Song Of The Day: Iggy and the Stooges, “Burn”

Song Of The Day: Iggy and the Stooges, “Burn”

 

Iggy Pop’s material has wildly fluctuated in quality since the Stooges originally broke up in 1974, but as far as a lot of folks are concerned—this writer included—he gets a lifetime pass for “Search and Destroy.”  With that lifetime pass comes perpetual expectation that Pop can somehow replicate that sort of energy supernova in the present, despite the fact that “Search and Destroy” was released 40 years ago. This was augmented by Iggy’s reunion with the Asheton brothers that began in 2003 and culminated with the Stooges’ 2007 comeback album, The Weirdness, which wasn’t warmly received by fans or critics. Had Iggy lost it? Was it unfair of us to believe that the band, now well into their late 50s and early 60s, would possess the same swagger and vigor they did in their 20s?

Ron Asheton’s death in 2009 broke up the Stooges again, but Iggy and the Stooges live on with the the return of guitarist James Williamson. Their new album, Ready To Die, has some duds to be sure, but “Burn” isn’t one of them; it’s a loud, jagged rocker that if it weren’t for the pristine production, sounds straight outta ’73.

—Bryne Yancey