Although
Debbie Harry
's popularity had decreased by the late '80s, 1989 wasn't a bad year for her at all. That year,
Blondie
's former lead vocalist successfully portrayed a struggling singer on the brilliant but underrated
CBS
crime drama
Wiseguy
, and demonstrated that she could still have considerable fun in the studio. Under the direction of hit producer
Mike Chapman
-- who had worked with
, as well as with everyone from
Sweet
to
Scandal
--
Harry
delivers an eclectic CD that isn't in a class with a
treasure like
Parallel Lines
but nonetheless has a lot going for it. Much of this
new wave
-ish
pop/rock
and European-flavored
dance
music is heartfelt, clever, and quite memorable. Everything from the charming
"Brite Side"
(which she performed on
) to the addictive
"Bike Boy"
to the haunting
"He Is So"
makes it clear that
, at 43, was far from a has-been. ~ Alex Henderson