Necessary Evil

Following the ending of Blondie's second life as a recording and touring outfit, and nearly a decade and a half after her last solo record, Debbie Harry, at the age of 62, makes a surprisingly feisty and invigorating return to form on the spunky Necessary Evil. Recorded with songwriting and production assistance from the likes of longtime collaborator Chris Stein and young production team Super Buddha, Necessary Evil features echoes of early Blondie's ironic updating of classic '60s pop (the Phil Spector-like "Two Times Blue" shows where Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse got many of their ideas) mixed with contemporary hip-hop and electro rock influences. Highlights include the lascivious "Dirty and Deep" and the lovely ballad "If I Had You," a worthy successor to Blondie's glorious love song "In the Flesh." At an age when many of Harry's contemporaries, such as Elvis Costello or Nick Lowe, are working in musical styles that have no connection to the modern pop marketplace, Debbie Harry proves that it's possible to rock the mainstream at any age.