August 22nd, 2026 - Hanging on the Telephone of Your Parallel Landlines

 

Hey there!  Time for some good old punky, poppy '70s rock and roll with your drinkin' buddy the Meista... today I'm here pairing the great "Parallel Lines" by Blondie and a Landline West Coast Double IPA from Red Rock Brewery!

Album Info:

• Artist: Blondie
• Title: "Parallel Lines"
• Recorded: June through July 1978 at the Record Plant in New York City, New York
  Release date: September 1978 (3rd studio album by Blondie)
• Record company: Chrysalis Records
• Production: Mike Chapman
• Album cover art: Ramey Communications (art direction and design) and Edo Bertoglio (photography)
• Personnel: Clem Burke (drums), Jimmy Destri (electronic keyboards), Nigel Harrison (bass guitar), Deborah Harry (lead vocals), Frank Infante (guitars), and  Chris Stein (guitars, E-bow, and backing vocals)
• Guest musician: Robert Fripp (guitar on "Fade Away And Radiate") and Mike Chapman (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Power pop, pop rock, proto New Wave, post-punk with elements of 1950s rock and roll, rockabilly, and disco
• Sound: In many ways, "Parallel Lines" defines the sound of the late '70s for me... and definitely defines my childhood.  Apart from the commercially viable, meticulously produced sound of the album and Harry's incredibly versatile voice, the guitar/bass work is really quite amazing and often overlooked in my opinion as is Clem's drum work.
• Major themes: Romantic, yet also fatalistic, themes on "Parallel Lines" include obsession, stalking, sex, lust, desire, love, beauty, vulnerability, anger, etc.
• Notes: Of the recording sessions, producer Chapman stated the following: "The Blondies were tough in the studio, real tough. None of them liked each other, except Chris and Debbie, and there was so much animosity. They were really, really juvenile in their approach to life—a classic New York underground rock band—and they didn't give a fuck about anything. They just wanted to have fun and didn't want to work too hard getting it."
• Tracks:  

1. "Hanging On The Telephone"
2. "One Way Or Another"
3. "Picture This"
4. "Fade Away And Radiate"
5. "Pretty Baby"
6. "I Know But I Don't Know"
7. "11:59"
8. "Will Anything Happen?"
9. "Sunday Girl"
10. "Heart Of Glass"
11. "I'm Gonna Love You Too"
12. "Just Go Away"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Red Rock Brewery (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://redrockbrewing.com/
• Brew: Landline West Coast Double IPA
• Style: West Coast India Pale Ale (IPA) / Double IPA
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.8%
• Ingredients: Mosaic, Simcoe, Nectaron and Strata hops
• Pour: The Landline pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, half-finger head with good retention and sudsy, soapy lacing
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, floral, earthy, and dank.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind and juice, orange and lemon zest, tangerine, a splash of mango, light melon, wet pine needles, wildflowers, fresh herbs, and light caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Landline follows the nose with bright citrus, floral, resinous, and toasted malt flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, pine, toasted barley, pale malt, light herbs, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is characterized by a "clean, resinous hop profile and a firm malt backbone".  It is crisp, yet smooth a slighly boozy with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The bold, citrusy and floral hoppy notes of the Red Rock Landline West Coast Double IPA work well as both a companion and as a foil to the sometimes loving and sometimes harsh notes of Blondie's defining "Parallel Lines".  There is a timeless resonance in both the album and the brew that intertwines in a beautiful and aggressive dance!

Cheers!!