Blondie - Panic of Girls

We're nearly halfway through the year and a common theme seems to be developing as I wrap my ears around the latest releases, and that common theme is that the old guard are the ones leading the way.
First it was The Cars returning after a very long hiatus with an album that was built to impress, and now here's Blondie back after eight years with an album that wipes the floor with the hit and miss previous studio outing that was 'The Curse of Blondie'.
'Panic of Girls' is the sound of Blondie back on track, and boy does it feel good.
It stuffed full of songs that have that classic Blondie sound, and it proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there's still a great deal of life left in the band.
It's funky, it's punky and it's got it's groove on.
Opening track D-Day is a clash of electro pop and the decadence of the disco scene. It's a huge sultry wink and a middle fingered salute all at the same time. It's a come on and a brush off that leaves your head spinning.
Then there's the pop enhanced reggae of Girlie Girlie that will have you cracking a huge summer smile at it's tongue in cheek bravado.
The harder edged perfection of 'Mother' stands out as the track that would have been the perfect follow on from 'Maria' and then there is more, much more.
So much more that you could drown in the landslide of guitars, drums, keyboards and Deborah's voice.
If anyone needed an album that would serve to bury the bad memories of 'The Hunter' for good then here it is.
On No Exit and The Curse of Blondie the band showed that they still had it in them to release a classic album.
Certain songs hinted at it and now we have Panic of Girls as the fully rounded out sound of Blondie firing on all cylinders.
Vive le Blondie motherfuckers.