The Weirdness - The Stooges
Metascore
44 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 32
  2. Negative: 11 out of 32
  1. A major disappointment that puts a real chink in this great band's legacy.
  2. Like every other inferior album by a defunct cult band that has unexpectedly reunited, it is a danger to the band’s legacy.
  3. An album that hideously disgraces the band's original work.
  4. Where they were once a glorious mess, here they are simply a mess. [Apr 2007, p.114]
  5. 30
    The problem with The Weirdness is that it shoots its bolt immediately and has nothing left to offer. [Apr 2007, p.93]
  6. 80
    These 12 tunes pack an almighty sonic punch. [Apr 2007, p.96]
  7. You know how reunion albums work: You listen for the playing, not for the songs, which are mediocre at best.
  8. Even at 40 minutes, this album is interminable.
  9. 70
    Both a big relief and a mild disappointment. [Mar 2007, p.90]
  10. 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.
  11. 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]
  12. 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.
  13. Devoid of inspiration, lacking in any edge, this is pathetic.
  14. Pop's lyrics about his penis and ATMs are beyond self-parody.
  15. 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]
  16. The Weirdness never sounds like anything more than a competent but ultimately unremarkable band that sounds a little like The Stooges.
  17. 80
    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]
  18. The Weirdness does have many of the recognizable sonic and structural traits, but the essential threat of impending doom is missing.
  19. It's a tightly woven scheme whose anthemic simplicity is deceptive and leaves room for sophisticated (but still fierce) arrangements. [10 Mar 2007]
  20. 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.
  21. The problem lies in the fact that The Stooges have nothing left to say.
  22. The Weirdness comes off as another solid yet daffy Iggy Pop solo album. The performances are energetic, but Watt is a virtual non-factor.
  23. "The Weirdness" is raw, but where's the power?
  24. The spirit is there, even when, in some cases, the songwriting is not. [25 Feb 2007]
  25. This is not the sound of a band with anything on the line.
  26. It sounds like 4th generation Stooges impersonators.
  27. It doesn't have the kind of force and power that would show the kids how it should be done.
  28. 50
    The results... rarely match up with the legend. [Apr 2007, p.107]
  29. Cringe-worthy lines are unfortunately rampant through The Weirdness’s (long) forty minutes.
  30. It's a rather sad indictment that by the end of the album you almost forget its The Stooges gainfully toiling away.
  31. The band sounds crisper and cleaner than it should.
  32. Though hardly the disaster it could have been, then, The Stooges’ return feels unnecessary and, more importantly, undignified.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 41
  2. Negative: 15 out of 41
  1. [Anonymous]
    3
    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. Full Review »
  2. DR
    8
    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. Full Review »
  3. Kyle
    10
    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. Full Review »