Blondie – The Curse of Blondie (Silverline)

by | Jun 2, 2005 | CD+DVD | 0 comments

The Curse of Blondie; Silverline 284599-2 Dualdisc *** (for 80s
fans) **1/2 (everyone else) Zero Stars for yet another format to
confuse consumers

I was a big fan of Blondie back in the old days, but let’s face it,
she’s getting old.  “Rapture” might have been great in its time,
but track one is a mix of rapping with strange dance music and just
doesn’t work well.  I have to say that her voice just ain’t what
it used to be either—it shakes, falters, and sounds like it could use a
little touch up.  I can’t believe she intended it to sound that
way, but it sounds more like an interview track than a song in that her
vocal presentation is so limited.  It’s as if track two was culled
from a completely different time!  It’s about as good as any of
the stuff she made in the old days plus it has a more updated
sound.  Unlike Kyle Minogue who hit it big with “Fever,” this
track is every bit as good and much more genuine (having come from a
true veteran of the genre).  This is the video on the disc as
well.  The song tells the age-old tale of how a “good boy” never
wins.  The video depicts this in a pseudo-silent film about a
clown who falls in love with beautiful woman, but discovers she is
receiving advances from another.

Unfortunately, most of the other material is not up to the same
caliber, but the record is a great 80s retro ride.  “End to End”
is a decent song, but then I hear “Desire Brings Me Back” and just
don’t get it.  I’ll keep the disc for nostalgic purposes, but it’s
hard to recommend a record based on the strength of one great
song.  This disc makes some use of the surrounds primarily to
enlarge the acoustic space although effects and vocals occasionally
came from behind.  Quality is similar to the sound of better CDs
if not slightly better.  My hesitation comes from a slight
thinness to the sound that holds it back from sounding fantastic
(quality-wise).  The DVDA side offers an on-screen lyric option
and lets you select DD 5.1 or the PCM 2.0 track if you don’t have DVDA
capability.  Songs included are:  Shakedown; Good Boys;
Undone; Golden Rod; Rules For Living; Background Melody (The Only One);
Magic (AsadoyaYunta); End To End; Hello Joe; The Tingler; Last One In
The World; Diamond Bridge; Desire Brings Me Back; Songs Of Love.

-Brian Bloom
 

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