Lou Reed

Editor's Review:

As David Letterman said after Lou Reed’s most recent Late Night appearance, "That Lou Reed, he sure is downtown." It could be easy to dismiss Lou Reed’s newest record, Ecstasy, as the ramblings of a man living on the glories of his past, but it would be a mistake to do so.

Ecstasy doesn’t bring any great surprises to the listener — it has the same intensity and subtle brilliance of his past solo work. This record has been described as closest to his work with The Velvet Underground, and while the lyrical content kind of lives up to that description — mordant tales (that could be ripped straight from his own history) of relationships gone bad, street life, prostitution, drugs and homosexuality — the musicianship does not have the same strength. There is no John Cale present to co-write the pieces and create the depth and invention found in the VU compositions. Laurie Anderson (Reed’s live-in-lover) flourishes throughout her electric violin work on the pieces "Rock Minuet" and "Rouge," and musicians Mike Rathke (guitar) and Fernando Saunders (bass, backing vocals) also turn in fine performances.

"Ecstasy," Modern Dance," "Turning Time Around" and "Tatters" (it is nice to hear Reed admit during "Tatters," "I guess it’s true / not all that I say is right") stand out because of their simplicity — they have an understated beauty. These songs are not cluttered with the brash guitar, bass and horn that are found on "Mystic Child" and the 18-minute-long, "Like A Possum." Closing with, "Big Sky," full of toe-tapping rhythm and hoedown-y chutzpah, we learn one thing: Lou Reed really should stick to his usual cooler-than-thou style of spoken-word-singing. The man may be a legend, but he still can’t carry a tune to save his life.

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Record Label Reprise Records Released April 2001

Tracks Paranoia Key Of E Mystic Child Mad Ecstasy Modern Dance Tatters Future Farmers Of America Turning Time Around White Prism Rock Minuet Baton Rouge Like A Possum Rouge Big Sky