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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The third album from the most successful of all the bands to spring from the New York punk scene, Parallel Lines is perhaps the definitive Blondie album. Produced by pop svengali Mike Chapman, it epitomises the astute mix of new wave chic and pop sensibility that spawned four hit singles from the album, and gives Debbie Harry's voice a platform of sleek professional pop that it had previously lacked. "Hanging On The Telephone" is a driven, up-tempo gem, "Picture This" soars deliciously around blissful melodies, while "Heart Of Glass" flirts seductively with disco. And it's proof of the album's mettle that tracks like "Fade Away And Radiate" are just as impressive as the singles. --Amber Cowan
Review
The most perfect example of Blondie's grafting of sixties power pop with new wave, Parallel Lines was one of the biggest hits of 1978/9. Supremely assured, the group was unafraid to go disco, go art, or just play fine, fine pop.
After years in the business, Debbie Harry was street-wise, confident, completely in control. Thousands of teenagers were enraptured – boys wanted to be with her, girls wanted to be her. With her musical partner Chris Stein, they created intelligent pop that referenced all of their 60s favourites, while embracing the CBGBs punk scene in New York that the group had grown out of. Working with British bubblegum producer, Mike Chapman, they selected material which played to the group's strengths. Chapman had co-written glam classics such as “Blockbuster” by Sweet and “Tiger Feet” by Mud, so was well-trained in spotting a great pop tune when he heard one. And hear them he did, with Stein and Harry dipping into a catalogue of songs, with contributions from the rest of the band and songwriter Jack Lee, who contributed the unforgettable opener, “Hanging On The Telephone.” To underline Blondie’s art background, Robert Fripp was also on hand, contributing guitar to the brooding “Fade Away and Radiate.”
But no-one cared much for the art when the pop was this flamboyant. Containing the No.1s “Sunday Girl” and disco-pastiche turned disco-classic “Heart Of Glass” as well as “Picture This” and “Hanging On The Telephone”, Parallel Lines, with its iconic cover imagery, was a permanent fixture in Britain in the late 70s. It went to No. 1 in the chart on 17th February and remained there for four weeks, staying on the listings for 106 weeks in total. --Daryl Easlea
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Blondie never got better than this. I don't think there's a track on here that I have to skip past. Every one really is a winner.
Parallel Lines is by a band at the peak of their powers. They couldn't do any wrong and the quality of their songwriting on this album is stunning. Singles are: "Hanging On The Telephone", "Picture This", "Sunday Girl" and of course, the Disco Song, "Heart Of Glass". There's more to this that a clutch of fine singles though, some of the album tracks are simply stunning: "One Way Or Another", "Will Anything Happen" and my personal favourite Blondie song "11:59", three minutes of pop perfection from Jimmy Destri.
It's nice to get a few extra unreleased mixes, demos and that, but at the end of the day, they're unnecessary. The 12 tracks are enough.
Pop perfection.
Parallel Lines is by a band at the peak of their powers. They couldn't do any wrong and the quality of their songwriting on this album is stunning. Singles are: "Hanging On The Telephone", "Picture This", "Sunday Girl" and of course, the Disco Song, "Heart Of Glass". There's more to this that a clutch of fine singles though, some of the album tracks are simply stunning: "One Way Or Another", "Will Anything Happen" and my personal favourite Blondie song "11:59", three minutes of pop perfection from Jimmy Destri.
It's nice to get a few extra unreleased mixes, demos and that, but at the end of the day, they're unnecessary. The 12 tracks are enough.
Pop perfection.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A summary of the new wave. "Parallel Lines" is one brilliant track after another. The opening 'Hanging on the Telephone' is itself a perfect example of the sound of new wave punk, juxtaposed with an energy that was unique to Deborah Harry and her band. The infamous 'One Way or Another' follows which faultlessly fuses a teeny-pop style with a hard punk sound (again something that was a fairly unique trait possessed by Harry), arguably the best on the album. At points, Blondie perform real head bangers: 'I Know But I Don't Know' and 'Will Anything Happen', through a more heavy metal sound: 'Fade Away and Radiate', soft rock: 'Picture This', through female cabaret: 'Pretty Baby' and 'Sunday Girl', and, like it or not, one of the best known number one singles ever: 'Heart of Glass', with that famous whiney tone of Harry's. All in all, the album not only highlights the diversity of Blondie as a band, but the diverse potential of new wave punk as a rock genre, and bands like the Jam and the Police serve only to support this. "Parallel Lines" is testimony to the fact that new wave punk was a great genre of rock that was fronted by bands that produced great albums. There is, of course, a current movement that is attempting to revive this era (Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs etc).
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Parallel Lines is a Masterpiece. Blondie soared to superstar status not only on the music charts in 1978-79 with this album, but forever placed them as POP ICONS. If ever there was a perfect album of Pop songs, this is absolutely it. In a time where 6 Hit Singles from 1 album was unthinkable, Blondie did it with Parallel Lines. Deborah Harry is simply sweet as honey, on songs like "Pretty Baby" and "Sunday Girl". Sunday Girl was the 5th biggest song of the year, in the british charts in 1979. The album is certainly not without it's edge, on songs like "11:59", "One Way or Another" and "Hanging on the Telephone", we see Deborah Harry singing with frantic release. The world was changed with the release of the Mega Smash "Heart of Glass", without a doubt, one of the Top 100 songs of all time. The Techno Beat of "Heart of Glass" sold millions of copies Internationally and was the #2 UK biggest song of 1979. Parallel Lines was also the #1 Selling Album of 1979 in the UK. Parallel Lines was produced by legendary producer Mike Chapman, the album went on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. Parallel Lines is a outstanding album, full of intelligent and catchy lyrics, and great grooves. This album does not have a weak track on it. This is a consumers dream, full of value.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Blondie's best album
This is a great pop album. I would give five stars, but the bonus tracks are terrible and ruin the experience if you are not quick enough.
Published 9 months ago by Eggman
Their most famous album, but not quite their best
`Parallel Lines' is now one of those mythic albums, cited as one of the best of all time by many a critic and punter, so much so that it has become an `establishment' record along... Read more
Published 10 months ago by B. S. Marlay
CLASIC PERFORMANCE
This is a brilliant cd the original album was great for all the Blondie fans and this remastered disk is very good but as allways never as good as the original, haveing said that... Read more
Published 12 months ago by traxman
a blast from the past
Having had this album on vinyl years ago and spending many evenings writing all the lyrics out so I could learn them word perfect, it was a pleasure to listen to the album again... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Allotmentrose
quality........
Great album, can't believe it has been so long since I first listened to these tunes. Absolutely timeless, a favourite with the whole family (kids to grandma...). Read more
Published on 11 April 2010 by Dennis King
Its amazing what a sexy face can do
.
After years of toying and exploring the business and unclear of her direction, Debbie Harry a street-wise slapper from NYC, became confident and completely in control. Read more
After years of toying and exploring the business and unclear of her direction, Debbie Harry a street-wise slapper from NYC, became confident and completely in control. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2010 by P. Frizelle
BLONDIE AT THERE BEST BY FAR
EVERY BAND HAS ONE GREAT C.D. THAT EVERY ONE SHOULD HEAR BEFORE THEY DIE THIS THE BLONDIES ONE TRACKS INCLUDE SUNDAY GIRL THE BEST SONG THEY DID I THINK ALSO ON THIS ARE HEART OF... Read more
Published on 7 July 2009 by Mr. Nicholas R. Muller
Cracking!
One or two duff tracks don't spoil this vibrant, stimulating trip down memory lane. I want more...
Published on 29 April 2009 by D. Spencer
GREAT ALBUM!
Certainly the peak of Blondie's career.
'Parallel Lines' is a nice and short album - backing up my firm belief that all the best music material comes in short packages. Read more
'Parallel Lines' is a nice and short album - backing up my firm belief that all the best music material comes in short packages. Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2008 by FAMOUS NAME
Remastering at it's best.
I agree with most of the other reviews that this is the best Blonde album. Although I've got a lot of the tracks already, my existing CD (The Complete Picture) is over a decade... Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2007 by G. Robertson
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