I wrote in a recent post about The Stones' latest LP that Andrew Watt seems to be the current go-to person for 80-year old rockers trying to regain their mojo. That was not exactly true: Iggy and Ozzy were "only" 75 when they teamed up with Watt. In any case, all these albums were very well received, so it seems like Watt is on his way to be the new Rick Rubin - remember when everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash to Metallica to Mick Jagger used to turn to Rubin in order to revive their career? Nevertheless, whoever the producer is, it all boils down to the songs. In the case of The Stones, I had the nagging sense that those lacked inspiration, that they could have been written in "Rolling Stones style" by an imitator. But if there's one person who is completely inimitable, that would be Iggy Pop. Who else could have started a record by singing "I’ve got a dick and two balls/that’s more than you all"? Maybe Turbonegro, but then they wouldn't be able to pull off the rest of Iggy's feats here. "Frenzy", the foul-mouthed opener of the album, is the first of a number of hard-rocking punk anthems here. Others include the Stooges pastiche "Modern Day Ripoff" and storming satirical "Neo-Punk" featuring Travis Barker of the quintessential neo-pop-punk band Blink182. Iggy's convincing return to the aggressive style of his youth despite his 75 years is impressive, and it's what most reviewers focused on. Not taking into account the Stooges reunions, it's been 20 years since he'd played so loudly, and those albums (Beat' Em Up and Skull Ring) aren't fondly remembered by anyone. What makes a difference here is that, instead of a second rate metal band, he's backed by an all star cast including Watt himself as well as members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns 'N' Roses, Pearl Jam, Jane's Addiction, Foo Fighters etc. Thankfully though, it's not all pedal-to-the-floor metal; instead we get something in the style of every period of Iggy's career, including his collaborations with David Bowie and his 1990 return to form Brick By Brick, which many think -and I'm inclined to agree- is the album most resembling Every Loser. Hard rocker "All the Way Down" for example reminds me of "Home", especially in the chorus. A more 80's new wave vibe permeates tracks like "Comments" and "Strung Out Johnny" which are nevertheless better in every way than anything Iggy produced in the 80's - with the obvious exception of "The Passenger". The latter is easily the highlight of the album, a vivid portrait of addiction sung in Iggy's classic baritone featuring melodic synth lines and an upbeat chorus. "Morning Show" is melancholic and poetic, reminiscent of "Livin' On The Edge Of Night" (again from Brick By Brick). "New Atlantis" is an atmospheric love song to his adopted home town of Miami, while there are also two jazzy spoken word interludes ("The News for Andy" and "My Animus"). Closer "The Regency" also starts off like an a moody ballad but quickly gathers steam turning into an angry new wave rocker reminiscent of his Bowie years. Lyrically, despite the occasional silliness and profanity, Every Loser is full of wit and astute observations informed by experience - the unique experience of being Iggy Pop: taking every drug known to man, ignoring propriety, always giving in to your primal urges instead of following conventions, and being rewarded for all of that with the admiration of your peers and a devoted fan base. "Every loser needs a bit of joy" he sings; he may not be a loser but he sure sounds like he's having a whole lot of joy rocking out, refusing to grow old, and just being true to himself. That's the secret of his success; unlike The Stones who delivered a meticulously crafted record that was years in the making, all Iggy needs is a sympathetic band and some nice production touches, and there he is, at 75, with one of the best albums of his career.
***** for Strung Out Johnny
**** for Frenzy, New Atlantis, Modern Day Ripoff, Morning Show, All the Way Down, Comments
*** for The News for Andy, Neo Punk, My Animus, The Regency
