Blondie
Plastic Letters - Chrysalis 1978
Tracks: 1. Fan Mail / 2. Denis / 3. Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45) / 4. Youth Nabbed As Sniper / 5. Contact In Red Square / 6. (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear / 7. I'm On E / 8. I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No / 9. Love At The Pier / 10. No Imagination / 11. Kidnapper / 12. Detroit 442 / 13. Cautious Lip / 14. Once I Had A Love (The Disco Song 1975) / 15. Scenery / 16. Poets Problem / 17. Detroit 442 (live)
Comments:
Blondie broke through in the late middle seventies alongside the punk/new wave movement. Though their early records bear quite a few elements of punk, I'd think a more correct definition would be power-pop.
This, their second, album opens with a typical example of this style, the fine "Fan Mail", written by keyboard-player Jimmy Destri. Most band-members contribute songs to the album, though guitarist often seem to be regarded their main songwriter.
Two songs from the album were top ten hits in Britain, their big American breakthrough first came with their third album "Parallel Lines" "Denis" is an extremely catchy Buddy Holly type song, arranged like Phil Spector might have chosen to do it. "Denis" is the only song not written by a band member. "Presence Dear" is a strong rocker, written by bassist Gary Valentine.
Other tracks that stand out are the melodic pop-ballad "Bermuda Triangle Blues", the power pop tune "I Didn't have the Nerve" and the more experimental "No Imagination".
A few tracks may be a little forgettable, but I feel that the album as a whole has aged quite well, and it's still charming uplifting listening.
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