Billy Idol
Rebel Yell

THE REVIEW

For Billy Idol, "Rebel Yell" was the album of worldwide consecration. After all, we are faced with a practically perfect record in its genre. The tones range very uniformly from pop to rock, with Billy's sly and naughty voice making the weather rain or shine.

The album is fast, captivates you at the first listen, and doesn't present overly complex elements: therefore, it's very commercial, but in the most positive sense of the word. The album is also played divinely (and it couldn't be otherwise, considering that Steve Stevens is on guitars), and it has impeccable production. Sure, listening to it today, one might smile at some absolutely '80s sounds, but it's precisely in these details that lies the charm of an album that became a classic in no time.

Undoubtedly, "Rebel Yell" has a very cheeky soul (which Billy has never denied having, by the way), but I find it hard to imagine a more successful synthesis of chart-topping pop and down-to-earth street rock. Just take a look at some of the titles and you immediately realize you're in the presence of a collection of '90s hits: "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without A Face", "Flesh For Fantasy", "Catch My Fall"... A little masterpiece then, very important in understanding the mainstream music scene in '84. And I've always had a soft spot for Billy and his brazen face, so I highly recommend the album: it rushes by like lightning and makes you want to have fun and fool around. What more could you ask from a Billy Idol album?

Frankly, I don't know...