Necessary Evil
by Deborah Harry
Metascore
50

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 15
  3. Negative: 3 out of 15
  1. Hot Press
    60
    Necessary Evil is bereft of surprises and is pretty much as you would expect it to be.
  2. Mojo
    60
    Unsurprisingly, Necessary Evil falls short of her prime's pop perfection, yet it provides a fair compendium of her career. [Oct 2007, p.90]
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  3. NOW Magazine
    60
    It's not what anyone is hoping for from Harry, but the highlights are decent enough to keep hardcore Blondie fans satiated until she finds some collaborators worthy of her talent.
  5. Rolling Stone
    60
    You’ll notice when the guitars escalate on 'You’re Too Hot,' when Harry sotto-voces her sexpot act on 'Dirty and Deep.' But you’ll really notice when a long diminuendo fourteen tracks in proves a bridge to the last three songs.
  6. Slant Magazine
    50
    The pastiche of styles on Necessary Evil is quintessential Debbie Harry, but diamonds in the rough aside, it also makes for a wildly uneven, often jarring collection of songs.
  7. AllMusic
    50
    There are interesting moments here, but they're fleeting, crying out for a bit of the deliberate craft of Blondie's comeback albums, which may be predictable but at least they're focused, which makes for easier listening than this long 17-track slog of sound.
  8. Uncut
    40
    The results are frequently souless and over-produced. [October 2007, p.93]
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  9. Q Magazine
    40
    There's commendable variety among these 17 tracks, but little that rises above the mediocre. [Oct 2007, p.98]
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  10. Boston Globe
    40
    Debbie Harry's sixth solo album starts off strong, or at least nostalgic, with a pair of ebullient New Wave pop-rockers, 'Two Times Blue' and 'School for Scandal.' Then it just gets stupid.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. hristov.
    Oct 15, 2007
    9
    good and updated production, perfect voice. if not her best solo, surly pretty close. grab it!
  2. toddw.
    Oct 14, 2007
    9
    there were only 2 songs that i couldve done without.i think this cd is very good.its alot stronger than the last 2 Blondie cds.it can be there were only 2 songs that i couldve done without.i think this cd is very good.its alot stronger than the last 2 Blondie cds.it can be campy at times but i think thats part of the charm.… Full Review »
  3. ChristianB
    Oct 14, 2007
    2
    All the evidence Deborah Harry ever needed to prove she wasn't Blondie. These songs might work with some of the band's cheeky All the evidence Deborah Harry ever needed to prove she wasn't Blondie. These songs might work with some of the band's cheeky recklessness behind them. As it stands, Harry's previous solo albums show she can do great work without them when she takes a less experimental tack. On Necessary Evil, it's painfully obvious Debbie is trying to be Blondie, without the rest of that powerhouse behind her to bring it to fruition. Bitterly disappointing from a usually inspiring performer.… Full Review »
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