NEXT!
Album: Berlin
Artist: Lou Reed
Genre: Art Rock
Suggested by: Plainview
Familiarity: Pretty much none. I've heard of Lou Reed, that's it.
1. Berlin - Great intro. Lyrics are pretty non-general, the noise in the beginning is cool, but the piano is the highlight. Already loving it.
2. Lady Day - Picks up this time, and sounds like a bit of a concept album. Lyrics are alright, they give me an image, at least. The orchestral accompaniment is great. Seems like this may have inspired some other albums. I like the marching beat.
3. Men of Good Fortune - Am I listening to The Wall now? Lyrics are depressingly harsh, but I love it. Has a hard rock feel, and it's good.
4. Caroline Says I - Caroline sounds like a jerk. I like the melody. Despite all these songs being pretty hard for the time, they all feel like soft rock. A bit proto-punkish too. The speed of the ending is pretty cool.
5. How Do You Think It Feels - This one is a bit too simple compared to the other songs. Nevermind, the guitar is good. Alright, it's good once it starts picking up.
6. Oh, Jim - One right into another. This one feels like it belongs in the early 80s. Whatever. I don't like it as much as the other ones. I think the issue is that it's not particularly anything. It's just sort of... rock. Well, whatever. The solo is good, but also pretty generic. It picks up at the end, which is good for this album. Just Lou and a guitar at the end. It's good in its simplicity. A lot of different parts to this song. I think it comes out on top in the end.
7. Caroline Says II - Quiet and brooding in the start. Pretty good. Then the violins start, and it instantly becomes the best song on the album. Lou Reed's voice doesn't really fit with the music, I think, but it's still a great song.
8. The Kids - Good melody. It sounds very happy, but the lyrics are about Social Services taking away a woman's children away, presumably Caroline. Sounds like she's a bit of a drug and sex addict. The guitar is mellow, and leads the listener into a sense of false security. Lou is eerie on this one, point fingers and making little insults about her. It's one of those songs that sounds happy, but is actually really horrible. Oh my gosh, there's a child crying at the end. I'm not really sure what to think about this one. It's alright.
9. The Bed - Another guitar song. Still sounds happy, but still creepy and depressing also. This is really depressing. But I like it better than the last couple of songs too. Caroline is cutting herself, and everybody's unhappy. Background singers really create a strange atmosphere towards the end. Sounds like Gregorian chanting. This is some pretty weird stuff.
10. Sad Song - Bad title. Seems like the dark and scary bit is over. Flutes lead in the song. And a full orchestra and a band accompanies Lou's vocals. This is awesome. So, the main character decides he's gonna get on with his life. Everything is very atmospheric and great. Especially the "Sad Song" chorus. Amazing finale.
The album was a bit hard to get into, but once I did, I was carried on an amazing journey. The lyrics are great, the music is great, and everything's pretty grand and awesome. So, despite the faltering towards the beginning, it's a great album overall.
OVERALL RATING: 8/10