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BowieStone

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RollingFreak
but he certainly went out with a bang on his last run of solo albums.

Don't think so. Ecstasy was his last great album, what followed was pretentious rubbish: The Raven (ok, some ok songs), Hudson River Wind Meditations & Lulu.
And let's not forget his re-appreciation of MMM.

I hardly qualified those as true solo albums. Lulu I don't see as a solo effort, HRWM I don't think anyone considers anything, and The Raven... yeah, the Raven sucks lol. The tour for it that provided the live Animal Serenade album is excellent though. But his albums up to Ecstasy were really good and showed a return to form. A confident, older, modern, just content enough Lou Reed that I really enjoyed.

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stewedandkeefed
I would argue that Lou's late career consistency begins with The Blue Mask in 1982 and with the exception of the 1980s fiasco (virtually every major artist producing in that decade has one) Mistrial, Lou produced quality albums

The only real 80s album of his I liked was The Blue Mask (and by 80s I mean everything from The Bells through Mistrial). Everything in between those I thought kind of sucked, although granted I haven't truly given many a fair listen in awhile. After he died I went back to them and the only one that really shot out at me was The Blue Mask, which I really grew to appreciate. Otherwise, he kind of had a 10 year lull (as you said, most artists do. I don't hold it against him). To me, his career was basically Velvet Underground, 70s solo, 90s comeback, and then his reaping of that in the 2000s where he kind of stopped growing but still did fine tours (Animal Serenade, doing Berlin in full, etc.)

I love 80s & 90s Lou.

For the 80s The Blue Mask & New York are obvious classics for Lou fans, but I always thought New Sensations deserves to be up there too.

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BowieStone
I love 80s & 90s Lou.

For the 80s The Blue Mask & New York are obvious classics for Lou fans, but I always thought New Sensations deserves to be up there too.

I think the songs are good but I think the albums were ruined by 80s production. Not even over the top production, but it just made the songs very bland. One of my favorite Lou songs is the song New Sensations, but because of the performance of it at Perfect Night: Live In London. I'm guessing a lot of songs would have been better in a live context, but I've tried to get into the album and it kinda just bores me. Same way that I LOVE the performance of Tell It To Your Heart from Animal Serenade, but the album version on Mistrial pales in comparison. So if anything, his 80s work was great but just didn't translate well studio wise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-04-21 21:27 by RollingFreak.

By the way all Lou Reed's albums from 1972 to 1986 have just been reissued with a newly remastered sound... and they sound quite different to say the least.
For the moment they are only available as Hi-Res digital downloads on HDTracks, Qobuz, Pono... (and probably in lossy Q on iTunes).

I was trying to make a "road comp" of Lou Reed songs and it's hard! His albums have to be listened to from start to finish. Listening to Set the Twilight Reeling.

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RollingFreak
but because of the performance of it at Perfect Night: Live In London.

Yes, + 1.
That's where my re-appreciation for the album 'New Sensations' began.
That's a great version.

My favourite 80's Lou Reed album is his first release of the decade, Growing Up In Public. I know it's widely hated, even Lou hates it, but I think it's a killer record. Real heavy, the bass is in your face in the mix.

I'm a massive fan of Street Hassle and the live Take No Prisoners. I also LOVE any live recording from 76-78 and they are all different.

It's a shame those f***ers at the RNR HOF waited till he died till they included him...but then again Lou probably wouldn't care anyway.

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coffeepotman
I'm a massive fan of Street Hassle and the live Take No Prisoners. I also LOVE any live recording from 76-78 and they are all different.

It's a shame those f***ers at the RNR HOF waited till he died till they included him...but then again Lou probably wouldn't care anyway.

To me, its truly unforgivable that it took him dying for them to finally induct him.

Anyway... do we really need the RNR Hall of Fame to recognise Lou Reed's musical greatness? I doubt the man who wrote Strawman would even care. Street Hassle is a beautiful song. Actually, it's ugly as hell... weird stories, weird diction and a gorgeous but scary string arrangment... all what I love about Venus In Furs... (I mean, the song)

Does anyone know this song by Laurie Anderson? Lou Reed play guitar on this. He brings an apocalyptic touch on a song which is already fantastic, both musically and lyrically. It shows how technocratic approach in our so-called democratic countries can be worse for our lives than cancer and AIDS at the same time, all of this on a danceable tune. Even if you hate songs which deal with politics it might surprise you.

video: [m.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-04-23 00:49 by RomanCandle.