Bloodletting, Concrete Blonde's third album, gave the band their first mainstream hit, making them one of the most popular alternative rock bands of the early '90s. Featuring guests such as Steve Wynn, Bloodletting was a gothic tapestry of danger, vampires, alcoholism and passion. Hit single "Joey" reached #19 on Billboard's pop singles chart, and the album was certified Gold. Shout! Factory's reissue of this album features a first-time-ever remastering, as well as long out-of-print B-sides.

Born out of the early 1980s Los Angeles post-punk scene along with bands such as X, Wall of Voodoo and the Go-Gos, Concrete Blonde got their start as Dream 6 and signed with IRS Records, where labelmate Michael Stipe of R.E.M. suggested they change their name to Concrete Blonde. Their eponymous debut album came out in 1987, and was followed by Free (1989), which spawned the college radio hit "God Is A Bullet."