Reed's stomping solo second! (Transformer - Lou Reed)

Member Name: DanielKemp

Product:	Transformer - Lou Reed
Date:	17/04/09 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bowie produces the album wonderfully, surreal lyrics throughout

Disadvantages: The "transforming" theme wont appeal to everyone

Transformer was Lou Reed's second solo album after leaving The Velvet underground. While his debut album was far from bad it hadn't grabbed the attention of the critics the way he would have liked it to. Fast forward several months and for this album he got on board David Bowie. For Bowie, a long time admirer of The Velvet Underground, this was a dream come true. At this point in time Bowie had only just had his success with Ziggy Stardust and the chance of working with one of his long time idols was not an opportunity to be missed.
Bowie produces the entire album alongside Lou Reed and for those of you taking notes; you can hear him singing along with Lou on New York Telephone Conversation in his Hunky Dory era off-key pitch. Needless to say, while this is Lou's album, Bowie's influences are painted all over it. Subsequently, it is first and foremost a glam-rock album.

This LP of course has the exceedingly brilliant Walk on the Wild Side amongst the set. From the immortal bass line played by Herbie Flowers onwards, it is a musical tour de force that hasn't aged in the slightest; Reed's "do do do do do do's" bridging the verses perfectly. Make Up follows with the confessional cross dressing lyrics and the band manages to be equally appealing aurally; a playfulness in their backing.
The opening glam stomp of Vicious is superb, what with Mick Ronson's Ziggy era riffs tearing it up nicely and Lou's understated vocals weaving in and out of the bands' music effortlessly.
Perfect Day is absolutely beautiful and continues to impress more than 35 years on. To many it will be passed off as simply a love song, but many interpret it as a song about substance abuse. Either way, the chorus is one of the most rousing pieces of music I have ever heard.
Wagon wheel and I'm so free are fine moments of glam rock, much in the same vein as to what Bowie was releasing around the same time. Hangin' around is pretty damn fine too, with some completely inexplicable lyrics joyfully running riot.

The closing Goodnight Ladies took a while for me to appreciate but I'm glad I stuck with it. The plodding brass backing is the perfect come-down after the tremendous set of songs that has just been and gone.

While not being my favourite Lou Reed album this is the one he is always remembered for, and rightly so. It captures New York in the 1970's perfectly.

9/10

Daniel Kemp

Read more of my reviews at www.danielkempreviews.co.uk

Summary: If you are yet to buy some Lou Reed this is the best place to start!