Lou Reed
Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse

Campus Correspondent Review By Alyssa Vincent,
North Central College

No one can argue about Lou Reed’s iconic status as an extremely talented musician. Not only did he have a successful run in The Velvet Underground, but his solo career has been praised by critics and fans alike. However, one of his more controversial albums had to be Berlin. It was almost universally panned, but its subsequent re-release (in concert contexts) has listeners and critics giving it a second chance.

That being said, listening to this album requires a dedication that few have. For a true Lou Reed fan, it’s certainly worth checking out, but for someone who’s just listening to him for the first time, it might not be a good experience. His trademark gravelly voice is on full display here, but is often backed by other singers, and at times, a full choir.
Tracks like “Sad Song” show the full range of his instrumental skills, since it manages to be both a ballad and a rock song, while a track like “Rock Minuet” seems to be a little underdone.

Many of the songs on this CD exceed seven minutes and are chock-full of rambling guitars and improvisation. Unfortunately, this improvisation showcases Reed’s lack of direction, so it escapes the artistic territory and ventures into annoying excess.