The Stooges - The Stooges (1969), 6/10

The Stooges embodied punk before punk was realized. Not only through the aesthetic and thematic quality of their music, but through sheer personality. The pinnacle of the record, both musically and artistically, is “1969” which blends punkish lyrics and psychedelic proto-punk to form one of the greatest songs of the era. While the rest of the album cannot quite measure up in comparison, the music still dares to explore largely uncovered territory and has some brilliant moments, some theoretically building off of the equally important music from The Doors, but some entirely new. Its classic status derives from two reasons: it provides the foundation for the punk movement and simultaneously achieves a timeless energy and sound, a rare and beautiful combination. While the band’s next two records clearly and definitively outshine their debut, The Stooges has its own place among the greats. The single “I Wanna Be Your Dog” is catchy and interesting, as are “No Fun” and “Little Doll” in particular, yet the songwriting and energy are remarkably consistent, and while neither reach the heights of their later efforts, they outshine practically any simple rock music coming from their contemporaries. The unhinged rock and roll sound paired with unapologetically simple and angry performances separate The Stooges from any other rock act of the sixties with their ability to embody the discontent of the sixties, and now much further beyond its time and place. Of course, Iggy’s vocals are so palpably charismatic that they often chew up the music and spit it out, leaving simple chugging and distorted psychedelia in its wake. The honest garage band aesthetic and quality of this debut provides a brilliantly simple launching point for one of the greatest rock bands to emerge from the sixties and seventies.