Reviews (page 2 of 15)
What an album. Great start and just interesting song after interesting song. Glad to be introduced to this.
Great post punk album. Heart of Glass alone is worth 4 stars. Fun album.
This is surprisingly good! I like the clean distortion of the guitars and the drums are really tight. This is really well produced. Unlike many 70s & 80s New Wave, this has aged well (in my opinion). Liked Songs Added: Hanging On The Telephone One Way Or Another Heart Of Glass
really fun listen. debbie harry has an amazing way of serving the song, considering the fairly versatile set of songs as well as some of the more (pleasantly) bizarre left turns that pop up in the tracklist. more generally well produced and performed by the band as well. favourite songs: i know but i don't know, heart of glass, hanging on the telephone least favourite song: sunday girl
It was ok, some great songs but the full package doesn't do much.
Good 7 rockabilly crosses with 70s/80s type shi
Me ha gustado mucho. Un disco realmente adelantado a su tiempo, cuando lo escuchaba en los 80 me parecían unos viejos, pero oyéndolos ahora sé que su problema fue ser demasiado modernos y demasiado pronto. Me guardo: Hanging on the telephone, One way or another, Sunday girl y Heart of glass.
Diese Band ist eine verdammte Hit-Maschine. Man denkt es zunächst nicht, wenn man einige Songs hier zum ersten Mal hört, weil sie sich noch nicht in die Gehörgänge eingebrannt haben, aber 90 % dieses Albums hätte ebenso als Single ausgekoppelt werden können. Dabei bewahrt die Band aber großteils immer noch eine gewisse edgy Komponente aus ihren alten Punk-Tagen, was den Songs definitiv zugute kommt und sie von klassischem 80s-Pop abhebt, an den sie sich teilweise gefährlich nah anlehnen. Hat mich wirklich sehr überrascht, wie enorm gut diese Platte ist.
Überraschend viel bekanntes dabei gewesen, bin echt positiv überrascht worden.
Müsste ich für ne ordentliche Bewertung eigentlich nochmal hören. So weit geht meine Motivation nach dem ersten Mal aber dann doch nicht aufgrund meines Eindrucks. Scheint irgendwie ganz ok zu sein.
Kannte Blondie bislang immer nur von Singstar und den 3-4 Hits die man so kennt, ohne dass ich die früher wirklich mit Blonide in Verbindung gebracht hätte. Aber Wow was für eine tolle Band. Das macht so enorm viel Spaß zu hören, die Songs sind auch außerhalb der Hits catchy as fuck und die Hits sowieso über jeden Zweifel erhaben. Was würde ich dafür geben die auf Tour zu sehen, hoffentlich kommt da nochmal was.
It’s solid pop music. Heart of Glass is the best track.
Good
Este me gusto mucho, cada cancion me encanto a pesar de no ser algo que escuho seguido. vere que mas hay de este grupo
Hadn't listened to much Blondie but I liked this a lot. Cool pop punk tunes, great vocals and interesting backing instrumentation.
Some classics
7.8/10
one way, or another, i'm gonna getchu... so many of these songs got stuck in my head for DAYS!!!
I love this
groove heart of glass is a classic fade away and radiate.. i like when guitars i also like when women
Listening to this album for the first time in at least 30 years was a wonderful experience. Blondie's vocals are excellent and her band is very talented - something many people might not realize. This is a must-listen album for any rock fan.
The New York punk scene, at least as far as those groups that tended to play CBGB or Max’s, made for some odd bedfellows: Talking Heads, Ramones, Television, and these guys, among others. Of course, whatever these guys were at the beginning, they weren’t very punk at all by this, their third album. “One Way or Another” is a pretty conventional rocker, “Heart of Glass” is disco-Blondie, and the rest toodles along in a new wave/power pop mode. Not bad, but not quite great. And the Buddy Holly cover doesn’t work. Probably a 3–3.5 for the listening experience itself, will round up to 4 for their influence. Great album cover.
walking the line between a 3 and 4 but its so fun I tip to 4
Classic album with some very memorable songs
underrated asf LOVED this album Also 1d totally butchered one way or another omg
It's cool. She's cool. Just didn't really do much for me.
Really original sound - felt ahead of its time. If you’d told me this was a NYC rock revival band in the 2010s I woulda been impressed. That little organ melody in heart of glass bridge where it skips a beat always gets me excited. Need to give this more time but I’m impressed.
Wow, an easy 5 for me and went far beyond my expectations 🫨 Id put Heart Of Glass into my top 20 songs of all time. Its a tune that I never tire of. I suggest listening to the episode about it from the Strong Songs pod. I also HIGHLY recommend the original demo they released called Once I Had A Love aka the disco song. It’s fascinating. The take is so raw and cool. The hard disco vibe they pushed later on was definitely a choice from Mike Chapman (a good one, but maybe a parallel universe exists where its more alternative rock than disco). The rest of the album is really interesting and definitely seems like transitional moment for punk/pop/alternative rock (this came out in 1978 🧐). I loved I Know But I Dont Know and Sunday Girl. No skips THEN THERE IS THE BACKSTORY. The Mike Chapman basically finds himself with a band that has a set of ridiculously cliche issues - big assumptions from his end. Some cant play in time, others are addicts, the frontWOMAN is overly sensitive to feedback. Its… its a story 😆 From my perspective, Mike is responsible for taking the sum of the mediocre parts here and leaning into his hit generating skill and making magic. Huge props
The only reason I don’t give this album a 1 star is because of its two biggest hits. For the rest, it’s blend, generic and boring. 2/5. If it wasn’t for One Way or Another or Heart of Glass, this album is definitely a 1 star. Hanging on the Telephone : 4 One Way Or Another : 5 Picture This : 3 Fade Away And Radiate : 2 Pretty Baby : 2 I Know But I Don’t Know : 1 11 : 59 : 1 Will Anything Happen : 2 Sunday Girl : 2 Heart of Glass : 5 I’m Gonna Love You Too : 1 Just Got Away : 1
Blondie's best! I still prefer them as a singles band, though.
Other than Heart of Glass, no other re-listenable song. 4/10
Oh, Blondie's fun. This was a great album. I hear a lot of different influences in this album. Solid.
I love Debbie Harry. It's great to finally hear her and the boys in the context of a full record instead of exclusively overplayed (they're great, but let's be honest here) radio hits. It's here that I hear the CBGB foundation too; I hear contemporaries and their influence bleeding in, and I can't deny that I hear a bit of Verlaine in some of the more punkish guitar lines here. Also, is it just me or is the opening 3-track run of this album sorta deceptively creepy? Obviously "One Way Or Another" but the other two songs, too, my God.
Great album!
Fun fun fun
Much better than I expected. A solid post-punk album that manages to retain both the coldness of new wave and the energy of punk. I certainly had a good time with it. It’s a little too much on the pop side for my taste, though. “Heart of Glass” is a classic for a reason, and it still holds up very well today, but it’s probably the most pop-oriented song on the album. More generally, there’s a clear pop-rock sensibility throughout the record that makes it feel less transgressive than it could have been, leaving me slightly disappointed. Debbie Harry has a fantastic voice that makes up for some of the album’s weaker moments, but I wish she had lashed out a bit more (she clearly has the range to do so). A strong 3*, almost a 4*. I might give it another spin one of these days. 6/10
Actually aged well. I remembered them more disco-punk.
A Playboy bunny diving into punk was always going to result in some questionable covers and an image that feels a bit too polished for the genre. But Blondie’s influence is massive. Just put on No Doubt or pretty much any band from the US riot grrrl scene and you can hear the impact of Blondie (and Patti Smith) all over it. And honestly, this is a good album. It still carries plenty of those punk roots, with enough energy and attitude to keep me hooked. The production is a little too smooth for my taste, but I really dig it.
Some bangers
I’m probably being a bit generous here, but I did really enjoy it.
Like it 3/5
Heard before?:❌️/✔️(not entirely) Will listen again?:✔️ 3.5
love it
Listened to and own.
Great female lead. Good rhythm and great pick me up
Some good songs, interesting to listen to the less known songs.
3.5. Some great tracks and some filler. Unmistakable sound which earns that half star. If nobody saw Debbie this band would not have been as big as they were.
le plus excellent
This is what this list is for. Excellent albums I wouldn't otherwise have listened through
New Wave and Power Pop go hand-in-hand and they can also be wildly hit-and-miss, but this is absolutely one of the greatest albums to come from the genre! There are massively popular tracks - and some lesser known ones! However, even the tracks that I’d never heard before were absolutely brilliant. ‘11:59’ and the closing track in particular stood out to me as the highlights as well as ‘One Way Or Another’!
One of the best late seventies albums! Full of great songs, lyrics are excellent and Debbie Harry is on top vocal form throughout. Love it!
My wife has this album, contains some great hits.
Love
Highlights: Hanging on the Telephone, One Way or Another, 11:59, Heart of Glass. 3.4
Классный веселый и задорный альбом, наполовину панковский, наполовину попсовый, но тем не менее бодрый, смело звучащий и рокерский. Это кайфы.
Not for me.
not my type
2 or so good songs. Meh.
Pretty great pop rock here. Some of their best known songs are on this album and they're bangers - "Hanging on the Telephone", "Heart of Glass", "One Way or Another". Rest of the album is solid too.
A few bangers and the test was fine.
4.5
8.0/10 Really solid album... liked it quite a lot!
big fan
One of my favourite albums ever. Easy 5 stars
It started well with the first three or four tracks and faded a little, but overall fun, bouncy pop with some catchy tunes. Will never seek it out but enjoyable enough
Bien
Yeah I can’t pretend like this isn’t an exceedingly fun album There’s so many hits on this one and they are objectively catchy and well written. One Way or Another is everywhere, Heart of Glass is everywhere, that’s a really good top 2. Im no Blondie expert but I’m positive I’ve heard at least a couple more of these songs as well. I think Debbie Harry’s voice is great and it’s a nice break from the male dominated rock scene in the late 70s. I do think outside the hits it’s a little weak, less that they’re actually bad songs but more that they just aren’t catchy and that’s kinda the whole point of Blondie. The emotional and meaningful depth of this band really isn’t too deep so when a song doesn’t hit, it’s just kinda there Very satisfied with this one though, this’ll probably be one where I listen to the hits over and over again and listen to the full album when I really feel like it. Pretty strong 8/10 album imo
Can a One Way Or Another girl ever fall in love with a Heart of Glass boy? I kind of expected more! One way is so so much better than I remember, and Heart of Glass was way weaker. But other than those two, the rest of the tracks were alright. Not bad, but not standouts. I can imagine the person who would be crazy over this album, maybe even me in a past life, but yeah.
Blondie's third studio album and first with commercial breakthrough power. A departure, apparently, from their previous two albums. This is mostly attributable to a new producer named Mike Chapman. Mostly punk and new wave with a surprise or two on there. Gonna confess a weakness for Heart Of Glass. It has a disco backbeat that stands out from the other songs, Debbie Harry's lyrics fit perfectly for the theme of the song, and the rhythm is solid. Also really liked the cover of Buddy Holly's I'm Gonna Love You Too. The punk backbeat really feels seamless. And Sunday Girl was good. Wondered if they ever had a track named Saturday Girl that would have stood in contrast to it... One Way Or Another (sorry, Rock Band fans) is not that great, if I'm being honest. If Every Breath You Take by The Police is the number 1 stalker song of all time, this song would be 1B. Album cover (ironically rejected by the band) is iconic, classic look and well done. Good album, not great.
So this completely surpassed my expectations. Like, blew them out of the water entirely. I went in thinking that I wasn't a particular fan of New Wave, and I wasn't particularly big on pop/rock either, so this would be a brief listen. Just leave it on in the background, get a general opinion on it and write a short review calling it average. Well, you'd think that by now I would have gotten over these immediate prejudices, but apparently not. This is some of the best pop/rock I've ever heard, it's poppy but got a fair bit of bite to it so it's not steering close to “Rumours” territory. Which isn't BAD as such, but it's clearly not something they're even trying for. They clearly have an idea of exactly what they want to do with these songs. They want to create something modern and exciting and interesting, and they also wanted to make something incredibly popular, and they scored huge on both points. Honestly, when I think of the songs which are less than five-stars on this, it feels like an incredibly arbitrary point. Generally speaking, if your album's worse songs really aren't that distinguishable from its better songs, then your album is either irredeemably awful or incredibly good. And this is not irredeemably awful.
Great rock and roll tunes with a fun and modern (80s) sound. Loads of hits packed onto this but there were a few duds in between. 4/5
I find it interesting as a 70s rock/pop band but i did not particularly enjoy it as it didnt bring anything new that i never heard before. Its alright, but unfortunately not my preference.
Man, what a blast to listen through it. It is a product of its time, but an enjoyable product. There are many well-known songs one here, but the standout is Debbie herself. Just a bit too much of a stereotype to be giving it the full marks, it could have done with slightly more experimentation on the record. 4/5
Sweet
I guess I was bound to listen to this “One Way Or Another” one of these days so to speak. This album was more fun for me than I expected!
(5/7) fun stuff, good energy
Liked: - One way or another - Picture this 有一些编曲有意思，其余有一些无聊
Liked some of the deep cuts and appreciate the variety of genres on show here. In between a 3 and 4
Ля какая ой
ah Blondie... jeugdherinneringen!! begint en eindigt straf, ertussen toch wat middelmatigheid
There's a lot of 5-Star songs on here. But honestly, there's an equal amount of 3s.
Boss this, pretty much what I expected and loved it - even the live tracks were decent with a T rex cover in there 4.6/5
The hits are hitting. Surprisingly more filler than expected, a lot of this didn't really stick with me but the hits are so good. Not as great as I thought it might be, but a solid album nonetheless. 3.5/5.
really like this album. I do own it and listened to it on vinyl for this. Still a great album
Crunchy. Time and again I’m struck by how much more aggressive sound older, blues influenced rocks has than more modern stuff. Deeply melancholic at several points as well.
phenomenal!
Good shit
Some classic songs and ones I love a lot and a number that I enjoyed but its not going to go on a heavy rotation for me. Favorites: One Way or Another & Heart of Glass.
Great album
It’s 1978, disco reigns supreme. Blondie dares to do something different- an ostensibly rock band with pop sensibilities, and the ability to distill a number of influential sounds: new wave, pop rock, and more into a cohesive, very listenable album propped up by two massive singles: heart of glass and one way or another. Apparently the band all hated each other too, and just brought their individual talents to bear, which is probably how the album got its variety of sound- a mostly individualized recording process. Debbie Harry could have done some mean doo woo covers with this sound too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is just a really good album. High points include the hits ("One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass"), and tracks like "Hanging on the Telephone" and "Fade Away and Radiate" (I hear Fripp, I like). 4.25⭐️
incrível como vocal feminino eleva demais músicas divertidas. álbum legal demais.
Top 3 songs: One Way or Another Hanging on the Telephone Just Go Away Overall thoughts: The album was okay. I liked a few songs but the general album was not for me. I wouldn’t relisten to the whole thing.
Debbie Harry demonstrates the The Pogo dance on TV Party (1978)
What a hit.
Nice catchy tunes
ottimo album (alcune le conoscevo già, quelle più note: heart of glass, one way or another) ma ci sono state delle piacevoli scoperte. Non metto 5 stelle perché non le ho amate tutte.
I remember listening to this album when it came out (yeah, I'm old). It still very much holds up. Harry's voice is superb and it's just a good, hard rocking album all the way through. A few classics, but every single song is good.
Light 4. Heart of Glass is a pop masterpiece and I wasn’t expecting as many of the non-hits to slap so much
Hit or miss. All the songs sound very similar. However, there are a couple tracks off this album I would listen to independently.
cool
Agréablement surpris
okay this is getting creepy now. I literally just added this to my apple library like… 2 minutes ago. Does this website know what i’m adding on my apps? All of the previous albums except for the mgmt one are albums i’ve listened to recently. Fun Album - love One Way or Another and Heart of Glass from before listening to the album. Really dug Pretty Baby and Sunday Girl on first listen as well. I can definitely see myself throwing this on in the background more often and it’s cool knowing they played at CBGB with the ramones and taking heads. I like the vocal range Debbie Harry has between sounding punky on one way or another and smooth on heart of glass
A few classics and a fun listen all the way through
The band really play around with genres here, the lyrics are sharp, funny, and relatable, and Debbie Harry is a force of nature. What struck me on this listen was just how good Debbie Harry’s voice is. Obviously she’s cool as all hell, but she can SING.
I knew a couple of these songs. The rest is still a solid pop rock album. Just Go Away stood out. 3.5/5
My mate bought this album when it came out and we played it to death. I think we wanked ourselves to death over Deebie too!!
If you know a melody but don't know the name of the song, odds are, this album is the one for you
Que disco divertido. Transforma estilos e épocas do rock em algo com assinatura própria. Há um punk blondie, um new wave blondie, um rock das antigas blondie, e um original disco blondie. Muito bom. Heart of Glass é das melhores canções de todos os tempos mesmo.
This album is much more diverse than I knew or expected. It has post-punk, new wave, "disco-inspirations," but is solid and still feels cohesive and fresh all the way through. Their first two albums were good but felt like throw-back pop mixed with a new wave attitude, but this album really made something entirely themselves and fresh for the rock landscape.
Crazy the number of hits on one album
Blondie – Parallel Lines (1978) On Day 236, I experienced an absolute banger of an album. As I've alluded to before, this genre and this album specifically, gives you that quick energy, hitting you with banger after banger precisely and tightly in short bursts of time. Debbie Harry absolutely killed it here; her performance across the entire album was unbelievable. The exact same praise goes to the production capability, seamlessly blending a fast-paced punk-rock wave with lush, glittering pop. It genuinely cannot get any better than this. A perfect introduction to Blondie and a flawless 5-star milestone. An undisputed 5/5.
Good album, probably a classic. 3/5
one day or another banger heart of glass banger
Enjoyed this quite a bit
Review - banger. Love the doo-wop sound on a lot of songs like Pretty Baby. I always find it funny reading about Blondie where everyone has to amp up their punk bona fides like "they barely knew how to play their instruments before I got them in the studio!" - just don't believe it. They were a gigging band who got signed, they can't have been that bad. Weird how early new wave bands need to be hyped up to seem punky in some sort of social sense, because their music isn't punky enough. In any case it's good. Score - 8/10 Need to listen? YES
Helt klart beste til nå
Opptil flere bangers her. Telephone, One Way og Heart of glass er 10/10, men alt holder ikke det skyhøye nivået. Lander likevel solid.
A really good album. It could have done with one or two more tracks on a par with One Way or Another and Heart of Glass, but it's a good mix of catchy, fun, and intriguing tracks that I consistently enjoyed, and probably their most well-balanced album in terms of style. It's punky and poppy and pleasingly quirky. After hearing so many albums with songs that don't know when to end, it was so nice to listen to something where every song felt exactly the right length with no arsing around. Debbie Harry rocks and I love the range of things she can do with her voice, from smooth and aloof to cutesy and playful to gremlin snarls. Plus the best cheekbones in new wave, the most zygomatic genre. She had it all!
I was unable to play my vinyl copy of this today as traveling but just as well cos it's no doubt in terrible condition by now. It was played almost incessantly in the months after release and deservedly so after hearing this album in full again after a gap of several decades. Even includes the best Buddy Holly cover (I'm Gonna Love You Too) since the Stones 'Not Fade Away'. Perfect pop and a collection of real classics. Every now and again this random generator thing gets it right.
The hits are great but the rest of it is a bit meh. Luckily the album is very hits heavy. Great start to the record as well!! Controversially I actually do not like Harry’s voice - to the point I think it ruins some songs. Sounds like she needs to sneeze and can’t get it out… look at a bright light Debbie works every time!
The singles are great, and the album starts so strongly I wasn't sure why I had decided to delete it from my library at some point. Then the rest of the album happened and I remembered - there are a few other good tracks but really a best of blondie is all you need.
It was fine I guess. Her vocals aren't my favorite, but she's one of the only women who was willing to try and saw any success. I think there's better music out there, but I respect the hustle.
I am not a fan. Heart of Glass was maybe the only good song here. Nothing is actually that bad, but nothing makes me want to listen again.
Powerful lady, powerful voice. Sunday girl gave me grew up christian. Ik I dont know made me think of a different song that had an extra tune in it, diff lyrics ofc but I can't recall what song. Gotta learn all the lyrics to heart of glass. The base song is surprisingly delivered way different than the 12" version. 7/10
没想到我会喜欢这个类型的歌曲 整张专辑给我的风格就是在混乱的都市里独自漫游享受着夜晚 非常喜欢hanging on the telephone和11:59这两首歌 她们的整体风格给我一种轻快俏皮又叛逆的青春感 让我也想沉浸在纽约市的繁华中....
Trying to this as if it’s the 70s and new wave is an emerging and present movement. This is all about Debbie Harry. It feels as though the instruments and melodies are all there to do as they’re told by their front woman’s mood and storytelling. I particularly love the contrast as the album goes from the urgency and choppyness of will anything happen to the more winding and lyrical sunday girl and heart of glass. Also, up there with the best first 30 seconds of an album ever - no time to waste Blondie are getting straight into it.
Blondie had a unique vibe for late 70s punching out energetic poppy punk tunes. This was probably their best work though.
Very solid record, there's a couple of duds but I do love the new wave records where they're doing all sorts, the band kills all the different styles they try out
‘Blondie is a group’ was this bands mantra, which then is a bit weird to call yourselves ‘Blondie’ when the only blond is the lead singer. However, so the story goes, manager Peter Leeds deceived the band. They only discovered when they received the finished product that he had made an executive choice and used his ‘concept’ version of the front cover to be printed - they fell out big time. This, the third album became their big breakthrough and enabled the band to jettison Peter Leeds for a more respectful manager. He wouldn’t have cared as under their written termination agreement, Leeds was entitled to post-term commissions on the band's gross earnings from pre-1985 works and existing contracts, netting him millions over the years. The professionals were - Art Direction & Design: Ramey Communications. Photography: Edo Bertoglio. Lettering: Jerry Rodriguez (Sources Farout, Q mag, Justia, Discogs) We all bought this, we all fancied Debbie Harry, no-one knew the names of any of the boys in the band, we all thought it was all about her. We were all a bit disappointed in the album.
I think I may not have ever listened to the full original version of "One Way or Another"??? I thought I knew the song but when the guitar solo came in I was so confused...Maybe it's been a while since hearing it outside a commercial 😅 Anyway, loved listening to this! I love "Fade Away and Radiate' - immediately added to my library. And Heart of Glass is a banger of course...I don't think there's anything I would call a skip on here! Also as a big pop-punk/emo enjoyer, it's cool to hear what a huge influence they obviously were for Paramore / Hayley Williams. Happy to finally get into this band!
Significant, timeless, and brilliant. Debbie Harry
Man this album starts like a slap on the face for me. “Ring ring you’re in Jazzersize! You ready girl?” “No, Blondie, no, I… I’m not… dressed for this…” But by the end, she always wins. 4 Boolean: True
The hits are brilliant, the rest is not for me. The songs that we all know and love leave a mark, with fantastic songwriting, delivery and charm - making them genuinely unforgettable. But I can't help but feel that 70% of the album is average and lacking the standout factor. There's nothing ‘bad’ about it whatsoever but this record surprised me with how middling I found it. 6/10.
Stupid fun. Once again, an album that I should theoretically despise, but not the case here. This is probably the best possible version of new wave that I can listen to. It's early enough that we don't have to deal with the wack-a-doo synth-mess of the 80s, still plenty of rock undertones, and all that's really happening is we're just pulling it a little closer to pop. Which today, I can dig. Lastly, Debbie Harry freaking rocks and makes this group way, way cooler.
Catchy songs that with punchy instrumentals and diverse but always satisfying melodies. And Debbie harry brings explosive spunk and energy in her vocals. This album sounds great on its own but I’m sure it was even more exciting when experiencing it within the new wave error that Blondie pioneered.
Mér finnst eitthvað skringilega skemmtilegt við röddina hennar Debbie. Ég get ekki sett fingurinn á það og mörg af lögunum á þessari plötu eru bara mjög fín en ekki mikið meira en það.
Enjoyed more than I was expecting
When I got this album today, I was surprised to realize I'd never listened to it in its entirety. Yet, I was confident in its quality — it was truly a breakthrough for the band; all their major hits are from here. And what about beyond the hits? Things aren't so clear-cut here. Parallel Lines thrives on a blend of opposites: assertive punk rock and the soft sound of '50s female vocal groups. It's very interesting at first, but then you discover that not a single song, other than the singles, is memorable. If you think you're listening to a Buddy Holly cover, you're not imagining it — I suddenly discovered that there really is one here. But the record is still very good. Energetic power pop, the hottest woman in 80s rock, Debbie Harry, without whom there would be no No Doubt, no Paramore, and a bunch of other bands... However, all this does not reach the expected five stars.
A very good album, but there was just one or two too many songs that didn't do much for me to give this a 5. The songs I did enjoy, I did enjoy a lot though. High 4.
I liked this more than I expected. Just solid rock of that time period. I particularly like the drums. They can be really high velocity and almost punkish on the faster tracks, infused with a certain disco swagger on tracks like "Heart of Glass" but also take a step back while staying crisp in the ballad-y songs. If this record didn't contain the more poppy-ballads I'd give it a 8.5/10. So a 7 or 7.5 seems fair.
A fun pop albums with some classic hits. Nothing too special outside of it but decently fun
It's very difficult not to just hear a swiffer wet jet commercial or any number of garbage products peddled to the soundtrack of one way or another. If you can get past that there is a lot of kinda fun probably good to see live but not great to hear recorded music. its ok
Essential
2.3/5 A few songs I've heard before that I don't mind. Better than I expected but nothing groundbreaking for me.
This is the first full Blondie album I’ve listened to, and unsurprisingly it rips. Cool proto new wave, punk sound. Great vocals. Doesn’t overstay its welcome but the band explores and jams.
A slight disappointment. The two big singles stand out and a couple of other undiscovered gems but otherwise a slightly bland and forgettable album overall.
An all time desert island disc for sure. Debbie Harry and company deliver one of the best songs of all time in Heart of Glass. Chris Stein’s guitar is irreparable and is especially strong here.
Two straight edges walk into a bar and never meet. *rimshot*.
It’s difficult working backwards to albums like this. It must have been a true face-melter when it first came out. Through repeated, passive exposure over my lifetime, I can only say it’s pretty good.
One of the better pop acts. This one has a good slew of the big hits and was enjoyable throughout. Perhaps not an artistic masterpiece, but I do really like it regardless.
It's no secret that Debbie Harry is a great talent and her work on this record mirrors her photograph on the cover: defiant. It's also worth acknowledging the quality of the playing that surrounds her. Frank Infante and Chris Stein sound excellent, particularly for the New York punk/New Wave scene (sometimes a bit anemic in tone, I feel; none of that from the Blondie boys). Nigel Harrison and Clem Burke are versatile and inventive on bass and drums, respectively. It's a real pleasure to simply listen to the grooves between the two of them. I'm not even mad about the keys from Jimmy Destri; I often hate keyboard parts, particularly around the cusp of the 80's right through the 90's. Destri genuinely contributes throughout, adding an extra layer to what would otherwise be a fairly straightforward band; his work with his versatile instrument expands the tonal landscape for Blondie. This runs from 'Hanging On The Telephone', a fairly New Wave-y song (made up genre; this isn't the place to grouse about it), through 'One Way Or Another' which is nearly straight punk rock (by 1978 NYC standards) into 'Picture This', which is a fairly directly pop or rock & roll kind of tune. They're all solid and while you could argue that these are all just subgenres of guitar-based music, the effect on the album is of a diverse feel. It's all executed flawlessly. Then we shift to 'Fade Away And Radiate', which is a ballad that hints at later hair metal versions (check out the guitar bits on the chorus -- are those all pinch harmonics?). It has a heavy feel, Blue Cheer sorta drums and gorgeous vocals from Harry. And then there's a reggae transition at the end. One of the lovely things that Dimery's great list has given me is an appreciation for what a force Blondie were. Do not sleep on this album. If you get it too early, come back again later in the project; it's a revelation when you've gone through about a third of what's on tap (this is 341/1001 for me). This has connections through the decades I've listened to. 5/5 an actual masterpiece
Honestly great album, didn’t expect less from Blondie. I knew her popular songs ( Call me for example) but I never delved into her discography more deeply, glad this generator made me do so.
A very good record by a classic band! Favourites: Heart of Glass, Picture This, Sunday Girl, One Way or Another and Hanging On The Telephone
Julia's first album purchase. Classic for that reason alone.
It's Blondie, guys. It's Blondie.
Monday, 10 August, 2026 Great back half. All songs were catchy. Debbie Harry is a gem.
Pop-rock classic, with so many great tracks. Kind of simultaneously looks to the past and the future, and sounds great while it's doing it.
Hell of an album. Every Blondie hit is in this one, and while there are for sure dated allusions, it really is quite timeless. Debbie Harry is just so good as a front-woman and her backing band keep the groove tight and steady. That being said, the only reason I am taking away a star is for my personal taste - if anyone reads this, this is for my enjoyment only and I rank as such. I really like this album, but I know it's not a "play it again for me" album in the sense that my ears get tired of it quickly and one listen is enough for a while.
Ще один нью вейв альбом. На цей раз, ну, тіпа, норм. Деякі пісні хороші. Думаю на трієчку заслуговує. Оцінка: висока 5/низька 6
Another album that reminds me of my mom. Solid album with some great hits
Is it a coincidence that Denis is spelt like penis? She’ll go far.
Fun new wave pop with some good singles, but it never quite reaches the 5 star mark.
you know, i've grown tired of One Way or Another after its liberal use in mediocre comedies, but it really works well in the context of this album. this probably fucked super hard after it came out. it's the late 70s all rolled up into one glorious burst of hooks. i personally think it's a bit filler-heavy, but the highs are really high. deserves to be one of the 1001? yeah
I didn’t know one way or another was blondie
Very very nice.
helt okej i guess
A thing I constantly forget/relearn with new wave is how much of an intentional throwback it all was to early rock’n’roll. I immediately think of synths and silly early 80s hairdos when I hear “new wave,” which is not inaccurate, but the root for the genre really is a kind of nostalgia, repurposing, etc just as much as other trends that came along later. Naturally my big takeaway from this is wow, The Nerves eh? The Beat? Plimsouls! But also that the sound largely associated with The Cars was a big feature of Blondie. Stein’s guitar is, I’m guessing, pulled from Eno or Bowie (or both). I’m sure lots of folks lifted pieces from Parallel Lines, but Sigur Ros using the bridge from Fade Away and Radiate for #7 was unexpected (it doesn’t entirely match, I’m sure this is just a coincidence).
Blondie at their best!
Where did she get all of those clones? Seriously though, this album is iconic.
Muito bom, apesar de eu n conhecer previamente nenhuma das músicas, o álbum inteiro passa a sensação de que são todos clássicos nostálgicos, q poderiam ser trilha sonora de um edit de filmes felizes antigos. Destaque pra: - Heart of Glass - Pretty Baby - Hanging on the Telephone
Es un album de 3 estrellas, pero ojo, si hearth of glass no estuviera en el album baja a dos estrellas. Pero resulta que hearth of glass esta en el album, entonces son 3 las estrellas
Great album, felt layered and feel-good with slightly unnerving undertones in some songs. Definitely told a story that my fried attention span couldn’t keep track of. Amazing album, for sure seems like it pioneered the sound of rock/pop/music. Blondie is pretty tuff.
The definitive new wave album and barrage of catchy power pop with just enough punk edge. Debbie Harry's vocal stylings can grate a bit, but not enough to detract from a terrific batch of tunes. Very close to a Blondie's Greatest Hits album.
Всегда нравилась способность Дэбби Харри быть одновременно и панкушкой с дерзким, токсично-сексуальным образом что тусовалась аж со стариной Игги, но одновременно с этими ассоциироваться и с популярнейшими диско-хитами. И в общем-то, Parallel Lines как нельзя лучше показывает эти две стороны. Очень много заводных, клёвых штук, и одновременно с тем, в некоторых песнях есть и жёсткие гитары и хрипящий голос Дэбби. Отличненько.
kind of did her dirty by just putting her on in the background... from the bits i've heard, it was great. so many iconic songs, and an overall sound that speaks to my tastes. i enjoyed this album. oh and the music videos? she was so hot... that hair, man.
Surprised to find myself not liking this much! The hits are huge and the references are broad, but much of the album feels flat. Debbie Harry is a great front woman, there's some inventiveness and it zigs when I expect it to zag but overall, I just left feeling like I'd eaten a cheap meal that left me just as hungry as when I started. Drums sound great, though, and bookending the hits really keeps this afloat.
I really liked it. Added bonus of having TWO all time bangers.
Not my type
Solid album with a couple of true classics in Heart of Glass and One Way Or Another. The album overall is a good listen and Deborah Harry's voice is always on point. Would definitely listen to this one again.
Bop pop, good mood for it
Debbie Harry' voice is uniquely hers; with no damn auto tune in play. Most of the songs I knew already and revisiting them was fun. A couple tracks didn't register so well with me, but still..a bunch of bangers. Album rocks.
Listened twice, saved a few bangers. I'd listen again.
Pretty good, fun, pop album. Couple of good hits and a number of fun bass lines. Would definitely relisten, don't necessarily see it as a go to album.
Veel bekende nummers, Blondie is altijd goed
Debbie Harry is such a badass vocalist. Her tone has an oomph to it that I just love. The music is upbeat, fun and dynamic. Every track on this album is just a bop.
what a great end to end album. Debbie Harry's voice is fantastic and it works perfectly as a pop rock album. love the keys on 11:59
One Way or Another deve estar em todos os guitar heros e rock bands huahuuha. Fiquei de cara que tinha mais de uma conhecida, e são boas as músicas. Me impressionou.
Good vibe but it did not stick with me.
I really wanted to like this album, but outside of a few of the singles it just really didn't do much for me. 3/5.
Good not great
4.3. Really liked it. Shockingly surprised. I thought it was just some cheesy 80s pop. Great music. Fun melodies and great musicianship. Would happily listen to whenever and I think it would be a people pleaser for most.
Pretty good stuff, although I think I got spoiled listening to Pretenders before this one as I like their slightly heavier sound better when it comes to this kind of new wave. Good to finally know where "One Way or Another" comes from. 7.5/10.
8/10
Blondie's great! Don't think I've ever heard this one in full actually. Heart of Glass is one of my favorite pop songs of all time, so it was a treat finally hearing the whole record. Unfortunately, the record as a whole didn't completely connect with me, but there's some absolutely fantastic tracks on here.
Отлично что начали с чего то привычного и понятного. Blondie для меня уважаемая группа, хотя я не сказал бы что знаком с их творчеством, за исключением этого альбома и еще пары синглов. Что касается Parallel Lines - тут собраны кажется самые яркие и понятные простому обывателю хиты. Это их самый главный альбом и я питаю к нему большое уважение как к уверенному и солидному альбому переходного периода 70х-80х да и еще с сильным женским вокалом. Но, я не назову его одним из своих любимых альбомов в 70х. Для меня этот альбом посередине можно «нормально» и «хорошо», но в тоже время я понимаю что он 100% лучше чем добрая половина альбомов которые встретятся мне еще в этом списке. Плюс тут есть действительно хорошие треки такие как Picture This, Fade Away and Radiate и Heart Of Glass
Apparently the band were completely beaten up in the recording studio with take after take. But this is a beautifully sounding disco album ahead of its time.
Just Dance music. I'm pretty torn on the vocals. I really like her voice and the background vocals in heart of glass but I'm not the biggest fan of the growling that she does in One way or another and at least once in every other song in the album. Instrumentation was fine but nothing super memorable, I like the organ. Favorite track(s): Heart of glass (popular pick I know...) 11:59 Least favorite: I know but I don't know 2/5
4-5/10 closer to five but yeah not my cup of tea. I like the singer, however there's something lacking I think it's usually the accompaniment or the lyrics/ the delivery feels off. The best example that does it well is probably "One Way or Another" where they both intermingle, although the song is heavy overused in other media it's still an alright piece. But perhaps that's part of my issue, that is there are plenty of times that said intermingling seems forced. All in all as individual pieces it's good but all together it all starts to feel a little samey.
Fav: Picture This L: hanging on the telephone 4 Most of the tracks were really good and the different music styles incorporated into several songs was clear but kept in with the overall sound of the band. Most everything feels very clean and the way Debbie’s vocals glide over top everything is good. Unfortunately there’s like three songs that I would probably skip if listening to again.
Cool rhymes with fool. 2.5/5
meh... one way or another kinda overrated
Quizá muy largo para mi gusto, pero con temones. Volvería a escuchar las canciones más pegadizas y eso, pero como album meh.
Yep
Done
Heart of Glass song of all time
Starting with my favourite Blondie track this album is so good!
Heart of glass carry’s this album
Very solid. Hanging on the telephone stands out
8 / 10
kind of a banger Would I listen again: why not Deserves to be on this list: I think so 4.1
Quite enjoyed the drums on this, but the lyrics were a weak point and the songs were pretty repetitive
there are some real goodies on this one, and I had no idea that they were Blondie songs
¿What could happen when you put on a recording studio a New York band with an australian producer that it's the nearest thing you can find for a dictator, screaming them "You are gonna make a fantastic record, and that means you are gonna have to play better!"? The truth it's everyone in Blondie minus Debbie Harry and Chris Stern disliked each other. in words of Mike Chapman, the producer we are talking about here "they weren't the greatest musicians they had a juvenile approach to life, and they were tough. They just wanted to have fun" Mike Chapman encouraged Chris Stern to focus on writing songs instead of playing guitar and spent a lot of time fixing many aspects of the album, like voices or some basslines from Nigel Harrison who threw a synthetizer at him during a session. The approach of the producer to the band was bsically expecting them nothing more than perfection and with singles like One Way or Another, Picture This, Heart of Glass and a version of Hanging by The Telephone (originally by The Nerves) as the opener, you can tell Parallel Lines it's probably one of the most distinguished albums in new wave and power pop and it's indeed really close to perfection. The tension exploded so much during this record and made Blondie so mature in terms of how they make music, that they actually kept working with Chapman during the next 4 studio albums, before the breakup in 1987. Stein and Harry reformed Blondie in 1996 but the damage was done. A generation of frontwomans including Shirley Manson from Garbage and Gewn Stefani from No Doubt, were taking what this record did to a whole new level. Parallel Lines still remains as a masterclass not only on how to deal with tensions and creave frustration but also, as the permanent reminder that womans also have their own space to shine... Even when there is a man screaming at the other side of the screen. After all, Debbie herself said it: "I only knew him because of his reputation. Our aminosity came in because he was L.A and we were New York" Maybe this is the best thing that can happen in music. To see how differences can come into play to make us feel more connected with ourselves. There are albums made for that and this is, probably without a doubt one of them.
Why did "Fade Away And Radiate" start sounding Jamaican by the end 🇯🇲 Thx 🤍
I like the hits. The rest just kind of blended together.
Feels genre bending now with a modern lense, utilising riffs now seen in alt rock, metal, and gospel. Provides an interesting experience song to song although does mean it feels disjointed as an entire album (but not enough to be an album of singles). Overall good but I don't think anything new will be making it to my playlists.
Classic, can hear their influence on other music from this album
Some classic bangers but not my style
Was just aight
Hanging On The Telephone / I'm Gonna Love You Too / One Way Or Another / I Know But I Don't Know / Will Anything Happen / Heart of Glass
fun but not exciting. vocal writing isn't always a great fit for the singer
Maso
Solid.
4.5/5, not a single bad song, just ones I loved more than the others. I'm a man.
I have always found blondie to be a bit overrated. I dont love their music.
Always a great full play
This album is a great example of how much cultural evolution in popular music has slowed down since maybe the mid-80s. Some pop star could put this exact album out today and it would be a #1 smash and album of the year.
This is a great album but for whatever reason it's not something I'll come back to. I think it's just a little bit too far before my time, just enough that I can't get attached to it.
I'm not sure if I've ever listened to Parallel Lines the whole way through, but it was time well spent. The hits are justifiably classics: "Hanging on the Telephone" is my favorite song of theirs (and I'd argue their best), and of course "One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass" are classics (even though I understand why the latter miffed their punk fans). I appreciate the album cuts too. Lots to like here, will return.
Listened to this while working on assignments, but really enjoyed it. Sick rock instrumentals and solos and a groovy vibe, really reminds me of my mum. This whole album has that kinda tongue and cheek sarcastic mood, but has some really upbeat songs too. Top song: Hangin on the telephone, perfect start to a great album. solid 7.5/10.
It's funny - I've heard Blondie songs around but never sat down and listened to them. I'd also always thought One Way or Another was by someone else - maybe Joan Jett? Overall like this - would listen again. Followup listen: The Bad Plus cover of Heart of Glass.
Fruktansvärt dålig musik. Introspåret var okej, likaså hearts of glass som ändå håller. Den klyschiga one way or another kände man igen men fick en samtidigt att vilja skära sönder sina trumhinnor. En dålig start på den här hemsidan faktiskt. Ger det 4/10, återkommer helst inte.
El monumento del power pop y la new wave neoyorquina que ha envejecido bien en sus momentos cumbre, aunque no exento de irregularidades. En el plano de diseño formal, la producción de Mike Chapman es impecable; la interacción entre guitarras afiladas, bajos bailable y teclados configura un entretejido que logra dar claridad a cada arreglo, aunque el álbum se pierde en piezas que terminan por no ser memorables a lo largo de su secuencia. El verdadero pilar del disco radica en el dominio de la voz y el timbre angelical de Debbie Harry, cuya interpretación despliega una fuerza y calidez extraordinarias que transmiten una autenticidad magnética. Canciones imperdibles como "Heart of Glass" —donde su dulce melodía contrasta de forma brillante con la precisión instrumental— y la icónica "One Way or Another" —con su inconfundible e irónica lectura del acoso— transforman el trauma y la obsesión en un documento profundamente crudo, real y conmovedor que opera como un sutil llamado a la conciencia. Un trabajo de gran riqueza lírica cuya energía bailable y constante sensación de paz y fluidez lo vuelven idóneo para múltiples usos dinámicos, siendo un motor excelente para el ejercicio, la conducción o para activar el trabajo creativo.
fun. great every other song, meh every other song. 3.5
Solid little pop punk album, dare I say. Debbie ate, lived, and breathed punk attitude but this album does not hold up to the punk what was oozing out of southern california at the time. The hits on this album are undeniable. The deep cuts albeit obscure to most are pretty catchy and groovy. This album borrows from New Wave and Disco too (often seen as punk in their respective communities) so it had commercial success. I think given the legacy, end product and longevity this album is deserving of 4 stars. The commercial success album. My personal pick is Atomic, but this is a great album.
top
I hate it SO much. I try to be very careful with 1 star ratings, but this album made me angry that I was listening to it.
England and Norway had selfishly decided to take my Saturday night into extra time, so Sunday morning found me sitting in bed with a slight football hangover, a bottle of Coke left over from Monday’s Andy’s Man Club celebration and what turned out to be the perfect antidote. Some albums comfort you. Some wake you up. Parallel Lines somehow manages both. I was fourteen again within about thirty seconds. I’ve loved this record for nearly half a century. I played my cassette until the ferrous oxide gave up and decided to eat a bike. This morning reminded me why. One of the lazy stories about Parallel Lines is that Mike Chapman made Blondie commercial. I don’t think that’s what happened at all. He turned them from a disorganised sneer into a global menace. The wit, the omnivorous musical taste, the downtown cool and Debbie Harry’s charisma were already there. Chapman simply put the band through boot camp. Every guitar part now has purpose. Every harmony lands together. Every arrangement is edited to within an inch of its life. The songs become models of discipline. Yet somehow none of that discipline comes at the expense of fun. Chris Stein’s guitar playing struck me all over again. It’s George Harrison’s philosophy: find the line that works and stop. “Picture This” contains one of those solos that has lived in my head for decades because it isn’t a solo at all. It’s another tune. Clem Burke remains one of rock’s great joys. I’ve seen Blondie live twice, and you learn far more about drummers by watching than listening. Burke looks permanently on the verge of glorious collapse, all Keith Moon exuberance, but underneath it sits Ringo Starr’s judgement. His fills are exuberant without ever derailing the song. “Will Anything Happen?” is pure propulsion. Watching him at work, you realise the engine room of Blondie isn’t merely keeping time. It’s generating excitement. Debbie Harry, meanwhile, reminded me why I’ve always thought of her as a wildly intelligent vocalist. She doesn’t simply sing songs; she inhabits them. Every track is another character. One moment she has the inscrutable shimmer of Françoise Hardy on “Sunday Girl”, the next the lip curl is back for “Just Go Away”. She always seems to know exactly what emotional temperature the song requires. What also struck me was how deeply rooted this album is in pop history without ever sounding nostalgic. “Hanging on the Telephone” has a distinctly British ring. “Pretty Baby” feels like Lou Reed had wandered into the Brill Building. “Sunday Girl” is everything I love about yé-yé, but by New Yorkers. Then they relocate Buddy Holly to CBGB as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. Cheap Trick would have killed for “I’m Gonna Love You Too”. And then there’s “Heart of Glass”. I’ve been gleefully pointing this out to people since I was fourteen. After all that immaculate shimmer, the locked groove and the CR-78 pulse, Blondie casually throw in bars of 7/4. Nobody notices. Or rather, everyone notices that something exciting just happened without realising why. That’s the genius of Parallel Lines. Its eccentricity hides in plain sight. Why shouldn’t we be smuggling 7/4 into Studio 54? The album also has a wonderful sense of humour. After forty minutes of demonstrating astonishing compositional discipline, it suddenly decides to have a laugh. The “backing vocals” on “Just Go Away” aren’t harmonies at all. They’re joyous pub rabble. It sounds like a band that’s spent an entire album proving how clever it is finally deciding to stop being clever for twenty seconds and simply enjoy itself. That’s probably what makes Parallel Lines feel so alive nearly fifty years on. It’s an album made by musicians of frightening ability who never once forgot that pop music is supposed to be exhilarating
It was definitely a breath of fresh air, it was upbeat and jaunty
This was actually fun to listen. Some songs you recognise and the rest has a cheerful vibe
Stellar LP. After 2 so-so albums, they hit paydirt here. Clem Burke's drumming was Blondie's secret weapon imo.
If I could give this more stars, I would.
Prrrrfect record!
Great record
Producer Mike Chapman joins the party and becomes Blondie’s George Martin. Blondie’s best album.
THAT'S who wrote "one way or another", ok, gotcha damn, she's got a great voice and these are ridiculously catchy
dancing as a 29 year old. Not messy hair. with 2 kids at home. Lying about her life to strangers. I hear a little disco. Would listen to earlier albums further away from disco.
3.5
yeah this is js some great new wave, not too much more to say
LOS OG DE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER Y HEART OF GLASS
This was a more of a background music album like to give u the vibes when cooking cycling or cleaning like its not a album i would listen to when i want to dance my favorite songs are just go away , am gonna love u too and i know but i dont know but the rest is booring
Honestly this isn't exactly my genre but there are just too many sing along bangers for this not to be a 5. Super catchy fun album, one of my favorites so far. Low 5
hit or miss album for me but i didn't know so many hits were from this album alone! cool find
I was really ready to like this one a lot more, considering the spectacular hits from this album that I've been hearing for basically my whole life. However, I didn't care for the rockabilly influences and found the rest of the album beyond these hits kind of forgettable. I imagine this hit a lot harder in 1978 with its genre-bending. Sorry Debbie, you're a legend, but this just didn't hit for me. Favorite tracks: Hanging On The Telephone, Heart Of Glass
Some good bits but eh overall
It’s quite impressive to have four big culturally-penetrating songs which all sound at least a bit different (very different in the case of Sunday Girl and Heart of Glass), and yet also the other eight songs are also bangers. A perfect slice of pop-leaning early new wave wearing a bunch of different influences on the sleeve while making something distinctly Blondie (I would never have guessed there were covers here), band sounds great, Debbie Harry sounds great of course. Just always nice to have an excuse to pull it out and listen and pass a snappy 40 minutes.
This was enjoyable. Sunday Girl was the standout hit.
A few bops, and I definitely would own on vinyl. The sound today feels marginally unique, but during release I would have had this on blast while driving everywhere.
Słuchanie albumu jest bardzo przyjemne. Z tego albumu bardzo dobrze znam jedną bardzo popularną piosenkę która znajduje się na wielu moich playlistach. Po odsłuchaniu go spodobało mi się kilka nowych. Głos wokalistki jest niesamowity, a zespół bardzo charakterystyczny.
Nikol še nism katergakol albuma od Blondie, ampak the hits obviously poznam. "Hanging on the Telephone" je kul! Všeč mi je začetek. Edin problem "One Way or Another" je, da smo ga kolektivno čist prevečkrat slišal. Če bi ga prvič, bi mi najverjetneje bil ful všeč. Ok, načeloma so komadi kr bangerji (sm pri "Sunday Girl"). Uuu, "Heart of Glass". I love it. Ta je tud an all time favourite. Sm hotla napisat, da je "I'm Gonna Love You Too" a strong finish, pa vidim, da je predzadnji komad (& a Buddy Holly cover!).
long overdue for a blondie re-assessment. this is a good late 70's new wave artifact. enjoyable.
4/5 Favorite Songs: Hanging On The Telephone One Way Or Another 11:59 Will Anything Happen Heart Of Glass
Peak Blondie, nuff said.
Cool, but not fantastic.
This ripped. I don’t always love the chord progressions or their choice of melody, but goddamnit do I respect this project. The way this all comes together is just so delightful and unique. Rowdy, punchy, poppy, rocky - a dang good time.
The song "Heart of Glass" has been completely destroyed by that TikTok trend. Just brutal. Some really big hits on this record, but the rest of it just doens't hold up. A lot of drab songwriting with not a lot to back it up. Mid 2.9/5
this album rocks. I've heard pieces of "One Way or Another" countless times and never realized it has a rippin solo in there. a lot of these songs have some stellar concise solos. Debbie Harry confidently delivers across the entire album. they really hit a sweet spot across a handful of rock genres here. the only tracks that fall a bit flat for me are "11:59", "Sunday Girl", and "Just Go Away" -- every other song kicks ass. 4.5
Stunned by how much I liked this. Loved it from front to back. Such laser-focused intensity from the whole band through different styles, tempos, and moods. Debbie Harry and dem boys knocked it out of the park.
★ one way or another! call me an uncultured swine but i didn't know this was a blondie song lol ★ fade away and radiate: a little synth moment, something about the tempo is feeding me rocky horror. i think if i was rly high this song would be kinda scary ngl
Creo que está adelantada para su época. Tiene temones y es muy fácil de escuchar. Ideal roadtrip o para prepararte antes de salir. No le noto ninguna actuación descomunal en los instrumentos. Ella es la lider!
Blondie's Parallel Lines is a decent, fun new wave album often brimming with character, largely thanks to Debbie Harry's personality shining through her spunky vocals. The album comprises fairly consistent pop rock throughout but seems to be the kind of record that's made by its hits; no song is bad, but everything aside from a handful of standout tracks feels a little samey and ultimately forgettable, one punchy song blending into the next without truly distinguishing itself. The album's aforementioned highlights stand as opener 'Hanging on the Telephone,' 'Pretty Baby,' and mega-hits 'One Way or Another' and 'Heart of Glass.' Blondie is no doubt a talented group of musicians, but aside from a few fun tracks, this album is merely palatable. This is probably one that hit a lot harder on release than it does decades later, but its most well-known tracks still hold up well. This would ideally get a 2.5 stars (low 2 / high 3), but that's not an option here so I'll round down. Rating: ~4.5/10 _____ Album 9 / 1001+
Is "Parallel Lines" the perfect pop/rock album? There are no poor choices on this record, with the quality remaining consistently high from start to finish. The album is diverse, successfully navigating pop, power pop, driving rock, and electronic disco across its 12 tracks. It perfectly balances commercial accessibility against the sharp New York edge of the band's earlier work, all supported by immaculate production and mixing. The cover art is a triumph of design. Shot by photographer Edo Bertoglio and conceived by manager Peter Leeds, the final result caused considerable controversy within the band. The musicians famously disliked the photo choice, feeling it pushed Debbie Harry too far into the spotlight at the expense of the rest of the group. Regardless of their internal friction, it remains a truly iconic piece of album art. Whether the band liked it or not - and one suspects Chris Stein knew this only too well - Debbie Harry was the star. Aside from being stunningly beautiful, she wrote brilliant pop lyrics, but her vocal melodies are the true standout. Harry was incredibly adept at working within her natural range, using character, timing, and phrasing to elevate a melody rather than relying on vocal gymnastics. What makes her performance on Parallel Lines work so well is this sheer versatility, shifting effortlessly between completely different vocal personas depending on the track: - Tough and urgent on 'Hanging on the Telephone' and 'One Way or Another'. - The sweet sixties starlet on 'Sunday Girl' and 'Pretty Baby', where she adopts a light, airy, melodic style that nods to the girl groups she grew up listening to. - The detached diva on 'Heart of Glass', where her vocals become smooth, ethereal, and almost robotic, floating perfectly above the precise electronic beat. Instead of trying to overpower the music, she treats her voice like another instrument in the arrangement. It is this ability to act through her singing - switching from cool and aloof to fierce and intense - that gives the album so much of its innate appeal. Remarkably, none of this has dated, which is astonishing for a record that is now nearly fifty years old. I opened this review by asking if "Parallel Lines" is the perfect pop/rock album. Whilst it might not be absolutely perfect, it comes incredibly close. Its standout moments are exceptional, and the remaining tracks never drop below a four-star standard. Five stars. Side one 1 "Hanging on the Telephone" (5/5) 2 "One Way or Another" (5/5) 3 "Picture This" (5/5) 4 "Fade Away and Radiate" (4/5) 5 "Pretty Baby" (4/5) 6 "I Know but I Don't Know" (4/5) Side two 7 "11:59" (4/5) 8 "Will Anything Happen?" (4/5) 9 "Sunday Girl" (5/5) 10 "Heart of Glass" (5/5) 11 "I'm Gonna Love You Too" (5/5) 12 "Just Go Away" (4/5) Total - 54 Average - 4.5 365/1001 193/365 albums reviewed were new to me.
ist mir irgendwie zu poppig? oder ich mag new wave nicht? also geil aber iwie nicht ganz meins. sie ist queen though
I was excited to hear this album, only to learn that I have heard a lot of it already. It's just a really good new wave record. A bit less consistent outside of the hits, but a lot of bangers on this one.
Hmm I’m kinda familiar with this album, I like it !! - Tuesday, 30th of June 2026
Great album
There are some absolute classics on this album
Fantastic album with a lot of unmemorable songs and a few phenomenal jams that even out to a near 4 star album. It’s really good, but the songs that stand out, notably “One Way Or Another” and “Heart Of Glass” are so many miles above the rest of the album that it’s hard to say this is a low 4. I don’t know, it’s close. Blondie is a really fun singer, but none of these songs particularly blow me away. Now, don’t get me wrong, I freaking LOVE Debbie Harry, the lead singer. Some of her other songs that aren’t even on this album like “Rapture” and “Call Me” have been stuck in my head since the moment I heard them. However, much like Bowie, there’s a lot of filler to get to the good stuff. Noted, it’s pretty good filler, but it’s largely just set dressing for the better songs on the album. I really do feel guilty giving this 3 stars, and I may come back to it later to adjust it to a low 4. Upon further review, unfortunately I’m going to keep it as a 3. There’s just not enough bangers to warrant putting it any higher. Again, don’t get it mistaken, I still love Blondie, and this album didn’t even remotely disappoint me. It just isn’t really a banger from top to bottom, and it needs to be to have a higher rating. Still though, I wouldn’t really skip any of these songs. They’re all good, and from song to song the variety is also quite good and varied. There are a lot of different blended genres here, and for better and worse, they make the album very unique and fun. My personal favorite of the bunch is obviously going to have to be “One Way Or Another”. What a classic. Easily stuck in my head and will remain stuck in my head until I hear another certified banger classic at some point during this project. Could that be tomorrow?? We’ll see. For now, this is a really good, charming, fun album, and I wish I could give it a higher rating. If the site had more than just 1-5 stars, this would be a 3.9, and I’d feel a whole lot less guilty about only giving it a 3.
This is a great album: "Heart of Glass", "One Way or Another" and "Pretty Baby" are the best ones.
I appreciate that she was making moves in the rock world. And I like her sound, but she doesn't have that umph that makes me want to buy her album. I can only assume it's more the genre than the band.
This was really good, I was getting Adalita (Magic Dirt) vibes, and the well known and shiny 'heart of glass' at the end was a perfect finish.
Heavy three stars
Best album so far. I had no idea all these hits were a) Blondie b) on the same album. One Way or Another and Heart of Glass are classics. The whole album has a good energy though and is immensely enjoyable. Will be adding to my collection. 4.5 stars
Wall-to-wall bangers and non-stop fun. Rating: 4.5
Classic
Really fun. Very enjoyable.
Favourite Songs: One Way Or Another Heart Of Glass
I didn't realize how many great Blondie songs were on a single album. The whole album was a blast to listen to.
Nunca había escuchado a Blondie además de las dos canciones más populares en este albúm. ¡Me ha gustado mucho! Destaco mucho su voz y sus letras. :)
This album was like whipped cream for me. It’s fun, light, and tasty; I could probably eat a lot more of it, but no matter how much I eat, it’s not going to provide a substantial meal for me. I don’t hate whipped cream, but I want a proper meal when I’m hungry.
I listened to this album while vacuuming and it’s among the most fun I’ve ever had while vacuuming. I kept getting distracted and dancing to the music while I just vacuumed the same spot over and over. This album is so consistent it sounds like it could’ve been a greatest hits album.
Always nice to have something recognisable on the list, great mix of stuff on here
Enjoyed a few of the singles. Didn’t hate it.
Love it!
Great album. Love Blondie. Why say lot word when few word do trick?
🤠
This is like the pinnacle of 70s pop. They have such a recognizable sound I feel like, and there are some really classic songs on here. Even the less popular songs still hit though, but the famous singles are really on another level. There’s a reason they still get played. Favorites: One Way or Another, 11:59, Heart of Glass
favourite song- heart of glass and Sunday girl
This was released the day after my tenth birthday and it’s the first lp I bought. Therefore on playing it again it’s almost impossible to approach it with a fresh mind. Except, I realise that I now dress like a fatter version of the boys on the cover.