Blondie's Time Is Once Again At Hand

Blondie, the very first band I ever developed an appreciation for and thus launched me into the passion for music that's spanned four decades, is back. New wave goddess Debbie Harry hasn't lost a single step at age 71 and frankly, there's no justice in the world if she doesn't reach 100. Still the royal presence in her New York-based outfit that blew onto the scene in the '70s, Debbie and original sidekicks guitarist Chris Stein and drummer Clem Burke have succeeded in giving us a time warp back to those late '70s halcyon days on the heels of a vibrant track taken off of the band's eleventh studio album "Pollinator". This beauty's name is "Long Time" and might I say that's an appropriate handle for the song to bear because it shall be remembered for a long time as the band's great late career stroke of genius. The keyboards you know and love are present and accounted for due to relative newbie Matt Katz-Bohen's fine work. Clem's skin bashing remains a benchmark for others in the genre to learn from. Chris Stein lends good old fashioned strumming to this after hours fete. I can wax eloquent on technical merit all day which means I starve and Ear Buzz reaches an undignified conclusion but, in all seriousness, one Deborah Harry has always been the main attraction in the Blondie circus. The video clearly demonstrates the camera still loves her 40 years on. The cinematographer deserved a big raise for capturing a night on the town where Debbie gets to be a ham to her heart's content. The lyrics captures the complexities of boy girl interaction in a high glam style that only a band like Blondie could pull off without appearing clumsy. What electric poetry stems from the boiling core of lines like "I've been running circles 'round a night that never ends. I've been chasing heartache, in a city and a friend." And with that Blondie has me in its boa constrictor clutches once again. The key difference is I don't want to break free from Blondie. The choral refrain has a soap opera drama to it that makes playing voyeur a real pleasure. "Take me, then lose me, then tell them I'm yours. Are you happy? I'm pleased to report that each note has the power to lead you back to your quite possibly carefree younger days. C'mon!! Roll the windows down and let this monster track lead you through the scorching timeframe of summer 2017. "Long Time" appears poised to enjoy a long stay in the hearts of Blondie faithful and new converts alike.