Plastic Letters

About

The hard-charging, defiantly fierce second album from New Wave heroes Blondie, 1978’s <i>Plastic Letters</i> arrived on the heels of the group’s buzz-building debut. That album, 1976’s <i>Blondie</i>, didn’t exactly rocket the group to fame. But it nabbed Blondie a major-label deal, earned the attention of influential Los Angeles DJ Rodney Bingenheimer, and even yielded an overseas hit with the group’s pop ballad “In the Flesh.” The group’s follow-up, <i>Plastic Letters</i> would be a conscious effort to capture into the punk-rock roar emanating from downtown New York City. Easily the group’s heaviest and most straightforwardly rocking album, <i>Plastic Letters</i> is a portrait of the group at its most ferociou. But while <i>Plastic Letters</i> finds Blondie striking some tough poses and playing speedier song, the album’s most enduring singles build on the postmodern girl-group sound of the band’s debut. After hearing Randy and the Rainbows’ 1963 doo-wop classic “Denise” on a K-Tel compilation, the band members and producer Richard Gottehrer rigged up a version that mixed New Wave agitation with stomping Spector-ian grandeur. The result was “Deni,” a song that took the group’s early-1960s obsession to amazing heights (and would go on to become a monster smash in the UK and France). Meanwhile <i>Plastic Letters</i>’ other breakout hit, “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear” mixes sparkling, Shangri-Las-inspired harmonies and a power-pop hook with Clem Burke’s wild, Who-like drumming. .

via Apple Music

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