Iggy Pop

Beat Em Up

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Editor's Review:

"God damn!" You say to yourself, "That guy's still alive?"
Of course he is. Iggy Pop, of Stooges and that "Lust For Life" song fame, is still around, as evidenced by this fresh CD with starkly provocative cover artwork. The album is comprised of a good mix of Iggy Pop minimalistic and dirty rock 'n' roll. The songs seem to bustle along with little effort; drum and bass churning thickly along, while the deep tenor of Iggy's lyrics croon over it, either in his spoken word patterns, or his frantic singing voice. Produced by the man of Pop himself, one has to wonder if they gave these songs more than one take for that more raw feel; there are little stutters between the drums and bass when they fall slightly out of time. Overall this effect works nicely with the appropriately dirty ethos one would expect Iggy Pop to subscribe to.
Standout tracks on the record start with the first cut, "Mask," the lyrics to which resoundingly repeat "You're wearing a mask / You look better that way…" The effect is stylishly accomplished. Iggy lets us in on all the things that piss him off about the world. My favorite line is "Irony in place of balls / balls in place of brains / brains in place of soul / where is the soul!? / where is the love!?" Production flaws included, this track is a stunning statement. My other picks are the title track for the chorus refrain, and "Go For the Throat" for its simplistic, stirring, drum and bass work. Beat Em Up, indeed.

– M. Cameron Newell
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