and the lack of greater musical accompaniment encourages her to take the vocal to a level that was lacking on the studio version (which is in itself just a terrific recrding, one of their best songs ever). "Little Wing"...possibly the most-covered Jimi Handrix song of all time, and seemingly impossible to perform badly. The Blonde do a creditable version here, as well...Hendrix fans will be appreciative. "Roses Grow" and "The Sky Is A Poisonous Garden" are live tracks, with "Roses Grow" being the weaker of the two (although as a between-songs-in-a-set rap it works well, I'm sure...Jim had time to grab a beer or restring a guitar with it). THe extended mix of "Bloodletting" is okay...if you really liked the song this won't get old; if it wasn't one of your favorites to begin with the extended version will be insufferable in no time. "Simple Twist Of Fate"...a Bob Dylan cover that just spirals into utter damnation. It's a great song, and they pull it off very well...but it is depressing as hell to listen to. "Side Of The Road" likewise, but "100 Games of Solitaire" kicks in and picks up just in time, a nice, honkin' blues perfect for the road. A live reinterpretation of "Tomorrow, Wendy" finishes the album, and I admit that I prefer the studio version of this one better. They went from "epic" to "stripped-down, bare-bones" in tone and for this song it doesn't work in my opinion.

Here it is, then. It you weren't fortunate enough to hear these guys prior to the "alternative revolution" you could do a lot worse than starting with this compilation to get your feet wet. Just overall a tremendous colletion of work that any other band would consider themselves lucky to have as "A" material; the fact that the Blonde could piece together leavings of this quality makes them truly a band to be reckoned with.

Fills in the blanks..........2004-08-18

An essential to anyone's collection. Several of the more popular reasons would be for the acoustic rendition of Joey (originally aired on an MTV segment), Everybody Knows (from the film Pump Up the Volume) and a remix of Bloodletting that is phenomenal.

A live version of Tomorrow, Wendy and 100 Games of Solitaire are two of my favorites from the album. Some mellow cuts and some rocking ones render this a must have.

It's a chance to recognize their range and how talented this band really was (is?). They are one of the most underrated bands out there.

Excellent b-sides, etc........2003-10-15

Whenever I listen to their albums, especially this one, I can't understand why they weren't as popular as say "The Cure", or "REM". The talent is overflowing, and the music is just beautiful. For the new fan, I would still suggest "Recollection" first, but for any fanatic, this is a must. The live stuff, the covers, and b-sides, all top notch. The "God is a Bullet" b-side "Free" is awesome. The cover of "Mandocello" blows "Cheap Tricks" out of the water. And the live "Tomorrow Wendy" is just a perfect way to end this cd. Overall, this is at least as good as any of their proper albums, and I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Journey to the Stars

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000041CG
Release Date: 1995-06-20

Tracks:

Aniara: Start: Vintergatan
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Outer Space
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Main Theme/March of the Klingons
Forbidden Planet: Once Around Altair
The Bride Of Frankenstein: Creation of the Female Monster/The Tower Explodes
Forbidden Planet: A Shangri-La in the Desert/Garden with Cuddly Tiger
Altered States: Love Theme
Also Sprach Zarathustra: Prelude
Atmospheres
2001: A Space Odyssey: Fanfare
The Witches Of Eastwick: The Devil's Dance
Forbidden Planet: Robby Arranges Flowers, Zaps Monkey
Edward Scissorhands: Main Title/Ice Dance
Things To Come: Main Title/War Montage/Pestilence/Happy March/The Building of the New World...
Forbidden Planet: The Homecoming
Star Wars: Throne Room/Finale
Aniara: Kristal