Lou Reed - THE BLUE MASK

[abcdefz]

Damn, this (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0z6atr79kl2x) is a great album.

They remastered it a while back and I didn't know. It sounds incredible now.

This was the first Lou Reed I ever heard. One of those albums our local record store owner tried to talk me out of ordering when it came out. I'd read a review flipping over it, and was still getting introduced to new stuff circa 1981-82: The Clash, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, John Coltrane.

He insisted on selling me the store's promo copy because "the guy can't sing" and "you're going to hate it."

I flipped.

The lyrics, the twin guitar attacks, the supple bass... great, great stuff.

If you folks have never heard this, you should try to snag a copy before it goes out of print again. :(

[Waus]

I'll give it a go - but I'm leery.

I'm trying to only go at one "legend" type of musician every so often. I'm still working on Iggy Pop's back catalogue, and they're kind of in the same league. Lou Reed is a big undertaking.

[afronaut]

The Blue Mask and New York are the only Lou Reed solo albums that I ever really feel like listening to.

[abcdefz]

His catalog is pretty uneven, and even the great stuff is pretty different from album to album. But this worked as an entry point for me, obviously. I think a lot of people would be tempted to start with Rock and Roll Animal, which would be kind of misleading (imagine Alice Cooper covering the Velvet Underground), or Transformer, which is accessible but not so substantial. The Blue Mask kicked off his got-my-shit-together-now adult phase; musically, sonically, lyrically, it's arguably his best album. And stuff like "The Blue Mask" or "Waves of Fear" is about as tough as anything he ever did.

"The Blue Mask" has some really disturbing, violent imagery, though. It's pretty rough.

[DroppinScience]

Yes, that's an excellent album! I liked the song "The Day John Kennedy Died" a lot.

[abcdefz]

The Blue Mask and New York are the only Lou Reed solo albums that I ever really feel like listening to.



....the live laserdisc of Magic and Loss was fantastic. The CD itself... something was really lacking, performance-wise. They recorded the concert at the end of the tour, and they'd pulled it all together, and it was fantastic.

Kind of a lost opportunity. I seriously doubt SIRE will ever bother putting it out on DVD.


Street Hassle is really great, too. Berlin, as well. Coney Island Baby. (y)

[afronaut]

I never liked Rock N Roll Animal.


ps shut up droppin science.

[abcdefz]

Yes, that's an excellent album! I liked the song "The Day John Kennedy Died" a lot.



Kinda haunting. (y)

[MC Moot]

The Blue Mask and New York are the only Lou Reed solo albums that I ever really feel like listening to.

New York may be my fave......Romeo Had Juliette,Halloween Parade,Dirty Blvd,There Is No Time,Last Great American Whale,Busload Of Faith, Good Evening Mr Waldheim....pretty solid stuff......but you can't deny Transformer...???

[abcdefz]

Busload Of Faith



When I was in a band, we didn't cover many songs, but this was one of 'em. (y)

[Auton]

my second favorite reed album (y)... just listening to it the last few days, interesting there is a thread on it now. the title track blows me away, but my favorite song is prrrrrooooobably the heroine

[DroppinScience]

ps shut up droppin science.

Hey, I wasn't the one listening to Len.

[abcdefz]

Canaadian geese are flying abooooooooove the treeeees....
A mist is hanging gently
on
the lake
My house is very beauuuutiful at niiight