Iggy Pop - 'Skull Ring' (Virgin)
3/5
By: Toby L
Why frustrate the issue, Iggy - is this a full-on Stooges reunion, or not?
'Or not', seemingly, the answer. Ever a tease, Mr. Pop's latter-day, solo-career has been a hot point of contention - distinctly because a lot of it's sucked (a subjective view, of course).
But remaining one of the hot-draws of every festival-season since the distant 70's, it's because of the work with his original, roughed-up backing-men that he's in the position that he is today - that of an iconic leader of hard-edged, druggy-rock; without his influence, Bowie wouldn't have had an accomplice to compete alongside (or near as fascinating a wardrobe), whilst his sassy wail and waif-like figure is the closest we have to anything left near legendary-status from such a vital timeframe in modern, contemporary-music.
So as the likes of The Strokes, The Hives, BRMC and many of today's major players are only too happy to cite Iggy as a central pool of influence, the emergence of his umpteenth studio-LP to date 'Skull Ring' is as timely as they come. Favourably, The Stooges' collaborations are far from a disappointment - the title-track as riveting and bleak as one'd hope, 'Loser' naughtily ruffled and messy, whilst even scary-seeming couplings with Sum 41 and Green Day amass some tidy results - particularly of the batch, a grappling, feisty - and mildly seedy - 'Private Hell' (just a shame that lead-single 'Little Know It All' is amid the scale of over-production: an asset seldom associated with the golden Iggy of yore).
The man be modern, too; following sharing vox-duties on Peaches' irrepressible rock-dance ace 'Kick It Up' via her 'Fatherf**ker' LP-release earlier this year, the Canadian starlet has done her bit and returned the favour - donating her 'Rock Show' for a dual-assault, as grimacing, snotty and sleazy as you could dream for. Doubled with Peaches' own instrumental-group, Feedom - inclusive of Gonzales in tow - for a further slice, within the sultry 'Motor Inn', and a solo Iggy outing of 'Til Wrong Feels Right', and although this is hardly the spark of innovation that made the likes of 'Lust For Life' or 'Raw Power' such peerless standards, Pop proves that few aged rockers of his stature and legacy could adapt so sleekly into the 21st Century as this, and still seem relevant.
By no means a career-best then, but certainly far from a low-point - and you can bet your leather-clad ass that this ain't his last shout yet.
Artists in this article: Iggy Pop
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