Forty years ago, Iggy & the Stooges released Raw Power, an adrenaline-filled classic that would lay down the groundwork for punk rock. Ready To Die marks the first time since then that the Raw Power-era Stooges have recorded together. In some respects, Ready To Die tries to be "Raw Power II" with incendiary guitar attacks on tracks like "Burn", "Job", "Dirty Deal" as well as the title track. However, the Stooges have allowed their musical pallet to expand a little with addition of raunchy-sounding horns ("Sex And Money" and "DD's") and by recording three slower reflective ballads. Unfortunately, the ballads are pretty skippable with the exception of "Beat That Guy", which still packs a punch despite its slower tempo. It is definitely one of the album's most compelling tracks.

As with most of Iggy & the Stooges' work, the music skates the line between the juvenile and the profound.  For example, the politically-tinged "Gun" (whose opening riff is very similar to "Raw Power") is a critique on many American's attitudes towards guns. Then, there are songs like "DD's" with lyrics that sound like they were written by a horny middle school boy. Much of Ready To Die oscillates between these two extremes. On the whole, this new album should bring a smile to fan's faces. It shows that Iggy and the boys still have some fight in them and that they should keep on kicking ass before another one of them dies.

Essential tracks: "Beat That Guy" "Job" & "Ready To Die".  The entire album can be streamed here.