By: Blondie Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered Label: Capitol Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: September 11, 2001
Album Description: Japanese pressing of the 1980 album has been digitally remastered with 3 bonus tracks and packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. Virgin. 2006.
Album Details: Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic (2001 Remaster) in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.
Blondie Conquers All I have owned this album in every imagineable format since its release in 1980. It was; at the time the only Blondie I had, where I actually went into the store and bought it when it first came out. Full of all this is Blondie glory, there isn't a genre not covered on Autoamerican. From the hip hop stops of "Rapture", the reggae tune of "The Tide Is High" - jazz on "Faces" , 40s style "Here's Looking At You" and straight up rock on "Walk Like Me" and "TBirds." This is definitive Blondie, and it contains my all time fav Blondie track "Angels On The Balcony. Plus the whole thing starts with a space age alien soundtrack called "Europa." Plus the remaster has the excellent B-side "Suzy & Jeffrey" which I have never to this day gotten tired of hearing.
Blondie Enters the 80s with a couple killer singles and a good album Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R16DBWBU4G6BD7 My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!! Blondie is one of one of my favorite bands and Deborah Harry is one of my fave singers/writers.
Autopilot Frequently the first album or two of a great band - like Blondie - doesn't sell so well regardless of how good it is because the band hasn't yet established themselves as a recognizable "brand name". Once a band gets momentum fans will buy their albums without having heard a thing from them, all based on the band's reputation for strong, consistent albums.
This was the case with Blondie up to this point. "Blondie", "Parallel Lines" and "Eat to the Beat" were all excellent albums, and Blondie topped it off with the #1 single of its year, "Call Me". On the strength of that history, and two popular singles from this album, fans bought "Autoamerican" in droves.
That turned out to be a curse rather than a blessing, one that killed Blondie's career. The reason the next album, "The Hunter" died on the vine was not so much that it was a bad album; its lackluster sales were due to Blondie losing its fan base because of how destitute "Autoamerican" was, killing what would have been repeat sales for Blondie's next album.
The fact that one of the two hits on "Autoamerican" was a cover, not an original, should have served fair warning that the band was running dry after a good string of winners. Apart from the two hit singles the only memorable number is "Angels on the Balcony". Better to pick up that one track on the compilation "Blonde and Beyond".
It's as though Blondie said, "Okay, we've got another album to do. We can't repeat the same formula. What can we do?" A commendable approach to inspiring creativity, but in this case the well was running dry. Blondie lost their direction and stylistic cohesion, and for all the expensive production values the songwriting sounded like leftovers from previous sessions. Blondie is often remembered as an 80s band, but the truth of the matter is that they didn't make it out of the 70s intact.
Compilations don't do this band justice - celebrate Blondie with "Eat to the Beat", "Parallel Lines" or "Blondie" instead. The long version of "Call Me" is a must have for any fan but it's available on any number of CDs. No need to suffer through the disappointment of an album that should have been titled "Autopilot".
They don't make 'em like they used to I was 15 years old when I bought this at the local record store. I remember seeing the video for "Rapture" before MTV even existed, and watching people dance to "T-Birds" on American Bandstand. In many ways, this was a first love in terms of rock music, and I appreciate it now even more than I used to. A very fun album to listen to--it doesn't try to raise your consciousness or make a statement. Instead, the emphasis here seems to be on creating fantastic aural environments, and it does so spectacularly. Every song is like a room decorated in a different style, from the 40's inspired "Here's Looking at You" to the Carribbean rythyms of "Tide is High" to the Latin horns on "Go Through It." And just like the T-Bird Debbie loves so much, it's a classic.
You're Not Really Gonna Put This on the Album? Ok, so everyone knows and loves this album, I just want to comment on a couple things. Main one being I was hoping, sitting on the edge of my seat... waiting to see if this latest remaster features something only the import vinyl LP copy had ( I had a Japanese copy from the early 80s but I believe some European LPs had this too)... ok, so as the final notes of the last song "Follow Me", a sort of schlocky ballad that no doubt shocked many of Blondie's original fans fades out, a male voice can be heard to say "you're not really gonna put that on the album?"... ha! While "Follow Me" doesn't exactly spoil the album, hearing that spoken comment really saves it for me, but alas this new CD doesn't have it. I think it's pretty much lost to time at this point. It also would have been nice if they had preserved the album's original artwork (the inner sleeve's "paint smudge" image) and typographic style... although the new essay and photos are fine. Sound quality is nice too, as it is on this entire series. And while I will have to break out my LP Best Of to hear the original "Call Me", the extended version here is one I've never heard before, different from both the 7" version and the version on the Best Of LP. So yeah, buy it.
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