BLONDIE cds

Blondie came out in the mid 70's and was a hit overseas before they became a hit in the states. They stayed around till the early 80's, when they fell apart. Deborah Harry the lead singer tries solo to varying success, before the band got back together in the late 90's. I was a big fan of the band and at one time owed all their albums and solo projects. I still have a few cds and bootlegs from the band and for the post part they are still worth listening to.

Blondie (C-) Not much here. Band is raw and the songs seem to need a lot of work for the most part. X-Offender and In The Flesh are the only songs I like. Better off by one of the hits cd the group has, because these two songs are usually on it.

Plastic Letters (A-) is my favorite cd by the band. This is a fun cd. The band rocks, is serious, and during it all there is a sense of freedom and fun. Easier to say what I don't like, Cautious Lip.

Hard to pick a stand out, but if I had to right now it would be, Fan Mail and Youth Nabbed As Sniper.

Parallel Lines (B+) A new direction and a new sound. No longer the new wave sound, but a more pop sound. A great cd with some really good songs, Hanging On The Telephone, One Way Or Another, Sunday Girl, and Heart Of Glass. Plus several other good songs. Don't really care for Fade Away And Radiate and I Know But I Don't Know.

Eat To The Beat (B) While there are no songs that I don't like on this cd, this cd has some songs that don't really stand out and get your attention. Dreaming, The Hardest Part, Atomic, and Slow Motion save this cd from being a just ok cd.

Autoamerican (C+) The band keeps slipping down in song quality, and this cd has songs that I either love or Hate, nothing in between. Live It Up, Tide Is High, Here's Looking At You, Rapture, and Faces. All other songs bite.

The Hunter (D-) War Child is the only song I like. Rest is trash!!

No Exit (B+) 12 years after their last cd, Blondie returns with a near perfect cd. Well ok a very good cd. No Exit covers all the bases, from rock, to rap, to lounge singer. And for the most part it is all done good.

Screaming Skin starts the cd and it sets the mood of what is to come, some good guitar work on this song and through out the cd. The same with the keyboards. Screaming Skin, the radio friendly Maria, Nothing Is Real But The Girl, Boom Boom In The Zoom Zoom Run are just some of the different styles of songs. And they are all done with craft of a band playing together for years, but with energy of band rediscovering themselves.

Dig Up The Conjo and Night Wind are two of the weaker songs on this release.

Also depending on which version of the cd you got there is a 3 song live set recorded about year earlier than led to the reformation of Blondie.

Live [aka Live In New York] (A-) A great live cd. All songs sound fresh and new. Nothing boring on this cd.

The Curse Of Blondie (B) Mixed feelings about this cd. At times I really like a lot of the songs, and think it is better than the B. And at other times I can't listen to a lot of the songs and think it deserves a c or less. But no matter what mood I am in Shakedown, Good Boys, Undone and The Tingler are good songs all the time.

As far best of cds go...

The Best Of Blondie (A-) All the top 40 hits are including a horrible remix of Heart Of Glass.

Blonde And Beyond (A-) a good section of odds and ends mixed with hits. Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire makes this worth buying.

The Platinum Collection (A+) a 2cd set that is the best Blondie hit cd out. All the radio hits, concert favorites, demos, unreleased, and remixes (done right) are here.

SOLO

Deborah Harry's Rock Bird (A-) Very good solo effort, has the hit French Kissin In The USA, plus I Want You, the quirky You Got Me In Trouble, and the big bubble gum pop Free To Fall, and In Love With Love

Deborah Harry's Debravation (C-) A Madonna want to be cd. I Can See Clearly, Rain, and Communion keep this being a total wash out.

Bootleg Blondie concerts

No Sharp Objects (B) Descent sound and set list (1977) date not known,early in career.

Looks Good In Blue (B+) Good sound and set list. Recorded in 78.

The Paradise Ballroom (B) Recorded in Boston on 12-4-78. Good set list and FM broadcast

All The Children Are Drunk (A-) Maybe it was Blondie who was drunk. Good show. From 12-1-79.

Live in Glasgow (A) Good show on New Year's eve

Live in Europe (B) Another good show, some minor sound issues.

And I just got this one in 2009

Raptured in NYC (A) The best Blondie boot out there. Great sound and alot of fun to listen to.