I was only getting into Blondie when I purchased this record. After sinking my teeth into their Greatest Hits release, I purchased 1978's Parallel Lines, an album that is considered to be the greatest Blondie release of all time. Which this band, as it was something new and delicate, I decided that rather than downloading everything in bulk and shipping it off to my Zune to never really be played, I hunt their albums down in CD stores and watch their music unfold in my ears. I was able to find a copy of 2005's The Curse of Blondie, referred to by fans as The Curse, for only three dollars in the used CD section-- still wrapped. Must have been overstock from a defunct music store. Not really familiar with their work outside of Rapture, Union City Blue, and the material of Parallel Lines, I didn't really know what to expect. I have never heard any Blondie material that came after 1982's The Hunter, so I was going into this completely blind.

I can remember, a year before my obsession kicked off, walking around Border's and seeing posters for this album, highlighted with the 30th Anniversary special edition of Parallel Lines. A racing orange light wraps Deborah Harry, the resident blonde, while band members are peeking from outside the shadow. Let's just say that the cover is remarkably powerful and quite appropriate. I believe I was with friends when I put the disc in, just wanting something to have on in the background. A dreary and dark beat came from the speakers accompanied by a news report. Shakedown starts off this record with a firery jolt as, within the first 50 seconds of this song, our lead singer is laying down a Debbie rap. Whenever she decides to spit a rap, it's time to shut up and listen. It's a lot more in-your-face and angry this time around, though, biting the listener with insults at every turn. Immediately it's noticeable that Debbie's voice has changed remarkably from the hay-days-- that's not to say it's bad, though. It's got a strong bite to it and it's just as powerful. That said, it's definitely different. She coos a little more than she used to.

Good Boys was the first single released from the record, providing Blondie with another chart-topping hit in the UK, though the song was largely ignored by the American population. The song is a funky dance song with clever lyrics and another cute Debbie rap. It's a song to put on repeat, because the entire song is comprised of nothing but catchy hooks. Debbie sings in a high-pitched voice that proves how much stronger her vocals are over 1999's No Exit. Those who are fans of a harder rock sound with probably despite Good Boys with a burning passion, but there's plenty of stuff on the album to please everyone. Undone and End to End are heavy with drums and guitars to please those purist rock fans, while Golden Rod waxes Courtney Love's sense of 1994 insanity.

Blondie, as always, is a very experimental band that plays and works with strange genres. Background Melody (The Only One) is a cute reggae song that's never fails to put a smile on my face. The strangest, and most enjoyable (personally) song for me is Magic, a weirdly minimal track that draws inspiration from a gorgeous Japanese folk song, Asadoya Yunta. The lyrics have been adapted and altered for the English language at the hands of Ms. Harry, who never fails to deliver stellar lyrics. The song is calming and centering, something I always love to get from Blondie, as well as receiving their kick-you-in-the-teeth power anthems like I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No from their sophomore album.

If you like Blondie....well....good, then you have to check out The Curse, an album that creates an original strange sound that we really hadn't heard from the band. Yes, they revisit many of their past genres; however they do it in such a way that makes everything fit together. Autoamerican, which is my favorite Blondie record, did more or less the same thing, but didn't really have a unifying theme. The Curse takes Blondie's sound to the next level.

TRACKLIST
Shakedown
Good Boys
Undone
Golden Rod
Rules For Living
Background Melody (The Only One)
Magic (Asadoya Yunta)
End to End
Hello Joe
The Tingler
Last One in the World
Diamond Bridge
Desire Brings Me Back
Songs of Love

Recommended: Yes