Parallel Lines

"Parallel Lines" is one classy AND classic record. The band underwent some changes back in 1978. They added bassist Nigel Harrison to the line-up, and this was their first record produced by Mike Chapman. Chapman would go on to produce the band's subsequent records, "Eat To The Beat", "Autoamerican", and "The Hunter". Chapman was a very different producer than Richard Gottehrer (who produced Blondie's first 2 studio albums). Gottehrer supported and nurtured the band's signature sound, whereas Chapman pushed the band to expand and strengthen their musical palette. Chapman thought each member of the band had something special to offer, but he felt the band lacked focus and needed a better work ethic. He demanded tighter arrangements and every note had to be close to perfection. So basically, he wanted them to practice, practice, practice! That discipline and extra encouragement resulted in a flawless and iconic album. "Parallel Lines" is an incredible, quintessential work of art. The glittery, disco juggernaut, "Heart of Glass" changed everything and the band finally broke into the mainstream. The rest of the album proved Blondie wasn't a fluke or a one-trick pony. Every track on "Parallel Lines" is brilliantly written and sung. "Parallel Lines" has a clever balance of new wave, rock, punk, and pop. The aggressive opener, "Hanging On The Telephone" and the ferocious, "Will Anything Happen?" have gorgeous, blistering guitar licks and effortless tempo changes. "Picture This" is beautifully haunting and the epic, "Fade Away And Radiate" is filled with picturesque lyrics (Chris Stein's crowning achievement) and a coquettish vocal by Debbie Harry. "Pretty Baby" and "Sunday Girl" are the pop gems. They are rich in melody and deep in lyrical content. The awesome, "I Know But I Don't Know" has a killer drum solo by Clem Burke, and keyboardist Jimmy Destri continues to deliver the goods on the anxiety-ridden, "11:59". The band were mostly at each other's throats for the majority of their career but when it came to writing great, meaningful music - it was complete and utter magic. The revenge-seeking, "One Way Or Another" and the chilly, "Just Go Away" highlight Debbie's fiery and sarcastic sense of humor. And there's a fabulous cover of Buddy Holly's, "I'm Gonna Love You Too" which has a cool, unexpected fusion of doo-wop and punk. Some albums don't age well, but it's safe to say that "Parallel Lines" isn't one of them. It still sounds fresh, innovative, and gutsy all these decades later. I don't consider "Parallel Lines" to be Blondie's best album, (that honor goes to the sophisticated, "Autoamerican") but I do think it was their most accomplished. Enjoy!

I had this album when I was a teenager and played it SO many times. It's a classic album in my opinion, just LOVE this music. This one plays wonderfully, solid weight, great sound quality

Blondie is a fantastic band and this record is their crown. Parallel Lines was the statement of what was about to arrive with the 80's. Time has no passed for Debbie's haunting, sweet and rocking voice and the guys musical talents. Great collection of rhythms from rock, to pop, ballad, disco, new wave. They contributed to change the sound of music that finally declared the 60' and 70's were done for good (not that is anything wrong with that), and a new generation was taking over. Plenty of stories about Blondie, I first got the single of "Heart of Glass" which like probably thousands of kids did after seeing the video on television, which BTW today has close to 300 million views in YT. But what truly got me hooked to the band was the B side "11:59", back then as a teen I never heard anything like that. Then managed to get their first two records and religiously waited for everything they produced after that. Got the three different cd versions of Parallel Lines, the first cd release, the 2001 Remaster, and this 30th Deluxe Anniversary edition. The best quality is from this Deluxe anniversary release, which has a better remaster with more depth and clear sound as you never heard in this record before. One just wish that someday Parallel Lines will get the Super Deluxe treatment it deserves with more memorabilia and a 5.1 remix, HiDef audio, etc. Perhaps for the 50th anniversary. In the meantime enjoy this New Wave masterpiece.

Whole album rocks

So this is a review for the 2015 import Back To Black vinyl release of this record. first the warning. this has the longer 'disco version' of Heart of Glass. and not the original album version. I was lead to believe that this was a reissue of the original version of the record. In all fairness, most copies of this on vinyl have the disco mix as it was replaced only a few months after the original release. Other than that. the album is great. I am not going to comment on the music on this disc. if you are looking at getting the vinyl, than you probably know what is in the grooves, so I will comment on physical medium. Back to Black has a pretty good reputation for their reissue work and this does nothing to hurt that reputation. My copy is very quiet and very flat. I actually ended turing up my system a whole lot when I first played this becuase I could not hear ANY surface noise and just assumed that the volume was down. Amazons price on this is pretty good for 180 g vinyl, and then add in the fact that this is an import with no US vinyl editions currently out. The cover photo is a bit disappointing. almost like they just took artwork for a CD and blew it up to 12" x 12" The record labels are a very nice reproduction of the late 70s Chrysalis lablel. I would have given this 5 stars if it only had the 3.50 minute version of Heart of Glass

Un clásico de este grupo, que debes de tener en tu colección. Excelente producto, hecho en Francia, 180 gms, se escucha .... Excelente !

Blondie est très cool.

Najlepsza płyta zespołu

Perfect album. Sounds good and good quality.

Debbie Harry and her boys had put in the hard yards with two hit and miss albums, their eponymous debut and the follow-up "Plastic Letters", but in 1978's "Parallel Lines" they found their groove, and with their distinctive punky power-pop format this their third outing was as close to perfect as they would come. With four UK top 10 singles, "Picture This", Hanging On The Telephone", Heart Of Glass", and "Sunday Girl" as well as UK import single "One Way or Another" amongst its twelve tracks "Parallel Lines" could almost qualify as a "best of", it is at least the best of early Blondie. Leaving aside the excellent singles that remain staples of daytime radio and need no describing from me, "Parallel Lines" includes the beautiful "Fade Away and Radiate" with it's dreamlike quality and haunting nightmare instrumental breaks; two three minute power-poppers in "Pretty Baby" and "I Know But I Don't Know"; the wonderful up-tempo "11:59" that in my opinion would have made a better single than "Sunday Girl" [but "Sunday Girl" went to number one so whom am I to offer advice]; "Will Anything Happen" a fast and urgent slice of punk and probably my favourite here [at least today it is!]; and in a similar vein the album closer "Just Go Away"; that makes you want to stay and wanting more of the same; and on top of all that there's their brilliant cover of Buddy Holly's "I'm Gonna Love You Too", without straying too far from the original somehow Blondie make this their own. If there's any criticism or "Parallel Lines", then perhaps it's that this is all a bit too similar, but who cares because this is punk power-pop at its best, but the only way for Blondie from here was down the mountain, their next album "Eat To The Beat" would see more touches of the disco sound already hinted at in "Heart of Glass" added to their format and before long there would be rap and reggae; but for now this was as close to punk power-pop perfect that perhaps anyone would come.