Iggy Pop. Every Looser.

A few days into his career, 76-year-old James Newell Osterberg Jr. was apparently lucky to have started music at the age of 17. Or rather, we listeners have the opportunity to listen to great music thanks to his decision. Had he not done so, it's hard to know where his life would have gone from the mobile home of the small-town American West Coast where he lived as a child. The Iggy Pop drummer and lead singer of the fledgling band's nickname was born out of thin air, and the legendary Iggy & the Stooges was formed shortly thereafter. Many years passed in which Iggy never ceased to amaze with his vitality, inventiveness, but also with escapades of various kinds. But he deserves the nickname "Godfather of Punk" without a doubt. The last album released under the band's banner so far is the ten-year-old Ready to Die, to which critics have generally given slightly above-average reviews. The latest solo album is from this year and is called Every Looser. Counting the live albums, it is the twenty-second in order. And it's an exceptionally fine piece of work. Maybe even a career highlight. Much of the credit for the record's success goes to producer Andrew Watt (Justin Bieber, Ozzy Osborne), who insisted on giving Iggy complete freedom to be himself. Two successively released singles - Frenzy (10/2022) and Strung Out Johnny (12/2022) - hinted that the team, which included instrumental stars of the caliber of Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot), Travis Barker (Blink 182), Dave Navarro (RHCP, Jane's Addiction), Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) and Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) is a guarantee of the highest quality. The album itself, with a classic vinyl running time of 37 minutes, contains eleven tracks including two interludes The News For Andy and My Animus. In addition to the excellent singles with imaginative themes that make up the opening pair of tracks, there are other raucous punk or garage-rock style songs such as Modern Day Ripoff, Neo Punk and All the Way Down. The album is definitely not purely punk and does not rely on provocation, as it has many times in the past. The baritone, which Iggy has used successfully on several occasions in the past, shows its strength in some of the album's tracks Every Looser and highlights the maturity of the artist. The deep timbre suits both New Atlantis and Morning Show, which ironically touches on the work of the late American singer Harry Chapin.

So this year, we can add more to the now classic Iggy Pop hits that have survived several decades, Candy, Lust For Life and The Passenger, to suit our own tastes.