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The Weirdness
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 32 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 47 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Virgin
Release Date: 06 March 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
'Weirdness' is the first album for the legendary rock band--which, yes, includes frontman Iggy Pop--since 1973. The remaining original lineup is supplemented by Minutemen bassist Mike Watt.
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Iggy Pop: Beat 'Em Up Iggy Pop: Skull Ring
Also On The Web: Official Iggy Pop Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Blender
Fans of the Stooges' early-'70s masterpieces wondered what they would have sounded like with a big-league budget. Here's the answer: loud, surly and still barely civilized. [Apr 2007, p.120]
Mojo
These 12 tunes pack an almighty sonic punch. [Apr 2007, p.96]
New Musical Express
Sure, 'The Weirdness' rarely comes close to capturing the feral magic of the band's best vintage work (even if 'Mexican Guy' is built on the same rhythm as '1969') , but, hey, it's The Stooges - and that should be enough for anyone.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
You know how reunion albums work: You listen for the playing, not for the songs, which are mediocre at best.
Read Full Review >Spin
Both a big relief and a mild disappointment. [Mar 2007, p.90]
Billboard
It's a tightly woven scheme whose anthemic simplicity is deceptive and leaves room for sophisticated (but still fierce) arrangements. [10 Mar 2007]
Entertainment Weekly
There are certainly moments of The Weirdness that rock. A few of these new Stooges songs may even cause you to stand up and take notice. The difference is, the old ones made you duck for cover.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
A major disappointment that puts a real chink in this great band's legacy.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
The Weirdness never sounds like anything more than a competent but ultimately unremarkable band that sounds a little like The Stooges.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
The spirit is there, even when, in some cases, the songwriting is not. [25 Feb 2007]
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times
It doesn't have the kind of force and power that would show the kids how it should be done.
Read Full Review >Hot Press
Though hardly the disaster it could have been, then, The Stooges’ return feels unnecessary and, more importantly, undignified.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
The problem lies in the fact that The Stooges have nothing left to say.
Read Full Review >Urb
The results... rarely match up with the legend. [Apr 2007, p.107]
Stylus Magazine
The Weirdness comes off as another solid yet daffy Iggy Pop solo album. The performances are energetic, but Watt is a virtual non-factor.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
The songs themselves aren’t so much unlistenable as just a little sad, highlighting the fact that Iggy Pop is less-than-scary nowadays, and his voice is shot to hell.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
It's a rather sad indictment that by the end of the album you almost forget its The Stooges gainfully toiling away.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
The Weirdness does have many of the recognizable sonic and structural traits, but the essential threat of impending doom is missing.
Read Full Review >Uncut
The problem with The Weirdness is that it shoots its bolt immediately and has nothing left to offer. [Apr 2007, p.93]
Q Magazine
Where they were once a glorious mess, here they are simply a mess. [Apr 2007, p.114]
PopMatters
Like every other inferior album by a defunct cult band that has unexpectedly reunited, it is a danger to the band’s legacy.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
Instrumentally, the album might be as strong as any Stooges work, with blistering guitar, blazing tempos, and well-placed skronking sax, but time and again, Pop proves its hindrance. [#17, p.93]
Sputnikmusic
Cringe-worthy lines are unfortunately rampant through The Weirdness’s (long) forty minutes.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
I'm listening to "Free And Freaky"--the third track on this new, horrible Stooges album and possibly the worst song ever written by anyone anywhere--and I can't believe you actually just rhymed "Obama" with "Dalai Lama" and "baby's mama." [Apr 2007, p.191]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 5.7 (out of 10) based on 47 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a3:
You can't go back. Iggy's done just fine-amazing really-with his solo career. This,however, doesn't work at all. The Stooges are one of my favorite bands-they were damn near perfect. Today these are the same guys but not the same band. I'm a little surprised we all expected more. We all could use a few extra bucks and I hope the Ashtons snag a few here-good guys that did something amazing back in the day.
D R gave it an8:
The vinyl version is infinitely better than the cd version. It's got a better overall sound (you can actually hear the bass!) and the bonus ep makes it all worthwhile with songs infinitely better than on the album and cd version. The big mistake here is only a select amount of people are going to get to hear the best part of the release.
Kyle gave it a10:
From the first listen, I was hooked on this album. I don't care to compare it to anything the band has done in the past. I listened to it as though I'd never heard of the Stooges and I think it's probably the punkest record I've heard which has been released in the last 10 years. Punk is ever evolving, not some trendy fad. The fact these boys got back together and hammered it out as they did is amazing. Iggy could have polished the shit out of his vocals on this if he wanted but he left a few voice cracks in there - even some minor musical mistakes the band left in the recordings because, it sounds cool! Iggy's lyrics are as cool as they've ever been, I near shit myself laughing on my first listen. Just as the Stooges defined so much back in their day, I feel they're making just as big of a mark with "The Weirdness" most especially considering all the garbage lining the CD shelves and the airwaves nowadays. They're showing us what it's really about, just do it. Critics suck and those of you rating it low, you simply have a bad taste in music.
k n gave it a1:
A genuine travesty put to record. What a shame.
Will gave it a10:
The mistake many of the critics have made is comparing this to the classic Stooges albums when it belongs very much in the here and now. The classic band was a different band (and one that was also vilified for not being sophisticated at the time); The Stooges now are older, maybe a little wiser, and they know this has an element of self-parody about it, so they embrace it wholeheartedly. And the result is an almighty sonic boom from your CD player. Steve Albini, far from being the villain of the piece, is a genius for just letting the band go about it in their own way. Ron and Scott Asheton sound like they're on steroids and they are the album's real driving force and show exactly why Iggy has never reached the heights of The Stooges on his solo albums. Iggy himself might be a bit under par vocals wise, but he is getting on a bit, and as for his lyrics, weren't they always dumb? And wasn't that why they were so brilliant? Ignore the pretentiousness of the critics reviews, this is the most essential album of the year so far.
Brendan D gave it a0:
"An album that hideously disgraces the band's original work" is what Pitchfork said. I don't usually agree with my fellow Chicagoans' reviews, but on this one, they're right on the money. I'm a huge Iggy fan (I think I'm the only one who loved both "Beat 'Em Up" and "Skull Ring"). And frankly, I'm taking Iggy teamed with Sum-41 over Iggy teamed with the Ashetons at this point. First of all, the Stooges' BEST record was barely a Stooges record at all -- that is, "Raw Power," on which the band was billed as "Iggy & the Stooges." This piece of garbage has absolutely nothing in common with "Raw Power." There's none of the sex and violence and garbled lyrics and garbled guitar work that graced that masterpiece of an album; in its place are songs that try to be hard but seem to cull lyrics from the second "Backstreet Boys" record. Don't get me wrong; Iggy & the Ashetons are still a force to be reckoned with in-concert. But if you're not an Igginitiate, or if you've never heard the original vinyl edition of "Raw Power," avoid "The Weirdness" at all costs.
Andy N gave it a2:
huge disappointment!
