Customer Reviews

Lust for Life [Vinyl]

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After the shadowy sound of Iggy Pop's first post-Stooges album, The Idiot (which was as much as an effort from producer David Bowie as an Iggy Pop album), Lust for Life is the return of Iggy Pop, the crude social misfit. Iggy and Bowie, who is again producing, realize that the jagged, brutal sound of Pop's former band is impossible to reproduce, but Bowie and the backing band can still fashion some thumping rhythmus and hard-edged riffs and let loose the memorable uncouthness which made the Stooges-era Iggy Pop infamous. So what does it mean to be Iggy Pop in the late 1970s? First of all, Iggy is back to being ugly, deviant and gross and loving it all. Songs such as "Sixteen," "Some Weird Sin" and the title track ("I`m just a modern guy/Of coarse I`ve had it in the ear before") highlight the gross-out sexuality of Iggy`s persona. Secondly, the first to get the infamous Iggy Pop spit in their faces are those who accused him of selling out by collaborating with Bowie on a more polished sound. The sly sing-along, "Success," and the tongue-in-cheek cover image are pointed at them. But most of all, Iggy was about having fun in late 1977. After the vampiric feel of The Idiot, Iggy and Bowie seemed to realize that, like the Rolling Stones or MC5, there is little reason to listen to Iggy Pop and not feel pumped and listeners can attest the minute they press play and hear the title song's thumping drum beat and driving bass line and can't help but strutting like a fool. Lust for Life undoubtedly has a recipe and authenticity set to Iggy Pop back on the right track as one of the rock and roll's most enjoyable rebels.

Note that I said solo record. Iggy of course created a revolutionary sound with the Stooges before flaming out in a vortex of drugs and madness. LUST FOR LIFE is volume two of the resurrection of iggy Pop under the tutalege of David Bowie and shows Iggy regaining his old strength.

LUST FOR LIFE is packed with great songs from the barreling title track (I crack up every time I hear it on a cruise commercial, do they know what they are selling?) to the heroic melodrama of FALL IN LOVE WITH ME. Stellar tracks include SUCCESS (Iggy and company joking about the trappings of stardom), THE PASSENGER (maybe even better than the title track) and NEIGHBORHOOD THREAT. The music is closer in spirit to 70's Rolling Stones or Bowie's ALADIN SANE than the proto-punk of the Stooges.

In my opinion this release is the highlight of Iggy's now long solo career. Though he would have a number of othe good songs over the years, he would never release an album as consistant as this.

After producing the highly successful and equally strange "Transformer" for Lou Reed in 1972, David Bowie decided to get back in the producer's chair for Iggy Pop (who he had worked with previously on several projects).

The fun starts immediately on the now well known romp of the title track (used in several tv commercials and the movie "Trainspotting"). The lyrics are wild, weird, and full of strange sexual innuendos: "Of course I've had it in my ear before"??? or "Hey man, where'd you get that lotion?"

The fun continues with the raunchy riff of "Sixteen" in which he sings about his hunger for a sixteen year old in leather boots..... staying true to theme of the album I suppose.

Basically, the lust-fused fun never lets up (especially on the hilarious and sarcastic "Success" which is my personal favorite).
"Here comes my car, here comes my chinese rug...."

Overall, another classic recording from the best decade in rock music history... Iggy style.

Andy Warhol said he could never understand why this guy didn't make it big. But he's the opposite of a flash in the pan. Forty years later he's still going ballistic. If you heard the recent interview with Terry Gross where he ascribes his stellar health despite all the drugs to sex and chi gong, and ranks on the Hilton sisters for their suburban epitomization of wannabe stardom, you know with James your dealing with the real thing. Passenger, Neighborhood Threat, Lust for Life--this guy still sets the standard for raw power on stage. A rock and roll classic.

Most people are probably know "Lust for life" as "the song in trainspotting" or "that song in the gap ad", definitive proof that Iggy Pop was 20 years ahead of his time. But Lust of Life is also the name of his brilliant second album. Every song on this album is ridiculously overblown, laughably melodramatic, and absolutely perfect. This album is the epitome of 70's pop, even though it did not get the recognition it deserved. So if you want to listen to the song "Lust for life", don't buy it from some compilation, buy this album and get 9 brilliant pop songs instead of just one!

"Lust for Life," which was released the same year as "The Idiot" should have been even more successful than that record, which was Iggy's first taste of commercial success. This album brings back the hard-rocking, swaggering tendencies that Iggy parlayed with the Stooges, although while the music isn't quite as chaotic, it's still a damned good record. The Jim Morrison influence also seeps through a lot on "Lust for Life." Tracks like "The Passenger," which Iggy wrote based on a Jim Morrison poem articulates the vision of searching that many of Iggy's best tunes are built on. The rest of the tracks rock out and make you think, as well. "Success" is about as ad-libbed sounding as an Iggy Pop song could be, but it's still a great piece of work, as is the title track, "Sweet 16" and the others. It's good that "Lust for Life" is finally getting the audience that it deserved so many years ago. Check this record out, you won't be disappointed.

This album represents part of a curious cycle of work for Iggy Pop. From the implosive and drug-fueled self-destructive brilliance of Iggy and Stooges "Raw Power" to the solo album "The Idiot" stands a big gap where Iggy had to confront his demons, get past himself and find his footing.

"The Idiot" and "Lust for Life" are two albums that are indeed a study in contrast. Many complain that "The Idiot" is mostly a Bowie album, but really it is in my mind a cathartic moment where Iggy moves beyond the scary junkie trash aesthetic that Johnny Thunders and others succumbed to and begins to write really good songs that can be separated from Iggy's own performance. Bowie covered "China Girl" partially to help Iggy out financially, but also because it is a great song.

This album is part of that recovery cycle, where Iggy is ebullient, clean, taking his vitamins and working out. The album cover screams that.

Iggy is doing some serious Jim Morrison channeling in "The Passenger" - in singing voice, style of song and as someone pointed out - even in his lyrics. There was a period after Jim Morrison's death where the rest of the Doors considered Iggy as his replacement, and here is why. It would have been interesting, but on the other hand I am glad he didn't do it.

I don't have to write about the title track because everyone has heard it many times. "Fall in Love With Me" is one of my favorites - an almost rambling plea that feels so authentic. "Neighborhood Threat" is in more familiar ground thematically.

The album, unlike others in Iggy's earlier canon - is a songwriter's showcase. When I listen to "Raw Power" now it is apparent that he had this and other albums in him.

Well worth owning.

Iggy Pop's Lust for Life came to my attention obviously with the title track. What a way to start an album. So far all the contact i've made with Iggy's music is through The Stooges who are excellent as well. Listening to this 70's classic has inspired me to hear more and more from good Iggy. I recommend this item to any person who enjoys a complete, different, irreverent, frantic album. Rock on, Iggy!

As always, Iggy delivers. I love the man... he's had some bad albums (remember 'Party' or 'Zombie Birdhouse'?)... here he's in a good drug-free pro-life mood. And that's pretty groovy because I love the man. I look at him like my uncle... sure, he's fun when he's sniffing ether and knocking over the barbeque pit, but he's also pretty cool when he's lucid and hitting on black girls.
Anyway, 'The Idiot' is marginally better and 'Funhouse' and 'Raw Power' are in different leagues all together. But, this album is a good album by one of the heavy hitters of rock. Buy it. But buy 'Funhouse' and 'Raw Power' first.

From the laid-back observations of Passenger to the anguished soul squeals of Turn Blue, Iggy injects a range of styles with honesty and irony. From beginning to end, a perfect listening experience! I don't think even one song is sub-par! If you like rock, you must own Lust For Life!