There were five people I wanted to be when I grew up: Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Leather Tuscadero (but we won't go there), and Deborah Harry. I used to sing into a brush handle in front of a mirror - and sometimes still do - to the likes of Blondie's Parallel Lines and won accolades from my fellow elementary art class teachers and students alike, with my pastel rendition of "Blondie meets the Stones" album cover (black and white parallel lines with the lips and tongue in the center). I distinctly recall singing "Call Me" to Brady, my fourth grade sweetie whom I later ditched because he told me not to play in the rain lest I'd catch a cold. I also dumped a boy in high school because he said "poop"...I deduced, if he couldn't say "shit" he was too clean for me! (I've since grown up and learned that you simply play with the bad boys and marry the good ones. That's the advice column bit of this article.) Yes, I embraced the rock 'n' roll attitude and the lure of bad boys (see "Good Boys", the first single off of this CD).

I've historically conducted myself as one of the guys - the kind of girl you can belly up to the bar and order shots with, a cool chick who you could talk freely in front of, or just hang with and watch some football. I often have to curb my trucker-tongue, dig myself out of trouble for speaking before I think, and struggle to find something conservative in my wardrobe to wear to church. For these, I partly blame, and graciously thank, innovative women like Deborah Harry. I have forever looked up to strong, independent women, who thumbed their noses at society's idea of how a "lady" should behave. Women who did things their own way regardless of what others might think. These women, and those that supported them, helped shape me into who I am today. They are one of the underlying reasons I allied myself with Siren Cristy with whom I created Score! Music, which allows us to display this personality and carry the cool chick torch in our own unique way.

But I digress; yes, you could call me a Blondie fan, hence my obvious thrill over receiving this CD - hey we don't ask for much around here at Score! Music (sometimes it's these small things that help make it worthwhile). I ripped into the super-secret-plastic-NASA-engineered-protective-wrap that holds music hostage these days, and quickly placed the disc in my player as I multitasked at cleaning my deathtrap of an office. I paused and cringed slightly at the rapping on "Shakedown" until reminding myself that this is not a copy-cat-do-whatever-is-necessary-to-fit-in band. Blondie pioneered this sound with their hit single "Rapture" many moons ago and have nothing to prove with this CD. I wasn't quite expecting the occasional dance-y sound that is invoked, but I also realize one cannot expect to hear a regurgitation. That is never what Blondie was about. Instead they have reinvented themselves in a modern way, which embraces the old, and the new. The lyrics are still interesting and intriguing with one track ("Hello Joe") being dedicated to Joey Ramone and yet another, "The Tingler", tips its hat to a horror flick by the same name. The vocals are clear and unmistakably Deborah's, especially memorable are the lilting "Rules for Living", "Background Melody (The Only One)"; "End to End" which is signature Blondie, as is the rocker "Last One In The World". Honestly, I can say that the only song I didn't like on the entire CD was "Desire Brings Me Back" because of its purposefully disturbing intro with a cacophony of horns, drums, and guitars under Deb's more soothing vocals. It just set my teeth on edge, which I think was the point. That aside, the thrilling, unapologetic signature rock and pop mix on this CD that is oh-so-Blondie; an image of a black leather stiletto boot shattering a glass mirror; Kevin Griffin's (Better than Ezra) touch with the lyrics of "Good Boys", not to mention the CD enhanced bonus video of that tune; all make The Curse of Blondie totally worth the purchase! (Hint, hint RIAA!)

www.blondie.net