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| Iggy Pop - Soldier Band: Iggy Pop Tracks: - Knocking 'Em Down (In The City) - I'm A Conservative - I Snub You - Get Up And Get Out - Ambition - Take Care Of Me - I Need More - Loco Mosquito - Mr Dynamite - Play It Safe - Dog Food - Low Life - Drop A Hook Refined Punk First, let me say that this is My Favorite Iggy album, right up there w/Raw Power. The other reviewers made some good points: some of the lyrics seem a little silly, others are enigmatic ("I'm sick of hanging round with old transvestites/they stare at my rubbers/it makes me uptight"). Others are excellent: "They Call me Mr. Dynamite/I blow things up in Black and white/an end to your charade/A button I have made/Must be pushed". The Band is great, with surprisingly tasteful use of horns and keys. Many of the tunes are very melodic but still edgy. The production is quite good and it is obvious the songs were carefully constructed. Almost every one is good, no real stinkers. I even like Loco Mosquito, though it took awhile. Check out "I'm A Conservative" and "Mr. Dynamite", 2 standout tracks. A few tunes have kind of a new wave feel ("Play It Safe"), and they work too. Thumbs up from me, Siskel. Iggy's best?! Boy, was I relieved to see that somebody else thought this might be Iggy's best album. Yes, Raw Power is his ultimate nihilistic punk masterpiece, but truth be known, I'm not always up for the challenge of listening to it all the way through. On Soldier Iggy sheds the overtly pop elements thrust on him by Bowie and James Williamson, and provides a sloppily rocking good time. The songs are probably the most consistent in quality of any Iggy record, yet range from ridiculous and raw (Dog Food, I Snub You) to dark and dangerous (Ambition, Play It Safe), to just plain outstandingly tough and cool (I Need More, I'm a Conservative). From the roller rink rock of Loco Mosquito to its blistering end, Iggy and his Band pull out all the stops on this one and take you on Mr. Pop's wild ride. Kudos to Glen Matlock's kickass bass playing, Barry Andrew's rollicking keyboards (likely the best punk keyboard Player ever), and Pat Moran's raw but catchy production. Any time the album veers anywhere near pop, the bass snaps, the keys blurt, or the ever-snotty background vocals slap you back into your place. It's a shame this Band was such a interpersonal disaster according to the liner notes--they made great noise together, but they probably never would have topped this record anyway. No Sweet baritone ballads for the Iguana on this one--this puppy rocks from beginning to end. A pure Pleasure for the kind of day when you're driving in your car, and you feel like shooting the finger and smiling at the same time. Sublime and essential Iggy. Cynical, Loopy, Indulgent, and Just Plain Fun Mr. Iggy Pop really cuts the rock and roll mustard with this one; it's depraved, lunatic, sometimes over-the-top (but always delightfully so), and oh so much fun. . . its entirely original, and very very Iggy. (Well, not completely Iggy, as David Bowie has his hand in Iggy's cookie jar on this album (which, in my opinion, only strengthens the album: they do work so well together, don't they?!). The tunes and lyrics are infectious; you will very likely find yourself jamming out and singing along with Pop and Bowie when you listen to it. And I don't think that its even remotely one of those "acquired taste" albums, you know, one of those albums which take multiple listenings to enjoy it. . . in my case, at least, it got me rocking out on the first spin. My first listen to it was while driving around with friends after a very long and Dionysian-tinged night out clubbing (yes, we had a designated Driver to cart our inebriated tushies around, so we were "playing it safe!. . . unlike our Iggy here, who claims that he "never knew how to play it safe," in the song entitled "Play it Safe." Oh yeah, that, and he also proclaims that he "wants to be a criminal!"). Regardless, we drove home rocking out to this album, especially to tracks like "Loco Mosquito," "Knocking Them Down in the City," "I Snub You," and "I'm a Conservative" (how very tongue-in-cheek of Iggy, n'est pas?!). This song is one of the stand-outs on "Soldier," with pounding guitars and (there's that word again) an infectious chorus. This is one of those rare rock albums out there which has no pretences to grandeur, yet still possesses it. . . Iggy doesn't take himself too seriously, or anything else for that matter, and his rare and perenially quirky character and perspective shine and even gleam, if you will. Some of the tracks remind me of Bowie's album "Alladin Sane" (especially the piano on "Mr. Dynamite"), but regardless of Bowie's participation, they have a flavor uniquely their own. All of the tracks get my adrenalin flowing, and please my picky rock and roll heart. Perhaps oddly, My Favorite of all is the totally self-effacing, odd, and pathos-filled ballad "Low Life." A guaranteed party pleaser. . . just put it in your stereo, and join Iggy (and David) in their excess, depravity, wierdness, and last but not least, genius. Oh yes, and sing along, and "say ta ta ta ta ta ta. . .!" Buy Iggy Pop Soldier at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.comJamster - the latest ringtones for your phone! |
