Kill City - The Stooges

Kill City helped bridge Iggy Pop's musical career from the drug-fueled and blazing rock of the Stooges (Raw Power, etc.) to his artier (but just as influential and passionate) David Bowie-produced solo albums (The Idiot and Lust for Life). After the Stooges broke up for good in 1974, Iggy (who was depressed, suicidal, and addicted to hard drugs) checked himself into a mental hospital to straighten out. When he emerged sober, Iggy hooked up with ex-Stooges guitarist James Williamson and began collaborating on demos. The duo tried to land a record contract on the strength of the compositions, but failed to do so. Although it's not as jaw-dropping as the releases listed above, Kill City certainly has its moments. And surprisingly, the songs sound more like laid-back Stones rockers than what the duo was known for at the time (which was barely containable near-heavy metal). There are a couple of Stooges leftovers ("Johanna" and "I Got Nothin") which lack the bite of the originals, but make up for it in Iggy's heartfelt vocals. The title track opens the album, with the lyrics painting a picture of a desperate and dangerous metropolis, and musically is the closest to the classic Stooges sound. Iggy and James' admiration of Jagger and Richards shows on the tracks "Sell Your Love," "Lucky Monkeys," and the instrumental "Night Theme." Also, synthesizers and keyboards are featured on "Master Charge," signaling the new direction Iggy would soon embark on. Also included are informative liner notes which do a good job of showing where Iggy's head was at during his mid-'70s, refocusing period. An interesting release, worthy of belonging in any Stooges/Iggy fan's collection. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide