April 22nd
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Blondie will celebrate its 40th anniversary in a big way, by releasing a new two-disc collection combining a brand-new studio effort and an album of updated versions of the group's best-known tunes.

Due out on May 13, Blondie 4(0) Ever will include the influential New York band's long-awaited 10th studio album, Ghosts of a Download, as well as Deluxe Redux: Greatest Hits, which boasts renditions of 11 classic Blondie songs rerecorded by the veteran New Wave act's current lineup.

Ghosts of Download finds Blondie exploring a variety of genres, including modern electronic and dance music, reggae, pop and rock. A number of guest artists make appearances on the record, including Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto, New York City club performer Miss Guy, Colombian group Systema Solar and Oakland–based Panamanian rap act Los Rakas. The album features a cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 1983 hit "Relax."

Among the many memorable songs included on Deluxe Redux are "Heart of Glass," "Tide Is High," "Rapture," "One Way or Another" and "Call Me."

Blondie 4(0) Ever will be available in a variety of configurations, including a deluxe edition that features the two CDs, a bonus DVD boasting footage of a 1977 performance at CBGB, a collectible poster and five postcards with photographs taken by guitarist Chris Stein. There's also the standard two-CD set, a digital download and a vinyl package offering LP versions of the two albums together with the DVD.

Fans pre-ordering the digital version of Blondie 4(0) Ever via Amazon or iTunes will receive three bonus Ghosts of Download tracks, and also will be able to instantly download the new song "I Want to Drag You Around."

Two preview tracks from Blondie 4(0) Ever, the Ghosts of Download tune "Sugar on the Side" and a new rendition of "One Way or Another," can be heard now at the band's official YouTube channel.

Here is the full Blondie 4(0) Ever track list:

Deluxe Redux: Greatest Hits
"Heart of Glass"
"Dreaming"
"Tide Is High"
"Maria"
"Sunday Girl"
"Hanging on the Telephone"
"Rapture"
"One Way or Another"
"Call Me"
"Atomic"
"Rip Her to Shreds"

Ghosts of Download
"Sugar on the Side"
"Rave"
"A Rose by Any Name"
"I Want to Drag You Around"
"Winter"
"I Screwed Up"
"Relax"
"Take Me in the Night"
"Make a Way"
"Mile High"
"Euphoria"
"Take It Back"
"Backroom"

New rendition with updated vocals.

I liked the last album. Why is she re-recording the classics though? To own the masters or something?

Don't care for re-recorded versions of old songs but I am interested in their new songs and the CBGB DVD.

A Rose By Any Name is out too... I like it

Nick715 said:

I liked the last album. Why is she re-recording the classics though? To own the masters or something?

Probably something like that. Also to avoid paying royalties to those ex-members who pissed them off so much. And if they get asked to give up a recording for a commercial, in case some margarine company wants to use One Way Or Another, then they can keep all the money and not give any to their old label.

They have to do something different, they already have compilations and those compilations have already been re-mastered. Some bands do this for royalities but ALSO if band members have changed, and new members are in, people that come to see them might like a "NEW" way they do a song rather than the 1975 version. STYX totally re-did their stuff with RE-GENERATION Volumes 1 and 2, mainly because Dennis Deyoung was out of the band in 1999, they have Lawrence Gowan in their now plus they have loads of people that see them tour NOW that might dig the songs with him in there more, and honestly the other stuff on these CD's sound STELLAR mainly because STYX has possibly the greatest drummer ever in their lienup since 1995, Todd Sucherman, dude cant be topped.

I'm pretty excited about this new album. I like the two tracks so far. I like that they're trying to update their sound a bit but it's not too far removed from their original stuff. Damn May 13th has 3 major releases, Blondie, MJ and Chromeo. Can't wait!!

I love Blondie and all... but re-recordings? i HATE when artists do that as well. It never sounds as good as the original.

Also, another hits compilation? yeah it's the 40th anniversery but jeebus. They did one for the 10, 20th, 30th, and now 40th. Have y'all seen how many Blondie greatest hits their are out there? i'm for real! have y'all? has to at leats over 15-20. Maybe more!

their singles since the 99 comeback have been surprisinglym GOOD (Maria, Good Boys, Come Undone, Mother, etc)

the albums tracks, well

in concert they are dreadful, though; not even Jimmy Destri (keyboards/synths) is on board anymore

[Edited 4/25/14 8:18am]

JoeTyler said:

their singles since the 99 comeback have been surprisinglym GOOD (Maria, Good Boys, Come Undone, Mother, etc)

the albums tracks, well

in concert they are dreadful, though; not even Jimmy Destri (keyboards/synths) is on board anymore

[Edited 4/25/14 8:18am]

I love Maria!

JoeTyler said:

their singles since the 99 comeback have been surprisinglym GOOD (Maria, Good Boys, Come Undone, Mother, etc)

the albums tracks, well

in concert they are dreadful, though; not even Jimmy Destri (keyboards/synths) is on board anymore

[Edited 4/25/14 8:18am]

Maria should have been a bigger hit in America!

I really loved The Curse of Blondie but didn't care for Panic of Girls. I'll definitely pick this up, though - I'm a Blondie lifer.

The new video for "Sugar on the Side"

Yeah first few listens to the full NEW album and im not feeling it this time around, way too much programming going on.

Debbie's voice sounds better than I expected on the 2014 versions of the classics.

As for the new songs, not feeling any of them yet. The ones I heard are ok, but there's no "Maria", "Mother" or "Good Boys" among them.

lastdecember said:

Yeah first few listens to the full NEW album and im not feeling it this time around, way too much programming going on.

I know what you mean, there's a lot of electronic influence on this album but I like it and think it breathes new life into them.

JoeTyler said:

their singles since the 99 comeback have been surprisinglym GOOD (Maria, Good Boys, Come Undone, Mother, etc)

the albums tracks, well

in concert they are dreadful, though; not even Jimmy Destri (keyboards/synths) is on board anymore

[Edited 4/25/14 8:18am]

THAT's^ because he was fired and kicked out of the band due to his old drug problems. Even after Jimmy got clean and somber again, Deborah & Chris still don't want Jimmy back.

dancerella said:

lastdecember said:

Yeah first few listens to the full NEW album and im not feeling it this time around, way too much programming going on.

I know what you mean, there's a lot of electronic influence on this album but I like it and think it breathes new life into them.

I like it too. I think it's good that they added some electronics for a modern edge but still kept the basic Blondie sound. It does make it fresh. Blondie has always been an eclectic band experimenting with disco, reggae, even rap not just a standard rock band so I think it's fitting. So I don't see anything wrong with them using some electronic programming. I don't like older artists who just repeat the same sound and refuse to adapt. But then I don't like it when they change too much either. I think they got the balance of sounded like themselves but updated and modern just right.

[Edited 5/24/14 10:23am]

Glindathegood said:

dancerella said:

I know what you mean, there's a lot of electronic influence on this album but I like it and think it breathes new life into them.

I like it too. I think it's good that they added some electronics for a modern edge but still kept the basic Blondie sound. It does make it fresh. Blondie has always been an eclectic band experimenting with disco, reggae, even rap not just a standard rock band so I think it's fitting. So I don't see anything wrong with them using some electronic programming. I don't like older artists who just repeat the same sound and refuse to adapt. But then I don't like it when they change too much either. I think they got the balance of sounded like themselves but updated and modern just right.

[Edited 5/24/14 10:23am]

I get that with their sound they never really have had a "sound" they have always jumped around very much like Duran Duran do, but i just feel they miss alot on this record, and the stronger cuts have been neglected as singles/videos put forward and then slapping "redone hits" almost shows a lack of interest in the material too even from the band. The reviews havent been too good and the one here nails it.

http://time.com/106324/re...-download/

SoulAlive said:

I hate when artists re-record their old hits.

^ me too, yuck!


Buy the original albums, those are great...

I thought the new video was a bit... too much

[Edited 6/20/14 7:40am]