REISSUE REVIEW

IGGY AND THE STOOGES

Raw Power (Legacy Edition)

[Columbia/Legacy]

There’s something unsettling about seeing one of the most chaotic and dangerous bands ever to destroy a stage institutionalized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but this year indeed marks Iggy Pop and his Stooges’ induction. Likewise, it’s a little odd to be confronted with a fancy expanded reissue of something as primal and fierce as 1973’s Raw Power, an album that’s the aural equivalent of a bloody gang fight. But while the presentation may give off the odor of respectability, Raw Power itself remains the seething beast it has always been in this new edition—and the bonus material is just as untamable as the main attraction. This reissue is available as a two-disc “Legacy Edition” including the original album, a 1973 Atlanta concert and a handful of unreleased tracks; or as a four-disc “Deluxe Edition” that also includes a CD of rarities, outtakes and alternate versions as well as a DVD documentary and other assorted goodies. If you can’t afford to spring for the more comprehensive option, fear not: The concert included in both editions is easily the most satisfying extra on either set. It’s a raging show that happens to have been beautifully recorded, making for a welcome change given that this band’s live legacy is documented mostly on horrible-sounding bootlegs. With a reconstituted version of Iggy and the Stooges currently ravaging audiences around the world, there’s never been a better time to revisit the raw power of Raw Power. – CN