In February I went to see Lust for Life. You will have heard of Katie Puckrick, Glen Matlock, Clem Burke, and Kevin Armstrong and if they tour again, with Luis Correia and Florence Sabeva, get yourself along as you will not have a better hour and a half. I went along out of curiosity to hear this record, but this is a proper BAND, treat yourself.
That these fine folk deem their time worthy to celebrate this album shows that this is a legendary record.
This was Iggy’s second solo album with Bowie still on board but taking more of a back seat as Iggy took more control.
Like many of my age I first came aware of the title track from the soundtrack of Trainspotting. Not only does is fit perfectly with Ewan MacGregor running down Princes Street in Edinburgh but it’s a stormer of an opener with big thumping drums and bass from the Sales brothers and a raw and raucous guitar with Iggy preening, sneering, and shouting.
Sixteen is rough and ready and Ricky Gardiner and Carlos Alomar deserve as much credit as everyone else for electrifying each track with their guitar playing and Pop is confident and in control on Some Weird Sin, The riff throughout The Passenger is repetitive and compelling at the same time. The Passenger, like Lust For Life, is known the second it starts, four songs in and two classics.
Bowie is more upfront on Tonight, a more restrained song and then we come to Success that I was singing around the house for days after the concert resulting in my partner asking me to “bloody shut up.” I am no Iggy or Katie but maybe if she heard them instead of my tone deaf squark she would understand the sheer joy and pleasure everyone has playing this song, it works its way in, and I love the call back vocals.
Turn Blue I lose a bit of interest, but Pop certainly can sing, and Neighbourhood Threat is what I would call a joyous noise.
Fall in Love With Me takes us out over six and a half minutes and I have read this was a jam workout, the more the song goes on you can hear this but it’s no sprawling mess, it lives up to the rest of this magical record.
9/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Success