tjhassecrets's Full Review: Eat to the Beat [Remaster] by Blondie
I was excited to hear Blondie's highly regarded Eat to the Beat LP, an album had the difficult task of following up the genius on their magnum opus, otherwise known as Parallel Lines. Aside from that, Eat to the Beat was the origin to my favorite Blondie tune, so I had a lot of high hopes for this record. Debbie Harry's vocals grabbed me by the throat on their Greatest Hits album, which, despite being a compilation, was very good (This refers to their recent Sight + Sound package, not the mediocrity that was The Best of Blondie). Up until that time, I had only heard Parallel and their eponymous debut album, so I was just craving more and more of this quirky new wave band. What I got was, well, less that I wished for, and this album still leaves me craving for more. I think this record gets a lot of the splash from Parallel, and it doesn't get a fair judging. 1980's Autoamerican was a lot more original and artistic than the music here. Whereas that record was experimental, dark, upbeat, funky, and delievered a perfect package, Eat to the Beat sounds like it was recorded in Chris Stein's basement, hoping to get something to the masses that they could eat up.
Before I rip most of this album to shreds (internal Blondie reference!), it's important to state that this album has shining moments of greatness. Union City Blue, a fan-favorite, will forever be my favorite Blondie song with a cold production that could cut through metal. Harry apathetically drowns through the opening before her attitude gradually shifts to a serious and powerful, yet sweet, demeanor: I say...he's my...union city man... This song would go on to be covered by industrial band Radiohead and others. And let's just say that nobody can sing this song except for Debbie-- sorry Thom. Dreaming was another single. One that was a hell of a lot more successful. This song opens up Eat to the Beat, and I really wished they maintained the quality on this track throughout the rest of the album. Dreaming, with its pure new-wave drive, sounds like a natural progression for the Blondie-sound, and it's the perfect middle-of-the-career track. Die Young Stay Pretty is a catchy reggae song with powerful vocals and a great hooky, while powerful disco hit Atomic became a second Heart of Glass.
The rest of this album is a whole mess of mediocrity and potential. In fact, the bulk of it sounds like it's desperately trying to be Parallel Lines, except without any of the jazz and charisma. Sound-A-Sleep is a cute lullaby song, but it's about two minutes too long, and despite how many times I have heard this song, I couldn't recite you one single line. Shayla isn't terrible, but after the incredible Union City Blue, this song is just lost on me. It's got a really strong emotional feel to it, but regardless of its musical merit, it's still just so forgettable. Living in the Real World is another disposable song, though a lot shorter than the others-- It's strange for Blondie to make an album with so much filler, but they really managed to do it, as outlined by the (once again not awful, but dime-a-dozen) The Hardest Part, from which we get a stale attempt at the great material the band would do on Autoamerican.
There are, however, a few more fun moments sprinkled upon this album. Title-track Eat to the Beatis one of the few times Blondie experiments with a sound they never really recorded. It's straight up punk-rock with a ridiculous energy as Debbie almost moans through the lyrics: You got a sweet tooth! And I remember sittin' in the bathroom drinkin' Alka Seltzer! EAAAAT TO. THE. BEAT!Slow Motion is another fun song that draws directly from the 1960's, borrowing from The Supremes and The Crystals. You can practically see Debbie on Hullaballoo now.
Aside from Union City Blue and Dreaming, though, every single song on Eat to the Beat, even if it's good, sounds rough and unfinished. I don't know if this was the sound they were struggling to achieve, but it's sounds like they were trying to keep their heads above water rather than taking the time to make something really great. On it's own, this album is great. A solid 4 stars. But when you compare it to all the amazing work Blondie wrote and played, this album is just a massive disappointment. If you're fan of just the Parallel Lines work, then this album is for you, because it's oh-so-obvious that they tried to make it again. Blondie was always original, and still is, so this album is a bit of a mystery. While working on this album, Blondie was spending all their time on the road, living in hotels and promoting their music. They were exhausted, and this album is the sound of a burnt-out rock band that lost control.
TRACKLIST Dreaming The Hardest Part Union City Blue Shayla Eat to the Beat Accidents Never Happen Die Young Stay Pretty Slow Motion Atomic Sound-A-Sleep Victor Living in the Real World
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