Lou Reed - Transformer

[Copper Feel 0]

This was my first exposure to post Velvet Underground or even VU in general and man do I need to get on that.

 

David Bowie was the producer on this but really his influence cannot be heard too much throughout, Mick Ronson plays a much bigger role in the sound of the album: providing lots of lead guitar and piano parts.

 

That all sets the scene for Lou Reed to write some strange lyrics - I know that its well documented but really this did catch me off guard lines like:

 

"Candy came from out on the island

In the backroom she was everybodys darling

But she never lost her head

Even when she was giving head"

 

Of course to reduce the albums strengths to meer profanity would be silly but anyway, I have rambled on enough discuss the album in here.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Bowie had a huge influence on this; Transformer was the beginning of Reed's short-lived glam phase.

 

Not too long ago, I said in some other thread that I can't really listen to solo Lou Reed anymore, this album included. Reed was more concerned about image than music on this one; yeah, he did get some good songs in there—"Walk on the Wild Side," "Viscious" and, of course, "Perfect Day"—at least. The bulk of the album, however, is shallow.

[Guest Felonies!]

"Vicious" sounds too campy for me. God, the cowbell is unrelenting. I shouldn't have to say that about a Lou Reed song, but there it is, dunk-dunk-dunk-dunking away for like three minutes. I still love "Perfect Day," though.

[Henry Spencer 0]

I think I like Transformer better than any single Velvet Underground album excluding maybe the first one. Andy's Chest is so magnificent.

[Murmuring Beast 0]

Fantastic album - his best solo work of the 70s.

[Special K 0]

It's all good, just don't ecpect or White Light or Nico. And me writhing arpimd im a freak-outpartyy.