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BLONDIE Greatest Hits (EMI) |
 THOUGH it's been more than 25 years since ex-Playboy Bunny Deborah Harry and her fashionably coiffed colleagues became an integral part of the punk/new wave movement that swept America, their sound still resonates today, with the likes of Garbage, the Cardigans and Madonna citing Debbie and company as an important influence. There's no room for nostalgia, however, as old favourites like Heart of Glass and Call Me hold sway. The post-reggae stylings of The Tide is High are present, as is with One Way or Another, used to such chilling effect in the film Donnie Brasco. Rip Her to Shreds is still vicious, while Atomic is fun despite showing its age a little. Of note is Blondie's lovely cover of Denis, a sweet bilingual number that heralded its conquering of the British charts. The sole complaint about this compilation is that the tracks are not chronologically arranged, making it hard to follow the band's evolution over the years. Still, the selection here is both representative and entertaining, and though Blondie is probably best known to latter-day fans for the infectious, evanescent Maria from its 1999 comeback, this compilation provides a welcome snapshot of a band that has never failed to entertain. |
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