Reviews (page 4 of 8)
It's so fascinating to me that Bowie and Iggy were contemporaries and friends. According to all reports, they loved and respected each other's music. And yet, in most respects, their music is so different. This album is probably the closest that Iggy ever got to Bowie's style in part because Bowie had his hands all over it. And a good thing, too. Without Bowie in the mix, it's unlikely that Iggy would have managed to make "The Idiot" even happen. Lucky for us, it did happen and it remains a quintessentially Iggy album lyrically, musically, and vocally. I'm an unapologetic Iggy Pop fan so I found very little to dislike here. There were some mixing/engineering choices that aren't my favorite and, unlike Bowie who can make a whole album while utterly cracked out of his mind and still perform flawlessly, Iggy's struggles with substance abuse left and audible thumbprint on this album. The end result is an almost spectacular album that falls short at merely a very good album.
4 stars. Like most music that involves, Bowie this is more of an artistic statement than straightforward musical expression. Have never heard this before, but definitely love the collab during Bowie’s peak artistic years.
Iffy Pop will probably always be cool. From the baritone croons in the opener to the very last note of the closer he exudes cool. There’s a couple of standouts here as is standard for Mr. Pop.
Vraiment bon j’ai pas vu letemps passe. 5
Enjoyed every song. Solid listen
Really great album. Never heard this before (except for Bowie's version of China Girl. Standouts: Sister Midnight, Nightclubbing,
WoW, j’ai beaucoup aimé ça. On entend qu’il en a influencé plusieurs. James Murphy a clairement écouté cet album. Bowie aussi, et pas seulement pour China Girl, mais aussi pour quelques pièces sur Black Star dont le nom m’échappe (a season for a crime…?). Je vais certainement creuser plus loin dans le Iggy Pop. C’est construit différemment et d’une façon qui me plaît.
Iggy's comeback that serves as Bowie's precursor to the Berlin Trilogy. Honestly shocked Eno wasn't involved, and the intro "Sister Midnight" sounds very similar to "Sound and Vision." The vocals and slow, dark synths would be utilized by the punk movement to evolve into post-punk and gothic rock, most notably its influence on Joy Division (most notably "Nightclubbing" and "Mass Production"). Only 7 tracks, each memorable in their own right. The jazz and melody of "Tiny Girls" reminded me of Roxy Music, another British art rock 70s band. Only two tracks I wasn't a huge fan of were "Funtime" and "Dum dum boys" but even they were good songs. Favorites: Baby, China Girl
Yeah I like. More listens.
A really good album. Very Bowie-esque. Which is really doubled down on with China Girl. I really enjoy this a lot but as much as I like it and Iggy overall, I just don't think it hits a 5. Excellent album though.
I love the mood of this album
Very solid. Can hear the Bowie influence throughout.
Surprisingly cool
echt ein paar starke tracks, die gegen ende etwas öde werden. glaube, man muss auch den stil der vocals gut finden auf dem album, ich finde die eher nicht so toll. die instrumentals sind aber gut und manchmal echt einzigartig für die zeit. anscheinend hat das album joy division beeinflusst, was man glaube ich raushören kann.
Hat mir ganz gut gefallen die düstere Atmosphäre und der exzentrische Gesang. Nichts was ich ständig hören würde aber auf jeden Fall cooles Album das einen charakteristischen und konsistenten Sound bietet.
Och scheisse meine Review wurd gelöscht Naja ich finds richtig richtig geil auf jeden Fall, es ist wirklich wie der düstere Bruder von Heroes (aber ist ja auch in weiten Teilen die gleiche Band) und Iggy Pop erfindet einfach Industrial Rock in 1977
Irgendwie schafft es das Album nicht mich richtig zu packen, aber wenn ich mich zwinge genauer hinzuhören, finde ich nicht super viel zum aussetzen. Ich habe den Eindruck, dass hier etwas versucht wird, was noch nicht spruchreif ist und in dem Sound in dem Iggy Pop hängt nicht so recht aufgehen will. Auch wenn die Vocals cool sind an sich, gehen sie irgendwie auf unbefriedigende Weise in den Instrumentals unter. 3-4
I can smell the white powder dripping off this.
4.5
Love me some Iggy & David collab projects. Getting off the drugs and making some of the most groundbreaking stuff of both of their respective careers in the late 70's, you love to see boys being boys.
Minimalisk. Early NIN vibes. Reznor greinilega aðdáandi. Greinileg áhrif á QOTSA líka.
Enjoyable and well-crafted but not as memorable as I expected
Sounds more like a Bowie album than an Iggy Pop album, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, really enjoyed this, don’t think it’s as good as lust for life but still very good.
Iggy pop fresh off the stooges making his own name for himself on this classic album produced by the one and only David Bowie who’s toy piano on China girl I love. I’ve always loved Iggy pops voice especially on nightclubbing. Iggy is criminally underrated
Really cool album. A notch below his Stooges' work. 7-8/10 1. China Girl 2. Nightclubbing 3. Sister Midnight
Remedial, late night droning... sounds good to me.
This was great! I listened twice actually. I love the range here, slow and sexy some of them but others fast and poppy.
I like Iggy Pop. This is good stuff. In fact I prefer his version of China Girl to Bowie's.
Awesome
Really great. Didn't stick around for the end.
Low side A. Best track: China Girl
Has a few songs from Trainspotting so has to be a good one!
Really enjoyed, reminds me a bit of doors/joy division. Drags on a bit except for Dum Dum boys which slaps Interesting how much blues/folk/ jazz influence is there for early rock
The Bowie influence here is immediately apparent and gives this album such a cool feel. Also I love hearing the drum beat I know from Closer on Nightclubbing.
spoopy music
Cool sound. Makes me think of St Vincent.
6.5/10 F.t.: China Girl
Love it. Listening to this has made me at least 5% more cool than I was yesterday.
This was a nice surprise, learned a bit about rock history when digging in to some of the details.
Yes
Not at all what I expected. Knowing the Stooges I figured that there would be some sort of punk edge to it. That art rock/synth pop vibe was completely out of left field; it sounded almost like a Bowie record. It was a cool surprise though! I don’t think it’s the easiest record to listen to, but I definitely liked it.
Это важно
Feels like a raw Queens Of The Stone Age at the start, moves into a big David Bowie section, and kinda falls off a cliff at the end. I listened through twice tho. Its aged well.
Pretty interesting album. I haven't listened to much art rock before. No sleepers on this album. Liked the melodies and the mood.
Iggy and Bowie hang out in Berlin and record a "James Brown meet Krafwerk" album. Pop's sober, Bowie is out of his mind on coke, milk, sausages and red peppers. That's a good combo. Best Tracks: Sister Midnight; Nightclubbing; China Girl
Way cooler than expected. China Girl? OMG!
At first I was a bit disappointed this album wasn't more like Raw Power by the Stooges. However, by the second song, I began to really dig what I was hearing. Iggy Pop (and David Bowie) are taking an art rock and pop approach that utilizes burgeoning electronic sounds and folds them into a slower rock format features long songs that are more like mini suites. This album does feel more like a Bowie album more than anything but is extremely effective and engaging.
China girl is a banger, first time i have heard it
Bowies version of China Girl dosent hold a candle to the emotional rawness of this one. The mixture of electronic instrumentation and Iggy Pops raw style makes for a very interesting combination.
It veers into the experimental Berlin Bowie (which i'm not so fond of) towards the end, but I liked it for the most part.
goes hard
We get a more domesticated Iggy on this than on Raw power. Produced by Bowie in the Berlin trilogy era, some regard this as an extension of that trilogy. I dig this one quite a bit.
Mass production is echt ziek Ik ben fan van het album en ga het nog eens beluisteren
Some pretty good jams on here. A few overstay their welcome but overall a solid album.
Pretty cool. Sounds like the beginnings of post punk.
A really impressive debut solo album. The songs can feel a bit raw & unpolished, but I think that’s part of Iggy Pop’s appeal.
Great album. You can defo hear Bowie in it. Really simplistic, but very well executed
Iggy pop, such an interesting artist. Some songs felt similar to David Bowie songs to me while others were completely different. Overall: was good! I need to listen to more full albums of his.
Some really ominous sounding tracks on this album. I love it! Very different from The Stooges raw punk tunes and different from what his later solo work sounded like too but still unmistakably Iggy
Tunes are a bit slower and more spoken word than the Lust For Life album. Still good though, easy listening. I reckon Mark E Smith from The Fall took a lot of inspiration from Iggy after hearing this. 3.5. Gonna bump it up to 4 cos I gave the last Iggy one a 3 when that was 3.5 too
Otro de Iggy Pop. No quería escucharlo jajajaja pero al final sí me gustó, me parece diferente a los otros que han salido pero al mismo tiempo sí suena muy él
!!
Great album
Iggy’s always been a bit of a hero. Some great songs on here and the Bowie presence is obviously strong. Not my favourite of Iggy’s work but still a very solid album.
Siempre un placer escuchar al Iggy, pero ya fue mucho de él en esta lista, no? XD XD Anyways, tiene unas vibras un poco más sad a comparación de lo super punk que le he escuchado. Creo que la que más me gustó fue Nightclubbing, está sensualona. lol Mood: Iggy llegando a la ancianidad antes de tiempo.
Quite good! A bit dark, and not the vibe I'd listen to 24/7, but definitely worth listening to
Może nawet 4.5
- Interesting stretched voices - classic rock/ pop - definetly see where it's influenced bowie
Great album, don't think I'd ever listened to the whole thing before. Dum Dum Girls was a standout for me.
I liked it. cool album
I'm sad that China Girl was an Iggy Pop song that Bowie covered. I've always hated that song. Otherwise, this album slaps
8
Lekker relaxed album met de cover China Girl erop. Kan erg genieten van de stem van Iggy.
Love the sound. Sparse lyrics with droning vocals. Crazy instrumentation with synths.
Excellent exemplification of music at late 70s. Also discovered that China girl wasn't only Bowie's! Really enjoyed this album.
8/10, pretty great Bowie album and a nice left turn for Iggy. OG China Girl is best
GOAT Pop Punk
I like Bowie, I like Iggy, I was really expecting to love this but in the end I was a little disappointed. It was fine, good even, but it just didn't meet my expectations. 3*
Another Iggy Pop album…that sounds like most of the other iggy pop albums. Not that I disliked it but it didn’t give me enough change
3.4 2x good sound, prefer it over the Iggy stuff i heard in the past
I'm not bothering checking whether this was made during Iggy's heroin years, but I'm going out on a limb to say "yes definitely". Nightclubbing is immortal and makes me think of Trainspotting. Sleazemaxxing.
Haven't liked some Iggy Pop in the past, but this was enjoyable! Baby and China Girl were the highlights for me. 3.4/5 -> 3/5
Crazy thing going into this: I did not realize the STRONG collaborative element of David Bowie on this phase of Iggy Pop’s career. But I heard it. And I don’t like it. Sorry, but I really don’t like Bowie. I try. I try. But I think this album actually demonstrates pretty clearly what I am opposed to. The UTTER lack of bass end. The dissonance and a-harmonics all kept tidily in the midrange. I really can’t stand listening to it, as much as I might appreciate it “intellectually.” And that’s the thing. Bowie coming in and helping Iggy get clean and actually keep working is so, so beautiful. Far more beautiful than the music they created. AND I will admit that I DO like Bowie’s version of China Girl better. So how do I rate THIS album? 3 Boolean: true, yeah, it’s true even if you aren’t happy about it.
This was kind of fun - I'll have to try it again on a quieter day and see if that makes a difference in how much I like it, since you guys seem to love it!!
Decent middle park album 3/5
поначалу хорошо, потом тягомотина какая-то
Pretty cool
Decent David Bowie album! 3/5 Top Tracks: Nightclubbing, China Doll
Sure. I heard it. It want very exciting for me even given these 2 artists. Save China Girl
Never was a huge Iggy fan
Similar to Pere Ubu, I appreciated the sound design and creativity of this album. Many songs sound like they could've been from the 80s or 90s, both due to the forward- thinking composition and the slightly edgy/hedonistic ethos. Unlike the aforementioned, the singer was actually somewhat serviceable though, which was nice. Feeling a light 3
Oh, this guy. Is Iggy Pop even real? Do we really know that Pop isn't just some alter-ego created by Bowie: "White Duke", "Ziggy Stardust", "lunatic, smack-head from Wipes'yer'fanny, Michigan (go Eagles)"? I mean, has anyone actually seen Iggy and Bowie in the same room at the same time? Are you sure? I mean, really really sure? Was the room fully lit? Were you on drugs at the time? No shame, but were you? Anyway, it's fine. I'd like to hear more Iggy Pop, less David Bowie next time.
It was okay. Nothing especially stood out. I would give it another listen but I am in no hurry.
Disclaimer, I’ve only listened to the Stooges before. Iggy seems to have grown into his Jim Morrison voice and taken some notes from Bowie as well. This was fun, loved the synth.
Iggy Pop or David Bowie? Meh
Bra men bara några få toppar efter en lyssning.
Gillar både Iggy Pop och David Bowie, så blev besviken när jag började lyssna på detta. Tog sig efterhand, så betyget landar ändå på en stabil 3a.
Not bad or anything but not super interesting either though Multiple 7 min songs should be illegal China girl was nice though 3
6/10
Decent album.
kinda average
If I wanted a Bowie album I would have listened to one! Many of these songs are weird, he took one of the most explosive singers of all time and told him to sing like a herb. He comes into his own a bit more by the next solo album.
This was very fun and groovy! This is my first full album exposure to Funkadelic/Parliament cause i still haven’t listened to Maggot Brain, i’m very pleased with this. Standouts are the Title Track, the 4th track (not typing all that) and the Maggot Brain Medley (ik hearing this before the main album is probably a sin).
I can’t listen to Iggy pop without thinking about the movie trainspotting, which isn’t a bad thing. This album was pretty cool, didn’t feel like there was any songs that felt out of place
Kind of a fun album, with Iggy's voice covering his range and the Bowie fingerprints all over it. Not finding that is going to change your life, but listenable nonetheless.
Rock
Classic Iggy Pop
3.5. Still think I like iggy pop more as a concept than as a singer, but I liked this.
OK, but definitely not as good as the other album on this list
Pop Bowie and Visconti
Bowie definitely made his mark on this one, but it’s from a Bowie era that I like so it’s cool
My favorite Iggy Pop project to date! Some great songwriting, kickass guitar, even some headbanging bass grooves at the end. Unfortunately, although I can appreciate Iggy's unflinching commitment to the crunchy jpeg mixing, that is the one dealbreaker that keeps his projects from hitting the 4 star for me. Standouts: Nightclubbing • China Girl • Tiny Girls
I thought I was going to enjoy that more. He has better albums.
Not my favorite of Iggy Pops work but while listening i wondered if Arctic Monkeys Do I Wanna Know? was inspired or influenced by Nightclubbing…
So this is the album Ian Curtis listened to when he killed himself? It’s not that bad
Detroit shout out
Maybe let The Genius make the next one
Pure neutral. I enjoyed while it was on but didn’t miss it when it was gone. It’s a bit more of a palatable Bowie
Roughly as good as Lust For Life, released by Iggy Pop the same year. Any excuse for weird post-psychedelia, right? Well, Sister Midnight pulls it off well. Weird squawking bird sounds, several distorted wah-wah-ish guitars layered atop one another, an oddly echoey drum part that sounds mildly ahead of its time... Yep, it's Iggy. The next song, Nightclubbing, shines more brightly than any other on the record. The slow, lilting swing rhythm, and that background synth and piano... the atmosphere screams sexy. Not in the nauseating way that artists like Prince occasionally teeter into, mind you. As with all of this guy's songs, I'm not a fan of the vocals; a less quirky impression of 70s Bowie, generally without emotion or spark, fails to impress. Funtime and Baby close out side A with decent but unremarkable synth-pop-rock pieces. We arrive at China Girl, the absolute worst vocal thus far. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the lyrics are a little... non-politically-correct, I guess? Calling your Asian partner a China Girl isn't doing you any favours, Iggy. Bowie co-composed the song and released his own version in 1983, and I have the same problem with that one. Also, "I'd feel tragic / Like I was Marlon Brando / When I'd look at my China girl" is kind of goofy. Fortunately though, vocals aside, the song's overall sound is actually really good. Great outro instrumental. Dum Dum Boys rocks hard, particularly in the guitar and bass, and the chord progression is simple yet satisfying. Though seven minutes is longer than I'd prefer. I shouldn't like the song Tiny Girl, but that soft drifting psychedelic atmosphere is too darn satisfying to ignore. A solid tune despite the boldly gross lyrics. The finale, Mass Production, gets a little too dissonant to ignore, but the synths are kind of cool (if extremely dated). 3/5 Key tracks: Sister Midnight, Nightclubbing, Tiny Girl
Interesting album. I'd heard Iggy Pop's name a bunch but this is the first time properly listening to his music. David Bowie-esque sound and vibe and enjoyable overall
Funky.
Not bad, interesting lore with Bowie
Stupid weird and kinda cool.
Precursor mais pas bon
I really really like the first 4 songs of this album. But the last 4 songs are in my humble opinion not that good. So if all the tracks would be that great like the first 4 songs I would give this album 5 out of 5. Because the last 4 tracks aren't that good: 3/5
Iggy Pop has one of my favorite voices in music.
the second half was okay
He definitely had some fun with Bowie
Second iggy pop album. First one was just ok from what I remember. Cool sounds on sister midnight. Vocals kinda bullshit. Overall pretty cool song. Really good musical open and then guitar solo on night clubbing. Much better vocals. Good song. Funtime is fine. Very 70s. Fun enough song but goofy lyrics. Baby is much better written. Pretty cool production too. Good song. China girl is a classic 70s pop song. Lots of good elements. Cool strings/horns. Another pretty good song. Good change of pace with dum dum boys. Needed a slower song. Doesn’t feel like a 7 min song which is a good sign. Tiny girls is fine, forgettable song. I really like he open to mass production. This is just another really good song. This album is so much better than listening to for life. Probably helps tant I had some intro to iggy prior to this too. Fun album. Ahead of its time. 3.3/5.
Sounds ominous but China Girl is great
My introduction to Iggy Pop is his feature on Slash's 2010 solo album. Love that song & what Iggy brought to it. Though, I've never listened to his music, I've always respected the goat. Surprisingly, I haven't heard anything that I recognize. This so far is a decent album. Just punk enough to be fun, just spacey enough to make my brain settle down. Did Iggy Pop unintentionally create goth?
Don't really see the appeal of Iggy Pop.
It is September 1977. Iggy Pop dons his lizard skin and moves quietly into the New York night. He slides in and out of the punk clubs, glides up and down dark streets, eats two city council members, and makes violent peculiar love to an unknown number of women. At 4 AM, he returns to his lair, removes the lizard skin, and composes in music the stories of his night. He sleeps four hours, awakes refreshed, and has a bagel with schmear at the café on the corner. It’s delicious.
не особо понравилось и не запомнилось особо ничего, звучит вроде ок, но не более - пусть будет 3
This is a high 3, really good
This was fine, but not astounding.
Dum dum boys es excelente pero igual el resto lo escucharía tranquilamente
It's very interesting to hear Iggy's original version of "China Girl." I do like his voice, but I'm not particularly grabbed by much of this. Maybe the issue is that I've heard the derivative/influenced things, so it's not new anymore. "Tiny Girls" is unexpectedly jazzy, though.
A cold and minimal album that feels very different from Iggy Pop’s earlier work. The influence of David Bowie is clear, especially in the detached atmosphere and restrained sound. Dum Dum Boys stood out to me, perhaps because of my appreciation for The Stooges. There’s a sense of distance and reflection that contrasts with the raw energy of his past work.
Liked this one. Had never heard it but knew it was Bowie produced almost immediately. Sounds like the Berlin trilogy.
This was a collab between Iggy and Bowie, and it shows. I like Bowie, and I appreciated Iggy from the few hits he has, but this is the first proper album of his I listened to. I can hear the talent of the musicians, and I like his rock voice, but his songwriting is only decent. There are a couple of jump-shocks in terms of lyrics, but the majority of the songs seemed a little distant. I did like "China Girl".
Jeg gruede lidt for det her, men det var bedre end frygtet. Nightclubbing er et kæmpe nummer først og fremmest, man kan tydeligt høre Bowie i hele albummet. Det er nok en ok stærk 3'er, jeg er tæt på 4
I like Iggy Pop but I feel there are a bit too much on this list. It's not revolutionary just his solo album instead of with the stooges that still was kinda his solo thing anyways.
I liked these, funtime and sister midnight was nice. I could tell that david bowie worked on these tho which was nice
I like some of Iggy’s work and this was ok but doesn’t have the raw energy of some other songs and seemed rather mild in comparison. Not sure about the cover of china doll on it as just didn’t quite seem to fit his range.
Totaal ander album dan de eerdere Iggy Pop/Stooges albums. Ik kan me heel goed voorstellen dat fans van Iggy dit echt 3x niks vonden/vinden. Ik ben gelukkig geen fan van Iggy, dus ja ik vind dit best prima. Het is instrumentaal een stuk interessanter dan de snoeiharde punk die hij solo maakt. Het is wel wat lafjes vergeleken daarmee, de energie ligt een stuk lager dan voorheen. De Bowie invloeden zijn overduidelijk, net als dat dit stiekem een David Bowie album is, maar dan met de zang van Iggy erbij. En dat maakt het meteen lastig, want Iggy is natuurlijk niet een hele goede zanger. Dat weet ik, dat weet hij zelf waarschijnlijk ook. En dat is prima, mensen zullen niet snel een Iggy Pop album aanzetten voor de prachtige gezongen nummers. Maar dat is dus wel een beetje waar dit specifieke album meer op doelt. Dit album vraagt vocaal gewoon een stuk meer dan Iggy eigenlijk kan leveren. Tiny Girls, tsja een nummer met een saxofoon. God wat ben ik toch een simpel ventje eigenlijk, maar dat vind ik dan onmiddelijk een van de mooiere nummers op het album. Alles bij elkaar? Prima album van Iggy, het verliest wel een beetje het rauwige van zn eerdere, maar daardoor trek ik het weer een stukje beter. Wel jammer dat het daardoor wel heel erg voelt als een album wat niet echt van hem is. Lijkt me ook niet echt de bedoeling... FAVO:Nightclubbing, Tiny Girls,
interesting
I quite enjoyed this one! This is an artist I've heard the name of but never properly checked out, besides listening to a couple songs. I'm glad I had the chance to listen through this, as I'd like to listen to more of his stuff!
I was a little bit disappointed with this compared to the previous album I had. It never really grabbed me, and while there were some good songs the album never maintained it. Tiny Girls was the standout by a long shot. 3 stars
Way better than I thought it would be. Each song is like a dark show tune (without sounding like a show tune), like stories. Solid.
It's Iggy Pop, you either love him or you hate him. I prefer his work with The Stooges over his solo work, but this album sonically slaps.
The punk vocals can be a bit hit or miss for me. Sometimes it can be a bit grating but occasionally it really works for me. The instrumentals are really enjoyable throughout, there’s a sort of dark, moody tone that’s also still quite groovy. They can be somewhat repetitive though in a few songs. The stand out is without doubt “China Girl”, it’s amazing. I also really enjoy the first couple of minutes of “Dum Dum Boys”, and “Nightclubbing” is a bit of bop.
Nightclubbing Funtime China Girl Dum Dum Boys
Enjoyed it. Definitely missing some of the raw energy that Iggy Pop is known for. 3/5 Might listen again
Pas mauvais, pas marquant.
When your mum says you've got Bowie at home. I don't care for this.
Was alright
Elske Nightclubbing, men ellers syns æ ikke det her e ei kjempe sterk skive
Jeg har tilgode å bli forført av Iggy Pop og David Bowies Berlineskapader, men jeg får vel flere sjanser i løpet av de resterende 1000 plater.
Høres bare ut som Bowie på sitt verste. Og etter å ha lest Wiki’en så stemmer jo faktisk det. Blir litt for seigt, men hadde sikkert vært strålende med litt heroin innabords.
God pubrock.
Iggy cosplaying as David Bowie. I'm not a huge fan of that era of Bowie either- they were both better off staying on drugs. It's lounge music for the end of the world.
Not bad, but nothing that struck me as that remarkable. It’s a good example of early post-punk, including the first version of China Girl (who knew?). But overall it didn’t make that big an impression on me, songs by the end especially really seemed to drag.
A decent debut solo effort from Mr Pop, and a very different sound to his Stooges years, due largely to David Bowie’s enormous influence (he wrote the music and also produced it). Given this it’s unsurprising that it sounds a lot like Bowie’s mid-70s output, especially ‘Station to Station’ and ‘Low’, only not as good. That’s not to say it’s bad; it’s a textbook 3-star album, without any particularly low lows, or high highs. ‘Nightclubbing’ and ‘China Girl’ are probably the best songs, while the two longer tracks on side two drag on a bit too long for my liking.
Listening through I kept feeling this was essentially just a David Bowie album, maybe a bit more lethargic and gritty. Then reading the summary it sounds like that’s pretty much what it is. Unfortunately for Iggy, I’m tapped out after getting my project’s 9th Bowie album this week, and it hurts “The Idiot” through no fault of its own. 2.5/5
Pretty good but not amazing
Not to Bad 👍🏻
Incredibly average, nothing on here had any staying power.
Sounds a lot like Bowie. I like Bowie. I like Iggy Pop. But I like it best when Iggy sounds like Iggy.
Rock. Took a while but was I was enjoying it more near the end.
A very interesting album. Sounds almost futuristic to me, or st least futuristic for the time. China Girl and Mass Production were my standouts, but the album was pretty solid. 7.4/10
3.75. Not bad!!
Two things immediately came to mind when I started this album. First, it was nothing like the Stooges, which was a surprise. Second, I was getting some serious David Bowie vibes from the vocals. I checked out Wiki, and it turns out there's a good reason for that. This is almost as much a Bowie album as it is an Iggy album. (Bowie even covered (can you cover a song you helped write?) "China Girl" a handful of years later (and did it better). And, a Bowie album wasn't what I was hoping for. I read that Bowie actually wrote most of the songs and Iggy did lyrics and singing, which happened to be the parts I really didn't In the end, this is more of a Bowie album than an Iggy Pop one, and to be fair, I don't know enough about Iggy's songwriting or singing to truly have that judgment but that's how it felt. I feel like if Bowie had done this all himself with minimal help from Iggy on vocals or lyrics, it would be a 4 or 5 star album, but as it stands it's just mid to me though I did enjoy it overall. Did I need to hear it before I die? Maybe
Forgot about the Bowie association. The first track and ‘China Girl’ hit right for me.
A album I thought I would like more with it being an Iggy Pop and Bowie one, but no it really just does nothing for me mostly. There's some good tracks here and there but it's kinda just meh 5-6/10
Once again, really digging the solo Iggy Pop album and kind of hating that I do (see: me complaining about him being a seemingly loud and proud pedophile). Once again, this album reads strongly of Bowie, which makes sense because once again, he produced it. This album was not as strong as its follow-up, "Lust For Life", but there's still a lot of good post-punk goodness on this album. The closing track, "Mass Production", is very eerie and dissonant and serves as a bit of a haunting end to the album.
I hadn’t previously listened to this album and was quite surprised at the difference from the stooges era Iggy. It sounds very much like a Bowie album, which I now understand why. Repeat listening would probably get this 4 stars, but first impressions are 3. Fave track - dum dum boys.
It wasn't bad but not comibg back anytime soon
Parts of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘵 sound strikingly like a David Bowie record — which is hardly surprising. At the time, Iggy Pop was living in Berlin with David Bowie, who also produced the album. The music carries that same cold, mechanical atmosphere that would soon define Bowie’s own Berlin period: sparse arrangements, uneasy rhythms, and a detached, almost industrial mood. It’s an interesting record, but it sometimes feels more like a Bowie-adjacent experiment than a fully distinctive Iggy Pop statement. Still, its stark sound and strange tension make it a notable chapter in Iggy’s career.
Probably the least interesting David Bowie album
Iggy brings it with every performance. Solid album.
I really don't know. Love those first few tracks. All that magic of some similar time Bowie but in such a unique voice. I think the b side falls of pretty hard for me. I thought this much less second time through though
Although I'm glad to see that we get more than one appearance of Iggy Pop in this collection, I'm also a bit appalled that this is the first of five(!) albums with Iggy Pop (two solo albums, three with The Stooges). That's probably at least three too many albums that could have gone towards other (and more recent) artists, I'd say. But this seems like a decent choice for Iggy Pop--especially if you prefer your Pop served up Bowie-style--especially with the opening one-two punch of "Sister midnight" and then "Nightclubbing", along with the fascinating "Dum dum boys" and "Tiny girls" much later on. It's also nice to see the other side of the Bowie/Pop collaborations, after a bit of an overdose of Bowie albums earlier in the collection, although given how forcefully Bowie inserted himself in every facet of this album, it's hard to know just how much influence Iggy Pop had on his debut solo album (even down to how bland Pop's version of "China girl" is, at least compared to Bowie's version). Given all of that, I would definitely vote this one off the 1001-Albums island in favor of just "Lust for Life", but that doesn't detract from the overall distinctive sound of this album I suppose, and also how strongly this Bowie-directed project diverged from his Stooges phase.
Se que este álbum es un parteaguas en la historia del rock, y me ha gustado pero no me ha encantado, lo respeto y definitivamente le doy su valor. No lo sé, quizá tenga que reescucharlo.
This feels much more of a Bowie album than 'Lust'. It's a bit more eclectic (patchy) for this. I didn't realise Funtime was such a Neu! tribute. Nightclubbing is great and worth the admission price alone, but the rest of the songs don't seem as well-formed, in the main. And I much prefer Bowie's China Girl - even though I still don't get the lyrics. Interesting.
This was alright. I like Iggy Pop in general, and he has some cool tracks that I really enjoy. Unfortunately this album wasn't full of them. There were some tracks that I was able to groove along to and was happy to be hearing them, but the majority were just kinda like rhythmic noise with some mildly harmonic accompaniment. "China Girl" was completely pale in comparison to the David Bowie version. There were a couple moments when I heard a strong Jim Morrison sound in Pop's voice, but it was more of a subtle impression than any kind of real "channelling" and it didn't impart any of Morrison's mojo to this album. Three stars, and I think that's being generous because I generally like Iggy Pop.
Mycket är jävligt ballt, inte minst Mass Production och dum dum boys. Vill gilla det mer än jag verkligen gör dock. Mycket som inte fastnar, trots ett par genomlyssningar. China girl är lika mjeh med Iggy som när bowie gjorde den själv. Föredrar lust for life. Här blir det rak 3a.
Not bad
I didn’t know piggy pop went through a Bowie phase. I didn’t know he wrote China Girl. This was a pleasant surprise.
His voice is magical.
not really into Iggy pop personally
파괴를 일삼던 야생마가 차가운 기계의 심장을 이식받고 비로소 응시하게 된 저무는 유럽의 밤
I like the idea of Iggy more than I do the reality!
This feels like listening to a David Bowie tribute band where the vocalist isn’t very good at all. It’s not horrible because the rhythms are there and some of the music is creative, but- it’s not great.
He has better albums imo
Decent background music. I appreciate his style but I was left wanting with this album.
6.5/10 very 80s vibes
Sorry I've been so negative with my reviews lately. Have been spending too much time with my 6 week old - like her I've been shitting all over everything. Anyway, Iggy Pop is always and remains one of those artists I like the idea of more than the actual songs. Nightclubbing, dum dum boys, and china girl are pretty solid but the rest of this is a bit of a slog. Probably a 2.5 but rounding up in deference to Bowie.
Super meh - dont understand why this is on the list
More Bowie than Iggy but still a good album.
3- Stars (7/15)
Sounds more like a Bowie album. Listened to it 3 times, so I didn’t hate it. Very tough to rate. .
Muy chido :D
I understand how iconic Iggy Pop's voice can be, but I wouldn't say it's what I'm looking for in an album. That being said, the music is fine. There's definitely a lot of David Bowie in there, which is a plus. But it's not peak Bowie stuff.
It’s alright
I’ve always been aware of Iggy Pop, but never listened to his music. If this is indicative of his whole catalog, I really don’t get the appeal.
Geht so
I don't mind Iggy Pop and like some of the Stooges stuff, but this album can be a chore to listen to at times. The last track, especially, seems to go on forever. I think that's the point, but it doesn't necessarily make for a great listen.
Highlights: Nightclubbing, Tonight, Sister Midnight. In a nutshell: 70s sleaze This is what happens when you bunker down with your new best friend to dry out and make music- osmosis. Half the time I had to remind myself that this is Iggy Pop singing, not Iggy Pop imitating Lou Reed. Maybe it was my headphones. Overall: 5/10
ok, nicht schlecht.
Pretty good but not my favorite
3+
Chill
Standouts: China Girl Mass Production I feel like Iggy has 2 vocal styles in this album, more traditional 70/80's rock music grating voice and a more baritone style. I really enjoy his baritone voice, it feels like it's got so much depth and makes me feel warm. The most traditional voice stops this album from being rated higher I enjoyed the varied instrumentation, lots of layers to dig into here and it was produced in a way that the instruments kind of blend together but still keep a certain separation. Big fan. China Girl is a good example of how good his vocals could be, wish they were this consistent throughout the whole album. High 3
Good funk album. Favourite song was china girl despite the weird nazi type lyrics. Despite that the song is great. Overall album is pretty solid with honourable mentions being baby, nightclubbing and mass production.
Pretty good. 👍 Gives trainspotting vibes pretty tough.
🙂
Not great, I can see why he inspired music though. Nightclub especially seems like a song Uncle Alan would listen to, not sure why but it gives that vibe.
An interesting listen, I enjoyed it for what it was. Good to hear how he was influenced by Bowie and changed his sound overtime, some Jim Morrison vibes and other influences were pretty neat. 3 stars.
Good
It’s not quite as good as Lust for Life, but thank goodness Iggy and David Bowie were friends. Stellar, even if Bowie’s influence was a little *too* strong.
1/8 Not bad. Never heard anything from Iggy Pop before. Very David Bowie-esque
This is the debut album for Iggy, with major input from friend David Bowie. Bowie’s influence is obvious, although his saxophone playing on “Tiny Girl” is not something you hear often. I agree with one of the record reviewers, who commented that Iggy sounds like Jim Morrison sometimes and Lou Reed other times. This is the original version of “China Doll”, although Bowie’s cover is better. Overall a good devut album.
Good album cover. I support self-identified idiots. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about this album, but it seemed mostly Fine.
Without knowing anything about this album before I started listening, I thought "Wow, this has a really strong David Bowie vibe". Then I read the Wikipedia page... and yeah, it all made sense. I liked it, didn't love it. (I have the same reaction to much of Bowie's catalog as well).
Standing out for me were Nightclubbing, China Girl and Tiny Girls, but the rest was just a meh album to me. Not bad but not something I’d give more than a mediocre review for. Enjoyed taking a deeper dive into iggy though as I’d never heard nearly all of these songs.
Better than other Iggy/Stooges I've heard on this list. Probably because he collaborated with Bowie. 3.5*
Je ne connaissais pas cet album, sympa, un peu sombre mais pas le meilleur
2.5
“China Girl” is definitely the standout for me on this. Cool to learn that this was made with Bowie. Overall Rating: 7/10
I didn't expect to like this as much as is did
4-star album brought down by the vocals. 3 stars.
It’s ok.
This album’s reputation exceeds its quality, in my opinion. Bowie and Iggy are legends, but this collaboration is a bit of a slog. The songs plodding and not engaging. The sound of the album is also muddled and drab. Dum Dum Boys is the highlight for me.
Certainly was unique, not really my jam
5/10
Not bad, but not something I'd strive to listen to again.
ohh nöd das woni erwartet han! okee de david bowie ghöri aber usse uhhh nightclubbing findi na cool, di apathischi atmosphäre clasht sochli mitem thema vode lyrics uiii s sax am schluss vo tiny girls hani HEAVY gfunde das schräge gedudel findi flichzitig na cool mite schleppende bassline aber halt doch suchli weird for weirdness sake joaaaa scho nöd ganh warm worde demit aber d stimmig vom album hani na cool gfunde?
Allright, cool vibe, but kind of the same energy through the whole thing
This is far more experimental than Iggy's other album on this list. While that was mostly tight, hooky 70s rock, this features heavy use of synthesizers and is less accessible. Unfortunately for this album, the lack of catchy hooks make it less enjoyable than the other album. It tries too hard to be different and ends up not really doing much for me.
Album No. 0085 on my list. The first Iggy Pop album on my journey. This was actually a mostly fresh one for me - I’ve obviously known some of his songs (hard as they are to avoid, not that I would have wanted to). But “The Idiot” contained 8 completely new songs for me. Well, 7 actually, because I’ve known David Bowie’s version of “China Girl” for a long time and learned that they’ve actually written the song tougher, and that Bowie actually played an important roll overall in the making of this album. Anyway, this is one of the better post-punk albums I’ve encountered so far. I’ve had my troubles with the genre. Some albums I found okay, one not so much. This is an okay one. Besides “China Girl”, I also liked “Nightclubbing”, and “Dum Dum Boys”. Solid album! 3/5 stars.
Hearing a lot of Bowie in this one, obviously
I've never been a big fan of Iggy Pop or The Stooges, although I respect their contributions to the proto-punk, alternative, glam scene in the 70's. When hearing this album today for the first time, I said, Wow, this sounds like a bad Bowie ripoff. and sure enough I saw that Bowie had produced it, so there you go. Bowie is Bowie, Iggy Pop should stay out of his lane, did not enjoy. 2.5/5 stars = 3 on this scale.
This album was pretty alright but I really just couldn't get over how miffed I was on the main singer's voice. Not much that stood out although I did like the sudden pivot to jazz in the second to last song, which is no surprise if you've followed my music journey up to this point
I've never listened to this record before. I've heard the "hits" that Pop has had over the years, but not listened to any albums. I was aware of the Bowie connection, and I'm unfortunately not a huge fan of his to begin with. I started this with some trepidation, and Sister Midnight didn't really help matters. It was fine, but not one I could really get into. Then I really liked Nightclubbing and thought maybe things were going to turn around. What I found, in the end, is that there were songs I liked, but also ones I just didn't care for at all. They weren't bad, but not ones I'd really want to listen to again. So overall this was a hit or miss album for me. As a side note, I knew that David Bowie's version of China Girl was co-written by Iggy Pop, but I had no idea there was a previous version of the song. I thought it was pretty cool on this album, and it's also one of the Bowie songs I do like.
Wasn't at all familiar with Iggy before this. It's got depressed, even-more-drug-addled David Bowie vibes. Taking off a star because Tiny Girls was so uncomfortable
Awe shit! This one has Night Clubbin!! Can't believe how big of an impression Trainspotting left on me.
Iggy Sings Bowie.. The Heroin detox tour. It's a fine album just not great.
Really more of a Bowie/Pop record. Slow and plodding but not a difficult listen.
It's David Bowie! Actually a decent collaboration, but sounds much more Bowie than Iggy.
This was different from what I expected. More like The Doors. I didn't love it.
75
Didn't enjoy this one as much as Lust For Life Wasn't terrible though 3 ⭐️
My thoughts on Lust For Life are similar here. A diet David Bowie experience. I didn't hate it, but if I wanted to listen to something Bowie-like, I'd just listen to a Bowie album.
Influential. For example, I hear the riff of smells like teen spirit in Mass Production.
Solid.
Different in a good way. Very raw but polished up as it goes along. The sax on Tiny Girls is butter. The finale was a bit out there. Solid album but I thank it for its brevity. I don't think it would be such a favorable review if it was an hour long. 3.2 outta 5
Funny album cover. Songs were fine, nothing amazed me. Voice kinda weird.
cool pop. Had no idea he has been around so long.
A high 3 for me not quite a 4 I did enjoy it more than I thought I would
A possible criticism of David Bowie, if you were really searching for one, is that he was dependent on collaborators and couldn’t achieve what he did alone. He wasn’t, in that sense, a true solo artist. But the truth is that Bowie was the collaborator par excellence – he brought out the best in others, just as they brought out the best in him. In the seventies, at least. In brief flashes in the eighties. Occasionally in the nineties. And again towards the end of his life. I don’t think Iggy Pop is a co-equal partner in this collaboration, and it hardly needs saying that Bowie was responsible for the best work Pop ever did outside the Stooges – possibly including the Stooges. Still, the record itself is nothing without Pop. It is, fundamentally, a Pop record, and he recognises himself completely in the lyrics of Funtime, for example: Last night I was down in the lab / talkin’ to Dracula and his crew. He is a character from a million novelty monster mashes, bashes and graveyard parties – grotesque and goofy. And just as Bowie let Lou Reed play the poison dwarf on Transformer, here he lets Pop be Frankenstein’s monster: the creature Svengalied into revealing greater humanity than his creator. He’s not just an ugly face. Of course, the title captures the dual nature of Pop himself: he sings like an idiot, but he reads Russian novels. 3 I like this album. The sound palette of Low and Heroes - the industrial crudity of the drum sound, the comic pop of the bass, the screech of the guitar and ignorant blurt of wacky sax - I love. The drama and diversity of Iggy’s voice is a worthy substitute for Bowie’s. I might even prefer the version of China Girl here - dark and messy - over the clinically brilliant execution of Bowie’s later hit. The Idiot isn’t quite in the league of its sister albums however. Once you have, charitably, pretended that the 7 minutes of Dum Dum Boys doesn’t exist the album feels rather slight by comparison. 2.5/5
The Black Key vibes? Maybe they were inspired by Iggy Pop.
I liekd it better than some of his work with the Stooges.
Coming right after Lust for Life, this one dives deeper into the Berlin darkness — more mechanical, more restrained, more Bowie’s experiment than Iggy’s explosion. I can respect its influence, but in practice, it just doesn’t land for me. When the next songs in the queue—actual Bowie or Velvet Underground—feel like the “real” version of what this record was aiming for, that says a lot. Interesting in context, but not something I’ll come back to.
It's fine. Nothing stood out but it served well in the background.
Good stuff. Bowie influence is distracting, I do prefer Pop's more unique style in the later works
I was familiar with the name Iggy Pop but I had never listened to any of his albums before today. The arrangements kept me interested, despite the solemn overtones, bringing in that big 70’s rock sound with flares of punk throughout. There is almost something sinister about Iggy’s voice on each song that I kind of dig. I imagine Iggy is a true to life badass with an encyclopedia-sized book of stories from being a rock star. As cool as the other side of the pillow.
Nice Iggy - - albums places nice since it is basically all song written by his pal DaVid BoWie (for ex: "China Girl"), Consider it a lost Bowie album.
It's got attitude, but it lacks tunes.
Shit, lenge siden sist. Nostalgisk gjenlytt
Nie porwało. Widzę wartość tego albumu, doceniam go, ale mnie osobiście nie wciągnęło mimo wielokrotnych przesłuchań. W najlepszych momentach brzmiało jak inspiracja dla stylu Marilyna Mansona. Długimi fragmentami przypominało mi Bowiego, z którym jestem na bakier.
I liked it, didn't know about the relationship between Bowie and Iggy!
It's alright. A bit abrasive at points, especially China Girl.
Nothing special here but a good sound
great debut album from iggy pop
Good album. Strangely, the idiotic part of Iggy's psyche has been hald in check on this album, and it's to the benefit of all.
Interesting, there was bits I liked and bits I didn’t care much for but overall is was pretty good. Interesting back story to the album with David Bowie being involved etc. The version of China Girl is very good.
Kohtuullinen debyytti, mut ei Iggy koskaan ollut mikään lemppari. 3/5
7.75/10; 3.5/5 but I'll give it a 3/5 Actually liked this album more than I thought I would- liked Sister Midnight and Dum Dum Boys.
You know, prior to this, I never would have guessed that David Bowie would work with Iggy Pop to produce a post-punk album that influence the likes of Joy Division. After listening to it though, it makes sense. It’s a few shades away from being a Bowie album. If Bowie was dark and slightly brooding. Maybe that weird mix of Bowie and post-punk is probably why I thought this was okay. An interesting listen, but nothing that got me going too crazy. Favorite track: China Girl (I hope that pick doesn’t make me a bad person) Other hits: Nightclubbing, Mass Production, Funtime
ok, but not great
Iggy Pop nahm sein erstes Soloalbum The Idiot 1977 größtenteils in Frankreich und in den Berliner Hansa Studios auf. Die Produktion entstand in enger Zusammenarbeit mit David Bowie, der stark an Komposition, Arrangement und Instrumentierung beteiligt war. Der US-amerikanische Sänger verabschiedete sich hier vom rohen Stooges-Sound und öffnete sich einer kühlen, elektronisch geprägten Klangwelt. Die Stücke bewegen sich zwischen Rock, Post-Punk und experimentellen Einflüssen. Besonders markant sind „Nightclubbing“ mit seinem mechanischen Groove, „China Girl“, das später durch Bowies Version berühmt wurde, und „Dum Dum Boys“, in dem Pop auf seine Vergangenheit mit den Stooges zurückblickt. Mit „Mass Production“ endet das Album in einer ausgedehnten, düster pulsierenden Soundcollage. The Idiot gilt als stilprägendes Werk, das den Weg für Post-Punk, New Wave und Industrial bereitete. Die Platte ist dunkel, reduziert und zugleich ein faszinierendes Dokument der Berliner Bowie-Phase. Insgesamt ein wichtiges, aber nicht leicht zugängliches Album, das bis heute seine Wirkung entfaltet.
Berlin in the 70s sounds bleak man
Some nice guitarwork on the later songs
This is solid but it undeniably feels like a Bowie album and lacks the edge I want from Iggy Pop. Still three stars.
Was alright
Never quite got Iggy - I thought there were other artists who did it better. This album's OK.
This guy is a tour de force
Hat gefallen.
It was fine
Every time I start to like this the next song convinces me that I don't. 3 stars or C.
Interesting back story. I liked this better than the Stooges but less than Lust for Life.
This was such a departure from the Stooges era that I had to do a double take. Clearly Bowie had his hands all over this and I’m surprised it was never billed as an Iggy-Bowie collaboration album. Makes even more sense that Bowie used these sessions to immediately jump in and make his Low album which definitely has the same feel. There was a lot to like about this. Probably not quite as good as Lust for Life, but still deserves good marks.
Liked it. Didn’t love it. Maybe it would grow on me with more listens but not sure I’ll come back. So Bowie was just like “I think I can do china girl better.”? Also, ‘77 was quite the year for Iggy. Props.
It's nice to go back to this Iggy debut from time to time and realize that he has now spent five decades just being true to himself. Side Two has always been something of a snoozefest to me due to its emphasis on experimentation over entertainment, but of course that was Iggy's choice and he stuck with it.
another day, another iggy pop related album .. algorithm please give me something new. anyway i guess i’ll give another three stars to this one
Hmm. Definitely a lot of Bowie behind the scenes on this one. Iggy's voice is too removed and distant for my tastes but the instrumentals and structures are interesting. A second run through as with most albums was more enjoyable! Strong 3. NIN sample of "Nightclubbing" at beginning of Closer?
Sister Midnight - 6.5/10 Nightclubbing - 7/10 Fun Time - 7.5/10 Baby - 7/10 China Girl - 7/10 Dum Dum Boys - 7.5 Tiny Girls - 6.75/10 Mass Production - 8/10 72/100
Passable
3/5