Lou Reed - Legendary Hearts

If Legendary Hearts seemed like a disappointment in 1983, that was largely because the year before Lou Reed had released The Blue Mask, one of the finest albums of his career, and Legendary Hearts just wasn't quite as good. But pull it off the shelf today, give it a listen, and Legendary Hearts easily shuts down nearly anything Reed released in the 1970s; if it's a less obvious masterpiece than The Blue Mask, it makes clear that Reed was once again in firm command of his strengths, and making the most of them in the studio. Guitarist Robert Quine and bassist Fernando Saunders were both back on board from The Blue Mask, and they reaffirmed their status as the linchpins of the strongest band of Reed's solo career, and drummer Fred Maher rocked harder (and with fewer frills) than Doane Perry. The bracing cross-talk of Reed's and Quine's guitars had lost nothing in the year separating the two albums, and if Reed didn't seem to be aiming quite as high as a songwriter this time out, most of the tracks were every bit as intelligent and soul-searching as The Blue Mask's lineup; if there were a few moments of comic relief, like "Don't Talk to Me About Work" and "Pow Wow," no one could argue that Reed hadn't earned a few laughs after songs like "Make Up Mind," "The Last Shot," and "Betrayed." On Legendary Hearts, Reed was writing great songs, playing them with enthusiasm and imagination, and singing them with all his heart and soul, and if it wasn't his best album, it was more than good enough to confirm that the brilliance of The Blue Mask was no fluke, and that Reed had reestablished himself as one of the most important artists in American rock. ~ Mark Deming

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - Legendary Hearts - 1983
Tracks.
01. Legendary Hearts (3.29)
02. Don't Talk To Me About Work (2.11)
03. Make Up My Mind (2.55)
04. Martial Law (3.56)
05. The Last Shot (3.23)
06. Turn Out The Light (2.49)
07. Pow Wow (2.32)
08. Betrayed (3.12)
09. Bottoming Out (3.43)
10. Home Of The Brave (6.55)
11. Rooftop Garden (3.04)
Members.
- Lou Reed / vocals, guitar 
- Robert Quine / guitar
- Fred Maher / drums
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - Rock and Roll Heart

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - Rock and Roll Heart - 1976
Tracks.
01. I Believe in Love (2.45)
02. Banging on My Drum (2.12)
03. Follow the Leader (2.12)
04. You Wear It So Well (4.49)
06. Rock & Roll Heart (3.06)
07. Chooser and the Chosen One (2.47)
08. Senselessly Cruel (2.08)
09. Claim to Fame (2.50)
10. Vicious Circle (2.52)
11. A Sheltered Life (2.17)
12. Temporary Thing (5.12)
Members.

- Lou Reed / vocals, guitar, piano
- Marty Fogel / saxophone
- Michael Fonfara / piano, organ, Clavinet, ARP synthesizer
- Bruce Yaw / bass
- Michael Suchorsky / drums
- Garland Jeffreys / background vocals
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby - 1976
Tracks.
01. Crazy Feeling (2.58)
02. Charley's Girl (2.36)
03. She's My Best Friend (6.00)
04. Kicks (6.06)
05. A Gift (3.47)
06. Ooooh Baby (3.47)
07. Nobody's Business (3.41)
08. Coney Island Baby (6.36)
All songs written by Lou Reed
Members.

- Lou Reed / vocals, guitar, piano
- Bob Kulick / guitar
- Bruce Yaw / Acoustic bass, electric bass
- Michael Suchorsky / drums
- Joanne Vent / background vocals
- Michael Wendroff / background vocals
- Godfrey Diamond / background vocals
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - The Blue Mask

After a dispiriting early-'80s slump at Arista Records, Lou Reed renewed himself artistically by changing labels and releasing THE BLUE MASK on RCA in 1982. This was a brave move, since THE BLUE MASK is a resolutely uncommercial album, making no concessions in either its stark, flatly recorded ambience or harrowing themes. However, grace notes abound for the patient listener.

Performing with a no-frills setup for the first time since the Velvets, Reed keenly matches words and music with the sparest of means to achieve the maximum end. THE BLUE MASK pits a hard-earned contentment ("My House," "Women) against the dizzying abyss lurking beneath the surface of life ("Underneath The Bottle," "Waves Of Fear" and, most compellingly, the awesome title track itself). Running through all this, Reed and second guitarist Robert Quine intertwine their instruments, sustaining meditative interludes and codas closer to jazz than rock. Bassist Fernando Saunders' vibrant tone and supple lines also adds a new element of flexibility to Reed's music. Saunders' gentle falsetto backing vocals also make a nice contrast to Reed's famously edgy song-speech.

Recorded at RCA Studios, New York, New York in October 1981. Includes liner notes by Michael Hill.

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - The Blue Mask - 1982
Tracks.
01. My House (5.27)
02. Women (4.59)
03. Underneath the Bottle (2.30)
04. The Gun (3.41)
05. The Blue Mask (5.06)
06. Average Guy (3.11)
07. Heroine (3.04)
08. Waves of Fear (4.12)
09. The Day John Kennedy Died (4.07)
10. Havenly Arms (4.48)
Members.
- Lou Reed / vocals, guitar
- Robert Quine / guitar
- Fernando Saunders / bass, background vocals
- Doane Perry / drums
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - Mistrial

After three successive accomplished and mature albums, Lou Reed made an attempt to stay current with the stilted Mistrial. Six of the songs are driven by drum machines, which certainly gives the music a robotic feel. However, Reed doesn't help the situation any by turning in a set of songs that are stripped back to their bare rhythms, lacking memorable hooks and melodies. All of these spartan arrangements are designed to attract attention to the lyrics, which aren't among his finest efforts. Reed is in a social protest mode, particularly attacking violence, in both its domestic and global incarnations. Instead of personalizing the material, he relies on platitudes, which tend to make the processed chords and beats of the music even more grating. Nevertheless, he ends the album with two ballads that showcase many of his finer musical and lyrical skills. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

1986 album unavailable in the U.S. featuring the tracks 'No Money Down' & 'Mama's Got A Lover'. 10 tracks in all. BMG.

Recorded at the Power Station, New York.

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - Mistrial - 1986
Tracks.
01. Mistral (3.22)
02. No Money Down (3.10)
03. Outside (3.02)
04. Don't Hurt a Woman (4.00)
05. Video Violence (5.36)
06. Spit It Out (3.40)
07. Original Wrapper (3.38)
08. Mama's Got a Lover (4.12)
09. I Remember You (3.13)
10. Tell It to Your Heart (5.13)
Members.

- Lou Reed / vocals, guitar
- Eddie Martinez / guitar 
- Fernando Saunders  / guitar, piano, bass synthesizer, bass, drum programming, percussion, background vocals
- Rick Bell / tenor saxophone
- J.T. Lewis / drums
- Sammy Merendino / percussion, drum programming
- Jim Carroll / background vocals
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - Transformer

From in USA
Prog Related
Lou Reed - Transformer - 1972
Tracks.
01.Vicious – 2:58
02.Andy's Chest – 3:20
03.Perfect Day – 3:46
04.Hangin' 'Round – 3:35
05.Walk on the Wild Side – 4:15
06.Make Up – 3:00
07.Satellite of Love – 3:42
08.Wagon Wheel – 3:19
09.New York Telephone Conversation – 1:33
10.I'm So Free – 3:09
11.Goodnight Ladies – 4:21 (performed by Herbie Flowers)
12.Hangin' Round" (acoustic demo) – 3:57
13.Perfect Day" (acoustic demo) + "Transformer" Radio Advertising (Hidden Track) – 4:50
Members.
*Lou Reed – guitar, keyboards, vocals
*Herbie Flowers – bass guitar, double-bass, tuba
*Mick Ronson – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals
*John Halsey – drums
*Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone on "Goodnight Ladies"
*David Bowie – backing vocals
*The Thunderthighs – backing vocals
*Barry DeSouza – drums
*Ritchie Dharma – drums
*Klaus Voormann – bass
Godspeed!

Lou Reed - Berlin

Berlin is a 1973 album by Lou Reed, his third solo album and the follow-up to Transformer. In 2003, the album was ranked number 344 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, though the publication called the album a "disaster" 30 years prior.

From in USA

Art Rock

Lou Reed - Berlin - 1973

Tracks.

CD. 1 

01. Berlin (3:23)

02. Lady Day 3:40

03. 

Men of Good Fortune (4:37)

04. Caroline Says I (3:57)

05. How Do You Think It Feels (3:42)

06. Oh, Jim (5:13)

CD. 2

07. Caroline Says II (4:10)

08. The Kids (7:55)

09. The Bed (5:51)

10. Sad Song (6:55)

- Lou Reed – vocals, acoustic guitar

- Bob Ezrin – piano, mellotron, production, arrangement

- Michael Brecker – tenor sax

- Randy Brecker – trumpet

- Jack Bruce – bass; except "Lady Day" & "The Kids"

- Aynsley Dunbar – drums; except "Lady Day" & "The Kids"

- Steve Hunter – electric guitar

- Tony Levin – bass on "The Kids"

- Allan Macmillan – piano on "Berlin"

- Gene Martynec – acoustic guitar, synthesizer and vocal arrangement on "The Bed," bass on "Lady Day"

- Jon Pierson – bass trombone

- Dick Wagner – background vocals & electric guitar

- Blue Weaver – piano on "Men of Good Fortune"

- B.J. Wilson – drums on "Lady Day" & "The Kids"

- Steve Winwood – organ & harmonium

- Bob Ezrin – producer, Jim Reeves – engineer, Steve Hyden, Elizabeth March, Lou Reed, - Dick Wagner – choir

- Allan Macmillan – arrangement

Godspeed!