Jump to content

Post Pop Depression

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from American Valhalla)

Post Pop Depression
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 18, 2016
RecordedJanuary 12 – March 9, 2015
Studio
Genre
Length41:31
Label
ProducerJosh Homme
Iggy Pop chronology
Après
(2012)
Post Pop Depression
(2016)
Teatime Dub Encounters
(2018)
Singles from Post Pop Depression
  1. "Gardenia"
    Released: January 22, 2016

Post Pop Depression is the seventeenth studio album by American rock singer Iggy Pop, released by Caroline International / Loma Vista Recordings on March 18, 2016.[4] Produced by Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, the album was recorded in secrecy and features contributions from Queens of the Stone Age keyboardist and guitarist Dean Fertita, and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders.[5][6]

The album gained a new level of chart success for Pop at age 68, becoming his first US top 20 album[7] and first UK top 5 album.[8] His previous highest peaks were both in 1977, when The Idiot reached No. 72 in the US and Lust for Life reached No. 28 in the UK.[7][8]

Background and recording

[edit]

Pop and Homme began working on the album in January 2015. Pop contacted Homme by text message to ask if he was interested in writing music together. After they spoke by phone, Pop sent Homme some lyrics by mail, along with notes about Pop's time working with David Bowie. Three months later, Homme sent lyrics to Pop, and they agreed to work together on recording songs in a studio. They brought incomplete ideas as opposed to finished songs so that they could work on them together. Pop described the album as "discussing issues of what happens when your utility is at an end, and dealing with your legacy".[4][6]

Consisting of nine songs,[4][6] the album was recorded between January 12 and March 9, 2015 at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, California, over the course of two weeks, and another week at Pink Duck Studios in Burbank, California.[9] Pop and Homme self-financed the album.[10] Dean Fertita recorded guitar and keyboards, while Matt Helders recorded drum tracks. Homme has stated that preparing Post Pop Depression was one thing that helped him cope with the aftermath of the November 2015 terrorist attacks involving his other band, Eagles of Death Metal.[4][6]

Release and promotion

[edit]

The album was released on March 18, 2016.[11] At the time, Pop and Homme had already embarked on a US tour to support the album, which began in Los Angeles on March 9, 2016, and was due to be followed in May 2016 by a European tour.[12] Another show was added in Paris on August 26, 2016, during the Rock en Seine festival.[13] In addition to Pop and Homme, the tour included Fertita, Helders, Matt Sweeney playing bass guitar, and Troy Van Leeuwen playing guitar.[4][6]

The lead single from the album, "Gardenia", was debuted on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on January 21, 2016.[6][14] The song peaked at number 26 on Adult Alternative Songs. The album debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200, becoming Pop's highest-charting album in the US.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1/10[15]
Metacritic79/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
The Daily Telegraph[18]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[19]
The Guardian[20]
The Independent[3]
Mojo[21]
NME5/5[2]
Pitchfork6.9/10[22]
Q[23]
Rolling Stone[24]

Post Pop Depression received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 79, which indicates "generally positive reviews", based on 33 reviews.[16] Clash magazine critic Josh Gray was positive in his review, writing that the record "is what it says on the tin and Iggy Pop is what every aspect the music revolves around".[25] Matt Wilkinson of NME praised the album and gave it a perfect score, describing it as "an intelligent, sassy garage rock record that's obsessed with sex and death" and "a solid gold proof of his [Pop's] genius".[2] Pitchfork's Stuart Berman stated that "if Post Pop Depression's refined execution has you missing the more unhinged Iggy of old, rest assured, he's not going down without a fight".[22] Andy Gill of The Independent wrote that "it's as if he's [Pop's] grown so sick and tired of the veneers of respectability cocooning American sensibilities that, reverting to type once more, he wants to be your dog again".[3] Aaron Cooper of BeardedGentlemenMusic stated that "if Post Pop Depression is the farewell record from Iggy Pop, his rant that closes out 'Paraguay' is a satisfying bookend to his fifty-year career as one of the most interesting characters in rock n' roll history".[26]

In December 2016, the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Alternative Music Album category, losing to David Bowie's Blackstar.

Accolades

[edit]
Accolades for Post Pop Depression
Publication Accolade Year Rank Ref.
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2016 2016
50
The Guardian The Best Albums of 2016 2016
38
The Independent Best Albums of 2016 2016
9
Mojo The 50 Best Albums of 2016 2016
6
NME NME's Albums of the Year 2016 2016
8
Rolling Stone 50 Best Albums of 2016 2016
45
Rough Trade Albums of the Year 2016
1

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Josh Homme and Iggy Pop, except where noted

Post Pop Depression track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Break into Your Heart" 3:54
2."Gardenia"Homme, Pop, Dean Fertita4:14
3."American Valhalla" 4:38
4."In the Lobby" 4:14
5."Sunday"Homme, Pop, Fertita6:06
6."Vulture"Homme, Pop, Fertita3:15
7."German Days" 4:47
8."Chocolate Drops"Homme, Pop, Fertita3:58
9."Paraguay" 6:25
Total length:41:31

Personnel

[edit]
  • Iggy Pop – vocals (1–9), acoustic guitar (6)
  • Josh Homme – vocals (1–8), gang vocals (9), guitar (1–4, 6, 7), acoustic guitar (8, 9), 12-string electric guitar (5), nylon guitar (9), lead guitar (2, 6), slide guitar (1), lead lap steel (8), bass (2–4, 7–9), piano (4–6, 9), Mellotron (6), synthesizer (1, 2), Fun Machine (4, 9), percussion (5), steel drum (3), chimes (6, 8), vibraphone (3, 8), Indians (6)
  • Dean Fertita – gang vocals (9), guitar (2, 7), electric guitar (6), 12-string electric guitar (4, 9), lead bridge guitar (8), bass (5), keyed bass (1), piano (1, 6, 8), grand plinky piano (7), Wurlitzer (3), clavinet (5), synthesizer (2), Moog (1)
  • Matt Helders – vocals (3, 5, 8), gang vocals (9), drums (1–5, 7–9), percussion (5, 6), marching snares (6), tom toms (6, 7), shaker (4), Indians (6)

Additional

[edit]
  • Daphne Chen – violin (5, 7, 9)
  • Lauren Chipman – viola (5, 7, 9)
  • Philip Blake Cooper – cimbassom (5, 7), tuba (3), C tuba (5, 7), F tuba (7), sousaphone (5, 7)
  • Richard Dodd – cello (5, 7, 9)
  • Lynne Fiddmont – backing vocals (5)
  • Sharlotte Gibson – backing vocals (5)
  • Eric Gorfain – violin (5, 7, 9)
  • Jordan Katz – trumpet (3, 5, 7), valve trombone (5, 7), mellophone (5, 7)
  • Danny T. Levine – trumpet (3, 5, 7), flugelhorn (5), cornet (7), valve trombone (3, 5), marching French horn (3), alto horn (7), euphonium (7)
  • David Moyer – alto saxophone (7), tenor saxophone (5, 7), baritone saxophone (3, 7), flute (3, 5), piccolo (5), clarinet (5, 7)

Charts

[edit]

Sales

[edit]
Sales for Post Pop Depression
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada 1,800[56]
United Kingdom 40,261[57]
United States 18,000[58]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sterdan, Darryl (February 19, 2016). "Iggy Pop's 'Post Pop Depression' tops this week's new music". Toronto Sun. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Wilkinson, Matt (March 11, 2016). "Iggy Pop – 'Post Pop Depression' – The NME Verdict". NME. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Gill, Andy (March 11, 2016). "Iggy Pop, Post Pop Depression: 'Iggy is sick of respectability on his terse, sinuous and playful record', album review". The Independent. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e Blistein, Jon (January 21, 2016). "Iggy Pop, Josh Homme Team for New Album 'Post Pop Depression'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  5. ^ Strauss, Matthew (January 22, 2016). "Iggy Pop Details Post Pop Depression, Shares "Gardenia"". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Pareles, Jon (January 24, 2016). "Iggy Pop and Josh Homme Team Up for Secret Album". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "Iggy Pop Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Iggy Pop". The Official Charts Company.
  9. ^ Post Pop Depression (album liner notes). Iggy Pop. Loma Vista Recordings. 2016.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Renshaw, David (January 21, 2016). "Josh Homme and Iggy Pop record secret album with Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders: 'Post Pop Depression' will be released in March". NME. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  11. ^ Camp, Zoe (January 21, 2016). "Iggy Pop and Josh Homme Releasing Collaborative LP Post Pop Depression, Touring Together: Members of Arctic Monkeys and Queens of the Stone Age contribute". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  12. ^ "Iggy Pop en concert à Paris ce printemps". Ouï FM. January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  13. ^ "Eagles of Death Metal, Iggy Pop et Massive Attack sur les scènes de Rock en Seine". Le Monde. March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  14. ^ Reed, Ryan (January 22, 2016). "Watch Iggy Pop, Josh Homme Debut 'Gardenia' on 'Colbert': Duo also chat with Colbert about recording collaborative LP 'Post Pop Depression,' being roommates, flip-phones, Iggy's kimono". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  15. ^ "Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Reviews for Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop". Metacritic. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  17. ^ Deming, Mark. "Post Pop Depression – Iggy Pop". AllMusic. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  18. ^ McCormick, Neil; Brown, Helen (September 22, 2016). "The best albums of 2016". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  19. ^ Brown, Eric Renner (March 18, 2016). "Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression: EW Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  20. ^ Hann, Michael (March 17, 2016). "Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression review – an indifferent shrug of a 'final' album". The Guardian. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  21. ^ Perry, Andrew (March 17, 2016). "Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Mojo. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  22. ^ a b Berman, Stuart (March 10, 2016). "Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  23. ^ Segal, Victoria (April 2016). "Lust for Life". Q (357): 110.
  24. ^ Hermes, Will (March 18, 2016). "Post Pop Depression". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  25. ^ Gray, Josh (March 11, 2016). "Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Clash. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  26. ^ Cooper, Aaron (March 11, 2016). "Is Iggy Pop's New Album, Post Pop Depression His Final Album?". Bearded Gentlemen Music. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  27. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2016". Consequence of Sound. November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  28. ^ "The Best Albums of 2016: 40-31". The Guardian. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  29. ^ "Best Albums of 2016". The Independent. November 30, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  30. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2016". Mojo. November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  31. ^ "NME's Albums of the Year 2016". NME. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
  32. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  33. ^ "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade. November 14, 2016. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  34. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  35. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  36. ^ "Ultratop.be – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  37. ^ "Ultratop.be – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  38. ^ "Iggy Pop Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  39. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  40. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  41. ^ "Iggy Pop: Post Pop Depression" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  42. ^ "Lescharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  43. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  44. ^ "Top-75 Albums Sales Chart Week: 14/2016". IFPI Greece. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
  45. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 12, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  46. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  47. ^ "Charts.nz – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  48. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  49. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  50. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  51. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  52. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  53. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  54. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  55. ^ "Top Albums 2016" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  56. ^ "On the charts this week". FYI News. March 29, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  57. ^ "'It's very now': Caroline International's Jim Chancellor on the Iggy Pop album". Music Week. September 12, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  58. ^ "Iggy Pop Scores First Solo No. 1 on a Billboard Chart With Post Pop Depression..." Billboard. March 30, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2019.