Lou Reed - LOU REED***

I Can't Stand It/Going Down/Walk & Talk It/Lisa Says/Berlin/I Love You/Wild Child/Love Makes You Feel/Ride Into The Sun/Ocean

Eponymous debut album from the former Velvet Underground leading light Lou Reed. This is a disappointing release with too many tracks performed better in alternative versions. (US:189)

“Reed’s return to recording after a prolonged period of inactivity resulted in an album that’s arguably lacking creative impetus, being made mostly of rehashes of his former group’s late material, and given a rather drab treatment with flat production and slightly hackneyed studio musician backing.”

“Fans of Reed will be more familiar with the Velvet's own versions Can't Stand It and Ocean, released sometime after this release. They're better versions with a more organic, jamming quality which is missing from this debut, even if the record does include a couple of catchy tunes, Love Makes You Feel and Wild Child, for instance.”

“There’s a reason why it’s a footnote in Lou’s catalogue, it’s a series of Velvets outtakes attempted with a more commercial sound. He sounds directionless and in need of a new phase with some brand new songs.”

“Berlin is a splendid ballad which is probably the pearl of his solo career, but not in this version: here the song is completely ruined by the messy arrangement and the dull vocal performance. Wild Child is the only enjoyable moment in this collection, with smart lyrics giving the feeling the guy is finally awake and having a bit of fun.”

“The songs on Lou Reed are mostly leftover Velvet Underground tracks, and while the material is good, the performances and production couldn't have been more inappropriate. Reed himself doesn't seem to have his heart in the music, and a bizarre backing band was not the right choice for Lou's songs at all. That would be easy to overlook, but the majority of these songs were done much better in earlier or later versions. Berlin doesn't have the intensity of the later version and most of the songs VU had recorded previously sound like bad cover versions, lacking bite and energy. Any songs exclusive to Lou Reed weren't much to write home about.”

“Lou Reed is more a historical curiosity than a powerhouse of artistic expression. It's difficult to listen without casting your mind on the past and to the future; there are hints of both.”