Blondie: No Exit - Deluxe Edition (2xCD)

No Exit began as a far-fetched idea — one forged through years of time apart, individual successes, financial pressures, and a determination to create music together again — quickly became one of the most celebrated comebacks of its time. The album reunited Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, Clem Burke, and Jimmy Destri, who began writing and recording in Stein’s Tribeca basement studio before continuing sessions at Electric Lady Studios and Chung King. They were joined by bassist Leigh Foxx and guitarist Paul Carbonara, longtime collaborators who stepped into official roles as the band reshaped its lineup for a new era. That new dynamic helped drive the creative momentum behind No Exit, through which Blondie reemerged, proving that their edge, energy, and instincts had only sharpened over time.

Leading the charge was producer Craig Leon, a veteran of the 1970s New York punk scene whose credits include early work with the Ramones, Suicide, Talking Heads, and Richard Hell & the Voidoids. Leon had also been involved in Blondie’s earliest recordings — most notably their 1976 debut single “X Offender” — and brought both continuity and raw energy to No Exit.

Drawing on vintage analogue gear salvaged from the now-shuttered Blank Tape Studios, the sessions captured the band’s renewed perspective. “We made an effort to not do anything that was predictable while also including a few of those little pop ditties that Blondie became known for,” says Debbie Harry.

The album’s title — No Exit, a nod to Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist play in which three people are locked in a room together for eternity — emerged spontaneously during a rehearsal when Clem Burke kept repeating the phrase. “We were working in my basement and Clem just started yelling ‘No Exit,’ ‘No Exit,’ ‘No Exit.’ He kept saying it over and over again. We couldn’t shut him up,” explains Chris Stein. “But it was a clever concept. We all liked it.” The phrase stuck, and the idea of inescapable creative entanglement — between a band, its identity, and its audience — became a subtle thread running through the album’s themes.

Originally released in February 1999, No Exit reestablished Blondie’s global presence. “Maria” became their sixth UK #1 — two decades after “Heart Of Glass” topped the charts — and introduced a new generation to the band’s signature fusion of melody and edge. Other standout tracks include the emotionally charged “Nothing Is Real But The Girl” and the title track, which featured a guest verse from Coolio and underscored Blondie’s long-standing connections to hip-hop.

“Under The Gun,” a tribute to Jeffrey Lee Pierce, and “Boom Boom In The Zoom Zoom Room,” Clem Burke’s songwriting debut with the band, reflect the album’s deep range. No Exit also sparked Blondie’s longest-running tour to date — a 13-month global run that reaffirmed the band’s live power and cultural impact.

This Deluxe Edition arrives with added poignancy, as it was completed before Clem Burke’s passing earlier this year. A founding member and the band’s rhythmic foundation for over four decades, Clem’s energy and precision are deeply felt across No Exit. His performance here — captured at full creative strength — serves as a lasting tribute to his unmatched contribution to Blondie’s sound and spirit.

1. Screaming Skin
2. Forgive And Forget (Pull Down The Night)
3. Maria
4. No Exit (feat. Coolio & Loud AllStars)
5. Double Take (feat. Candy Dulfer)
6. Nothing Is Real But The Girl
7. Boom Boom In The Zoom Zoom Room
8. Night Wind Sent
9. Under The Gun (For Jeffrey Lee Pierce)
10. Out In The Streets
11. Happy Dog (For Caggy)
12. The Dream’s Lost On Me
13. Divine
14. Dig Up The Conjo
15. Hot Shot (David Wrench 2025 Remix)
16. Maria (Ether Dub Mix)
17. Nothing Is Real But The Girl (Boilerhouse Lounge Mix)
18. No Exit (Urban Version Main Mix)
    
19. Maria (Talvin Singh Rhythmic Remix Edit)
20. Nothing Is Real But The Girl (Danny Tenaglia Heart Of Trance Mix)
21. Forgive And Forget (Pull Down The Night) (Ben’s Mix)
22. Maria (White Trash Mix)