Debbie Harry - KooKoo (1981)

"KooKoo" is the debut solo album by American Rock singer Debbie Harry, released in 1981. The album was recorded while Harry and boyfriend Chris Stein were taking a year long break from the band Blondie. The album was produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the 70s disco group Chic, who had just had major success working with Diana Ross on her 1980 album "Diana".  "KooKoo" showcased the early fusion of funk, rock and dance music that would become the trademark of Rodgers and Edwards. Backing vocals were provided by Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale of Devo, credited as Spud and Pud Devo.
Harry's stern delivery over the funky backing winds up sounding forced, with lyrics that are clumsy and limited. "Inner City Spillover" starts off promising enough, but its metaphor of bricks in the city that fall on people's heads and end up paving serene suburban Maine roads hangs around four minutes too long. "KooKoo" has plenty of these clever and absurd moments that worked well when casually tossed about by Blondie, but they never based the whole song around them. "Backfired" is the most embarrassing, as it tries to recreate "Rapture"'s winning formula without the compelling groove, and "Under Arrest" is new wave funk-pop at its most generic and unsophisticated. The album's overall cynicism would be easier to take if Harry offered some answers or at least a viewpoint. Only the inspired funk of "The Jam Was Moving" deserves any attention, with Harry finally sounding comfortable.


Track listing

01.  Jump Jump   (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein)  - 4:04
02.  The Jam Was Moving  (Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers)  - 2:59 
03.  Chrome   (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein)  - 4:17 
04.  Surrender  (Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers)  - 3:37
05.  Inner City Spillover   (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein)  - 5:04
06.  Backfired   (Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers)  - 4:54 
07.  Now I Know You Know   (Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers)  - 5:39
08.  Under Arrest   (Bernard Edwards, Deborah Harry, Nile Rodgers, Chris Stein)  - 4:54
09.  Military Rap   (Deborah Harry, Chris Stein)  - 3:51
10.  Oasis   (Bernard Edwards, Deborah Harry, Nile Rodgers, Chris Stein)  - 4:59

Notes
Released:  July 27, 1981
Recorded and mixed at:  The Power Station, NYC
Genre:  Rock, Dance, Pop, Funk
Producer:  Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards

Label - Chrysalis Records