The reconstituted Stooges have spent the past week recording their first album since 1973 at producer Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio in Chicago. The as-yet-untitled set, details of which Iggy Pop first revealed to Billboard in April, is due next year Virgin.

Bassist Mike Watt, who is rounding out the lineup of vocalist Pop, drummer Scott Asheton and guitarist Ron Asheton, is chronicling the sessions in explicit detail on his Web site.

Among the tentatively titled tracks scheduled to appear, Watt describes "ATM" as "the most what I'd call 'riff-oriented' of all the tunes," and says Brendan Benson may add harmony vocals to "End of Christianity." "O Solo Mio" is said to be "the real ballad ... of the bunch, but way more driving than any kind of 'ballad'."

"It's neat to see how they all three work," Watt writes. "The best I can do is help them let me help do what I can with the bass, follow their direction and keep my head together. Anything else is crazy. I like the way Iggy and Ron get everything they can for the tune right after me and Scotty record with them, so each tune can live in world that's pretty whole and unto its self."

"All the same passions and problems are there," Pop told Billboard of writing with Scott and Ron Asheton. "But the problems are in a more muted style. I'm still the showoff in the group that gets all the attention. Everyone has their role. It's pretty much the way it was in high school."

The Stooges are planning an extensive tour in support of the new album, but at deadline, the lone date confirmed is an appearance in December at the U.K.'s Nightmare Before Christmas festival, which will be curated by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore.