Music Review: Iggy and the Stooges - Ready to Die

Today's Music Review is of the latest effort from the legendary group Iggy and the Stooges (or sometimes referred to simply as "The Stooges"). This is 2013's Ready to Die.

Album cover to 2013's Ready to Die

It's hard to imagine what the world would have been like had Iggy Pop never formed The Stooges or took on his own solo career. So much of his work in both arenas has helped form what we consider punk rock music today and Iggy Pop himself has come to embody the modern age rock star. While Pop, now a sprightly 66, is beginning to show the signs of his age, this latest offering from The Stooges sounds better than ever and brings an energy about it as refreshing as the first Stooges album (1969's self-titled The Stooges).

Initially, Pop's work (both with The Stooges and solo) was largely overlooked and, in retrospect, viewed as being incredibly ahead of his time. Only within the last few years has Pop's work transcended relative obscurity and become much more widely enjoyed by the general audience. Songs like "I Wanna Be Your Dog" have become staples in several movies and video games and Pop's solo hit "Lust For Life" was for a long time featured in, of all places, commercials for the water park Seaworld.

Originally, The Stooges were together from 1967 through early 1974. The band encountered several struggles in the short time span, ranging from difficulties in finding commercial success to Pop's own struggles with drug addiction at the time. The group did release three albums before their split and Iggy Pop chanced to meet David Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust era, leading to a close friendship and Bowie's major involvement early on in Pop's solo ventures, writing parts of and producing albums like 1977's The Idiot.

Iggy and Ziggy. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words! Photo from http://roquebrio.blogspot.com/2012/03/iggy-pop-iggy-ziggy-cleveland-77.html

2003 saw Pop reunite with original members of The Stooges to perform shows for the first time since 1974. By 2007, the group released their first new album since 1973's Raw Power, entitled The Weirdness. Tragically, the new album garnered mostly negative reviews with critics feeling the 2007 album was a sad, desperate attempt to recapture the energy and magic that comprised the first three Stooges albums and that the group needed to simply accept that their time as a cult band was over and to find a new day job. Things wouldn't quickly improve for the group, either. After extensive touring from 2003 through 2008, early 2009 brought the terrible news of Ron Asheton's death (Ron was the original guitarist for The Stooges, a close friend to the members, and in their words, irreplaceable).

The group did continue to tour, starting up again in late 2009 with James Williamson on guitar (James became the second guitarist for the group around late 1970 and returned after Asheton's death). Following some gigs in 2010 and finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (The Stooges had been nominated seven times prior, all unsuccessfully), The Stooges mostly became silent once more. Until this year.

Iggy Pop, now 66, still rocking it out like he was 20. It's just now that he's finally showing a few signs of his age. But only a few. Photo from geeksofdoom.com

April 2013 marked the release of the fifth Stooges album, Ready to Die. Generally, other reviews have been fairly positive with only a handful calling this album yet another poor attempt to be like the first three Stooges albums. There is some criticism of the lyrics being collections of schoolboy-ish innuendos, at best, though I've felt that even the original Stooges albums had a bit of that going on - it's just their style.

The album opens with the first single, "Burn," an upbeat rock number (video posted below that someone took when they played here at SXSW...which I tragically missed). What stands out to me most on this track are the clever turns James Williamson throws in on guitar, adding a special feel to the song. This one immediately draws the listener in and is a great way to open the album.

"Sex and Money" has a feel that reminds me of the older Stooges sound (even if the song is basically about paying for sex and wanting to party all the time). Other notable songs on the album include "Gun," "Ready to Die," and "Dirty Deal," all of which have the punk-rock sound The Stooges are well known for. Of particular interest are also the songs "Unfriendly World," "The Departed," and "Beat That Guy," each losing the more traditional punk sound, adopting acoustic guitars, and taking a more contemplative tone in the lyrics and presentation.

This newest offering is certainly a strong one, even if it doesn't quite meet the same quality as the first three Stooges albums. It isn't Raw Power, but it isn't an album you should simply pass up because of that. For the most part, the album remains true to The Stooge's typical punk rock sounds and suggestive lyrics, though "Unfriendly World," "The Departed," and "Beat That Guy" do throw you for a bit of a loop. After all these years, Iggy Pop might finally be showing some wrinkles, but for 66 years of age, he can still belt out those lyrics. James Williamson, while no Ron Asheton, adds some tremendous work on guitars. Give this album a whirl and if you can, see these guys live. You won't be disappointed.


Rating: 4 out of 5

More Information: Official Site of The Stooges Official Site of Iggy Pop