Search - Blondie :: The Hunter (Japanese Mini-Vinyl CD)

An underappreciated gem!

Ryan Clark | PA | 05/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As all the other reviews have likely pointed out by now, The Hunter was Blondie's final album until their reunion in 1999 with No Exit. By 1982, the band was ready to call it quits, but they were contractually obligated to deliver another album. Many have said the band sounds "tired" here, and the songs aren't up to the standards established by masterworks like Eat to the Beat and Parallel Lines. Some even say this album is completely worthless. Well, as a hardcore Blondie fan, I have to respectfully disagree! The Hunter is full of great tunes just waiting to be discovered. Lyrically and rhythmically, many of these songs are among their very best. My favorite by far is "War Child". I especially love the extended version of this song included as a bonus track on the remastered edition. "Danceway" is a lot of fun, as well as the driving "Orchid Club" and the Bond theme that wasn't to be, "For Your Eyes Only" (I prefer this to Sheena Easton's sappy hit). "English Boys" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game" (a Marvelettes cover) are two of Blondie's best ballads, and even the second-tier songs like "The Beast" and "Island of Lost Souls" are very catchy. "Dragonfly", "Little Caesar", and "(Can I) Find the Right Words (To Say)" are perhaps the album's weakest, least memorable songs, but they are by no means bad. I don't believe there is such a thing as a bad Blondie song or album -- just don't expect something like Parallel Lines and you will probably enjoy it. Check it out!"

FAVORITE blondie album

truth seeker | nj usa | 10/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"its not a surprise that so many people here didnt like this album. when one is used to parallel lines or eat to the beat, youre going to really dislike this album, which strays from the typical 2 minute happy, poppy mainstream blondie songs.

this album has a more melancholy nostalgic gloom to it than any of the others, as the band knew the end was near. now, whether you like that or not is a matter of personal opinion. i happen to really appreciate that dark edge to this album. the only song i dont care for on this is little ceasar, but the rest of the songs are fantastic.

put it this way: if you liked the mood of 'angel on a balcony', then youll like this album. buy it. if you prefer 'the tide is high' type of song over 'angel on a balcony', then dont bother.

anyone stating that this album is bad is saying that they dont care for the moodiness that encompasses this entire album. the album itself is great-- its my favorite one.

"

Just as good as any previous Blondie album. Don't listen to

S. Davies | 07/14/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Hunter is often blasted as a terrible album from a band past their prime. That's complete nonsense. That's just the typical backlash a band can expect to receive after the phenomenal success Blondie had achieved by this point. I've also read reviews in which statements are made about Debbie's voice just not being up to it. Have you listened to the album? Debbie sounds as amazing as she did on any previous album. While The Hunter is spotty, all of Blondie's albums were spotty, with the only truly solid album being the classic Eat to the Beat.



Yes, The Hunter does have some bad material, and the peak of the poor material is 'Little Caesar' and 'The Beast'. Truly painful with no redeeming quality.



The highlights are amazing. 'Orchid Club' is a stunningly dark and tribal sounding track, and a real surprise album opener. It's pretty daring to start an album with song of this caliber, especially after all of the commercial singles of the previous years. 'Orchid Club' is dark and powerful, building to a strong finish that is not detracted from at all during its fairly lengthy run.

'Island of Lost Souls' is the song that finally encouraged me to look deeper into Blondie's back catalog. While it seems like an obvious 'The Tide is High' soundalike in an attempt to cash in on previous successes, it failed to light up the charts. Nonetheless, it's a catchy song that fits nicely along with the other classic Blondie singles.

'War Child' was the next single, and also failed to make an impact, despite its high production and then-current sound of heavy synths and bombastic production. Though it's tolerable in its short version, it's much more powerful in the extended version that's included here as a bonus track.

'Danceway' is what I view as the lost should-have-been single. It's a classic bouncy and boppy song that could have been made into an amazing Dance Mix.

The rejected Bond theme, 'For Your Eyes Only', is not a bad song at all. It's more light and airy in a dreamy melodic sort of way, and maybe that's why it was rejected.

And I can't forget the scifi classic, 'Dragonfly'. This may be a little dated in the Atari generation with its outer space race theme, (Dragonfly is the name of a ship), but it has strong a catchy music while Debbie sings in between her spoken monologues. The one production fault that surprises me is Debbie's obvious stumbling in one of the spoken sections was not corrected with a retake. "As many of you fans... know already...""