Iggy Pop's career is dotted with miscalculations and flat-out mistakes, and after releasing two of his strongest solo efforts in a row --
Brick by Brick and
American Caesar -- it might have been tempting fate to expect
Pop to pull off a hat trick. He didn't, and
Naughty Little Doggie isn't much to write home about. If you were to compare
Naughty Little Doggie to any of
Pop's previous albums, it most closely resembles
Instinct, his ill-conceived neo-metal project, and in all fairness
Naughty Little Doggie is clearly the better album. As he did on
American Caesar,
Pop cut these sessions with his touring band (dubbed "the F*ckups" in the liner notes), and they sound solid and enthusiastic throughout, especially guitarist
Eric Schermerhorn (aka Eric Mesmerize) and drummer
Larry Mullins (aka Larry Contrary).
Pop's voice is in great shape, and he seems to be having a lot of fun, especially on the dirty-old man's celebration of "Pussy Walk" and the nervy "Knucklehead." But
Iggy Pop the Songwriter wasn't in the midst of one of his especially inspired periods when he was assembling
Naughty Little Doggie, and while the music is mostly solid, bare-knuckled hard rock, the lyrics aren't all that special, and it doesn't take long for
Pop and the band to run through all the tricks they have on hand. One notable exception, however, is the last track, "Look Away," a low-key remembrance of fellow rock & roll reprobate
Johnny Thunders which wouldn't have been out of place on
Brick by Brick or
American Caesar.
Naughty Little Doggie is a solid, respectable, and professional hard rock album, and
Iggy Pop could do a lot worse. But then again, he could also do a lot better. ~ Mark Deming