BILLY IDOL: BILLY IDOL

SCORE: 90/100

Billy Idol's debut album saw the release of one of his most important & essential tracks with 'White Wedding - Part 1' being one of his crowning achievements. His striking new wave sound as well as his undeniable energy make this album a real treat; although it's absolutely a piece of its time period, this isn't a bad thing at all. It perfectly encapsulates the new wave/pop rock sounds of the early-to-mid 80s in a way that makes this album feel like an originator rather than backwashing of the same sounds that once grew tired.

He mixes punk rock flair with new wave pop sounds, making for a delightfully fun album with just the right amount of edge to it. There are some real hidden gems amongst the bigger hits, and Idol has clear charisma that comes through on this album delightfully well. 'Billy Idol' is more than worthwhile, and it's an 80s essential that sometime gets overlooked in favour of other albums that share similarities to this one.

There's a great mix of poppier, more synth-driven tracks alongside the ones with more of an edge to them, and Idol does both very well. His vocals are well-suited to both tones, and the shifts in mood make this an album where the songs work both in and out of sequence. The overall structure of this album was done very well, with clear & careful thought behind the song choices and the order that they went in.

Even the less favored songs are just as good as the hits in most cases, and this is an album that simply oozes consistency at every turn. It's a striking showcase of talent and style that prove why Billy Idol deserved his famed status, and he made it look easy here.


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