Raw Power (Legacy Edition)

iTunes Review

Iggy & The Stooges’ third album, Raw Power, saw an important revamp in the band’s lineup as James Williamson took over the guitar duties, sending Ron Asheton over to bass guitar and turning the sound into vicious whirlwind of nasty solos and demented blues. Iggy Pop is at his most stressed out as he pleads through “I Need Somebody” and “Death Trip.” “Search and Destroy” has become a national anthem for punk rock and the mix has been restored to David Bowie’s original 1973 version with updated mastering. (Iggy’s 2007 remix remains available in the Original Album Classics Series.) This Legacy Edition contains two previously unreleased studio outtakes, “Doojiman” and a rehearsal of “Head On,” both essential for Iggy completists. But the real jewel here is the unreleased live performance from Richards in Atlanta, GA from October 1973 where the band slam through “Raw Power,” “Search and Destroy,” “Gimme Danger” and the more obscure “Open Up and Bleed,” “C**k in My Pocket” and “Heavy Liquid.” It’s no exaggeration to call this album one of the most influential of its time, even if it took most people nearly a decade to catch up.