The album returns to a more band-oriented sound following the group's experimentation with electronic music for their previous release Ghosts of Download.
Many of the songs on the album were collaborations written by outside writers, including songs written by TV on the Radio's David Sitek, Johnny Marr, Sia, Nick Valensi from The Strokes, Charli XCX, Canadian YouTube personality Adam Johnston of YourMovieSucks (who records music under the name An Unkindness), and Dev Hynes.
Five of the album's tracks were written or co-written by Blondie bandmembers, with two songs written by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein (Harry also co-wrote one track with Hynes) and another two were written by Blondie keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen with his wife Laurel.
Lead guitarist Chris Stein stated in an interview with Mojo, "We thought to ask people because there's so much good music swirling about", rather than it being a result of running thin on ideas.
"We sorted the contributors ourselves, or someone would send us a bunch of songs and we'd pick one" he continued, explaining that Blondie and producer John Congleton had curated the submissions.
As the third new Blondie album of the 2010s, Pollinator falls into something of a familiar pattern. Ever since 2011's Panic of Girls, the revived Blondie have been determined to fit within the confines of contemporary music, riding the remnants of the new wave revival and emphasizing electronics. Unlike Ghosts of Download, which was buried as a second disc with a collection of re-recordings of greatest hits in 2014, Pollinator pushes splashy guest stars.
Blood Orange co-writes "Long Time" with Debbie Harry, Joan Jett guests on the opener "Doom or Destiny," Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi appears on "Best Day Ever," which he co-wrote with Sia Furler, and the group cover both Johnny Marr ("My Monster") and Charli XCX ("Gravity"). That's a lot of cooks, so it's not entirely a surprise that Pollinator can sometimes seem overheated, only settling into a simmer on "When I Gave Up on You" (which also features a guest in the form of the Gregory Brothers).
That said, the sheets of synths and sly nods to the group's disco-punk past don't seem desperate, no matter how aggressive the production is.
There's almost a charm in the way Blondie push so hard: it's hard to think of another legacy act so determined to play a part of the modern musical dialogue without losing their identity.
If they're not always successful, there's nevertheless something ingratiating about the ambition.
Tracklist
1. "Doom or Destiny" (featuring Joan Jett) - 2:54
2. "Long Time" - 4:35
3. "Already Naked" - 4:06
4. "Fun" - 4:19
5. "My Monster" Johnny Marr - 3:29
6. "Best Day Ever" - 3:58
7. "Gravity" - 3:47
8. "When I Gave Up on You" - 4:02
9. "Love Level" (featuring John Roberts) - 4:19
10. "Too Much" - 3:08
11. "Fragments" Adam Johnston - 6:57
CD hidden bonus track
12. "Tonight" (featuring Laurie Anderson) - 5:39
Blondie
- Debbie Harry – vocals
- Chris Stein – guitar
- Clem Burke – drums
- Leigh Foxx – bass guitar
- Matt Katz-Bohen – keyboards
- Tommy Kessler – guitar
- Greg Calbi – Mastering engineer
- John Congleton – production
- Rich Costey – Mix engineer
- Gregory Brothers – backing vocals on "When I Gave Up on You"
- Kabir Hermon – Studio engineer
- Tony Hoffer – Additional production on tracks 1/2/4/10
- Joan Jett – backing vocals on "Doom or Destiny"
- Johnny Marr – guitar
- John Roberts – backing vocals on "Love Level"
- Nick Valensi – guitar
- What Cheer? Brigade – horns and drums on "Love Level"
Notes
Released: May 5, 2017
Recorded: 2015–2017 Studio The Magic Shop, New York City
Genre: New wave, electronic rock, alternative rock
Length: 45:34
Label - BMG/Infectious
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