It's very easy to forget that the man who gave us "Lust For Life" was once one of the scariest musicians in America. One look at his chest and the scars are evident, as they're real and self-inflicted on stage.
Nowadays, I'd think that most people under the age of thirty would think of Iggy like Riley did Ice Cube in the first Gangstalicious episode of the Boondocks ("That dude who does family movies? He was a gangsta rapper?").
One more pop-culture reference, Iggy Pop is a musical legend, but if I'd met him 2 weeks ago, I'd have to divert from that fact. Our meeting would be very much like Mitch Hedberg meeting Peter Frampton. Iggy Pop, do you like toast too?
Of course this is save the late Ron Asheton, but punk legend Mike Watt fills in for him on bass.
Being a fledgling fan of punk rock, it was hard to really judge this music. This album has more personality than Sybil on a double date.
At no point does this record fall into a predictable pattern and groove. It's very uncomfortable in that way and that is a very refreshing change of pace. Too many artists find a groove, a time signature, a melody, and play it for forty five minutes.
On this album when the listener gets too comfortable, a horn solo starts.
Only having heard Iggy's latter year pop hits was hardly a sufficient preparation for what he was about to do vocally. His vocals come in many different flavors. He definitely gets a lot more mileage out of his abilities by changing the delivery.
Were he a pitcher, he'd probably have about fifteen no hitters by now he changes it up so much.
The guitar player has an interesting story. After finally falling out with Iggy, he went back to college and eventually worked his way up to a Vice President position with Sony.
He quit that to rejoin the Iggy and the Stooges. Picture that conversation, but to whom did he delivery his resignation? I'm sure the fantasy here is far greater than the reality. He had given up music and hadn't played for years, but this fact will escape listeners.
It felt like he hadn't missed a day. His rhythmic growls accented by slight melodies really chug the record along.
For someone like me who's not much of a punk fan, this album was very enjoyable. Predictably the album and the songs are short. Only one clocks in at past four minutes. I felt like this album ended at the perfect time: when it was over.
Year: 2013
Genre: Punk Rock
Tracklisting:
1) Burn
2) Sex & Money
3) Job
4) Gun
5) Unfriendly World
6) Ready to Die
7) DD's
8) Dirty Real
9) Beat That Guy
10) The Departed
No comments:
Post a Comment