Iggy Pop – Every Loser

Iggy Pop’s albums are one or the other; an upper or a downer. For example, the iconically energetic Lust for Life followed more melancholic experiments in The Idiot. Recent releases like Post Pop Depression and Free have seen the ageing rock god delve into darker themes alongside sombre instrumentals. Now, Every Loser sees Iggy on the up. 

Intro Frenzy matches the speed and strength of The Stooges’ hits, with subsequent tracks suggesting a busy studio, alive with sliding bass, echoing synths, even cowbells, but the composition comes together under Pop’s dynamic vocals. Every Loser is not without its bluesy side – Morning Show invites conversations about self image and the public eye, and Comments is a rumination on social media, complete with a Zuckerberg call-out. The Regency builds a lo-fi, static sound, only to shift into full-force and close the album in a protest of punk-rock and profanity.

Every Loser is lyrically and technically multidimensional – Pop has had the chance to recharge the gritty, psychic energy necessary for a more metal release. He’s free to stomp about the album like a Tyrannosaurus rex, a fearsome force of nature from a long-past, primaeval era.

Listen To: New Atlantis, The Regency