Billy Idol - Rebel Yell (Exp)
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CD Details
Artist: Billy IdolEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
Published: 1998-09-11
CD Release Date: 1999-06-29
Music Label: Capitol
Soundtracks:
- Rebel Yell
- Daytime Drama
- Eyes Without A Face
- Blue Highway
- Flesh For Fantasy
- Catch My Fall
- Crank Call
- (Do Not ) Stand In The Shadows
- The Dead Next Door
- Rebel Yell (Session Take)
- Motorbikin' (Session Take)
- Catch My Fall (Original Demo)
- Flesh For Fantasy (Session Take)
- Blue Highway (Original Demo)
Music reviews of Rebel Yell (Exp)
Music Review: For an Idol/80s fan, a must have
Rating: 5 Stars
After achieving moderate success in the 1970s with the punk band Generation X, singer Billy Idol relocated to New York City to seek fortune as a solo artist. After releasing his "Don't Stop" (1981) EP, Idol hooked up with guitar virtuoso Steve Stevens and producer Keith Forsey to record his classic self-titled debut "Billy Idol" (1982). With hit singles and videos like "Hot in the City" and "White Wedding" under his belt, Idol was well on his way to superstardom. His flamboyance, photogenic good looks, and cockiness were destined to make him an icon in the flashy, glitzy, superficial 80s. Although his debut was a hit and remains an 80s classic, it was his second album "Rebel Yell" (1983) that is his masterpiece.
While Idol's debut continued in the vain of commercial punk similar to his old band Generation X, albeit with more guitars, "Rebel Yell" takes a different path. It's hard to pigeonhole the exact genre of "Rebel Yell," as it is equal parts new-wave, metal, punk, and pop. While synthesizers were present on the debut, they are front and center here, giving the album streaks of cool-new wave. While some of the album's songs like the metallic title track would have done Ozzy proud, the album has an undeniable pop-sensibility as melody is always emphasized. But Idol's punk roots are also apparent throughout the album. Also, compared to the more meat-and-potatoes debut, "Rebel Yell" has a far more spacey, trippy, drugged-out feel.
While the album is worth buying for its hit singles, there really isn't a single weak song on here. "Rebel Yell" stands as Idol's best written and most consistent album. It also stands as one of the best albums from the 1980s.
The opening track "Rebel Yell" immediately sucks you in with its heavy-metal guitars, underlying synths, and incredibly catchy hook. Equal parts "Shout at the Devil" era Motley Crue and Peter Gabriel, this is Idol at his best. The album comes down to earth with the underrated, spacey tribute to superficiality with "Daytime Drama." A well-written song, Stevens guitar effects truly make it shine. The album's true highlight, and Idol's biggest accomplishment comes next with the eloquently gorgeous "Eyes without a Face." With its haunting female backup singing, (courtesy of Perri Lister) pulsating bass, trippy guitar work, cool-new-wave synths, this is Idol's shining moment. The hard-rocking "Blue Highway" comes next which gives the album a needed shot of adrenalin after the magnificent, but drugged-out "Eyes without a Face." Next, Idol shows his instinctual, seductive, prowling nature with the lustful "Flesh for Fantasy." While Idol is a predator up to this point, he shows his sensitive, vulnerable side with "Catch my Fall." The added saxophones work nicely here. "Crank Call" is an above average, but by-the-numbers rocker that moves the album along. One of Idol's most underrated songs, Idol shows his punk roots with the take-no-prisoners; balls-to-the-wall-rocking "(Do Not) Stand in the Shadow." While "Rebel Yell" started off with all guns blazing, the album goes out with a whimper, leaving a lasting impression with the haunting and poignant "The Dead Next Door," the perfect closer.
The 1999 edition of "Rebel Yell" includes some demos which offer an interesting look at the songs as works-in-progress. The cover song "Moterbikin'" is good, but not great.
Released in 1983, with its prevalent synths and flashy guitars, "Rebel Yell" sounds very dated, like a relic of a bygone era. Still, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Rebel Yell" functions as a time-capsule to another decade, another time and place. But "Rebel Yell" is hardly an example of style over substance; as the album has oodles of both.
All songs written by Idol/Sevens (except for "Catch my Fall) the duo proved to be one of the 1980s best musical collaborators.
While "Rebel Yell" contains first-class singles, the album's other tracks should not be overlooked as the album is thoroughly terrific and well-written. If you are thinking about just picking up the "Greatest Hits," (2001) you are advised to reconsider. "Rebel Yell" is a landmark album, an eclectic stew of punk, pop, new-wave, and metal, that deserves to be heard in its entirety.
Description of Rebel Yell (Exp)
More! More! More! An absolute "must-have" of the '80s, this 1983 album reached #6 and stayed on the charts for over a year and a half! Eyes Without a Face; Flesh for Fantasy; Rebel Yell; Catch My Fall , and the rest are here!With a permanently snarled upper lip and the perfect matinee-idol blond hair, Billy Idol made punk rock palatable for MTV and the masses. He did so by watering down punk's aggressive attack with dance grooves and stretches of keyboards where no self-respecting punk would've dared. Essentially, he made pop music with a spare razor blade tossed in for fun. When it clicked, as it does on the anthemic title track of this, his career highlight, well, only an anarchist could complain. "Eyes Without a Face" and "Flesh for Fantasy" are two other early '80s radio stapes found here and they went further to establish Idol as a potential Vegas balladeer. This reissue contains some worthwhile demos. --Rob O'Connor
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