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A major disappointment that puts a real chink in this great band's legacy.
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Alternative PressI'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]
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This is not the sound of a band with anything on the line.
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BillboardIt's a tightly woven scheme whose anthemic simplicity is deceptive and leaves room for sophisticated (but still fierce) arrangements. [10 Mar 2007]
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BlenderFans 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]
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"The Weirdness" is raw, but where's the power?
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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.
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It sounds like 4th generation Stooges impersonators.
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The problem lies in the fact that The Stooges have nothing left to say.
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Devoid of inspiration, lacking in any edge, this is pathetic.
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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.
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The band sounds crisper and cleaner than it should.
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Though hardly the disaster it could have been, then, The Stooges’ return feels unnecessary and, more importantly, undignified.
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It doesn't have the kind of force and power that would show the kids how it should be done.
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MojoThese 12 tunes pack an almighty sonic punch. [Apr 2007, p.96]
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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.
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The Weirdness does have many of the recognizable sonic and structural traits, but the essential threat of impending doom is missing.
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An album that hideously disgraces the band's original work.
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It's a rather sad indictment that by the end of the album you almost forget its The Stooges gainfully toiling away.
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Like every other inferior album by a defunct cult band that has unexpectedly reunited, it is a danger to the band’s legacy.
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Q MagazineWhere they were once a glorious mess, here they are simply a mess. [Apr 2007, p.114]
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You know how reunion albums work: You listen for the playing, not for the songs, which are mediocre at best.
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The Weirdness never sounds like anything more than a competent but ultimately unremarkable band that sounds a little like The Stooges.
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SpinBoth a big relief and a mild disappointment. [Mar 2007, p.90]
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Cringe-worthy lines are unfortunately rampant through The Weirdness’s (long) forty minutes.
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The Weirdness comes off as another solid yet daffy Iggy Pop solo album. The performances are energetic, but Watt is a virtual non-factor.
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Even at 40 minutes, this album is interminable.
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Pop's lyrics about his penis and ATMs are beyond self-parody.
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The spirit is there, even when, in some cases, the songwriting is not. [25 Feb 2007]
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UncutThe problem with The Weirdness is that it shoots its bolt immediately and has nothing left to offer. [Apr 2007, p.93]
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Under The RadarInstrumentally, 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]
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UrbThe results... rarely match up with the legend. [Apr 2007, p.107]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 27 out of 51
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Mixed: 5 out of 51
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Negative: 19 out of 51
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May 10, 2015
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[Anonymous]Jul 23, 2007
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DRJun 11, 2007