Waves of Blonde: Review of Blondie (1976)

Blondie is a self-titled debut that shows off Debbie Harry’s lovely voice and the band’s punk roots. But its more than a catchy post-punk record, it’s a retro throwback to 60s doo-wop and rock music. The intro “X Offender” sets the mood in the best way. The song is quick, snappy, and sounds like it was pulled out of 1965. And that’s what all the songs achieve in a successful way. I felt like songs like “Little Girl Lies” could have been a Shangri-Las song. Even the slow “In the Flesh” reminded me of Motown records with Harry’s soulful vocals and backing echoes. While some of the songs are clearly a rehash of older rock/pop music, songs like “Look Good In Blue” are oozed in synths and fun guitar solos. This is when Blondie truly shines as they show their influences while introducing the listener to the emerging new wave/punk sound of the late 70s that would eventually take over as MTV music. The band has energy and is clearly eager to show off the goods for listeners. But the band is yet to mature, seeming shy to show off their true originality as they hid in the shadows of music from The Beach Boys or The Ronettes. Blondie’s debut is fun and bright, a cool blend of retro pop and post-punk. However, this debut becomes repetitive as I begged for the next song to pivot into something…new.

Rating: 3.3 out of 5