If you're looking for rock music that refuses to indulge in cliches, soften its edges or resort to aimless jamming, this album is for you. I heartily agree with a previous reviewer, who expressed his incredulity that Concrete Blonde never attained greater recognition or popularity. And of the half dozen or so superior albums that the group released, "Mexican Moon" is, in my opinion, the best.
Any discussion of the band has to begin with J. Napolitano's incredible voice, and she establishes its power from the first track, "Jenny I Read," a vocal and instrumental performance delivered with astonishing dramatic intensity.
Napolitano's vocals serve as a perfect complement to the searing instrumental delivery of the band on "Heal It Up," "One of My Kind," and, most memorably, "I Call It Love," which should be listened to closely today.
This album -- and this group -- isn't afraid to expose raw feeling, anger and cynicism, but it also can show a softer side, as on the title cut. The lyricism of the latter shows it's possible to recognize the beauty in life without sacrificing the edge that all of us develop from life in the rough-and-tumble world.