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Free
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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

  • Summary: The latest full-length solo release for the punk artist includes contributions from Noveller and Leron Thomas.
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James Bond
She wants to be your James Bond She wants to be your James Bond Well, it's not for a price and it's not to be nice She wants to be your James... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. DIY Magazine
    Sep 6, 2019
    90
    It’s the uniquely sombre and contemplative Iggy Pop album we didn’t realise we needed.
  2. Exclaim
    Sep 6, 2019
    80
    On the whole, via his work and commentary, Iggy Pop has pushed our world to think and act differently, and he brings that same mission of liberation to himself on Free.
  3. The Line of Best Fit
    Sep 10, 2019
    80
    It's a moody, hazy, gloomy take on modern jazz. It’s also a return of Iggy Pop the elder statesman, the icon, the legend in his own lifetime. But, more than that, it provides a fitting end to a career, on his own terms, if that’s what he wants it to be.
  4. The 405
    Sep 11, 2019
    70
    Though it’s not surprising that Iggy included a couple of left hooks, it hurts a little bit that the album doesn’t have more of the sing-speak poetry and post-rock dreaminess. He does it so well, but only about 22 minutes are dedicated to this sound. ‘James Bond’, in contrast, is a distraction from a compelling new direction.
  5. Pitchfork
    Sep 12, 2019
    67
    The haziness of Free has its share of frustrations—as alluring as the pensive soundscapes are, it’s hard not to wish they were occasionally more sculpted—but there’s something curiously human and appealing about its ungainly nature.
  6. Chicago Tribune
    Sep 6, 2019
    63
    Even though the 33-minute album comes off as slight, Pop still manages to reaffirm his gift for integrating seemingly opposed impulses.
  7. The Skinny
    Sep 3, 2019
    40
    Unfortunately, for all but the hardcore, Free seems to baffle as much as it bewitches.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Vandole
    Sep 7, 2019
    9
    Instantly I fell in love with "Loves Missing" - a great well crafted work with Iggy`s superb voice and groovy chilled style again.
  2. Stevenpirie
    Sep 8, 2019
    8
    On Iggy's latest we hear him crooning around some minimalist tunes bolstered by a gorgeous trumpet. It comes across as though the music cameOn Iggy's latest we hear him crooning around some minimalist tunes bolstered by a gorgeous trumpet. It comes across as though the music came first and Iggy then slipped in some lyrics. Iggy croons well, his voice has matured and ripened over the years and he uses it here to essentially read poetry over some jazzy sounding tunes. It's not his usual fare, but then did Iggy ever have usual fare? He has survived this long and come this far. Think of this as a quiet Coda. Hypnotic and seductive. Only 33 minutes, but enjoyable nonetheless.… Expand
  4. yannbgiraud
    Sep 8, 2019
    6
    This is not a bad record but it lacks a clear direction. The fact Iggy Pop worked with Leron Thomas could make you think it's a a jazz recordThis is not a bad record but it lacks a clear direction. The fact Iggy Pop worked with Leron Thomas could make you think it's a a jazz record but it's not. There is a new-wave song, "Loves Missing", which is probably the best track on this record. There are a few fun albeit goofy tunes like "James Bond" and "Dirty Sanchez". And then, there's the whole B-side, which is almost entirely filled with ambient, jazzy soundscapes and spoken work. Iggy Pop reads Lou Reed's and Dylan Thomas' texts and you can't really go wrong with that sort of material but, ultimately, the entire record feels half-baked, the music having been insufficiently labored. It sounds like Iggy recording a podcast for NPR or the BBC rather than a full-fledged record. Maybe it's the sort of recreation he needed after the tenser Post Pop Depression but, ultimately, it feels like an underachievement after that beast of a record. For fans of the jazzy Iggy, I'd advise you to go back to the excellent Avenue B.… Expand

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