Album review: Blondie – “Ghosts of Download”

Blonde – Ghosts of the Download

Rating: 6/10

Buy: Blondie 4(0)-Ever: Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux / Ghosts Of Download

Blondie are back with their tenth album “Ghosts of Download”, named after the ghosts that supposedly live in electronics, on the fortieth anniversary of the band's founding. Clocking in at just over fifty minutes in length and also coming with a re-recorded CD of their big hits and a live DVD, the re-release is a mixed bag and one that requires a few listens to really sink in. It's an album that focuses heavily on reggae and experimentation – some of which pays off and some of which doesn't – that will eventually catch on, but it lacks the highlights of their last few albums.

Opener “Sugar On The Side” sometimes gives lead singer Deborah Harry a supporting role, with Caribbean reggae shouts proving to be the main protagonist. Track one is less sung than spoken and its mid-tempo style lacks the excitement we'd expect from one of their usual openings, but it's catchy enough to keep you going and the chorus and synths eventually fall into place .

“Rave,” which follows, is a more electronic number that fits the musical style of the track in a milder form and features drums and synthesizers that are reminiscent of “Atomic” at times. Harry's vocals seem quite ethereal and indistinct here, but it's a more solid number than the opener, with a faster tempo and a stronger production focus reminiscent of their most famous period. The focus on the electronic side suits the piece and the build up to the end, with complex vocals between Harry and guest singer Miss Guy, works really well.

The first single with Beth Ditto, “A Rose By Any Name,” is the best song on the LP, a catchy call-and-response number that sounds as good as anything from her famous period. Although the repetition of the track makes up the majority of the track, it lands squarely in the pop box, but Ditto's addition really enlivens the record and is an ideal vocal partnership. A great pop single and the centerpiece of the record, and a song you can't help but sing along to.

“Winter” is a darker number with a verse that doesn't really warm up the chill of the title, although the bridge and final chorus are better. The fourth track takes a few listens to show its highlights, but even then it's a bit boring and rambling in its verses and there's a Blondie feel on autopilot here. It improves over time, but you may find it difficult to give it that time.

Latest single “I Want To Drag You Around” proves that bringing in some fresher writers to the band will pay off, as this slower but reggae-influenced number will win you over, especially when it comes to the sitar solo in two thirds. It's not as exciting as their first single, but it's a deserving cut from the album and another highlight of the album.

“I Screwed Up” with its “Liberty The Chorus is much better and the saving grace of an average track title. Los Rakas' rap in the middle adds some variety and the second half of the track is much better when it focuses on the chorus rather than the difficult verses.

As we reach the middle of the record we get an experimental cover of the Frankie Goes To Hollywood classic “Relax”, which begins as a slow, sensual, piano-led album with a few vocals helping Harry bring the track to life awaken. Then, three minutes in, the track begins to clumsily segue into a more faithful adaptation of the original, more familiar to fans of the original, even if the setup lacks polish. It's a bold experimental move, and you can't blame them for going after the popularity of the original, but rather the three different parts – the slow version, the instrumental electronic heavy version that sounds like Bowser -Sample levels from Super Mario, a classic ending back in the day – don't always go well together and are unlikely to be anyone's favorite version of them.

“Take Me In The Night” is an average track that settles in nicely but isn’t particularly noteworthy. “Make A Way” is a better, much more uptempo track with better lyrics and a positive vibe, as well as a strong, fast chorus that is the best for several tracks.

“Mile High” feels more like a song from 1997's No Exit album, at least until it turns a little into Madonna's “Vogue” and then into an electronic club with stadium-like sounds, and it's quite a nice track , which is more impressive than musically captivating.

We continue with “Euphoria”, and this number with a marching beat progresses well, but again offers little special. “Take It Back” thankfully picks up the album thanks to its upbeat beat, catchy chorus and fun vibe, giving you a reason to listen to the album again after missing a few numbers. Finishing with a simple but fun “Na na na” breakdown that leads straight into closer “Backroom,” another better track on the LP with its mid-paced tempo, chunky synth line and notable chorus, though still doesn't quite live up to the high points of the piece, although it feels like a solid conclusion to the album and wraps things up well.

The LP also comes with a CD with Blondie's best songs, re-recorded last year. Containing virtually all the songs you would want from the band and a few others, only the biggest fans will notice the difference on the records as they are all fairly faithful to the originals, which is either a positive reflection of the band's ability is to keep these the running titles and Harry's voice or a pointless sound-like selection that lacks imagination. For those who don't have a greatest hits collection or for fanatical collectors it's a great bonus, and they're great faithful versions, but I would have liked something a little more experimental to show the change in style in forty years.

Overall, the collection is positive for 40 years of Blondie. The re-recorded classics are a solid, well-crafted selection and the live DVD and deluxe booklet are a bonus. “Ghost of Download” itself isn't their best album and has some filler to offer, but it does have a handful of strong singles and some positive experiments to keep their fans happy. It's an album that you'll have to listen to a few times before you can judge whether you like it, but in my opinion it's a mixed bag and if you're not a big fan you should check out the two Main singles and a smattering of others after you hear them, mainly “Rave” or “Euphoria”. Maybe not ghosts of downloading, but definitely go for the download.

(6/10)