Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Had no idea what to expect before checking this album out. Not an easy album to listen to. Like its really affecting in ways that are not easy to describe. It was tough listening to the crying children in The Kids. Then the chills i got at the end of The Bed are like none ive ever had. Usually I love that feeling but it was tinged with such an uneasiness. Really powerful stuff. Then ending on Sad Song was just perfect, like it took me back where I needed to be. This 3 track run was incredible. Really moving stuff. Overall the album is beautiful. Aloof vocal delivery juxtaposes with the lush orchestral movements. There is tension then ascension. Some truly horrible sounds followed by glorious, dramatic, spine tingling beauty. I loved it so much. 9/10
Another day, another Wikipedia entry, another opportunity to reflect on the shitty opinions of Robert Christgau. This is Lou showing the rest of the 70s how to do a concept album and look cool doing it.
I was in the perfect mood for misery. Never heard of the chap, but I vaguely recognised Lady Day. Men of Good Fortune, and The Bed were also standouts. I'd say, on balance, the track with the baby crying was a bit much, but generally jolly sad. Will be back. 4.5.
Maybe my new favorite album. I love concept albums and I love rock operas. Just the idea of a running narrative through an album gets me going. "Hazards of Love" by The Decemberists is one of my all-time faves. This album follows the two characters from Reed's song "Berlin," Jim and Caroline, and describes their abusive and tragic relationship. Sad themes, but really a wonderful album.
A beautiful but equally tragic album. One I’m really glad to have listened to twice as I first enjoyed the songs without listening to them too deeply, and then was blown away further upon actually listening to the lyrics. One I will certainly come back to again and again.
Another one of my 6/5. This album rivals VU & Nico for me. The music, the storytelling, the lyrics, everything is perfect. One of the saddest and greatest album of all time.
My god incredible. But also wtf are the racist (and sexist?) lines.
This is a genius album. I wasn't really expecting the band to go so crazy but I'm glad they do. It sounds fantastic. The intro to "Oh Jim" sounds very goth. Sounds like where a lot of those bands got inspiration from.
Love this.
What an incredible city!
Lou Reed wrote some good songs here
Awesome, no notes :P
I think I listened to this once like ten years ago and remember not feeling it at the time. I know it has a reputation for being out there and divisive, and is considered his best by many (even over Transformer). Revisiting this as part of this project is a great reminder of why I’m enjoying this project so much. It’s weird, pretty depressing, and pretty fantastic. I’d need to give it several more spins before fully understanding it. Perhaps drugs are required as well, though I’d never touch some of them that probably contributed to Lou’s output here. How Do You Think It Feels and Sad Song especially rule.
For Lou Reed albums, I’ve been unfairly judging it by Transformer. It’s tough because that album has been as influential as some VU albums. But Berlin should stand as its own perfect work. It’s a story and really shows the composition skills of Lou Reed.
Excellent!
This album is a clear evolution on the music from just a couple years prior and it's quite beautiful. It's much more restrained than a lot of the hard rock that was devloping around this time. Lou Reed has a calming voice and subtle guitar that can pop off in spots, but is generally a tone setter. How Do You Think It Feels, Caroline Says II, and The Kids are great. The Bed is hauntingly emotional, and then the album ends on the great Sad Song. I liked this album on first pass, and on a second pass really loved it.
I found this a fascinating album. First, it felt dusky, like the smoke-lit jazz bars of post-war Europe. Cabaret and jazz. Marlene Dietrich. Unrequited love over a piano. And the band sitting behind that is nothing less than superb, sometimes deciding to show off as Jack Bruce marvelously does in the great 'Men of Good Fortune'. Lou fits into that aesthetic of singing about eccentric outsiders from a seedy underworld. But a sense of melody runs through the whole thing. I for one thought it worked with very few missteps. And what's more this feels extremely unique; maybe can be compared to Histoire de Melody Nelson? Enthralling.
Starts off quite beautiful, follows up with some really epic shit. How did I miss this in my life until now?? Lovely.
Cliche, but I listened to this album while travelling around Germany alone and when I spent two weeks in Berlin. I love it.
When this album first came out, it was a commercial failure because fans and critics were expecting Transformer Part Two. But after only hearing Transformer a handful of times, I can say I enjoyed this one way more right from the start. Honestly, I wish this had been my introduction to Lou Reed, because I probably would have appreciated him more as a solo artist. This album is a concept piece centered around a couple in early 1970s West Berlin, following their relationship as it spirals into jealousy, substance abuse, physical violence, infidelity, and more. Musically, it leans more into art rock and singer-songwriter territory, with orchestration that adds to its dramatic and cinematic feel.
10/10
Unbelievably sad, but Lou Reed has a way of turning that sadness into beauty.
Wow. Really enjoyed this, felt like it came out of nowhere. I kinda feel this would have been seen as out if character for Lou at the time, but I think nowadays this sort of concept album holds up strong. Gonna be a 5 star to make sure I come back to this one.
What a depressing mess. Luckily, depressing messes are my favorite albums.
- A really hard record. Rough in a good way, sad, haunting, beautiful, Lou makes you work for this one. So rewarding if you have the stomach and heart for it. -
Probably the best bummer of an album ever made.
Melancholy drips On music bold, beautiful, And rocking weirdness
I love Lou Reed. I live in Berlin. There is only one thing for me to do here.
Underrated
Nice.
Overall: 9/10 I must be crazy or something cause I actually much prefered this over Transformer! It seems more cohesive and I feel like the songs fit his voice better for the most part. I had a stupid grin on my face for most of the album and there's a couple songs that are definitely gonna be overplayed over the next few weeks. I'm a little sad I got both Lou Reed albums so early, but thankfully I still have some Velvet Underground coming up! Fav Song: Caroline Says I Least Fav Song: Berlin
Wow. Outside of the VU Lou Reed has always been very hit and miss for me, but this was great. Beautiful, delicate, dark, foreboding, and engaging, Lou's limited vocals really compliment the music on this one. The strong narrative and subject matter might not be everyone's cup of tea but it certainly isn't boring.
Vivid lyrics. Storytelling, some of it sad. And some fun cool tempo/key changes - I wish I could remember which song.
Nothing to say. Great album.
... wonderfully terrifyingly cathartic sad
A harrowing nosedive into the bowels of hell
Lou Reed is a very complex person, and this album is a perfect example of that complexity. Its not like the other stuff of its time, but you can hear how he influenced pretty much everything in this. 5/5
Starts out as a glam opus before belying any pretense of glamour at all. The arrangements in the first songs are truly gorgeous, with the guitar solo on "How Do You Think It Feels" stopping me in my tracks, while the lyrics start clawing away at the darkness underneath. Of course, all is laid bare by "Caroline Says II", and things only get more devastating somehow by the time we get to "The Kids" and "The Bed". We get a plot resolution but maybe not a moral one, as the narrator intones the "sad sad song" ad nauseum at the end; of course, the irony being that compared to what we've just heard that sad song isn't that sad at all. Meticulously constructed, truly harrowing, but a true head rush.
A perfectly different follow-up to 'Transformer' and as enjoyable as an album with this subject matter can be.
Hard to make something as simple yet powerful
I didn't expect this album to be a downer. Anyways, I've always liked Lou Reeds softer songs better, and there are a lot of great guitar and piano ballads here. This may be favorite Lou Reed project I've heard so far. Definitely going to need to give this a few more listens.
Legendary concept album about a relationship that after a good start (Berlin) starts to fall apart in awful ways (Caroline Says II, The Kids, The Bed). Not the happiest lyrics, but an emotional rollercoaster.
Lyrical. Emotive. Genius.
helvíti gott.
Dark and beautiful. Rough and delicate. What an album.
lou reed should have lived for ever oh yeah! this is groovy!
"Berlin" is essentially Lou Reed's musical interpretation of "Hamlet." The songs themselves aren't spectacular but the album touches base upon gruesome, macabre themes with a surprising modernity. "Berlin" explores a couple's moral descent into prostitution, substance abuse, domestic violence and eventual suicide. "The Kids" contains snippets of children wailing for their mother who can no longer provide for them. While "Berlin" is not an accessible album for casual music listeners, I think it's a worthy listen. Lou Reed has definitely changed my perception on the world.
A dour piece of greatly arranged and lyrical commercial suicide. I love it.
This is the album that made me stumble upon the 1001 album book! What a powerful album.
I'm usually pretty ambivalent when it comes to Lou Reed, but this record was a very pleasant surprise. The orchestration here gave a very proto-Spiritualized vive, which I'm all in on. Immediately my favorite Lou Reed project I've heard.
New to this album. The Bed was haunting.
10/10 definitely a bit different from his other work, but still so great
Every so often you come across an album where you just can't believe it wasn't on your radar before. Rock operas/concept albums always fit that bill for me - I love albums to have a narrative focus. This one is inventive while also being tuneful. It creates a soundscape that alternates between grooving and being ethereally expansive. Great album!
How much fiction was poured into this story? What to do with this moving tragedy? Do you think Irvine Welsh was inspired by Lou while writing Trainspotting? Do you think Lou knew the power of his work and its influence on upcoming generations?
Better than "Transformer." Sweeps from cabaret act to soaring orchestral movements without dropping the ball.
Standout- "Lady Day," "Men of Good Fortune,""Oh Jim," "Caroline Says I & II," Lyrics/Vocals- 4/5 Instrumentals- 5/5 Vibes- 5/5 Overall- 5/5 I love Lou Reed, so I went into this with high expectations and was not disappointed. Lou Reed's voice may not be for everyone, but it's distinct. This album felt fun, and a lot of the production value really shined in this album. Lou Reed was a very talented musician, and I say that even without my previously mentioned biases.
In terms of being a concept album that gives you its story from start to finish, backs that up with great instrumentation, and keeps you rather compelled once it really kicks in, then… yeah. We’ve got a great album here. It’s not perfect; even though I think Lou’s voice still ended up being the perfect tone by the end of the album, I don’t think the sort of monotony works at the start, when Jim hasn’t gone completely drug-addicted and insane. It also doesn’t really spell out the idea that there’s a story going on here until about track 6, at least for a presumed “casual” listen like I was doing. If you want to go all in on the concept album, then start with a curtain opening or something; give the listener a very audible clue that this is an overarching story and each song has a part to play in it. I think just because I got so enthralled by it, I have to give it a 5 out of respect for absolutely nailing what it went for, but it's not a very replayable album: if we were going out of 10, I'd probably give it an 8.5/10. I'd recommend the album to anyone, as long as you tell them there's a story first.
YUHHHHHH berlin- happy birthdayyy. piano. me when its paradise. 7. lady day- i like that weird piano part its like a villain song. 7 or 8. men of good fortune- he gets me. 6 caroline says I- sorry i was playing red ball 4. 7 how do you think it feels- i like the horns. foxy? like fnaf? 7 or 8 oh jim- theyre shooting me up with pills?? huh. the fade out is interesting. 8 caroline says II- omg just like stephanie... i really love the (womens name) says series. my favorite. 8 or 9. i the kids- ronette my dear dont ever disappear. sorry. 7 or 8. i like the kid crying the bed- damn she slit her wrists? and all he said was oh oh oh. 8 for suicide. the little choir is nice. sad song- flute. im ascending to heaven. the guitar is funny. its not very sad. he gets me. favorite track was caroline says II
Wow! That was something else! I really didn't want to keep listening breeches the end was inevitable, compelling, and tremendously sad.
Precioso. Bastante triste. Pero precioso.
it was hard not to love this for me. i found it's experimental in a familiar way so it ends up with a very unique sound. elements which struck me as "oh, interesting" are ones that grow on you quickly as he blends the familiar with the new very well. there were bits i disliked, such as the crying in The Kids, but they all make sense thematically so i cannot fault them. in general i really liked this album and it was a big surprise it grew on me so much as when i first listened, i didn't expect such a result
Lou Reed annoys me but I liked this album. The stories remind me of a Nelson Algren novel who also wrote Walk on the Wild Side
beautiful and devastating; they were right to take her children away, though, at least until she cleaned up
Going in I did not expect much. I'm really not familiar with Lou Reed's work. Also not to familiar with VU except for the two albums I listened to on this list from which I liked one and disliked the other. This is straight up a masterpiece. This is going on my regular rotation
Great album the songs Caroline Says 1&2 were great and Lou Reed is a legend
I ❤️ Lou
Full of emotion and great instrumentals; love the bass and its tone and not surprised to find out it’s Jack Bruce playing!
Highlight of this album is obviously Reed’s lyrics, but the instrumentation creates a really great and chilling atmosphere on a lot of the tracks Favourite tracks: Berlin, Lady Day, Men of Good Fortune, Caroline Says II, The Kids, The Bed
No sé quantes escoltes al llarg dels anys m'ha costat poder 'disfrutar' (una manera de dir) de 'Berlin'. Moltes, sens dubte. Depressiu, dur, complicat, opressiu. Més mèrit encara que aparegués després d'un disc tan rotund com 'Transformer'. Hom no li pot posar en dubte a Lou Reed la seva valentia al llarg de la seva carrera. Ni la seva genialitat artística
Easy rating
This album is nothing but bangers Favorite track: How Do You Think It Feels
This album was really heavy, but also really good. I don't really have the experience to really understand a lot of it, it'll be interesting to come back to when I'm older. The music and lyrics are both memorable, they create a gloomy and uncertain atmosphere together. The music gets better as the album goes on. BT: - Men of Good Fortune - How Do You Think It Feels - Oh Jim - The Kids - The Bed
Precioso. Bastante triste. Pero precioso.
Louuuuuuuuuuuu
from all the 13 albums so far, I thought Rumours would be fav for a long time! But this one way better than I thought. I knew some of Lou Reeds work before (VU&N, WL/WH, Transformer) and even if it doesn't get close to some if them I loved this album soooooooooo much. Maybe it's because I'm already a Lou Reed fanboy like Bowie but his solo work of what I heard is NOT worse than VU. 9/10 (5/5)
Pretty depressing, but in a good way. I was never really a fan of Lou Reed's solo albums before, having felt that his best work was as part of the Velvet Underground. When I first heard this album, many decades ago, I didn't really like it as it was a bit sparse and sad. Listening to it again, it just keeps getting better and when I got to the end I felt a powerful urge to listen to it again from the start. So I listened to it again, from the beginning to the end and it was even better the second time.
Album 50 of 1001 Lou Reed - Berlin Favorite Track : Men of Good Fortune Rating : 4 / 5 Such a sad album but so enjoyable at the same time. It also includes of my favorite recordings of all time - Men of Good Fortune with Jack Bruce on bass. This one wasn't new to me but I'm still hearing new stuff each time I listen.
Well that was bleak! The age old story, boy meets girl, they fall on love and have children, boy abuses girl horribly, she leaves, he has her children taken away, she commits suicide, he pretends to be sad but makes it all about himself. Including the sounds of genuine children's crying. It's really very good. It's also really uncomfortable. Not least because it doesn't feel like it's stopped happening in the 50 years since. I think I like Lou Reed more than I did at the start of this process.
This was very impressive. After listening to 2 albums from Velvet Underground, I had clear expectations for this one when I received it, but it was a surprise to note that the album goes in a completely different direction, and it's great. This was the first concept album that made me care about the characters. Of course, I've listened to some good concept albums (I received, I think, 4 or 5 on this list), but this one made me think about the characters and listen to the album like a fiction book or something like that.
This is astonishing. Such a harrowing story, told really well from start to finish, and one of those rare albums where it really peaks at the end. I don't quite know how it's so captivating, the guy can't sing particularly well, the music is pretty stripped back and relatively simplistic, but it captures the mood amazingly well and allows the lyrics to shine though. It's really hard work emotionally - it tells the story of a marriage breaking down because of infidelity, the husband abusing the wife, and the wife eventually killing herself. The most upbeat it gets (both musically and emotionally) is right at the end - talking about how the abusive now widower is freed to move on with his life by his wife's suicide - not exactly a happy ending but weirdly a little uplifting. Too many of the albums we've had have been way too easy to ignore or lose interest in, this one absolutely doesn't do that. 5/5.
Brilliant, although Reed is not the most empathize person
Good album, i like lou reed a lot. Is probably his saddest album and stays difficult to really understand. Sad song is the last song but also the best song. Got compared with the feelies, with recommanded album crazy rithms. They sound more like the Velvet Underground. It s also a good album.
actually loved this one
Lou Reed's Berlin was critically panned and reviled upon its release. The album takes its cue from the track 'Berlin' on Lou Reed's first solo album and expands the story of the couple the song portrays. What follows is a shocking and tragic story of addiction, prostitution, abuse, suicide, and ultimately ambivalence. Mirroring his own disintegrating relationship, Berlin plunges to the depths of despair and anguish and leaves us struggling to find meaning in the pieces left behind. Musically, it is austere, full of a feeling of impending doom, and leaves us with the song 'Sad Song' sung in a major key further disorienting the listener. It is oppressive and brilliant, and I'm not quite sure how to feel about it yet.
Precioso. Bastante triste. Pero precioso.
Undeniably depressing subject matter. The kids crying at the end of “The Kids” was very disturbing. Nonetheless, it’s great art even if it’s not super pleasant art. There’s not really a bad track on there, musically, though for the sake of my personal happiness I’ll be avoiding listening to “The Kids” and “The Bed” ever again, even though I think “The Bed” is an exquisitely written track. Favourites were “How Do You Think It Feels”, “Oh Jim”, “Caroline Says II”, “Men of Good Fortune”, and, despite my desire to avoid hearing it again in the future, “The Bed”. Least favourites probably “The Kids” and “Caroline Says I”. Struggled between 4 and 5 stars for the rating on this one … but I think the artistry merits a 5 in the end. Maybe like a 4.75 on a more detailed scale…
Recorded and released right after the success of the David Bowie-produced *Transformer*, Lou Reed's *Berlin* couldn't have been *more* of a 180-turn for those who had appreciated his former album. Not only is this a bleak tale about a couple going through the throes of physical abuse, drug addiction, prostitution and child neglect, but also, it's narrated from the point of view of the main abuser, which makes it a difficult and harrowing concept album to say the least. Obviously, the narrator is very unreliable here, so the hints he gives about his suicidal partner actually using him by proxy to destroy herself should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Cynicism and ambiguity abound throughout those dark lyrics, yet the latter also create a mesmerizing thread to help you go from one track to the next. Starting from a minor cut in one of his former recordings, Lou Reed here imagines the tragic fate of its cursed characters with a lot of vivid and striking details. *Berlin* is thus a very "literary" album, which probably triggered all those early criticisms about its depressing and "pretentious" nature. But in retrospect, a "Transformer, vol. 2" would have been far less interesting than what Reed offered us instead, even with such admittedly harsh lyrical contents. What early critics of *Berlin* also seemed to have missed is the fact that the record is actually worth your time if only for the music itself. Reed's wild card here was his producer, Bob Ezrin, mostly known at the time for his grandiose orchestral arrangements for Alice Cooper--ones he would refine a few years later with his legendary handling of production duties for Pink Floyd's *The Wall*. Listening to *Berlin*'s extraordinary closer "Sad Song", everyone who's ever enjoyed "Comfortably Numb" will be automatically be struck by the obvious connection between the two, with the string arpeggio in Lou Reed's song sounding very much like a wonderful draft of the one Ezrin would later pen for the Floyd. And what the producer brings to *Berlin*'s table is not only about orchestral strings: there's also a very dynamic feast of horns, woods and flutes throughout the record, along with soul-stirring guitar solos, slapping drum parts, and haunting background vocals (either gospel-inspired, as in "Caroline Says I", or drawing from the atonal and metaphysical experiments of György Ligeti for "The Bed"'s conclusion). Add to this a few delicate parts played on mellotron and piano by Ezrin himself, along with an impressive list of seasoned performers for all the other instruments (check it on wikipedia), and you certainly have an A+ production team to do justice to Lou Reed's usual melodic flair in those days... All the songs we've quoted up to now are the obvious highlights of this album, to which glorious music hall number "Lady Day" and rocker "How Do You Think It Feels" should be added as well. The first part of side 2 is a little less convincing, admittedly--and the absence of any genuine moment of levity in that LP probably adds to most listeners' fatigue by this point. But the two last tracks of the album--the slow, incredibly dark and despondent "The Bed", also particularly poignant and atmospheric, followed by the cynical yet totally epic closer that "Sad Song" is--easily make up for these potential flaws. Decades after its release, it is thus obvious that *Berlin* is not the debacle that rock critics said it was at the time. Sure, it's dragged by its own heavy weight once in a while, from the dark subject matter of its lyrics to its layered production displaying so many sophisticated arrangements, just like a pusher takes out different drugs from his coat to tempt an addict. Yet as "heavy" as this album is, rarely have trips to hell and back sounded so lush and enticing. It's probably because the devil usually lies in all the little details--and this whether that devil happens to live in Berlin, "Alaska", or anywhere else in the world... 4,5/5 then, here rounded up to 5/5. Number of albums left to review: 679 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 158 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 74 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 90
This one is kind of rough and gets rougher as you go along. The story is quite upsetting but absolutely emotionally compelling. I really loved the instrumentation. It's such an interesting way to weave together songs that had been done before ("Stephanie Says" becomes "Caroline Says") and I love the idea of following what happens after a lovely romantic vignette like "Berlin," even if it does go to such a dark place. I couldn't get myself to listen to "The Kids" again the second time through and had to skip it—not because it is a bad song, but because it is so difficult emotionally. This one gets you involved and sticks with you.
Amazing! Stopped what I was doing shortly after pressing play and just listened. Then listened to it again. And then again. Incredible. I’m loving every song on this album. Even though it is really heart-wrenching. Lou Reed knows how to explore some pretty dark places without making me question the artists feelings toward his subject. That’s something that I’ve grown weary of with some of the rap and hip hop artists that have been served up lately. This is the best new thing I’ve listened to in a long time. Absolutely perfect!
gorgeous
Back when Lou Reed was still actively channeling the softer side of tVU into his solo projects, he pumped out a beast of an infectious pop-rock album with just enough curious experimental production choices sprinkled around to hint at all the madness he would go on to create later in his career.
Loved the vocals on this
Classic dadcore
Nice
Classic Lou Reed album. I am sticking to general consensus here and rate this album as his best one. "Berlin", "Transformer", "Street Hassle" and "New York" are all 5-star albums.
Still a very impressive album.
Some people just exude coolness. Lou Reed is one of those people. I feel like I should hate this album. It is depressing, but it's not a style I usually like... But it's so fucking good!
Great album! Lou Reed is an amazing song writer and the musical talent is insane!
Beautiful Sad album, even better than magic and Loss
Lou reed does it again the madman
I've always thought of myself as a bit of Lou Reed fan but this is the only album I've listened to in full so it looks like I have a nice journey of discovery ahead of me. Faves: The Kids, Sad Song
Oh, this was great - I've mainly listed to "Transformer" before, but this is much more consistent in tone and quality. I definitely want to revisit it more. Fave track - "The Bed", maybe? There's one hell of a suckerpunch in the lyrics...
Love lou Reed, this was a great album, I'm sure he'll have more on this list
First time listening to this album, I’m a fan of transformer and the VU albums. Wow this was a bleak and haunting masterpiece. Great story telling throughout the album.
Lou knocks it out of the park with the Storytelling and ambience of this one. Excellent job.
First listen and I really really enjoyed it
Sad Song is my favorite.
I'm partial to storytelling, so I like the concept of a rock opera. I also really like Lou Reed as a lyricist and storyteller, although some of his songs leave me wanting the rest of the story. This album provides that. In my mind, I pictured the songs portrayed by puppets a la the rock opera that Jason Segel's character composes in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." But maybe puppets playing Caroline and Jim would make the tale even more tragic. Listening to the progression of characters through different songs does require a more concentrated effort. And "The Kids," with actual children crying and calling for their mother was really effective at selling the sad tale of Caroline. It also really grabbed the attention of my three year old.
Precioso. Bastante triste. Pero precioso.
ME voy a arriesgar con éste disco y ponerlos entre los mejores que he escuchado en mi vida. Me gustan los discos conceptuales, tristes, grises, lúgubres y esté definitivamente lo es. Le vi mucho parecido a The Wall, no se si Waters estuvo esvuchando a Lou
Third favourite Lou Reed record :).
I think I enjoy this album even more than Transformer, such as wonderful songs
honestly gas. Might buy the vinyl
Quase literatura
Story telling come to life. Rockin sound
It was folk rock not really singing but kinda talking o er the music , still good stuff
Une très belle masterclass de rock comme je l'ai rarement entendu.
Mellow and pleasant, despite the subject matter
I think Lou Reed is one of the most over-rated artists, especially with Velvet Underground, but this is a good album. Dark themes and the prog fan in me loves a concept album!!
3.5★/5 06.21.2026
It's a great concept album, tragic story done with some beautiful rock tunes. Feels like this is better as a whole than the individual parts. Couple of great individual tracks but goes better when I listen to the whole thing. On the first listen I liked it but didn't think it had much replay ability. The more I listen to it the better it has become, there are jazz, orchestra and some VU all through out. Lou's vocal style fits the story telling of the album well.
Some nice ones but not great.
Really enjoyed this. Unique, bold, daring for its time. Also quite bleak and depressing content-wise but better than crap like Yellow from Coldplay that we take for good today. This is art. Pushing boundaries and being unapologetic. I could really hear Bono adopting some of the vocal patterns from The Bed and other songs. Struggling whether it's a 4 or 5, and on a 100-pt scale I would peg this at about an 88 for me, which is 4.4. or 4.
A strong improvement on Transformer.
this is awesome and it's clear why people hated it
Lou Reed er bare altid godt at lytte til. Bliver altid overrasket over hvor dygtig han er på random plader, og jeg synes ikke denne er en undtagelse. Han har de vilde tekster, og faktisk ret stabil i sine musikalske hooks. Han forstår at skabe en vildt tilfredsstillende lyd, hvor guitar lige glider ind i et fedt riff, hvor det passer allerbedst. Det er ikke en 5'er, men det han gør virker bare så godt, at det er endnu en 4'er.
"... approached Berlin as their opportunity to make The Most Depressing Album of All Time, and they hardly missed a trick." Spændende! Wauv, klaveret på åbningsnummeret er jo immaculate. Virkelig ambitiøst og en fuldstændig fantastisk lyd på hele albummet. Han var og vil nok altid være en kunstner, jeg aldrig rigtig helt kommer til at forstå. Jeg er vild med så meget, han har lavet, men det er som om, jeg aldrig rigtig kan tage ham 100% seriøst. Ved ikke helt hvorfor, fordi dette er jo endnu en straight banger plade. Det bliver jo endnu mere uretfærdigt, når man hører slutnummeret. Vanvittigt 4.2
Heel chill
Vaikka en ole kaikista suurin Lou Reedin fani, täytyy todeta että Berlin on melko hieno teos. Dramaattinen rock-ooppera kuvaa kahden rakastavaisen syöksykierrettä, eikä loppu ole onnellinen. Parempi kuin Transformer.
The description doesn't lie. This may well be the most depressing album ever recorded. But it's a damned banger. I mean, if you're into long descriptions of the apartment where she committed suicide. Still good, tho.
Lou Reed has such a unique sound mainly in the way he makes it work. It's almost bland feeling at times but he ties it all together. Cool album, never heard it before. The orchestral additions are welcomed for sure. The Kids caught my attention a lot. Caroline says and Lady Day both elevate Reed's sound a lot. Great listen. I'd like to give it more time.
This was a real grower. Initially when I stuck this on, I really didn't enjoy it. But when I got to know it, I really started to love it. So much so that I have now bought the album and 4 of his other ones! Goddamn you list!
What a fully loaded album, wow. Probably would have never gotten to this myself because I thought Transformer would be enough, but I'm glad I listened to it, because the band is excellent and the concept is strong. It's completely ear-catching to the end, it's as beautiful as it is ugly.
Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Bleak, theatrical, and emotionally brutal. Feels less like an album and more like watching lives slowly collapse in dim light. Uncomfortable, messy, and devastatingly human. Favorite Track: “Caroline Says II.” Cold and detached on the surface, which somehow makes it hurt even more.
This was great! Lou Reed has a lovely voice, the songs are very emotional and well-made. Guitar and bass work was excellent. Some slightly dated stuff about women in there but it is also tied up in his obviously very complicated relationship with his mother.
At first glance, this is typical Lou Reed. I kind of zoned out on the lyrics, and this could have been any Reed or VU song. After I started to pay attention to to lyrics, I paused and did the wiki overview of the album. This album is probably of some influence to one of my favorite albums, Tallahassee by the Mountain Goats. Comparing the two, I think Tallahassee is still much better (I'd rank it a 5 if the authors of this list had included the Mountain Goats, they really should have). But this album had to pave the road for that one. The lyrical content is very dark, it makes this an album you don't went to visit often. Whether you love or hate this album will depend on your tolerance for that misery, but also your interest in Lou Reed. His standard talk-sing style is in full swing here. But it works with the songs. This album could be a 5 on influence alone. I here little parts of songs that came later all over this record. But based on my enjoyment of this album, I give it a 3. I'll split the diff and call it 4.
I love this album however Transformer is my favourite. Lou Reed September 5, 2003. State Theatre Sydney. Another memorable concert featuring songs like "Sweet Jane," "Smalltown," and "Men of Good Fortune”. In 2003 I was VP strategic marketing Warner Music planning and executing campaigns for Warner’s vast back catalogue like Cold Chisel, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Rod Stewart and the Doors amongst others. Lou Reed who I am a big fan of had a show at the beautiful State Theatre. His Label Manager asked me if I would mind going to the show and meeting him after. He had a reputation of being grumpy and sarcastic. Being a huge fan I immediately agreed. Transformer is one of my all time favourite albums that I played non stop on a roadtrip through France with my friends Jens and Thorsten as highschool students in my sister’s babyblue VW. I took my wonderful friend and artist Jade to the show. Lou had just severed ties with Warner Brothers records but had resigned a worldwide deal with Warner Music Germany where his most recent releases still managed to enter the charts. At the time German music fans were very loyal and many artists in their twighlight of their career were still very popular. His New York album was very successful on Warner Brothers but that is now ages ago. Apparently he once said the only reason Warner Brothers kept him on the roster was that he would attract cool new alternative acts to sign to the label. In 2003 he released a hard to digest album inspired by Edgar Allen Poe called the Raven. The German loved it and signed him. The show at the State Theatre was interesting, Antony and the Johnsons was the support act and he blew us away ! He later would do a couple of songs with Lou. Lou’s show was great however, he hardly played any of his “hits” and even the ones that he did play were unrecognisable . Like a Van Halen style of Viscous. Also Lou had his Tai Chi master on stage performing with his sword. Jade and I made our way backstage and I kept running into people asking if they can meet Lou. Mentally preparing myself to meet Mr. Grumpy we entered his dressing room. He was consummate host and gentleman, shook our hands and made us feel welcome. He repeated my friends name in his New York drawl “jaaayde” which I thought sounded very cool. He offered and made us some tea and we had a chat about his show and the new album The Raven. It suddenly dawned on me that he thought that I was somehow connected to Warner Music Germany which I wasn’t….he asked me about what I thought about the Raven and he asked me to send my regards to the German CEO Bernd Dopp. So overall it was a very pleasant experience. Record company meet and greets can be awkward at best but that was most certainly one of the best ones. Also never trust what other people say about what people say, many times in my career I got on really well with people that were described as being grumpy or difficult.
Leuk album, echt uit de jaren 70
Wat een geweldig nummer is die "Das Song"
70’s Rock ⭐️How Do You Think It Feels
I thought I was going to hate this album because it's Lou Reed, but I love the darker tone this album had. I vibed with it, I'm shocked with myself for this fact. The last song did drag on for a little, but that was just my opinion.
When I saw another Lou Reed album yesterday, admittedly I was skeptical. I wasn't a huge fan of Transformer, and Velvet Underground has consistently only gotten 1 or 2 stars from me. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. It's definitely a darker tone and theme than his previous albums. There is absolutely nothing that evokes any joy, and I suppose that's a part of the appeal. Again, like always, Lou Reed's voice really does nothing for me. To me it just too monotone and feels like he's just speaking melodically. Anyways, the instrumentation on this album is really solid, it's very bare bones, primarily relying on nothing but piano and vocals. Which ultimately makes the album feel more gritter and dark which I personally adore.
I liked this more and more after one listen. Interesting album.
Un crack Lou. El rockero que no necesitó ser mainstream para ser icónico. El album es oscuro y ganchero en partes iguales. 7/10
some of the lyrics and themes were a bit too bleak for me however I enjoyed the general sound and the melodies a lot
I'm between a 4 and a 5 for this. I love Reed's storytelling of this sad tale about a troubled couple. The lush arrangements really add to the rock opera vibe. Closing with a (relatively) jolly track called Sad Song, repeating the title as a refrain, was weirdly quite apt I think it's 4* because it could do with a real banger or two to elevate it. Still, a positive experience
Experimental and interesting. Holds a strong narrative and surprised me in general.
🎧I like this a lot
starts very slow, but stay with cuz it gets so good by the end. love lou reed so much man, this man is so goated a songwriting god i love ittt
Solid Lou Reed album with some great tracks, even if some of them have rather depressing lyrics. Highlights: "Lady Day", "How Do You Think It Feels" and "Sad Song"
Loved this, the last track especially
Highlights: Berlin, Lady Day, Caroline Says I, How Do You Think It Feels, Oh Jim, Caroline Says II, The Bed, Sad Song
I didn't realize this was going to be a concept album going into it! Overall I liked it. I don't want to say it was an enjoyable listen because the subject matter was rough, but the overall effect was solid.
++: Berlin, Caroline Says I, How Do You Think It Feels, Oh, Jim, The Kids, The Bed +: Men of Good Fortune, Caroline Says II, Sad Song +-: Lady Day 8,2/10
This one is grim, even by Reed’s standards. Not a top tier release for me.
When ‘Sad Song’ is the least sad song, you know it is gonna be a really dark album. Listening to this, I cant help to see how it would influence The Wall. Very dark, and The Kids is just a tough listen. Overall, an amazing album, but not one I will be playing on repeat.
3.5, rounding up. Big Lou Reed fan, but this isnt in the same level as Transformer or Rock n Roll Animal. Some of the lyrics are tough an definitely don’t age well.
Jag började sjunga mest sista låten så det blir en 4:a på det
It's one part Tommy, two parts Nebraska. In the best way.
Even though there are parts I don't like much, it does work well as an album. 4 stars or B-.
I like the buildup of the story that forms throughout the album. Very dramatic in story and satisfying to listen to music-wise. Brilliant album.
I can understand why this was initially rejected by critics. Lou Reed is so good at producing these dark and intense themes, the music almost feels too real and emotionally intense to "enjoy". As an album though, I think Berlin is just about as affective as any other and feels like an accomplishment that does warrant listening to before you die, weather or not I would like to listen to this in entirely again any time soon.
This is a tragic, bleak, and unsettling record. The emotions drawn up by Reed's storytelling are vulnerable, real, and human. It's definitely not an easy album to listen to, but I am happy to have experienced it. That said, I'm adding it to the list of great albums that I'll probably never listen to again.
i liked this!
I mean... Sad song lol Rather dark and down but some great artistry in here. The fully stripped back lyrics hit real hard
Buen disco
3.5/5, unlike most albums by Lou Reed, this one is saved from complete mediocrity by incredible instrumentation and orchestration. The singing is horrible, as always and the songs themselves have few standouts (though played very well). Lyrically it says a dark story, as Reed only knows how, but lyrics aren't everything.
Beautiful storytelling even if it is a bleak story
another good one from him Wil I listen to again: 80%
A concept album about a relationship slowly collapsing under addiction, violence, and emotional decay, ‘Berlin’ is theatrical but depressing. It’s a very good album, but not one I’d reach for if I was looking to have a good time.
Pour une fois j’ai écouté les paroles et l’histoire était vachement prenante et surtout cohérente le long de l’album. Des fois des éléments bizarres, mais qui étaient logiques par rapport au scénario. W
There are places where things get messy here, and Reed could always be self-indulgent to the detriment of individual songs (or even entire albums); there's some of that in the first couple of songs here. But if you keep listening, what will reveal itself is Reed's gift for telling heart-breaking stories about people on the edge: the edge of society, the edge of sanity, the edge of their own personal cliff. "How Do You Think It Feels," "Caroline Says II," and "The Kids" are songs that can still bring tears more than 50 years after you've heard them for the first time. He was a genius who could certainly have his misses. But when he hits, he definitely leaves a mark.
Berlin Caroline Says I Caroline Says II Sad Song
The sad song was quite happy.
I hated this on first listen -- not knowing anything about it beforehand -- until the last couple of songs. When it ended I immediately started it from the top again. I can't say this will ever be a go-to album for me, but it definitely grew on me to a point of real appreciation.
Gotta get deeper on the Lou Reed/VU train
I'm a big fan of The Velvet Underground, but I'm much less familiar with Lou Reed's solo output. I had actually never heard Berlin before getting it for an OAD. I think I'm starting to see a new pattern in my musical taste. I tend to really enjoy these sound cinema recordings. For example, my OAD #160, from less than a week ago, was Moss Side Story by Barry Adamson. I thoroughly enjoyed that soundtrack for a non-existent film noir, but it didn't seem to resonate with the OAD community, given its average rating of 2.53 compared to my solid 4. Berlin is the musical equivalent of a gritty exploitation film from the American Film School movement of the same early '70s period. As I was listening, I couldn't help but wonder how it might sound to someone who wasn't already used to Lou Reed's weary street-observer style. This is the most minor-key, depressed album I've heard by Lou Reed, but I'm already a fan of both Lou Reed's sad street poetry and Bob Ezrin's (The Wall, School's Out) cinematic production style, so I had an idea of what I was getting into from the beginning. This should not be anyone's first Lou Reed album. In fact, I would never advise anyone who wasn't already a Velvet Underground and/or Lou Reed fan to listen to this album unless I already knew that person's level of emotional fortitude. I'd be afraid that I was encouraging that person to engage with a record that would certainly drain all of the joy out of their day, and that's just not what I'm about. Further, Lou Reed is an important figure in American rock music, and I wouldn't want to turn anyone off to his other, slightly more accessible works. That's like advising someone who wants to learn about jazz to listen to The Shape of Jazz to Come without allowing them to first acclimate to the genre's vocabulary through Kind of Blue. There are many highly empathetic people who use music to regulate their emotions, which I find is a perfectly valid way to be a music fan. If the music is happy, they are happy. If the music is sad, they are sad. If that describes you, please understand that this record will break you for a few hours. I loved this record, but I'm already a Lou Reed fan. As much as The Velvet Underground is one of my favorite bands and one that I could listen to at pretty much any time, even I don't want to revisit Berlin for a while. Four stars.
i do prefer transformer although i like the dark and depressing themes throughout. second half of the album is better than the first
Not the best running track really great sound but some harrowing tracks particularly the kids screaming for their mother
Los artistas tienen que volver a hacer uso y abuso de varias sustancias, qué querés que te diga, los resultados están a la vista. Siempre me va a gustar un álbum conceptual con toda una historia y personajes detrás, por muy deprimente que sea, especialmente cuando musicalmente acompaña de esta manera.
Phenomenal, instantly a new Lou Reed favorite
Por incrível que pareça o primeiro álbum solo do lou reed que escuto. Não consegui digeri-lo corretamente mas gostei do que ouvi
Great album. Reeds voice is at once melodic, cutting, and vulnerable. Notable tracks include Men of Good Fortune, How Do You Think It Feels, Caroline Say II. The album is a really good straight thru listen.
I think I am going to hold off on rating this one for now. It's not bad, and deserves at least 3 stars, but I do not know how much of this stuck with me outside of the last song. It at least deserves another lesson to figure itself out
Not really a fan of concept albums, rock opera etc. They inevitably have songs that aren't that good but are needed to advance the story. Big Lou Reed fan, but this wouldn't be my choice for his second album in the list
Been too long since I listened to this start to finish. A Lou gem!
Beautiful to listen to. The entire album seems to gradually build up as it goes along. Lou Reeds voice is very monotone but it somewhat aids the albums atmosphere. Just well done all round.
I only knew “Caroline Says II” and “The Kids” beforehand, which are both very beautiful and very, very sad. So I was prepared for more material like the (perhaps tongue-in-cheek) “Sad Song.” I wasn't expecting the upbeat first half, with an almost whimsical "Caroline Says I." Experiencing the album out of sequence like that made it feel even more poignant, like reflecting on good times while knowing there's trouble ahead. An aside: I'm glad to know that both Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker went on to work with better people.
Pretty enjoyable album, not as good as transformer
This is a fairly well pulled off concept album. There's enough ambiguity to keep it from being a total cliché, but it still has an energy that feels like a well produced musical, for better or worse. The storyline is intense. The musical composition of it all dramatizes in a way that I might associate with cinema, which makes the album kind of versatile. You can leave this on in the background for an easy listen, or you can pay attention if you're looking for an emotional roller coaster. I find it very impressive this came out 3 months after Transformer. That's two solid efforts back to back. I might be turning into a fan. 3.8/5
This was great. I’ll probably listen again
Great
Some issues, like some if the lyrics seem forced to fit the narrative but overall one of Lou's better solo albums.
Lou reed tiene aaaalgo
Masterpiece in my book but understand it’s not for everyone. I feel Bowie took this as a template for what he later did in the 70’s with his albums and with Iggy Pop.
Berlin is an album that feels deliberately heavy, almost confrontational in how bleak and unromantic it is. It does not invite you in so much as sit you down and refuse to let you look away. The songs are slow, dramatic, and soaked in misery, telling a story that spirals downward without relief. There is no glamour here, no irony to soften the blow, just a sustained commitment to emotional darkness. What makes it work is how completely it commits to that tone. The orchestration is lush but oppressive, heightening the sense of tragedy rather than providing comfort. Lou Reed’s delivery is flat and detached, which only makes the subject matter hit harder, as if the horror has become so normal it no longer needs emphasis. The album unfolds like a bleak stage production, each song another scene that deepens the sense of inevitability. It stops short of a full five simply because it is such a punishing listen. This is not an album you casually return to, and its emotional weight can feel overwhelming if you are not in the right frame of mind. Still, that severity is exactly what gives Berlin its power. It is uncompromising, ambitious, and emotionally devastating in a way few albums even attempt.
Hauntingly beautiful, it is a magnificent rock opera. 9/10 [KEEP]
Better than Coldplay
Strangely I listened to it the day before it got generated. Great album but transformer is still the better one.
Amazing composition, but Lou Reed is not known for his vocals. Luckily, I am notorious for loving bad singers so in many ways this album was made for me.
From the droning countdown opener, it’s clear this is going to be a bleak, dark and sad album. I think of it as a "fuck you" from Lou. He took the base from Transformer and twisted it into something more personal, more rotten. It has that trademark Lou Reed sound: urban and glammy, but instead of the bisexual survival and cautious optimism, we have the heterosexual death and decay. It only gets more heartbreaking as it goes on, culminating with the final three songs: Kids, The Bed and Sad Song, which are truly numbing crescendos in the tragic lives of Jim and Caroline, two stand in characters that represent tens of millions of poor souls in the grip of a quick fix.
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this!
This grew on me: the darkness slowly comes forward, The Kids is horrific, and it ends with a Sad Song.
Really good! It's Lou Reed, dripping with bohemian cool.
Wow. Very well composed. Dealing with some heavy subject matter.
I’m a fan of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground but for some reason have never gotten around to listening to this album. Apparently it was panned on its release. I really enjoyed it, particularly the lyrics. This is now on my listen app.
"Berlin" may not be Lou Reed's best work but I'd argue that it was his artistic triumph. Challenged to take his story writing to the next level and create a concept album, Reed revisited a couple from a previous song and gave them a full story. The music takes on a cinematic quality and would have been adapted to a stage performance if not for the (initial) poor sales and reviews. It's a fantastic album. My only complaint is the extended crying of small children. Reed could have gotten the message across without this.
Þetta er svo skrýtið. Mér finnst hann í raun lélegur söngvari og textarnir stundum hreinlega banal, þrátt fyrir umfjöllunarefnið, og sviðsetning þessarar sögu í Berlín er líka ósannfærandi. En ég vil ekki hætta að hlusta. Fer langt á mjög flottri production, en þetta er eitthvað miklu meira en það.
83/100. Really good and really sad. The writing is incredible, tackling heavy and heartbreaking themes. This was Reed in his solo prime, a powerful and emotional record.
4.1 // Love a bit of Lou Reed. Rock opera-esqe concept album of a dysfunctional couple, pretty good
This is an album which needs a few playthroughs before it clicks, (which I think is true of so many great albums). I didn't love it on first listen, but I was compelled to listen again and again.
Listened to this album at least 5 times because I couldn't figure out how to rate it. Some amazing tracks on here. Overall a great album.
Much heavier than expected. A real surprise generally. There is a respect for songwriting traditions but a freedom and creativity that reminds me of Tom Waits. Caroline says 2 and the kids were surprises in that they were so much heavier than anything I expected to hear, but it doesn't come across clumsy or sensationalist
Before I listened to this I read the Wikipedia and thought it would be too pretentious. I wasn’t wrong, but I actually ended up liking it more than I thought I would.
Very interesting release from Lou Reed. Fully on par with Transformer. Inventive and melodic.
Drums are perfect. The horn section adds a surprising tightness to the mix. There’s a lot of layers and depth that I may need a couple listens to fully absorb. The vocals are super strange and uncomfortable at times, but keeps it interesting. Fuck it. It’s a 4.
I feel like I really shouldn't like it. It's not at all like anything I enjoy and the vocals aren't great if you listen to them in isolation, but somehow it still manages to grab me
A longtime favorite of mine, especially when I’m in a dark place. I’m thankful that doesn’t happen to me as often these days. An undeniably great album.
Great album
This is a dark one
those berlinian days with Bowie
A coked out dream of a past and future no longer in the artists minds.
It's an interesting concept, but the violence in the lyrics becomes hard to carry. Dispute being quite good, I couldn't listen to this very often.
Having lived in Berlin for many years, I can confidently say this is an accurately portrayal of that experience.
This album is pretty great. Iconic Lou Reed and some really great songwriting. The lyrics are rich and compelling, the compositions are at times elaborate and others just showcase Reed’s unique voice and style. I really enjoyed this album.
I went into this album expecting not to like it, but it pleasantly surprised me. There are some aspects of the album I didn't enjoy -- for example, I'm not a huge fan of Lou Reed's singing voice -- but it is a solid album that I'll definitely listen to again. I'm not sure yet how many of these songs I will want to listen to on their own. Some of these songs (like The Kids - the one with the sounds of crying children) only work in the context of the album. My favorite song so far is Lady Day. 4/5 Separately, I haven't given an album a 5 in a long time. Since I gave this album a 4, I'm hoping that Lou Reed's more popular album, Transformer, will get a 5.
Never actually listened to this before despite loving a couple of his other records. Sounds like a grower so I’ll say this is 4 stars for now…
4/5
Um disco melancolicamente lindo, com seus temas depressivos maravilhosamente interpretados por composições e arranjos precisos. A faixa de encerramento "Sad Song", com as partes de orquestra, coro e solos de guitarra, traduz com fidelidade todo o clima do álbum, magistralmente concebido e arquitetado pela parceria entre Lou Reed e Bob Ezrin.
I'm giving this a high score, not because I particularly want to listen to it again, but because it's a work of art, in the way that some of the best albums are. It's so sad. There are moments of beauty and despair. I only knew Caroline Says II, previously; I think it's one of the strongest songs. The Bed, too; it blew me away with its beautiful guitar. I'm not sure I see this as a rock opera; that implies some sort of bombastic-ness, to me. This was like going to see a really sad play, which happened to be set to music. It's sort of wonderful, really. Off the back of this, I also sought out his debut solo album "Lou Reed" (not on this list, I dont *think*; I've already reviewed Transformer and three Velvet Underground albums) - apparently, he thought that it had some of his best songs on it but suffered from terrible production. It's perhaps due a remaster? - it's great! If it's not on here, I recommend it. The man could definitely write great songs, and, now that I've said that out loud, I might need to listen to everything I've already reviewed all over again. He was ace.
Put this masterpiece on at my house party and everyone left for some reason.
Well that was incredibly depressing. But also really great. Could go up in the future, but for now its a strong 4 stars.
Soft and very poetic, a very enjoyable listen. The bits of classical like music surprised me a little bit. It's quite tender to hear Lou (notoriously not the kindest person on the planet) be sweet on the album. Particularly thinking about him not being around, one almost sheds a tear listening to him. Overall the album was very ballady, very rock and blues like.
I like Lou Reed. This was a chill album with a lot of raw emotion.
I had high hopes for this album after the opening track, but it allllmost fell off a cliff for me shortly afterwards. Almost. I dont really like Reed's vocals. It's stylized talking and it's off-putting to me. That said, there are some cool songs here, I just kinda wish they were instrumentals. The only spot the vocals hit for me was "The Bed," and damn that song hits hard and instills feeling of dread. The upsides: The piano on "Berlin" is wonderful. Jack Bruce crushes his basslines. Guitars shred and drums are pretty tight throughout. Standouts for me were "Berlin" "Men Of Good Fortune" "How Do You Think It Feels" and "The Bed." In a surprising turn of events, I actually ended up liking this album more than I thought even in spite of the terrible vocals. The concept of the album was good and depressing. It's haunting. If I enjoyed the singing a little more this would be a 5, but as is it's a 4 for me. It actually made me feel something by the end. I do think it deserves a listen.
Great album. My fave VU is with Nico, but Lou is pretty great on his own.
I'm a sucker for well done concept albums especially when the music matches the story being told really well. This is one of those albums. The story was sad and it's even more sad to learn that he kind of based it off of his own life in that moment. The music was eerie and sad but at times it was big and ambitious. Sad Song was such a great way to close out the album. I don't know if I'll ever come back and listen to this one but it's not because it isn't a solid album.
I was ready not to like this. I typically don’t go for the David Bowie extended universe cast of super friends because I find them all to be cheap copies but there was something so darkly sincere about this album. The first couple songs in I was ready to agree with the Rolling Stone that this was “a disaster” but the album strikes a real chord in a twisted sort of way and really won me over.
It took a while for me to get into this album but by the end I was quite caught up in the storylines that wove throughout, the darkness of the content juxtaposes with Lou Reed's soft and tender vocals. Nice
Reed has many shades of bowie in him. First thing that comes to mind. Praise of course, but also prolly selling him short, since this talented musician deserves to be seen by himself. Really admire this very thoughful, calm and emotional display of music. Interesting concept to write a rock opera. Works for me.
This is a pretty bleak album. The subject matter is mostly dark. Reed's poetry is brilliant and evocative, the production mostly sparse. Once was enough though
Музыка: 7/10 Разнообразие: 7/10 Тематика и вайб: 8/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 7/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 7/10 Итог: 7.2
okay es wird sentimental und depri hä. yay ich cha de text vom lied ufem cover mitlese. wohoo. lady day grooossi instrumentierig. und teempowechsel hobla. er singt no cool. dünni stimm. okay ich gseh wases macht glaub. sochli rock opera. men of good fortune cool, de delay findi chli viel uf de stimm. uuuh de bass ide zweite strophe isch suuuper. wow bass soo cool het au soo viel platz. ah es isch de jack bruce vo cream. okaaay. caroline seit sache apparently. bass immerno fucking cool. huere guete song. okay s wird chli chaotisch mit de ziit. aber no cool. und vorallem wies gad in nögste song witer goht wo sehr chli und spärlich afangt. riese drumfills uf how do you think it feels. das isch coool! gebrüder brecker! sehr coole glamrock? song. oh jim au ehner cool, vieeel gitarre haha. caroline seit no meh sache okay i listen. glaub d caroline het nöd so e gueti ziit. glaub sie wird gschlage. föck. ah und etz nemeds ihre au no ihri chind weg. shit huuere depri da album würkli merci lou. merci nocher echti chind vo noch ihrere mueter schreied würkli danke. bass mega schön tony levin danke. aso huere schön aber fuck. the bed au wieder uuuhuere sad brooo. aso au mega schöni chords. gitarre tönt super. er isch scho en verdammt guete erzähler. yooo was macht s chörli am schluss whaaaatt das goht jo crazy. huuuuuere geil. gad s vieri uf lock. DE LETST HEISST SAD SONG. okay lou es isch fuuuuucking trurig ich has checkt. de isch cool de sad song. er seit afoch acht mol sad song und denn lap steel giti macht wuiiiii. und flötiböti au sehr whimsical weiss nöd a was es mich erinneret.
virkelig spændende album
Kæmpe plade, lyder ret unik
Music is so beautiful and so depressing. Should only be allowed to listen in short runs. A whole album requires a bottle of Rye.
Lou Reed consegue cantar com Doçura e passar uma sensação de perigo incrível. Musicalmente um álbum muito rico. QoA Adonis New.
Great concept album. Will come back to take a deeper dive.
This one was a little tough for me to get into, until it grabbed me. Patience is key here, and you're rewarded with all the feels that Lou Reed has a knack for delivering. You'll be musically challenged at times, but there is real genius in here. When the strains of Sad Song fade you might find yourself thinking "Well done, Lou. Well done."
I didn't really think I was into Lou Reed, but I liked this album so much I listened to it twice.
listen to this for the first time earlier this year already Berlin - 3/5 Lady Day - 5/5 Men of Good Fortune - 4/5 Caroline Says I - 5/5 How Do You Think It Feels - 5/5 Oh Jim - 4/5 Caroline Says II - 4/5 The Kids - 3/5 The Bed - 5/5 Sad Song - 5/5 Average score: 4.3/5 (rounding down)
Good, thanks to Bob Ezrin.
Live. Laugh. Love. Lou Reed.
In the middle of listening to this album, I listened to several songs from the original cast recording of Les Miserables, and it somehow unlocked how deeply theatrical this whole album is. I'm still not really sure what's happening with a lot of it, but it was much more appealing when imagining him strutting around like a peacock during a performance.
Unlike pretty much anything else
Lowkey, great. Idk where the Metallica collab comes in but decent.
Really liked this one, sad but managed to still be interesting throughout, really liked his vocals aswell. 4 stars
I thought this was great and not what I was expecting at all. Aye it gets a little dark at times, particularly towards the end, but I’m sure this is a concept album about heroin addiction so it was never gonna be a walk in the park. Will definitely be back on this
I listened to this on holiday last week, but decided it probably wasn't the place for it. Listened again today, it was the right call! I really like Lou Reed's voice and style, heard it a lot growing up too as my dad was a fan, although not sure I recognised most of this. Perhaps Caroline says. As a rule, I'm not usually a big fan of concept albums, but I really enjoyed this. Yes, it's dark and on holiday isn't the time to listen, but first morning back at work was 4.5
Not too bad. Kind of weird but to be expected from lou reed.
A bottom heavy, classic Lou reed offering. How Do you Think, Oh Jim, CSII, and The Kids is a crazy sequence. Bit something I’m always gonna reach for but this is excellent. High 4.
I liked the instrumentation on here a lot. The horns were a great addition to the sound I expect to hear from Lou Reed.
Lou hadn't had a very nice time of things, and channeled his experiences into a unique body of music. Drugs are bad, m'kay? Beautifully bleak. Favourite tracks: Men Of Good Fortune, How Do You Think It Feels, The Kids, The Bed
My previous experience with Lou Reed has basically been limited to the albums Velvet Underground & Nico and Lulu with Metallica, and I can't say I enjoyed those ones (although I should go back to Lulu just out of curiosity, it's been years so I don't really remember it). Couple that with seeing the psychedelic rock tag on the generator along with hearing it's a "challenging" '70s album (generally, I struggle with those. Gave Talking Heads' Fear of Music and Iggy Pop's The Idiot both 1s), and I wasn't having high hopes for this one. Lucky for me, this doesn't really sound like either of those albums, nor does it sound psychedelic (although I get why the tag is there). To me it sounds closer to if David Bowie and Frank Zappa worked together. Feel like the highlight of the album to me is the drumming. If I'm not mistaken I think I hear double bass in there at some points? Great drum tone and sound. Really feels a lot like Pink Floyd's The Wall, just cut down to a manageable length. As for it being challenging, perhaps, but it manages to have some good hooks and can be pretty upbeat when it wants to, despite the dark subject matter, whereas with some of the other "challenging" '70s albums I've heard, it feels like they are allergic to hooks and catchiness. Think my standout track might be Oh Jim. Maybe not an album I'd go back to, but it is really good. Shocked this got savaged in reviews when it first came out.
Never thought I would say this, but I actually liked something by Lou Reed. I do not like his "talking" style of singing. However, with this album it works for me. I thought the songs were clever and the music/arrangements were very good. Doesn't hurt that he had an all-star band (Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar, Tony Levin) playing on the tracks.
holy dude you shoulda gone to couples therapy
Favorite songs: Oh Jim, Men of Good Fortune, Caroline Says I, Caroline Says II, Lady Day, Sad Song Least favorite songs: The Bed 4/5
So the singing might not be more than talk singing but that didn't stop me from enjoying it!
Interesting story. Put me in mind of Rocky Horror a bit
Excellent
Pretty good album when you are high
Lou Reed’s music very rarely does much for me. In fact, I usually find him quite annoying. Thankfully, this album did not follow the pattern. It still felt very much like a Lou Reed album, but with less weird noise going on. I’m still not the biggest fan of his voice, but I did genuinely find myself enjoying this, and being unready for it to finish. That really says a lot for me with Lou Reed if I’m being completely honest.
#21 Lou Reed ~ Berlin Lou Reed is a bit of a funny figure. He's a seminal figure of the New York music scene of the 70s, but unlike Iggy Pop, who has somewhat of a populist appeal, Lou Reed was more the opulent pretentious critic baiter with seeming delusions of grandeur. And sometimes these delusions are pretty valid, but they definitely come with a lot of words. Let's start off with the tone of Berlin. It's pretty depressing, and although I like a lot of good depressing albums, something about Lou Reed's apathetic loathing is a bit aggravating. It's mostly due to those acid lyrics, bordering on histrionics. They are written almost sarcastically, as if Lou is cursing perceived notions of himself as the songwriter rock star the music canon will praise him to be. To this effect, it perpetuates this story he's trying to tell in this album, that of a drugged up musician trying to perform every vice available in New York. It's very deliberate in creating this alienating world that is the persona's delusional mind state and his thoughts on the family drama that unfurls. Now the instrumentals, which is a lot more straightforward than the lyrics, and also very very pleasing. Lou paints an almost orchestral rock sound, with a trademark mix of a jazz big band and punk guitar band, which he had with the glam rock of 'Transformer,' his previous album. And with this band, he can definitely string out a multitude of emotions, from quiet introspection to radiant nostalgia to self-destructive freakout. In fact, I'd say the music is where you feel the motivation that drives the miserabilism of Berlin, egging Reed's persona to continue on and find some happiness, whereever it is. That happiness of course never comes, and so the instrumentals serve as a vehicle to add more drama to the apathatic delivery of Lou, to translate his morbid, depressing lyrics into audible turmoil. This album is definitely like an opera. This is definitely not the easy listening experience of Lou's contemps in Bowie and Iggy, but rather the sound of a 1920s German expressionist drama about broken families, childhood trauma, drug overdoses and suicide in the form of a punk band. Fortunately, I like Wozzeck, a German expressionist opera that basically follows a story similar as the one told by Reed, so I can stomach this sort of sound, but definitely others might not. The highlight of Berlin is definitely the second half, but I guess people might have to slog through the impressive combination of sounds and emotions Lou manages to draw to make you feel that this is the most miserable listening experience on Earth.
I actually quite enjoyed this? Which is weird because I haven't liked any of The Velvet Underground albums I've listened to.
Closest to 5 stars. Amazing record. Great lyrics beautiful. Storyteller and drug user is apparent
Despite being a concept album, I don't really care about the story. Why bother when you already have an album of deeply affecting and great songs? That that said, Berlin definitely skews towards darker subjects matter. I really do like Lou Reed's talking/singing style. Especially when paired with these dour lyrics. It just makes sense to me. The entire back half of the album is a gut punch., but It's so good. Highlights: "Caroline Says II", "The Kids", "The Kids" "Sad Song"
Never heard this before, but it was a great listen
Very good very sad. The first half was good but the second was amazing.
Compared to how "just ok but also not that great" Transformer was for me, Berlin is so much more interesting. Maybe it's the grand presentation of everything as a rock opera, the sadness thru all the songs, the large ensemble but not too showy instrumental or even the irony of something this conceptual against Lou Reed's deadpan (but emotional) vocals saying some of the most heartwrenching lyrics ever. It's truly a lot of things and more that make it the kind of rock opera that I don't wanna tune out of 2 seconds into the song or feels too long or is too theatrical and ambitious for its own good. It's like the saddest play you've seen in a small theater, I like it.
Pretty good album, great opening songs. I'm not really a Lou Reed fan, but that might change soon.
Jätte bra platta, fiilis o bra story! Många bra melodier
Back half solid. Caroline songs are the atandouts.
A harrowing and depressing concept album about drug addiction, domestic violence, and suicide that’s not the kind of record you want to spin that often. But it mostly works because of a strong set of tunes and a great backing band, even if it sometimes devolves into maudlin theatricality. Lou Reed sometimes gives off the vibe he’s phoning it in, but this remains one of the most ambitious statements in his catalog.
Repeated listens are rewarded w deeper meaning and grower tracks
Very good!
I didn't think it was possible at this point in the project, but I think this might be the most depressing album I've ever listened to. It's also amazing. Lou Reed is an artist that I'm pretty familiar with at this point. Between his other solo album on the list, Transformer, the 2 Velvet Underground albums I've listened to so far, and now this, this is the fourth album I've listened to that predominantly features him. I can't say I'm upset though. He's a talented guy. While I wouldn't call Berlin a better album than either of the Velvet Underground albums I've heard, I think I actually prefer Berlin to Transformer. I can explain why that is. Firstly, this is a concept album, and I love concept albums. Obviously, not every concept album is good, but I love the majority of ones I've listened to, and Berlin is no exception. I really like the overarching story that the album tells between the characters of Jim and Caroline. If I had to compare this to a more well-known concept album, I think the closest comparison would be Pink Floyd's The Wall, which is fitting since the two albums actually share a producer in Bob Ezrin. How cool! Another reason why I think I prefer Berlin is that the singing feels more fitting here than it did on Berlin. Lou Reed's singing is an acquired taste. I myself have become accustomed to it. It's really growing on me. I do think it works best on more somber compositions like the ones on Berlin. Admittedly, there are plenty of things that are either roughly equal between the two albums or slightly better on Transformer. The instrumentation is about the same level of great on both albums. I think Transformer does have some more standout songs than Berlin. Berlin's songs are great, don't get me wrong. However, I'm not sure if any of them on their own stand out as much as a song like "Perfect Day" did on Transformer. Berlin is more of a cohesive album experience type deal rather than a collection of some good songs. Ultimately, I do feel that this is a personal preference. I can't confidently call Berlin better than Transformer or vice versa. However, I have a preference. That could change though. It's been a while since I listened to Transformer. Berlin is great. High 4/5.
After giving transformer a 3 I wasn’t expecting this to be so good, especially considering transformer is meant to be his best. The storytelling is so good on this, the theme of a sinister, dark mood with a very uplifting ending was really well done. Musically it’s not the best all the time but Lou Reed is mostly known for his lyricism and storytelling (I assume) but it wasn’t bad by any means, his guitar work was good though and the drums were a strong point at multiple parts. There were quite a few moments where songs would drift into the next seamlessly but my favourite was definitely from the quiet, acoustic, dark “The bed”, into the ironically named, orchestral, uplifting “Sad Song” which was a great ending to the album. The Caroline dongs were definitely a strong point as well, other favourites were “men of good fortune” and “Oh Jim”, this album definitely works better as a complete package listen though. Overral 7.5/10.
Classic voice but the album is actually very rounded off and easy listenable. Enjoyed it a lot
This is a very consistently good record. It tells a story and the use of piano and other instruments serves his somewhat monotone vocals well. Highlights were Lady Day, Caroline Says I, Oh Jim, and Sad Song.
Didn't enjoy this as much as Transformer but still a solid album
Loved this
Enjoyed this! Yes, I'm back.
Wasn't always super keyed into the lyrics, so was surprised by the energy in the music given the depressing subject matter. But even when I did pick up on the dark material, this was surprisingly enjoyable. Will definitely give this more listens.
A misunderstood gem. It’s bleak, but very effective.
Pretty good album. I was not expecting that when I read the description of it being a concept album, as most of those have been awful in my experience with this list so far. 4/5
Brilliant, but the darkness and nihilism is a bit much.
Great concept album. Loved it
4.5 A minor masterpiece? Took a second to get on its wavelength but about halfway through I realized it was a concept album and locked in! Ended up listening to it twice! Extremely complex in its themes and instrumentation. Harrowing lyrics, somehow beautiful. Sad Song might be one of the best songs I’ve heard during this project so far. Loved this!
Lou Reed has such an iconic voice, but there isn’t a lot he can do with it. It is what it is. If you don’t write songs with some interesting instrumentation or production, it gets difficult to stay tuned in. I will say, there is no quicker way to turn me off than to play the sounds of crying children. Blegh! Grow up. Not interested in that. The lyrics are great. At least, they're very Lou. Songwriting, though it lacks range, is pretty good. It's really impressive that he can expand a song he made from a previous record into an entire album. Not my favorite Lou Reed album, but definitely a solid piece of work right here. 4/5
"Berlin" is the third solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed. Rock, art rock and orchestral rock are the Wiki-listed genres and they're about right. It's a concept album about a couple's (Caroline and Jim) struggle with drug addiction and abuse. The album was produced by Bob Ezrin and was recorded in NYC and London. Lou Reed was lead vocalist and guitarist. An all-star musician line-up was brought in including Steve Winwood (organ), Steve Hunter (guitar), Dick Wagner (guitar), Jack Bruce (bass), Tony Levin (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The album initially had mixed reviews that have warmed over the years. Commercially, it was considered a disaster from his previous album "Transformer" hitting #7 in the UK and #98 in the US. The opener "Berlin" begins with piano and crowd noise. Reed singing softly from Jim's point of view as he meets Caroline. "Lady Day" amps up the drama and theatrical with drums, piano, bass and strings. Jim is watching Caroline perform as a singer and getting sucked down a spiral. "Caroline I" starts a string of three really good songs. Pounding and tremendous drums/drumming. Strings and a vocal chorus. Dramatic vocals as Jim realizes Caroline prostitutes herself. And why does she do that? That gets answered in "How Do You Think It Feels." A Ziggy Stardust-esque guitar and horns sounding like stripper music are the highlights. Jim realizes Caroline is addicted to speed. The album takes an even darker turn in "Oh, Jim" as Jim abuses Caroline for her druggie connections. Reed with snotty vocals. Electric guitar and horns stand out again. I didn't have a good feeling that this was going to be a happy ending. It sure doesn't start happily in "The Kids." Musically stark with acoustic guitar, drums and bass. Jim is watching as the kids are taken away from Caroline for her bad behaviors. Heartbreaking at the end as there are sounds of kids crying. Another stark song is "The Bed." Strings, flute and bass. Reed is talking as he tells about Caroline being found in her bed with her wrists slit. A Haunting and droning vocal chorus at the end. The album ends with "Sad Song." Strings, bass, drums, flute and the horns. A song that builds. Jim shockingly saying that he should have beaten her more. A vocal chorus repeating "Sad Song" ends the song. Woah! A harrowing and compelling story. The music can be stark or dramatic. Solid musicianship and production. Great drumming, bass, electric guitar and horns. An album that needs to be listened to as a whole. I initially did not think I heard a really good song but upon a repeat listening, "Caroline I,'" "How Do You Think It Feels" and "Oh, Jim" are all very good songs. I don't know if everyone will like this (I did) but if you're in for a compelling rock opera look no further.