This debut album from the ultimate platinum babe and her rocking band may not be as packed with hits as 1978's Parallel Lines, but that's what makes it such a fun listen.
I think we can all admit that most of their hits, while outrageously catchy and lovable, have lost a bit of their sparkle with repeated plays. Here, you can get that punk meets '50s girl band sound with fun songs like X-Offender, Look Good In Blue, and A Shark in Jets Clothing.
The real gems are the bonus tracks like Platinum Blonde and the Thin Line. Available on the 2001 reissue and now on iTunes, these gritty, muffled demos from the band's original Private Stock sessions take some of the production gloss off the sound and, in my opinion, Blondie sounds super fine when a little dirtier. They probably would never have rocketed to their incredible fame with production values this low–but these days these recordings sound fresh and exciting.
But what do you think?