Mojave
After venting some severely pent-up spleen on their2002 reunion album, L.A.'s Concrete Blonde wander into the parched desert outback that surrounds their hometown for inspiration. But the fiercely independent spirit that's been the trio's evocative creative muse (yielding unlikely hits like "God is a Bullet" and "Joey)" leads them down some challenging gulches here. Kicking off with bows to electro-charged modern rock ("The A Road" and "Because I Can") whose arroyo-of-noise often blunts the band's twin trademarks--the ever-underrated vocal dramatics of Johnnete Napolitano and guitarist Jim Mankey's lean, haunting fretwork--they regain their footing somewhat on a slow, dreamy take on the Western chestnut "Ghost Riders in the Sky," then careen headlong into preachy eco-consciousness ("Coyote") and the title track's meandering, spoken-word indulgences. The wry wit and restless, dark energy that fuels the album's closing third is a welcome return to focused form, even if it underscores its unintended desert metaphor and moral: The vast Mojave has inspired much aimless wandering, yet few dare call it home.--Jerry McCulley