Review:

Until 1978, Blondie was perceived mostly as a '60s-referencing, British-Invasion-meets-girl- groups band. With veteran producer Mike Chapman at the helm for their third album, though, everything changed for this group bred from the New York punk scene. Honing in on Blondie's strongest points--Deborah Harry's come-hither vocals and Clem Burke's powerhouse drumming--Chapman helped recast the band to the power pop side of new wave, and with impressive results. Driven by the punk-meets-disco chart-topping hit, "Heart of Glass," and the herky-jerky "One Way or Another," as well as a muscular cover of the Nerves' "Hanging on the Telephone," Parallel Lines established Blondie as major stars. --Billy Altman