Dreams idols of electronic rock and roll?

After four years without new output suffered Billy Idol February 7, 1990 a near-fatal motorcycle accident after he had run a stop sign and was crashed into a truck. Striking and certainly typical O-tone Posted by Idol to his accident: "A real rebel can be a piece of sheet metal not yet block the way!" With several months delay therefore appeared the album "Charmed Life", which had been completed just before the big crash with guitarist Mark Younger-Smith. Then let Idol despite many electronic elements even more back than on previous works rock n'roll miteinfließen. The album is, despite the fact that guitar wizard Steve Stevens is not on board, in addition to "Rebel Yell" my favorite album of Billy Idol.

Besides Mark Younger-Smith, who does his job very well, idol for the album has no right band at the start, the bass as well as the drums were not exclusively but largely programmed. However, the device the sound is not to the detriment, "Charmed Life" sounds on the one hand certainly to Billy Idol, but also opened another facet in the work of Idols. It sounds somewhat cooled, a little gloomy, urbanized, not so much for the 80, but ready for the 90s, mature, full-bodied and very atmospheric.

"The Loveless" is a pretty rocking opener with a simple riff that through the use of a keyboard - created a funky, modern lounge atmosphere - despite sound in the style of Deep Purple or Iron Butterfly. The following song "Pumping On Steel" Despite hammering Education, undoubtedly programmed drums, rock and atmospheric at the same time, a highlight on the disc. As for the atmosphere, it builds "Prodigal Blues", a number slightly quieter with the sound of an acoustic guitar on, but without being a musical blues in the popular sense. "LA Woman", the super song of the Doors, Billy Idol expresses his own stamp on the song comes harder and has a slight AC / DC-list but fits nichtsdestrotz fantastic in the album with a. "Cradle Of Love", marked by a honky-tonk piano sound, is a very simple song and follow this rocky path, which connect and the "Love Unchained" equipped with hard, snotty riffs "The Right Way". "Endless Sleep" is a slower, R & B-moderate song by singing idol leaves at later Elvis Presley, as well as Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran, especially remember a little. "Trouble With The Sweet Stuff" is a groovy, tinged by a slap bass of funk song with cutting guitar that stands out a little from the rest, but is no less atmospheric. "Mark Of Caine" linked to it not quite as striking, but rather gesetzer; not a highlight, but good. The almost epic to be named "Licence To Thrill" is something of a highlight, and closes the album from a great success.

"Charmed Life", although failed quite modern, effectively represents the last album of "old" Idol before he drifted with "Cyberpunk" fully into the electronics, and to "Speed", and out of the music business. Consequently, of course, the album breathes despite modernity and electronics also the spirit of Billy Idols of the 80, and here his 50s-rock and roll roots with integrated in the sound, which is a very funky, interesting piece of rock music gives.