Transformer - LOU REED****

Vicious/Andy's Chest/Perfect Day/Hangin' Round/Walk On The Wild Side/Make Up/Satellite Of Love/Wagon Wheel/New York Telephone Conversation/I'm So Free/Goodnight Ladies

Transformer was a quick follow up to Lou Reed’s lacklustre debut. With the help of David Bowie and Mick Ronson as producers, he created his most memorable album, steeped in decadence, as exemplified by the UK top ten hit Walk On The Wide Side. (US:29 UK:13)

“After an often-forgotten and rather ignored debut solo album, Lou Reed hit it out of the park with Transformer, embracing the arty glam rock aesthetic of number one Velvet Underground fan David Bowie and producing a series of songs celebrating the liberating effects of sexuality and walks on the wild side. Opening with a catty and mildly camp put-down (Vicious), continuing with a surreal tribute to Andy Warhol (Andy's Chest), and continuing through various other odes to debauchery and the lifestyles of the Factory luminaries, it's a wonderfully celebration of decadence.”

“Songs like Walk On The Wild Side and New York Telephone Conversation are some of the more campy compositions in the Reed canon. On the other hand Perfect Day is one of the most angelic and profound writings from Reed giving the listener never a dull moment to an album that is constantly satisfying through and through.”

“This is cool, funny and catchy and it oozes a sense of effortless coolness which is at the core of glam rock. There are so many songs which are just amazing, the kind that can stay in your head for days. The mood ranges from raunchy straight up rock to heartbreaking ballads. Some of the lyrics really are funny, generally in a surreal kind of way, and of course, when it rocks, it rocks.”

“Transformer seems to have been regarded as Lou Reed's most iconic album ever since its release in the early 70s. Walk into any record store today and amongst a plethora of compilations it is the one original studio album that you are likely to find still on sale. Doubtless the collaboration with David Bowie helped fuel interest in the record. There is also that unforgettable image of Reed on the front cover and of course songs that make it onto every one of those compilation albums.”

“The album is probably most famous for the hit Walk On The Wild Side. However most of it is unlike that classic rock song, with sweet ballads that lull us almost into complacency until they slap us in the face. One of the great things is how the music is so sweet and like show tunes but with lyrics subtly deviant and clever.”