He might be The World's Forgotten Boy but this album of mostly French covers is as far removed from the Pop's output with the Stooges - and just about every line-up of good, bad and indifferent solo bands he's chosen to work with - as you can imagine.

Iggy's entitled to do as he pleases. He's also fond of letting his Renaissance man side show in interviews. Put the two together and you get "Apres" which runs the gamut from Serge Gainsborough to the Beatles. They're straight readings so you can't even award marks for imagination.

Reminds me of Rod Stewart's American classics covers record except it hasn't dropped in time for Christmas. And you know the difference between that one and a turd? If you try really hard, you can at least pretend that you can polish a turd.

Please bring on the "new" Stooges recording James keeps mentioning in interviews. It has to be better than this.

rolling