SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: IGGY POP – LIVE AT MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2023

IGGY POP
LIVE AT MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2023
earMUSIC

With a truly legendary, yet somehow sublime, career that has spanned seven decades, The Godfather of Punk, none other than one Iggy Pop, has released an array of live records. His latest, Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 was recorded on July 6, 2023, at the Stravinsky Auditorium for the titular festival, and is the first live release since 2016’s Post Pop Depression: Live At The Royal Albert Hall, to feature a modern, rather than an archival, performance from Pop. Most notably, Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 is a career-spanning performance that collects material from The Stooges up to Pop’s newest studio album, 2023’s triumphant Every Loser.

Backed by a full band, including a horn section, Pop takes the stage with a performance of “Five Foot One”. There is something unexpectedly ‘70s about this choice of an opener; the band sounds massive, however the lead role that the horns have remove some of the rawness one may associate with Pop – particularly given how feral his latest album was or how wild, yet refined, the Post Pop Depression era was. This is continued with the following track, “T.V. Eye”, a rougher track than the first, but still displaying almost a classic rock cabaret energy to it, largely to the use of horns. Immediately, this separates Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 from Pop’s previous live cuts, making for a unique use of the live album format. I would go as far to say that the use of an expanded ensemble likens Pop’s performance to that of The Rolling Stones, ultimately demonstrating that despite his punk aesthetic, Pop’s songwriting – along with much of the genre – has always had a greater foundation in ‘70s classic rock than many would admit.

Beyond a very tight band, Pop himself sounds fantastic as he captures a powerful sense of energy that pairs well with his gruff, gravelly, baritone range. Furthermore, his ability to give a highly emotive delivery that hints at feelings of longing and anguish, is second to none, and adds a greater hint of intensity to the performance. His presence is all commanding as his leads his band through a collection of material from The Stooges and solo material that ranges from the essential to deep cuts. Most notably, Pop has included a pair of tracks from Every Loser: “Modern Day Ripoff” and “Frenzy”. The latter is used to close the show in an incredibly climatic fashion and, while it would have been a great opportunity to showcase more of his newer material, both tracks can stand alongside his classic material. From the vocal intensity of “Gimmie Danger”, the brass counter melodies and rhythms on “The Passenger”, and the psychedelic and explosive “Sick Of You” to the hard rocking “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, the quintessential bombast of “Search And Destroy”, and the haunting saunter of “Nightclubbing” – front to back, Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 is full of highlights.

Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 demonstrates a greater range of Pop’s musicality and ability of a band leader. Through an expanded lineup, this live album stands apart from the rest of his work for the better as Pop and company breathe a new sense of life into some of his most classic and beloved songs, material that should absolutely be etched into the American songbook beside Dylan and Petty. Despite this, we can only hope that yet another Pop live cut, one that documents the string of four shows in celebration of Every Loser which featured a backing band that included Chad Smith, Duff McKagan, Andrew Watt, and Jamie Hince. Still, even with a distinct lack of new material, Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2023 is an outstanding addition to Pop’s catalogue that ultimately demonstrates the timelessness and intergenerational power of Iggy Pop.

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