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Album Details

• Artist: Iggy Pop
• Album: Preliminaires
• Label: Virgin
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: tosnob on 2009-06-13

You've got to give Iggy Pop points for effort. The former Stooge takes a big detour on his new album Preliminaires. Based on the writings of French author Michel Houellebecq, the album takes the now 62-year old punk godfather into new sonic territory.

Most of the songs on the album are jazzy numbers, complete with horns. It's definitely new ground for Pop, however it just does not work out. The record is not as dark, energetic, or sexually charged as an Iggy Pop album needs to be.

Pop does stray from the jazz theme from time to time. "Party Time" is a funk-infused mess. "He's Dead/She's Alive" is a country-influenced track. Pop goes for spoken word on "A Machine for Loving", while "She's a Business" is based on a "Nightclubbing" beat.

There are of course a some solid moments. "King of the Dogs" for example has Pop sounding like early lounge singing Tom Waits. Surprisingly he does it very well. As well, "Nice To Be Dead" is a decent rocker, but out of place on the album.

Vocally these songs don't really work for Pop. At the best, like "Les Feiulles Mortes", he sounds like a Leonard Cohen cover singer. At his worst, "I Want To Go To The Beach", it sounds more like a karaoke version of Crash Test Dummies. His voice is just not well suited for these songs.

Iggy Pop gets an 'A' for effort in trying to broaden his sound and explore new musical territory, but the end result fails to get top marks.

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