Blondie- The Curse of Blondie

The Curse of Blondie, the follow-up to 1999's No Exit finds Debbie Harry and company in top form, arguably sounding more immediate and relevant than they have in 25 years while serving up an eclectic smorgasbord of catchy pop and edgy post-punk. From the first track to the last, the band proves that they've still got it and are still willing to take chances, blending a variety of musical styles and influences for an album that is far more than your average pop/alt rock rehash.

The album opener, "Shake Down", finds Harry rapping her way through blatantly sexual lyrics, while the danceable electronic-based single "Good Boys" boasts some of the catchiest hooks the band has ever unleashed. The upbeat, whimsical, melodic alternapop of "Undone" is unfortunately a bit less memorable. Luckily, it's followed up with the excellent moody post-punk rocker "Golden Rod" and the nice melancholy retro 80s pop number "Rules for Living". "Background Melody (The Only One)" finds the band churning out another whimsical slice of pop that's decent but ultimately a throwaway song. "Magic (Asadoya Unta)" takes a unique and interesting turn with something of an electronic-driven eastern folk song vibe, while "End to End" is nice slice of rhythmic retro Blondie rock. "Hello Joe" is a somewhat strange but captivating little rock track with perhaps a bit of a Carribean influence, followed by the equally strong catchy dance pop of "The Tingler". "Last One on the Planet" nicely takes things in a heavier, somewhat more aggressive alt rock direction with plenty of melodic hooks embedded within before the album moves on to "Diamond Bridge", another fairly strong foray into danceable retro alt rock. "Desire Brings Me Back" is an interesting plodding rock number accented by somewhat random woodwinds and punctuated by spoken word moments, while the beautiful retro-lounge-ballad-gone-electronic "Songs of Love" nicely brings up the rear.

With an interesting stylistic range, strong production, great performances, and a fairly solid set of songs, The Curse of Blondie is arguably one of the strongest albums the band has released. While not perfect, it's certainly exceptional and far more adventurous than what's being released by most other bands that have been around as long as they have. Whether you're a hardcore Blondie fan or have only heard a single or two, The Curse of Blondie is an excellent album that's worth checking out.