Bloodletting is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Concrete Blonde. Released on May 15, 1990, the album marks a shift for the band toward gothic rock. It features guest appearances by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Wall of Voodoo's Andy Prieboy.
Bloodletting | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 15, 1990 | |||
Recorded | August 1989 – February 1990 at Battery Studios, London[1] Additional Recording at Cherokee Studios, Hollywood and Can-Am Recording, Tarzana[2] and John Keane Studio, Athens, GA[3] | |||
Genre | ||||
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Producer | Concrete Blonde, Chris Tsangarides | |||
Concrete Blonde chronology | ||||
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Singles from Bloodletting | ||||
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Bloodletting peaked at number 8 on the Australian ARIA Charts and was certified gold in 1990.[4] It earned a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the following year.
Concrete Blonde lead vocalist Johnette Napolitano said of the album:
It was pretty miserable. It's not a happy little disc. We had a string of bad luck and [Bloodletting] was the tail end of it. A particularly bad relationship. It had never happened to me until I was 29 years old. I had a hard time getting over it. So, it's not a happy record, but I could do two things: I could make a self-indulgent record, which is what this is, or I could lock up all these songs in a closet and do something that wasn't sincere. This will never happen again, this record.[5]
Bloodletting was released in May 15, 1990.
"Joey" was the band's biggest hit, reaching number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and the top 20 of the pop charts.[6] The song reached #2 in Australia while also spending 6 weeks at #3.[7]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Chicago Tribune | [9] |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[10] |
Los Angeles Times | [11] |
Record Collector | [12] |
Elizabeth Wurtzel, in her review of the album for New York magazine, called the album "not nearly as likable or far-ranging" as the band's preceding album, Free, "though it's deeper and more focused."[13]
On July 13, 2010, Shout! Factory released the 20th anniversary edition of Bloodletting,[14] featuring six bonus tracks: "I Want You", "Little Wing", the French extended version of "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" and live versions of "Roses Grow", "The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden" and "Tomorrow, Wendy".[15]
All tracks are written by Johnette Napolitano, except as noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" | 6:04 | |
2. | "The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden" | Napolitano, Bruce Moreland | 2:36 |
3. | "Caroline" | 5:30 | |
4. | "Darkening of the Light" | 3:24 | |
5. | "I Don't Need a Hero" | 4:25 | |
6. | "Days and Days" | 3:12 | |
7. | "The Beast" | 3:52 | |
8. | "Lullabye" | 3:56 | |
9. | "Joey" | 4:07 | |
10. | "Tomorrow, Wendy" | Andy Prieboy | 5:05 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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11. | "I Want You" (B-side of "Joey"[16]) | 3:28 | |
12. | "Little Wing" (from "Caroline" maxi-single[17]) | Jimi Hendrix | 4:15 |
13. | "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" (French version from European maxi-single[18]) | 7:06 | |
14. | "Roses Grow" (Live at the Malibu Nightclub on Long Island for WDRE) (from "Caroline" maxi-single[19]) | 3:05 | |
15. | "The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden" (Live at the Malibu Nightclub on Long Island for WDRE) (from "Caroline" maxi-single[20]) | Napolitano, Bruce Moreland | 4:15 |
16. | "Tomorrow, Wendy" (Live at the Malibu Nightclub on Long Island for WDRE) (from "Caroline" maxi-single[21]) | Andy Prieboy | 4:26 |
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Peter and John recorded at John Keane Studio, Athens GA
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Chart (1990) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (ARIA)[25] | 8 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[26] | 4 |
US Billboard 200[27] | 49 |
US Cash Box Top 200 Albums[28] | 44 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[29] | Gold | 35,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[30] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |