Forty years after the release of
Raw Power
and with erstwhile guitarist James Williamson's return to the fray, it seems as if Iggy and the Stooges are primed for a blistering return – despite the ominous title of their fifth album. In truth, the seminal punk band seem content to settle into their dotage. Like 2007's
The Weirdness
, this is an album that never really gets out of first gear. Pop's voice still sounds sneeringly vibrant on the punchy
Job and Burn
, but switching to an oaky baritone on the drab
Unfriendly World
and
Beat That Guy
spoils the energy awakened by the revved-up title track. Put simply, these songs are painfully average, even clichéd at times;
Ready to Retire
might have been a more accurate title.
Iggyandthe stoogesmusic.com Download:
Ready to Die, Burn