I'll be brief - when people set around and ask where music is heading, and what will ever happen to rock, and who will carry the torch for the next wave I point to 3 artists: Johnette Napolitano, Regina Spektor and Joan (As Policewoman) Wasser. Odd that they are all women - but I guess that's just the way the cookie (or the rock stars) crumbled!

Scarred is nothing less than a beautiful soul baring piece of work. It was better than I can describe in words except to say - it was necessary. One of those artistic pieces/moments that you know, even if you had never heard it, that the world would be different without its having been brought to life.

Buy it, you'll like it. I'll even venture to say there will be moments when you will need it.

This CD does no justice for the career of Johnette Napolitano. The album lacks her real song writing ability and lead vocals that we have come to love by her previous albums with Concrete Blonde.

I coulnd't think of a title for this review, so I settled on that one.

It did take me a year or so to really gather my thoughts on this CD, at first listen I had a few favs and the rest sorta felt so-so, and the more I listened to it the better I felt about it. Last week and into this week with the newest Hurricane heading into the New Orleans area, I decided to give this one a listen (for the first time all summer no less).

Really glad I did, from the soaring "Amazing" I was reminded how good this record sounded from the get-go. Along with perhaps "Just Like Time" really give you a reminder of Concrete Blonde, and on a song like "Everything for Everyone" you get the 90's retro feel along with some narrative from Johnette that also pops up in small doses on "Poem For The Native" and "I'm Up Here". I especially like the beginning parts of "Poem For The Native", it seems like some kind of stream of conciousness, somewhat sarcastic sequence of a partial dream.

I like the gentleness yet destructive power of a song like "Like A Wave", and am intrigued by the Nine Inch Nails vibe on a song like "Crazy Tonight", a quiet disjointed song that you would swear was written by Trent Reznor...at least to me anyway.

Overall to me it's not just a good song followed by a cover song, then a bunch of dull filler; it could have used some more pep in places, but it's a very honest record with good feel, also perhaps what it lacks in drive it makes up for in it's mood and sincerity I think.

Maybe it helps to be from New Orleans to enjoy this record, not really sure; but from afar and me being a Concrete Blonde fan to begin with I knew partially what to expect and how lifeless some solo records can be by a former lead singer of a popular band, this one is more on the good side of all that, not a direct departure from a past sound, hints of the artist, but perhaps not all at once like so many other throw at us.

I spent most of the 90's blasting Concrete Blonde in my tiny apartment - Johnette led the band with her passionate voice and it was sad when I Concrete Blonde ceased to exist (the first time). Then after releasing a few internet only albums the lead singer of Concrete Blonde finally made a full solo release with Scarred.

Now I was more than excited to get this album and have been badgering everyone for weeks until its release, so I was a tad sad to actually get it and not fall immediately in love with it. At least four of Concrete Blonde's numerous albums make up my favorite albums of all time so I was expecting to immediately wet myself when I put Scarred into the player.

The opening track is by far my favorite - "Amazing" has all the appeal of any Concrete Blonde song before it, with a slowly starting intro before Johnette pulls out her stops and out comes that voice harrowing, magical, spine tingling, and it doesn't stop there. For all the songs feature Johnette in any number of her amazing vocal acrobats. She has the Jim Morrisson poetry mode going on in "Poem For The Native" and a number of great vocal and synth effects in "My Dianne", and did I mention that voice??

After giving the album a few more spins it is working its way into my psyche, perhaps the pain and anguish established through out the album was a little off putting for me at first, I don't know why since most of my music is in fact a little on the pissy side, but as the dust begins to settle in my excitement, I'm realizing the album is very good, and with each new spin I find another interesting piece of the puzzle that is Johnette.

As always, Johnette Napolitano is wonderful. This solo album has a different sound and feel than her work as the lead for Concrete Blonde (although I adore Concrete Blonde)and fully demonstrates her amazing versatility and creativity. The first song, "Amazing," has an awe-inspiring sound that is difficult to describe-it gives me chills to listen to it. The second song, "The Scientist," was done for the movie "The Wicker Man," and may be recognized by any Coldplay fans, as they did the song as well for one of their albums. Johnette's version is beautiful and haunting. Other songs on the album, such as "Scarred" and "Save Me," demonstrate the mind-blowing, Joplin-esque vocal power she possesses. All in all, this album gets an A+ and a gold star from me. I love it and I love Johnette!!! She never ceases to amaze me and take my breath away with her wonderful talent. For any fan of Concrete Blonde or of Johnette Napolitano in general, this cd is a must have.