Billy Idol

The Billy Idol we know and love is back after 12 long years, with his bleach-blond, leather-clad, heavy-metal snake rock. The first single on Devil’s Playground, “Scream,” is sex-driven rock, like a runaway train fueled with fire and liquor. Another favorite song is “Plastic Jesus.” It’s a country-punk ballad with the hysterical line “with my plastic Jesus sitting on the dashboard of my car … his head comes off you see / he’s hollow and I use him like a flask.” So Billy! “Rat Race” is a slinky, slithery anthem with hot jungle drums, but “Evil Eye” gave me such a rockgasm that I almost passed out. There are only a few duds here. If you love Billy Idol, this is the album you’ve been waiting for.