Ready to Die

2007's The Weirdness broke the protective glass on The Stooges' untouchable legacy as Godfathers of Punk. It proved that to keep rock 'n' roll a living ideal, illusions of perfectionism had to be shattered. There's no way for anyone—not even the men who created them—to match or surpass the three albums Iggy made with the various Stooges lineups in the '60s and '70s. Yet on 2013's Ready to Die, he still dukes it out at a higher level than most of the competition. Original Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton has passed away—and is serenaded here on "The Departed." James Williamson, the guitarist who headed the Raw Power days, takes over. Williamson was always the more versatile guitarist, so it's no surprise that when it comes to writing new Stooges anthems, Williamson is more than capable of bringing the band into new territory. "Job," "Gun," and the title track are primal rockers, but the acoustic blues of "Unfriendly World" might be the most poignant tune The Stooges have cut since their Kill City days. "DD's" proves there's no growing old gracefully for these naughty little doggies.