SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IGGY POP – EVERY LOSER

Iggy Pop
Every Loser
Gold Tooth Music/Atlantic Records

Like a fine wine, Iggy Pop continues to age into a truly one-of-a-kind vintage. Despite decades of hard living, the original street walking cheetah’s bottle of creativity remains seemingly endless, as is the case with his newest album, Every Loser. Despite talk surrounding 2016’s collaboration with Josh Homme, Post Pop Depression being his recorded swan song, or at least his departure from creating rock music, Every Loser marks a revitalized return to form from Pop. Supported by all-star producer/guitarist Andrew Watt, and a band mainly consisting of Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), along with additional performances from Taylor Hawkins, Dave Navarro, Stone Gossard, and others – Pop’s latest record signifies a strong latter career highlight.

Opening with the lead single, “Frenzy”, Pop, Watt, Smith, and McKagan conjure the power of The Stooges with a relentless punk banger. The driving opener is immediately countered by the modern melodicism of “Strung Out Johnny” and the romantic yearning of “New Atlantis”. The former feels nostalgic for ‘80s new wave with its accenting synths and Pop’s restrained and bellowing baritone vocals, while the latter shines for its rich layering of vocal harmonies. Both tracks feel reminiscent of David Bowie’s work with Pop (‘77’s The Idiot and Lust For Life) while also acting as a modern exercise in songwriting for Pop.

As you listen beyond the opening handful of songs, it is clear that Every Loser is full to the brim with musical highlights.  While it would be easy to say that Pop and his band are at their strongest when thrashing about with larger-than-life rockers, that simply isn’t the case. “Modern Day Ripoff” – a track that very well could have been pulled from Raw Power – and “All The Way Down” are compelling defenses for Pop’s role as the Godfather of punk, but they shine as bright as the haunting and humbling “Morning Show”, the only song with the exception of the pair of interludes written solely by Pop and Watt. The ballad is the true centerpiece to Every Loser and brings a level of sophistication and maturity to Pop’s artistry. Additionally, we get a pair of Hawkins’ final recordings through “Comments” tht also features Eric Avery, along with “The Regency” featuring Navarro and Chris Chaney; the former driven by a noir synth-pop energy, while the latter delivers one final biting punk rock attack.

Pop soars as an undisputed elder statesman of punk while demonstrating how one can evolve from the genre creatively without a feeling of selling-out or leaving it behind entirely. While he has done this time and time again throughout the many eras of his career, Every Loser continues to demonstrate Pop’s worth as an artist beyond the principal architect of ‘70s punk. Continuing his tradition of creating massive records, a trend started with Ozzy Osbourne’s Ordinary Man, and continued with last year’s Earthling by Eddie Vedder, Watt very well may be among rock’s greatest producers. All in all, from the songwriting to the performances from a stellar revolving cast, Every Loser is a very early contender that will certainly be among the albums to dominate 2023.

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