Cyberpunk,
Idol's attempt to restyle himself as a futuristic cyber-rocker, only works when he falls back on his effortlessly catchy guitar hooks and melodies of his past hits (the first single, "Shock to the System," for instance). Unfortunately, most of the album is padded with pretentious speeches, sampled dialog, and underdeveloped songs. Especially noteworthy is his techno-dance interpretation of
the Velvet Underground's "Heroin" (featuring a repeated
Patti Smith quote), which is one of the worst covers ever recorded. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine