Iggy Pop
Post Post Depression
(Loma Vista Recordings)

Post Pop Depression is Iggy Pop’s latest. A nine-song collection the godfather of punk created with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, there is solid commercial, shunky stuff here, sure to warm your nasty heart. The album moves from opener “Break Into Your Heart” with its single-note guitar sliding under Iggy in the chorus, into a rangy, Western, strut-of-a-verse (and odd, but effective piano instrumental break), to the high, metallic hit behind the heavy, floppy bass of “American Valhalla” (and Iggy’s almost-talking vocal), and “Chocolate Drops,” with its solid, chunking beat and slight lilting harmonies behind Iggy with chimes under him. Then there’s the snapping beat and tom rolls mixed with the rangy, loud guitars on “Sunday” (the best mover here), as the listener gets a heady brew to be sure. “Paraguay” ends, starting with a strong vocal harmony into a strummed, electric ditty, Iggy claiming he’s going where sour losers go. The narrator here (Iggy?) is going to “pack his soul and scram” in this plodding, mid-tempo rocker, a great conclusion to a great album, especially the heavy-hit ending with Iggy’s rant of all things – what a freakin’ hoot! Seventeen solo albums in, it’s good to hear an “elder” rocker like Pop still making music this vibrant. (Though if you missed Pop’s very French Préliminaires album from 2009, you need to get it right now!) He was also smart enough to reach out to the “younger” set like Homme to make the album with. Post Pop Depression is an album of fine playing, signature vocalizing, and solid commercial rock tunes.