Berlin

First, I love Lou Reeds music and many of his albums are so special - so I give him more benefit. His Dylan esque voice and literal lyricism is not for everyone- but what he is able to do here. To tell a story, one that he is meant to tell and in a way so uniquely him while also some experimentation. Is pretty special- and yet it’s not cohesive and feels a little…out of frame. This one will need more time and repeat listens- to high cause I’m biased or right? Idk yet.

Liked it more than I thought I would. I don't know why I thought I didn't like Lou Reed. His voice is so rich.

No. 407/1001 Berlin 3/5 Lady Day 3/5 Men of Good Fortune 3/5 Caroline Says I 3/5 How Do You Think It Feels 3/5 Oh Jim 3/5 Caroline Says II 4/5 The Kids 3/5 (2x) The Bed 3/5 Sad Song 3/5 (2x) Average: 3,08 Alright, but nothing that really excited me.

I thought the last couple of tracks on here were the strongest, and were in definite solid four territory. The start wasn't quite as good, although maybe repeated listening would push me up. And I don't really need to hear crying babies in my music, as a rule. But overall a solidly high three, with potential for higher.

not bad... maybe he could do better if he went to new york instead?

I listened to this, slightly distracted, on the walk to work, and only realised it was a concept album afterwards, so ended up having another run through where I could concentrate a bit more. I really loved a lot of these tracks due to the orchestral backing and musical theatre sound, particularly Lady Day. Men of Good Fortune's stabbing piano is great and I really loved the brass and guitar combo on How Do You Think It Feels and Hey Jim. On the negative side, I feel I have to object to rhyming vial and vile in Caroline Says I ("Just like poison in a vial, Hey, she was often very vile") - that doesn't feel like he was trying! Also, I know we're telling a tale here, but no song has ever been improved by the addition of a crying child - I hated Kids that. I am not the biggest fan of Lou Reed's voice, but honestly I really liked a big chunk of this album despite it. I think this is a 3.5 kinda album for me, but as it does tail off towards the end a bit, I'm dropping to: 3/5

Heavy, arty, conceptual. Could have been a Velvet Underground album for its themes. In fact, I'd hazard that it would have been a better VU album.

had some 4 tracks, had some 2 tracks, meets in the middle overall

Lou, could you lighten up a little? bleak. I like it loses points for the kids on Kids

woof. this was bleak. i can see the cohesive story here, but i'm just not a huge fan of lou reed honestly.

meh. i'm not really a fan of VU or lou reed and some of the songwriting/production choices here are honestly baffling. i listened to this depressing album like three times and it just never got better for me. 2.5/5 favorites: berlin, men of good fortune, how do you think it feels, sad song

Great album. Not his best but always great lyrics and delivery

I’d made the decision that I was going to rate each album after one listen. This is an album that would benefit from a re-listen. There’s layers and folds to this story of people on the fringes. Death, loss, drugs all wrapped in dense little songs. Sometimes stripped back and sometimes like on the close sad song full of bright orchestration that offers slivers of light

Geht so

I love Lou Reed, but this is a weaker album.

If you’ve heard one Lou Reed album you’ve heard them all, right? Okay, I know that’s not true, but isn’t it sort of?

This was okay. I enjoyed reading GPTs take on why it make the list and I can appreciate that. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. 3 stars.

I thought a much better job was done on “Transformer.” 6/10

Ok Lou Reed

Starts off strong but nosedives with “The Kids.” Hurts it, but overall solid album.

Werd steeds beter. The kids is een banger

I was just knocked over by the sheer enjoyability of Transformer like, three days ago, so it’s an appropriate time to get this one. I admire it but I don’t love it. By now I know I dig Lou Reed’s whole deal, and I like that he does the (sort of requisite) concept story album, making it a shabby tragedy. But I think it would be better with a little more musical grandiosity. The songs that do have it (“How Do You Think It Feels,” “Sad Song”) are thrilling. The other arrangements don’t give me enough of a reason to revisit the story.

I preferred this to Transformer, mainly because his vocals are actually listenable on this one. Still boring however, generous 3

Algunas canciones son muy depre

Är inte jättefan av konceptalbum över lag. Tycker detta var lite svårsmält för o va Reed.

Un bebo dramático jaja me encantó

Such a stark contrast between this and Transformer. One of the bleakest, harrowing and beautiful albums I know. It's never an easy listen, even if the music is great and played with all the feeling that heroin and depression can give. 3⭐️

Its Lou Reed doing his thing. He does not seem to be a happy go lucky type of guy and it shows in his music

The Velvet Underground made some of my favorite albums and songs ever. I’ve only dabbled in Lou Reed solo projects. This is certainly an achievement in rock opera/concept albums, with some phenomenal musical moments. For some reason, I can’t get into his voice as much on this record. And the subject matter is heavy.

Quite intriguing on the first half but quieter and more grim in the second half, which I'm not quite fond of. The first half seems to fill your senses with pleasant music while the second half is quiet enough for you to feel exactly what was being said. Overall, not the worst, though I'd give a 2.8 if I could.

Starting to think Lou Reed wasn’t the problem for Velvet Underground This is another case of being relatively inoffensive, but at the same time thought provoking and emotional music. Between this and Transformer I have to admit that he’s a pretty good musician. The dark and moodier parts mesh really well with the more classical emotion sounds. Not all great though, there’s some songs that absolutely drag a ton. I absolutely despised the part with babies crying in The Kids, way to take one of the most annoying sounds possible and ruin what’s otherwise a pretty solid song. It’s only for a minute or two but I think my tolerance for that tops out at about 10 seconds I definitely like Transformer better, but this is far from bad and I definitely vibe with it at times. Is this what people mean when they say this guy’s an acquired taste? Maybe I will actually have to go back to Velvet Underground to see if I missed anything

Me gustó, sobre todo que es como que cuenta una historia. No lo escucharía devuelta pero me pareció interesante.

Third Lou Reed-connected project in as many weeks. Potentially good to be able to connect an album like this to work he did with the Velvet Underground. Though there is much solo Lou Reed that I like, I found this album to be a little stilted and dry. Not my favorite, but I’m glad that Lou Reed exists.

You have to like Lou Reed to get it. You have to REALLY like it. I do but it’s not always great. He will never be perfect or close to it and that’s why some people are best left in the underground.

A bleak, story-driven album that never quite pulls me in. 𝘉𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯 aims for something heavy and immersive, but it often feels more distant than affecting. The arrangements are restrained and the pacing is slow, which fits the subject matter, but also makes the album drag at times. I can appreciate the ambition and the atmosphere, yet it rarely becomes truly engaging for me.

One of the few non-hip hop albums I've had to psyche myself up to listen to. It was perfectly fine, even on a train. Frankly, for such a famously depressing album, I found a fair bit upbeat. Until the second half. I liked Caroline Says I most.

Hmmm, I am a bit hit and miss with Lou reed, but this one felt like I was being lectures on whatever it was he'd decided was cool. Felt a bit tedious and try hard. It's not like it was awful, but none of it sat well with me and I got a bit bored of his high horse approach. A low 3 for the lyrics a higher 3 for the music.

6/10 This is one of the stranger albums I’ve had the pleasure of listening to recently, in that it somehow sat in a world where I felt there were some really great aspects to it, but there were enough little bits about each track that I wasn’t able to fully connect with it in the way I was desperately trying to. I felt like I really wanted to find an in to the record, but for the most part, there was just a little disconnect there that didn’t fully engage me in a way that I felt it was really close to doing. It also felt a little stilted in flow, and like it was jumping a little too readily from one stylistic position to another without a careful enough transition. I was interested to read that this was a concept double-album that the record company got cold feet about and edited down the length of each track. Perhaps that’s why it doesn’t feel entirely coherent, as the intended flow of the album is absent from the final product. Lou Reed’s voice is one that works really well with some tracks, but in others it can be a little distracting. When everything came together most successfully for me was during the darker tracks, with the one two punch of The Kids and The Bed being a particular highlight. They were grimy, tragic and beautiful in equal measure and Reed’s earthy, everyman vocal worked incredibly well in those moments to make everything feel incredibly real and grounded. The production and instrumental arrangements across the record were actually really good, but I feel like there were not quite enough moments that grabbed hold of me and the aforementioned inconsistency of flow made this an enjoyable ride that fell just short of what I wanted it to be. Berlin - It’s quite an odd start, with a sound collage that doesn’t obviously indicate anything specific, but then it’s a sparse and pretty piano piece. I think Reed’s voice works quite well with this, the close-mic technique giving it a very intimate sound. There’s good dynamic and a cool flow to the playing. It’s pretty, but feels more of an intro than a full-blown song. Lady Day - This is quite sonically interesting, although a tad meandering. Some of the production is really good, and it’s got good punch to it. The lead vocal is decent again, but feels a little less musically connected in a few places, particularly during the verses. The chorus is really good here, though. Quirky, musically dense and slightly avant garde, but with a good sense of direction. I actually really got into this one as it went along. Men Of Good Fortune - This is quite nice too. There’s some cool playing and it ebbs and flows nicely. I’m not entirely in love with Reed’s vocal here, but I also don’t dislike it. There are moments when I feel like it does drag itself on a little too much and loses its centre, but I actually quite like the slightly drifting nature of the instrumentation. Maybe it feels like it should be building into something that it never quite reaches, but it was an enjoyable journey nonetheless. Caroline Says I - In this one, the instrumentation feels a bit more certain of its direction than the vocal is. The verses are a little disjointed, but it gathers things up pretty well into the choruses. As with much of the album so far, there are some really good things in here, but it doesn’t feel entirely like it’s won me over, so I’m left in a bit of a weird hinterland with it. Don’t love it, appreciate quite a bit of it. How Do You Think It Feels - Stylistically, this feels quite different from the other tracks so far, in that there are some quite poppy elements to it, but when you add Lou Reed’s vocal, it makes it feel a bit strange. It just feels a tad disconnected and I’m not sure the tone of the track really completely jives with what we’ve had up to this point. It kind of feels like he’s just nabbed someone else’s master tape and added his own vocal over it. Oh, Jim - Ok, this does run on a bit more coherently from the last track. I really like when he strips things out and does sparse sections that build back into more fully orchestrated sections, but it’s still a slightly odd tonal blend between the composition and musical style and Reed’s vocal and lyrical content. In some ways I quite like it, but it’s also a bit of a challenging juxtaposition. The ending also feels a little disconnected. Caroline Says II - This is one of those where the less refined tuning and delivery of the vocal jars a little more with the sharp and focused melodic nature of the rest of the track. It’s a darkly pretty track, although it’s perhaps a tiny bit rhythmically stilted. It’s a little meandering, but it’s still an engaging listen for the most part. The Kids - Another dark but pretty track. It’s sparse and restrained, but there’s something compelling about it. The bass sounds great and the way the music builds up and recedes again is really nice. I think in this instance, the vocal delivery actually works well to keep you hanging on the song, particularly combined with that slow pulse of the track’s rhythm. The addition of the crying kids makes it even more grim, but it’s a really effective piece of dark art for that. Not one for an every day listen, but it’s really, really good. The Bed - This is dark, grim and pretty again. The style of his vocal lends a sense of mundanity and ordinariness to things thats really affecting, making the song feel incredibly raw and real. The careful choices and subtlety of the instrumentation in the background behind the guitar and vocal are incredibly effectively balanced. As with the previous track, this is great. It’s another one for a specific time and mindset, but it’s superbly constructed, delivered and produced. Sad Song - This has more of the feel of How Do You Think It Feels, in that it’s quite poppy in some respects, but at least there’s more of an edge of weirdness to it. It’s a slightly strange tonal jump from the last couple of tracks and I’m not completely in love with the pop rock guitar soloing. As with much of the album, it’s quite a strange production and while I quite like aspects of it, it doesn’t completely connect with me on enough levels to be entirely convincing. The ending builds up to something really nice though.

5/10

I really back and forth on this. The scoring ranging from a 2-4. The whole concept, depth, and sadness of the life of a relationship between the two protagonist was well thought out, however, the songs were not always the strongest. Then came "Sad Song" and it made me want to throat punch Lou myself ending on a horribly sour note. So, a 3 in the middle for fairness.

Super enjoyable. 3.5/5

My type of music but also a little cringe and made me sad

I'm not sure what to say. I didn't enjoy most of the songs, but it is original and haunting at times.

Hearing Lou go for those high notes in "The Bed" are really quite something. 2.5

Sad songs, lots of sad songs

I was wondering why I never listened to this album and now I see why. This is one of the most out of left field albums from any artists. Ambitious, and I’ll have to listen to it a few times before I can really form an opinion about it. Just not any time soon.

Lou Reed's bored lilt might be endearing to some people, but it reminds me of the guys who are trying their best to be aloof and cool. That he was friends with someone as effortlessly cool with David Bowie when he made this album makes that worse. Musically a fun album, but not one that I loved.

the first album after britain entered daylight saving time (moving the time that i receive this one hours earlier) is certainly a delight. really nice and beautiful album although still having chances to improve. danke, 1001 albums generator. 3.5/5

Endearing, in a very sad, but good way Best Song: The Bed Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3

Lou always manages to be completely himself.

Some good stuff on there

Very sad. Got kind of engrossed but didn't massively appreciate it overall.

Jovars, sticker inte ut lika mycket som annat Reed

Låter bra, men ett klart snäpp under Transformer.

Fint och en del som sticker ut positivt, härlig vibe, lagom överlag :)

ok

Fine, but did we need this and transformer, too?

I wasn't expecting to like this and I'm not sure if I really do now. Some good music to sit alongside Reed's croaky voice made it fairly listenable, apart from the obvious depressing lyrics/storyline. I can hear elements of the album in Pink Floyd's The Wall from 6 years after this so perhaps this was a seminal work.

I never know what to think of this album. I like it a lot more in theory. I think it’s a little lacking musically, but I like the story. It’s tough to rate

The concept album is interesting. The album has a haunting sound to it but the middle of the album was lost on me sonically. His deep and sort of monotone singing voice fits well for some songs and kind of clashes with others. I was a big fan of Lady Day.

Not Reed's best, his solo stuff is kinda hit or miss, still undeniably talented though

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

I feel like Lou Reed is an artist I’m supposed to like because it’s cool. Initially, I wasn’t into this album but it did kinda grow on me as I listened.

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Lou Reed but I found this album rather listenable and found the songs to be pretty decent. Its mostly singer/songwriter stuff and not nearly as weird and abstract as I expected it to be.

First part was pretty weird, middle part was really good, end part was really really sad. I'm definitely taking some highlights with me but as a whole album I'll probably leave it there.

Bit of a depressing album and not in a good way. Enjoyed some of the rockier songs but lacked the charm of a VU record. Won’t listen again.

2.5 - I liked it about as much as Transformer, which again was way more than I expected.

He sounds lovely, that’s about it really

Another artist I know of, but haven't really explored. I enjoyed this album.

I like this better than I did "Transformer" - there are parts here where it feels like Reed is actually singing - but it's still not something I'd choose to put on. It's apparently a concept album about the sad lives of an abusive, drug-addicted couple, and it's just about as cheerful as you'd imagine from that. The musicianship (apart from Reed's vocals) is excellent, and the compositions are well-made...but I can't help but compare this to another concept album that came out the same year and was...quite a bit better, that being "The Dark Side of the Moon". That's not a fair comparison, of course, but it certainly makes the choice of which album to listen to a no-brainer.

I love Lou Reed, but this isn't his best album

Sounds like Lou Reed.

One of those albums i know is meant to be a heavyweight but ive not really listened to. The backing band is great. Lou Reed aings like a psycho can driver, you dont quite know where he’s going next - sometimes sounds like he’s not really singing but just talking with rythmic punctuation, but then he busts out and it just melta in so well with the band. Not unpleasant. Counfounding if you think too much about it. Jack Bruce is on this album! Maybe it was recorded in England, as Steve Winwood is also on here. At this particular time iny life tye subject matter hits me in the feels a bit.

As bleak and depressing as this album is at times, it still has its moments.

Mixed bag

Reminds me a bit of early Bowie.

Not one of Lou's best.

it's definitely interesting from an academic perspective, but i don't know that i'd call it enjoyable per se. i think the vocal style would be less tedious if i wasn't hearing it for an entire album in one go.

Interesting. Gave off Disney villain vibes

Decent Lou Reed, not as good as Velvet Underground or some his best solo work.

Man, this definitely is a way to tell a story. Respect to illuminating something so depressing.

I have some Lou Reed, but was unfamiliar with this album. He had some really strong artists playing with him for this concert, which added to the appeal for me as I am huge fans of Winwood and Bruce.

Not impressed. I know Lou Reed is this musical heartthrob of the critics, but the lack of hooks and meandering turned me off. And his lack of melody. And the fact that he sounded like he needed therapy. Sorry, this is a skipper for me. My Rating: 3/5

I'd never heard of this before, or had any idea he'd done anything like this. It definitely plays into his artsy vibe though so it makes sense. I'm pretty up on it in general. At its best it's very atmospheric, it's dark and it's interesting, and the music is very well put together. I think I like the idea of it, and the idea of him doing it more than I like the album in general though. Overall it's pretty decent but it's not something I'll return to - whereas I will return to something like Transformer.

Tough vibe but I liked it

It's certainly an interesting album. I'm not hugely a fan of Lou Reed's vocal style, nor am I usually a fan of more talking centered vocals. This album has some nice variety, and I enjoyed it a bit. I just don't think there's anything here that would keep me coming back or wanting to do any more exploring in this realm.

Good, but I don't anticipate revisiting this.

Berlin immediately follows Transformer in Lou Reed’s discography, and boy did Reed take a departure into the art rock genre, more akin to Pink Floyd. I don’t love Berlin but can appreciate what he did on this concept album. The fact I like Reed’s voice and lyrics helps a lot. But the children sounds in “Kids” was so grating to me (I recognize I’m childless by choice). The songs, though I enjoyed them, seemed to go on too long. 3 isn’t a bad rating.

Lou Reed’s previous album Transformer was a huge hit, but if anyone bought this expecting more cheerful songs about trans people hitchhiking across the USA they were in for a surprise. This album is the dark side of Perfect Day, examining the destructive spiral of drug addiction for a couple called Jim and Caroline living in Berlin. We get one romantic song about them meeting by the wall and enjoying some Dubonnet on ice, and then we get despair, prostitution, violence and eventual death by suicide. Calling the last track Sad Song is underselling just how grim this is by a long chalk. Do we really need to hear crying children being taken from their drug addict mother? Well, maybe. Drugs aren’t all just going to the zoo and drinking sangria in the park, kids.

I always enjoy a concept album. I've listened to this album before, but didn't get much out of it. This time around my reaction is about the same. I think Lou Reed's emotional voice gives this album its essence. Musically it's OK, conceptually it's OK. I probably won't listen to it a third time. My perception hasn't changed. Cool on the surface, but not everlasting.

Berlin is an album that i just have some really weird opinions on. There are things going for it like the guitars here are pretty good sounding in each song they appear in, Lou's voice is enjoyable and the lyrics are pretty decent too. But with all the things going for it, there are also things going against it. These include the odd sleazy nature of Transformer returning (it sounds even more apparent due to the somewhat lackluster production), the aforementioned poor production which makes some parts not sound right, and there are just some audio choices that I'm not a huge fan of. This album doesn't sound bad but i'm still not the biggest fan of it. Best Song: Oh Jim Worst Song: The Kids

Not my fave by Lou but not horrible.

Short, consistent, and to the point. Not my taste but I can't argue with it.

I had to go back and re-listen while I wasn’t cooking dinner with my kid. This album is very dark and bleak. I’ve come to realize that’s just what Lou Reed’s music is for the most part. It took me bumping all of these Velvet underground albums to come back around to this.

Slow the instrumentation is top notch and the lyrics are sometimes awesome. It’s just boring Lou Reed singing behind great guitar and drums can only be withstood for so long. I’m curious how this got made this reminds me a lot of McCartney 3 the singing. I don’t enjoy this even the lyrics are depressing and sad about the hardship of life. Seems like Lou Reed had a lot of sadness on his mind when he made this. The kids is the most difficult listen the children scream for their mothers it’s artistic and the switch over to acoustic at the end of the song provides a somber sound and breathe from the agony of the start. I mean suicide neglect this album is a bummer and that’s what it’s trying to do and it honestly does it perfectly how can I be upset? Does that necessarily mean I have to enjoy its long outros and ambient noise. I think being in Berlin experiencing the culture and atmosphere changes you gives you a new outlook so toss aside the glam rock. What an ending sad song. The clear tonal shift from the beginning and acknowledging the elephant in the room. I personally thinks the concept works quite well. It is a bummer on purpose and I think artistically and sonically it’s very strong here and touches on some truly grim topics but the constant repeating of sad song over and over really drives hope into your mind!

listened to some. Had some vibes

I enjoyed it, but it was a fair bit to mellow, to the point where it felt drowned of substance.

The last leg of this album is insanely strong, but I just don’t really love the first half that much

Mellow

A 3.

not soooo bad. you really do have to buy in to listening to someone like lou reed, im not all the way there yet

its okay

Albums involving Lou Reed are a mixed bag for me. This album has a knack for making me happy, and sad. I just wish it had better production, and at least one more true banger. Favorite Track: "Sad Song".

Interesting listen but not sure it’s for me

Really interesting. Maybe I didnt quite get it but I enjoyed

This was def on the weirder and inconsistent side, which makes sense given it’s just Lou. Enjoyed “sad song” as a closer, started out depressing and ended hopeful, which again is very on brand.

Singing sounds kinda bored, but there's some nice musical bits

I thought this album was interesting. I liked it better than expected. Due to reading the reviews I decided to skip "The Kids" because I really can't handle the kids crying (too traumatic for me). I really liked the piano throughout the album, especially on "Berlin" and "Lady Day".

5/10 I do not want crying children on any track ever.

surprisingly emotionally vulnerable, would revisit

First listen

Love Transformer, but I struggle with this one. It has some great stuff on it, particularly on side two, and I love the rage of it, but it’s a bit too chaotic at the start.

If Bowie’s more famous vision of the city was techno-dystopian anomie Reed’s sounds more like an extended hangover from Weimar era Berlin. It’s a rock opera but don’t let that put you off, you don’t need to know that to appreciate this album for its honesty and ambition. Lyrically the songs are agonisingly real about addiction and personal disintegration and it’s a brave departure from Transformer, but there’s something about Reed’s songwriting which doesn’t quite clinched the deal, despite the good ideas. What he is great at is atmosphere and this album has it by the bucket load and he has the courage to address issues few rock artists touch. But be warned, the atmosphere in question is utterly desolate.

I enjoyed this bit after listening, I immediately felt I needed to hear it several times before fully getting it. It certainly dwindled off towards the end, but there was quite a lot for me to take in. Will listen again, which is a good sign.

Not my favorite Lou Reed album, still cool though

I like this, but I feel like I could have liked it more! I really enjoy Reed's vocal delivery and when the music really gets into an actual rhythm instead of the meandering twangy guitar it gets real solid.

Let’s take a walk on the drugs and prostitution side. 6/10

made more sense when I read about the concept behind this.

Quite dark.

This is #day474 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second and final Lou Reed record. I gave Transformer a 5 back in the day, but I'd never really listened to Berlin in full until today. The album feels like the lights dim and the atmosphere turns murky. No wonder Wikipedia calls it a tragic rock opera about a doomed couple, addressing themes of drug use, prostitution, depression, domestic violence, and suicide. Very much '70s art rock with a little too many orchestral/operatic undertones. Still a fun, though perhaps occasional, listen. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day475.

There are some good moments, and even though his singing is a bit better here than on Transformer it still doesn't vibe with me. I like the drums and electric guitar though. Sad Song was the highlight of the album to me, although it reminds me of the Futurama joke about having characters announce their feelings.

It's alright but not awesome. ⭐⭐⭐

Lou Reed, sneering at conventional contrivances by doubling down on them, here acts as midwife to postmodern ironising in pop music. The thing is, there’s a lot to enjoy in this record about addiction, depression, destitution and tragic death. “Lady Day”, “Men of Good Fortune”, “Sad Song” all showcase Reed’s gift for baroque, buoyant rock compositions. It’s so good that by the forced miserablism of “The Kids” – an almost comically on-the-nose beat that’s harrowing only for its trying to be harrowing – I get the distinct impression it’s driving Reed fucking mad that he can’t write a song that isn’t an immediately brilliant earworm. (A tendency that might lead him to Metal Machine Music in a couple of short years.) Reed’s acidic, sardonic attitude – the one his acolytes will carve out entire new genres attempting to faithfully channel – is perhaps his greatest legacy. Listening to Berlin, it strikes me that it will be a full three decades later that Shellac open their 2000 record with the same sentiment that closes this one: “This is a sad fuckin’ song,” sneers Steve Albini, “we’ll be lucky if I don’t bust out crying.” That song – “Squirrel Song” – ends with the line “this isn’t a metaphor, goddamn, this is real.” In the intervening 28 years, even the most vanguardy have only really succeeded in nudging the irony forward by a degree. Berlin is a record full of reluctantly catchy avant-pop. It exists as a lovely reply to anyone keen on perpetuating the myth that Reed “did what he wanted and didn’t give a fuck”. The first part might be true … but the rest? Trust Lou Reed to use crying children to humanise himself to his audience.

That song with the kids crying really got to me. He has such unique music but not all of it makes me feel great haha. 3/5 because I recognize the talent but don’t know if it’s my style.

p293. 1973. 3 stars. Strange and disturbing orchestra-rock. Not easy listening, and some very dark lyrics. Not sure i would listen to it again, but I'm glad I've heard it.

Worth an extra listen, really interesting album with loads of themes

Zzz…

Always considered this an iconic album although I’ve never listened to it seriously until today. Or maybe I’m getting mixed up it’s the Bowie trilogy? Easy thing to do because there is a strong Bowie influence on this album. Learnt that this was a concept album. These always appeal to me although subject matter is depressing if not sordid. Best song was the last song. 3/5 5/11/25

When compared to 'Transformer' I feel this record is underwhelming. I loved that album for its incredible range of ideas and sounds, but in this one, Lou Reed slow things down way too much for my taste, and it thinks it loses a lot of the charm that characterizes his art. Either way, it is a decent album with great lyricism, instrumentation and sad tone. I specially liked 'Caroline Says II', 'The Kids' and 'The Bed', with the last two feeling very personal and touching both for the dramatic themes of a mother losing the possession of her kids and then taking her own life. Overall, good experience, but there wasn't anything here that really grabbed my attention.

Lou Reed has achieved far better, both with and without The Velvet Underground. It's still a really solid rock album, don't get me wrong, it's just that considering what I know he is capable of, there are just a few too many moments that feel a bit pointless and dreary.

Is Lou ok? This album feels more like sad poetry set to music. He's clearly working through some stuff. Favorite track iw men of good fortune

Somewhat depressing but I shouldn't expect anything less from a Lou Reed album. It's fine but I prefer Transformer over this.

I didn’t really like this until halfway through, but there is something that weirdly pulls me to our friend Lou. How Do You Think It Feels is great!

3.7 Love Lou Reed in small doses. He is weird and interesting AF

It was my first listen of this album (though not the first album by Reed on this challenge), and after the first few minutes I wasn't impressed but as the album went on it got better and better. It kept my interest musically throughout. The ending (Sad Song) is really great. I am still not a fan of his voice but there is no denying that his songs are captivating. 3 stars after my first listen but it needs more listens and might round it up later.

I liked the album quite a bit, but it didn't blow me away. It seemed too self-indulgent to me. I liked Transformers better, which I also listened to in its entirety for the first time as part of this project. I'm not sure yet whether I want to listen to it again, but I don't think so. 3/5

3.4

Interesting point in time performance. Love some of the unique takes on the songs.

Razen seveda "Perfect Day" in en Velvet Underground album nism neki Lou Reeda poslušala, tko da me prou zanima. Zanimiv začetek & chill klavirski komad ("Berlin"). "Lady Day" mi je kr kul. "How Do You Think It Feels" je najs. "Oh Jim" začetek je čist po mojmu okusu, na splošno kul komad. Se pa pol komad spremeni, nekako ima dva različna dela. (Definitivno je priročno vedt, da je album a concept album, o paru (Jim & Caroline) in njunih problemih z drogo, o depresiji, samomoru. In pa, da je Lou mal recikliral komade k jih je mel z Velvet Underground.) "The Kids" je skor 8 minut o tem, kako so Caroline odvzel otroke, zarad drog itd. Zmer bl se mi dozdeva, zakaj nism nikol tok padla v Lou Reeda. It is not for me. Kr pavzo sm si na sred albuma mogla vzet. Nč me zares ne potegne. Sj so čist kul komadi, sam njegov govorjenje in kinda petje mi ne sede. Omg, zj so zvoki jokajočega se otroka med komadom. Meh. "Sad Song" je kr kul, alpa sm sam vesela, da sm konec?

2,9/5

a rock opera concept album about a couple's struggle with abuse and drug addiction was Lou Reed's third studio solo album outside of his work with the Velvet Underground. The album is wide ranging and has fun and complex arrangements that range from orchestral numbers reminiscient of a musical number to dark and brooding tracks with limited instrumentation. Good album.

Unusual

Good bits but droll. Doesn’t have the charm of transformer

Olipas Lou Reedillä surullisia lauluja. Hyviä kyllä mutta koko levyllinen itkukamaa. Kyllä oli kuuntelun arvoinen.

I definitely like this one more that Transformer (my very first album of this project). This was my 856th album. This had a good attitude to it. His voice is a bit monotone, but he owns it. Would listen again

Yea not bad. I liked it ok. Probably need a few more re-listens to really rate it properly.

It was fine. A couple of the songs got too long.

Pretty good. Solo Lou Reed is not my favorite, I love the Velvet Underground. There were some good songs on here, and some really sad ones. Some were just okay.

Dark atmosphere, heartbreaking lyrics. Pretty good

Decent album.

This is the best Lou Reed or Velvet Underground album I've heard. It's not my favorite style of music but he is great at writing songs that make you feel bad.

3.5 cool but sad concept album, works well when you listen to the whole album as opposed to a song here and there

I have previously listened to this album once or twice. It's a little bit out there, although that is not uncommon for Lou Reed. I would not call this a light and accessible album, but it is very good for what it is. That said, I would listen again, but would definitely have to be in the mood for it.

berlin sochli irgendöppis? hettmer wahrsch müsse d lyrics mitlese ok er isch jz kein dynamiker mussi sege caroline says I isch na cool gsi und nachane how do you think it feels isch na en geile übergang ohh und de zweit teil vo caroline says isch au mega cool, sehr intimi stimmig au the bed isch megaa schön! iwie komisch wie hüfig er eifach sad song wiederholt, nöd gad mis lieblingslied joo han mich chli müsse gwöhne aber rig na es schöns, intims album wird aber glaub trz nur es starchs 3, vlllttt knapps 4?

Unique, but I never really "got" it

An ambitious song cycle about a doomed couple, *Berlin* has Reed moving into new musical territory with big arrangements and complex musical passages. Some of the production choices don't work well though - at times his vocals are too dry and upfront, and they don't mesh well with the music. In addition, Reed's tendency to talk-sing on some of these tracks makes them sound less like songs and more like dramatic recitations with instrumental backing.

I listened to this three days ago and I don't remember my opinion except transformer is better and I assume it's also on this list..

Not my fav Lou material; much bigger fan of VU-era stuff.

Lou Reed and associated projects have always been hit or miss for me, and I've never been crazy about any of it in any case. Another case where I can obviously see the taproots of other genres and artists and sensibilities rising up from the earth of the work, but I do have to "be in the mood" occasionally. Not sure how much of a plebe that makes me, musically. This album is also a mixed bag for me, and it didn't help that Spotify (that old chestnut) played it on shuffle for the first half.

Really artistically impressive and interesting on the surface but kind of ends up feeling pretty forgettable 7/10 Favourite: Sad Song Least Favourite: Caroline Says I

Bruce Springsteen if he were less gruff and more self important

The music is great, but the lyrics sound like someone just got on a mic and adlibbed for an entire album. Very poor writing. BUT THE MUSIC is fantastic.

First song thought this was 5 stars, second song thought it was 4, by halfway through I think it's a 3

Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: 👥📸🎸 Production: 🔁🤔🤷 Music: 🌃🕯️🌧️ Rating: 🧱🧱🧱/5

Sometimes the rhymes are silly, requires a specific mood

Not as strong as Transformer.

Decent

First time hearing this album. I thought it was a good classic rock album but didn't blow me away.

This is my first exposure to Lou Reed besides Walk on the Wild Side. I don’t hate his voice, but I don’t love it. I’m not even sure I can say I like it. I will say his voice is pleasant at times on this album, but not enough times for me to really enjoy it. I don’t typically like it when artists incorporate spoken-word delivery. All that aside, sonically, this album is achingly beautiful. I might’ve gotten more out of it if it were a fully instrumental album. The concept is strong throughout the album though and I felt as if I were watching a film with my eyes closed. It’s gut-wrenching when you get to The Kids; I almost had to turn it off. As far as a concept album goes, I would probably give it close to five stars. It moved me in the same way a thematically deep movie does where I’m glad I saw it once but I probably couldn’t sit through it again. I definitely wouldn’t revisit this album. It’s too heavy for my hypersensitive nature. However, I’m glad I listened to it and allowed it to take me on its tragic journey.

I didn’t hate, I didn’t love it either.

it alright. thanks louseph.

Lou doing his thing type shi

3.5

I enjoyed it. Busy playing catch-up at work and on my album list due to being off for a week. Only thing that stood out was the crying child at the end of The Kids, but I didn't pay attention to the lyrics of the song. I may check it out again when I'm not focused on other things.

nice stuff - little morbid

6.9/10

I feel that Lou really wanted this to be some kind of dark masterpiece about human tragedies but it kind of fall short in the songwriting. Songs like The Bed, Sad Song and Caroline Says II are really powerful and I would spend my life praising this album if all the songs were as great as these ones

There's good moments here and there, but nothing great for my taste.

I love this one more than expected... Dark and creepy vibes were well rendered, but I can't say it was catchy and something I'll go back to. Nice one, tho!

yeah another Lour Reed Album, was ok

Ok, pero prefiero otros de LR

I normally like Lou Reed but this didn’t really do it for me. A couple of good songs and a lot of filler. 3/5

The lyrics are needlessly gloomy and provocative and I’m not sure the album makes up for it with anything else. It’s pleasant enough though.

Objectively, it’s good but I just couldn’t get into it

"Men of good fortune, often cause empires to fall." Did Lou Reed predict what's happening in the US now (2025)??? A dark and interesting listen.

Québecois's Comment : Pas fou, mais pas mauvais non plus. Beaucoup de mots pour peu de complexité musicale, si c'est ce que vous aimez. Écoutable. Translation : Not crazy good, but not bad. Lots of words for small musical complexity, if it's your jam. Listenable.

Pretty chill. Mostly music, few lyrics. Might be a good vinyl. 6/10

instrumentals are good but lou reed's voice and lyrics are too weird

Decent album, just not really for me I think. Reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen.

It's got like a smoky bar room type vibe

And Welcome back to everyone’s famous game, Do You Believe In Life After The Velvet Underground! This time we have frontman Lou Reed and his album Berlin. I’ve listened to both The Velvet Underground and Nico, and Nico’s Chelsea Girl, and never really gotten into either. In all honesty, I think there are two main problems with this album. But first, I’d have to say that this is a step up in quality from my last couple albums I’ve gotten, Lo: songwriting is pretty good, and the instrumentation in the whole thing is really good, my favorite part being the piano in the opening track. I think my main problems with it are, number one, it’s too raw for me, Lou’s vocals are unpolished, in a way that kind of makes him sound like he’s imitating Bob Dylan at some points, and the song topics can be unpleasant at times, especially near the end. The songs are also really long, and they don’t change in a way that keeps them interesting for that runtime, when they could have been pared down to 3-4 minutes and been practically the same. So while I didn’t really get into this album, this is one instance where, if you like Lou’s stuff, I’d say give it a try, it might not be my thing, but it may be yours.

Beautiful guitar played on a classic rock album with all the exponential wonder of a 70s album

Cabaret feeling

2.5

It's a grower, not a shower. I'm not a huge Lou Reed fan. After multiple listens, it did grow on me, but still not something I'd revisit much. I think it's indisputably a great work of art.

Meh, it's not really my cup o'tea and I like Lou Reed. More of a thing I might have listened to in my younger, stoner days.

It's not Lou Reed's best work. It's fine, but mostly forgettable.

I liked this album! The vocals and the instruments sounded raw and authentic.

The music is by no means bad, but is not a stand-out album either. Just some good tunes with an oddity mixed in here and there. Looking forward to Transformer 3/5

Can't really review this after only 1 time listening to it. It is too complex for that. So can only give it a neutral score as the final score could go either way.

Vähän musikaalimaiset vibat, mutta ei liikaa. Osa kappaleista vähän liian taiteellista mun makuun, mutta ihan hyvä kuunneltava. Parhaat: How Do You Think It Feels Caroline Says II, Sad Song

It left me speechless.

It is a cool album but you get tired of Lou Reed’s talk singing about halfway through. Its well done but just doesnt produce anything that great. I did find Men of Good fortune stuck in my head for a bit

I like the Velvet Underground more than I like Lou Reed left to his own devices

There are some highlights for sure. I liked men of good fortune. Mostly this doesn't scratch my itch though

It was alright. Not much to say about it. Probably won't listen again.

I wasn't sure at the beginning, but it grew on me. With a few more listens, I might give it a higher rating.

Not a Lou Reed Fan, not bad but nothing to make me listen twice

Weaker Lou Reed

This was middle of the road for me. I was braced for a weaker sound, but the album was good sound and understandable.

I’m indifferent about this

Unremarkable but somewhat enjoyable

first listen meh

Rock operas that feature naive people who seek out drug abuse and lead themselves to inevitable self decline are so boring and cliche, but BERLIN has the prestige of being able to claim that it was one of the first to kick off that sorry sub-genre. I was a bit letdown that some of the arrangements are just repurposed songs and bits from earlier Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground works instead of brand new compositions. I was also not a fan of the stripped down guitar and piano sound. Personally I would have preferred a set of dense and polished arrangements with full instrumentation near the beginning of the album and have the song arrangements and instrumentation stripped away as the couple's relationship declines, but whatever. It also seem odd to me that the songwriter and the album doesn't seem to notice the irony that the characters pursuit of a countercultural life led to the disagreements, the drug use, and eventual self decline. It ends up being an indictment of living the recreational drug life, not a tragedy of a couple caught in an uncompromising divided society, as it was advertised at the time. The themes of Berlin on either side of the wall being also divided against itself are lost now that the Berlin has been reunited and the wall has been down (30+ years) longer than it was up (28 years). No matter the interpretation it is undeniable that BERLIN does tell a complete story and should be applauded for that. Many, if not most concept albums of the 70s, struggle to tell complete stories, or make them clear enough that fans could sort it out for themselves. Favorite song "Sad Song". Who hasn't been that pissed at someone before? Most of us just have the self control not to give into those impulses of rage. Not an album that I will ever listen to again. Honestly I am not much of a Lou Reed fan. I tend to prefer the work of his wife, Laurie Anderson, with her album HOME OF THE BRAVE being my favorite.

I like Lou Reed. But he sounds a ton like David Bowie. So I don’t know if they’re ripping each other off???

Emotionally raw, vocally reminiscent of others who couldn't realllly sing but have immense musical talent. Hard to not to appreciate what Reed brings to the table here, despite it feeling very different from his previous solo work.

It was an ok album with a bleak subject matter, but the songs didn’t really engagé me in any way. It’s nice to listen to, but not much more

Previously rated: Transformer (4/5) ******************** I'll begrudgingly give this a 3. I didn't enjoy it all that much, but some of the instrumentation and lyrics are admittedly interesting. I don't really like listening to songs about drug use and wrist cutting though. I probably won't revisit this.

Decent

gammel kending - ikke den mest spændende.

If ther first couple of tracks hadn’t put me so off I think I’d have scored this higher.

"Berlin" has neither the highs nor the lows of the Velvet Underground. It's also not as good as Lou Reed's "Transformer." It's fine though. I gave "Transformer" a 3. "Berlin" is an inferior 3.

I like the album. I don't hear anything dissonant here. But it might be that people who are used to pop music won't be able to relate to it. Hey, but I also like ABBA. I don't think "Berlin" is his best album; I'm not interested in the story at all. But that's Lou Reed's subject matter, so whatever. I also like Lou Reed's voice, that somewhat drawling rapping; it fits his songs perfectly.

Reed is one of those guys who runs hot or cold, and it helps to be in the right headspace to listen to him.

Not initially what I expected from Lou Reed but was enjoyable enough

Bob Ezrin's precursor to The Wall

Generated this one right as I landed at Berlin airport

Rating: 3/5 | Favorite Track: Sad Song --- Lou Reed is a great musician; Transformer is amazing and Rock 'n' Roll Animal is one of my favorite live albums. But I didn't find myself connecting with this album and found it to be a bit too much of a downer to really enjoy.

Not my tempo

Berlin ***** Lady Day *** Men Of Good Fortune *** Carolyn Says I * How Do You Think It Feels ** Oh Jim * (Sounds like a rocky horror number until the second half) Carolyn Says II **** The Kids The Bed **** (sad) Sad Song ***

An alright album, no real standout songs.

Good, definetely enjoyable. Just not exactly the mood I was when I listened.

The bizarre wailing at the beginning made me think I was in Discord with Josh Ash, hut the rest of the album is listenable.

I used to have this idea about the kind of artist Lou Reed was based on some of the singles I'd heard before, then I heard Transformer and I was pretty sure that I mostly didn't like Lou Reed. Or at least at his albums were slow, depressing and boring. This album has restored some faith. It's also depressing, of course--kind of Reed's vibe--but there is a lot of character here, and it doesn't get too cheesy like Transformer. I don't know any of the songs on this album, but it was a pleasant overall listen and concept album. 3/5

Sometimes I think about how a lot of acclaimed rock music is depressed.

Not very immediate, but it wasn't until after I had finished listening that I discovered this was a concept album, so I will need to revisit with that in mind.

didn't grip me like his other work but was an enjoyable listen

This was like a Sad Song that you listen to when The Kids are in The Bed. How Do You Think It Feels?

It's kind of middling. I'm not super into Lou Reed's talking-singing style. But the songs are fine as background music.

Not as relentlessly depressing as I was worried it would be (some songs are borderline jaunty), but also not as interesting and compelling as I had hoped it would be.

Lou Reed continues to be not quite up to snuff with John Cale's solo material, in my opinion, but this is certainly interesting. I just sometimes wish Reed would get to the point, as his poppiest tracks are almost always his best.

Love the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed but this isn’t my favorite. Still pretty good

Elevated by Sad Song from lower 3 star to middle 3 star

This beat my expectations - I had previously only heard Lou Reed's more popular works, and this surprised me by having good musicianship and arrangement.

Haven't listened to this in like five years. Feel like I was just like into the horns on "How Do You Think It Feels" tbh. With a little more age and context definitely understand how it was controversial in its time. I feel like Reed is weirdly funny (in his solo stuff at least) which this kind of lacks. Other than the juxtapositions of occasionally jubilant music vs. bleak lyrics, this is close to being deathly serious which I don't love. It's sorta like the proto version of 1989's New York which is much more listenable in general and stuffed with more dark humor.

I didn't use to be a great fan of Lour Reed, but this record has kind of changed me, even though I didn't think the record was anything particular? I don't understand the logic of that, but that's how I feel. While I still don't think he sings particularly "beautiful", and it's sometimes borderline false or out of tune, I've come to appreciate the rawness of his style somehow. It's definitely unique. 'Men Of Good Fortune' was a banger to me, really good song. Not many elements, but you hear the few there are very clearly and it's just got a lot of power. Didn't find any other song that delivered that well, but I overall thought it was a pretty decent track list with some twists and turns here and there. Solid 3.

Hard to review this one. I thought it was quite good but to really give a proper review I think this requires more active listening than i did since the lyrics are important in a rock opera (duh). Whenever I did listen to the lyrics it seemed super depressing. Rock operas generally have some very catchy hits (pinball wizard, Another brick in the wall) but this one lacked it I think. Still, would like to come back to this one when I have more time.

A haunting concept album, that, for me at least, was a bit ruined through the meandering voice of Reed. He almost seems like he's telling a bedtime story, which doesn't lend well to making me perk up and listen to him. Guitar work is quite decent.

I wasn't super into this, but some of the songs were decent. Maybe something I'd need to give another try down the road.

Got velvet underground & Nic and this back to back. As most people agree, the stuff with VU is better. This was t bad, just a little too much heroine music back to back.

Another effin concept album. Love the Velvet Underground - and best song by far is the reworking of Stephanie Says - but the rest is a bit of a mixed bag.

Whoever made this list has a clear bias for this type of music, because every album is somehow on this list. I get it. If it were my list, every 311 album would be on here, so I guess this person REALLY loves Lou Reed et al. Rant over. As usual, the music and lyrics are great, but the vocals are terrible. Almost painful to hear. The music pulled me through. My favorite on here was The Bed. His voice worked on that one, and the lyrics and haunting choral vocals at the end hit hard as fuck. Vocals bring this album down to a 3.

Lou Reed is funny. I don't quite know what to make of him. I kept going back and forth while listening to this, thinking, "he can't be serious" then, "of course he isn't serious--it's ironic; that's the whole point." His flat, almost bored delivery of rather jarring lyrics, which must have been especially shocking back then, over raw, glam-tinged rock, creates such a specific mood. It feels like the musical embodiment of that unfazed-but-weary New Yorker stereotype, cool, detached, with a dark undercurrent. That tension between irony and authenticity is maybe what makes it work. One thing is for sure: there's only one Lou Reed (and one is plenty).

This had some good songs but it was pretty depressing given the subject material.

Sleepy time gn

Some ok stuff mixed in here but a lot of boring stuff too.

not my fav Reed. Ok. Points for creative expression

3/5

Had not ever listened to this particular Lou Reed album. Enjoyed it quite a bit, which is not surprising.

More of the same, one of those artists who get all the hype and leaves me baffled.

I love Lou Reed. I don't love Berlin by Lou Reed but I don't hate it either.

Nice album....

Interesting album. Standout songs: Berlin Caroline Says I How do you Think it Feels

Better than I expected this to be but still just missing something to keep my interest. It has a rock opera kind of vibe.

Not bad but not for me.

Glad to have gotten to know this album and could see giving it another listen.

Interesting album from Lou Reed that I hadn't come across before. Some really great songs, such as Berlin, Caroline Says II and Sad Song, but I lost interest somewhat for the rest. High 3*. Drugs!

I like Lou Reed, he's fine. But there's something that stops me from being a fan. This album is mostly good.

Before Iggy Pop and David Bowie went to Berlin to clean up their heroin and cocaine habits, Lou Reed produced this, a story of a prostitute and a smackhead (not autobiographical was it Lou?) in Berlin getting fucked up and doing all the fucked up things that ends in ones suicide. Fun for all the family....

sorry lou reed but its just a bit too monotone for me, though it worked well as background music for class preparations why tf would you put crying children in a song dude that is so distracting

What a fascinating train wreck this is. Heroine may giveth, but it always taketh away. And boy has it taken Lou by this point. It not only owns his vocals - he sounds so smacked out that I picture two personal assistants having to clutch his elbows to keep him upright at the mic - but also the songs, which are so tragically bad as to veer into Andy Kaufman territory. And conceptually you have the former King of Lo-Fi slurring over these lushly recorded, masterfully played backing tracks, with arrangements that include full orchestration! It does not work. But what a mess. Definitely worth listening to just to marvel at the chaos, absurdity, and tragedy of it all.

not bad

Ok

I like Lou Reed but this album was kinda sleepy, I don't remember much Will I revisit?: low priority Current rating: 5/10, 2.5/5

This album was a lot more theatrical than I expected. Almost like songs from a Sondheim musical. There is a very specific mood for this album... not exactly sure what it would be but I wasn't in it.

Transformer was so much better. This album isn't the worst thing ever and its whole stripped down motif plays okay. I didn't find Reed's lyrics as strange as I usually do and I give him credit for a pretty good attempt at a rock opera focused on a tragic couple. There's definitely a connection from song to song. Collectively, the album is better than the individual songs. Still I wish there were more songs that resonated with me - more songs like Men of Good Fortune, Carolyn Says (more II than I), and Sad Song (hands down the best song on the album).

Leading with: I really dislike the Velvet Underground and I'm not a fan of Lou Reed's speaking/singing style. But I appreciated this album and found a lot to like. Not enough to want to revisit it (so I can't really go for the 4), but enough to appreciate having heard it. The good: lots of good musical motifs, powerful lyrics, excellent musicians (including one of my favorites Tony Levin on The Kids - too bad his bass work was covered up by screaming kids!). The bad: Well, not so bad - I could deal with Reed's speak/singing most of the time and, in some cases, felt it worked really well, but it's always a bit of an issue with me, plus some of the songs started to drag on close listen. Overall, I can appreciate why it's on the list, but I'm ready to move on. Favorite tracks: Lady Day (really liked the chorus), How Do You Think It Feels, The Bed (oof, the lyrics are tough to digest, but it's a powerful song), Sad Song (anthemic ending, but a little jarring that the guy is basically happy that Caroline is dead. Oops, spoiler alert).

My new textbook definition for concept album, for sure. Lou’s an acquired taste, but—after two attempts—I see the vision! I liked Man of Good Fortune on first listen, and the guitar solo on How Do You Think It Feels it is really good. Oh Jim and Caroline Says II are particularly spidery, like Bowie or Kurt Cobain. Loved the steady, damning pacing of The Kids. By Sad Song, things had gotten quite orchestral, and i appreciated the fuller sound in closing.

Is the music good? Pretty decent, yeah. How about the production? Really solid. Vocals? Not particularly. Am I ever going to listen to this monochromatic, depressing shit again? Absolutely not.

Quando a percepção da importância é pela história e não por músicas marcantes.

An incredibly bleak, tortuous concept album which sees Lou Reed diving into the story of a doomed couple. In a lot of ways, Reed's songwriting and performance reminds me of Bowie. At their core, they're both storytellers, though Reed comes across as more lethargic and morose. Much of the Velvet Underground's spirit can be found in the songs here, but it often lacks the more compelling instrumental elements that made VU so revered. There's no denying that Berlin can be a real downer, especially the gut-punch near the end of The Kids where the character Caroline has her children taken from her. Sometimes there can't be a happy ending. Reminds me a bit of Requiem for a Dream in how fucking miserable it all is. And the Berlin ascends to heaven with it's glorious closing track Sad Song, which doesn't sound very sad at all despite the lyrical content. Better than Transformer? Marginally, but only because of how well it manages to stick the landing.

good but not great

Tragic and bleak. Full of emotion, tells a clear story and has amazing instrumentation/ production

this will do nothing to change the opinion of those who think LR takes himself too seriously. The orchestrations are generally fine, but maybe it takes an actual movie to make music as cinematic as he seems to want. The characters are also pretty distant or cutouts – who cares, really? The overall effect is of being overdone (too many horns, too many strings,, overdetermined and utterly lacks flow. Easy to picture LR micromanaging suffocatingly and control-freaking in pursuit of his vision). The bouncing bass and acoustic strumming to close out the otherwise lugubrious “Kids” is one of the more pleasing moments but at odds and incongruous with balance of song and certainly not worth the (in)famous torturing the the poor little ones Similarly, “Sad Song” is more reach than grasp. Sorry Lou, this art just ain’t that high. Nor does it out-Cale your former bandmate. Rounding down because kids were quite obviously hurt in the making of this record.

01) Berlin - 6,5 02) Lady Day - 6,0 03) Men of Good Fortune - 6,5 04) Caroline Says I - 7,0 05) How Do You Think It Feels - 6,5 06) Oh Jim - 5,5 07) Caroline Says II - 6,0 08) The Kids - 6,0 09) The Bed - 5,0 10) Sad Song - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,15 (62/100) Current ranking: 321/412

Pretty nice if unremarkable 6/10

Fav song: The Kids Interesting album, I don't personally think it's Lou Reed's best work but I can definitely hear the Bowie influence on this one. I think some of the song writing sound a little bit basic for the most part though, and I wish he could be a bit more musical at times with the vocals.

Good album.

angosciante ma meglio di quanto mi aspettassi, in ogni caso mi duole annunciare che i Lou Reed mi annoiano a morte, e se questa cosa mi identifica definitivamente come basic me ne infischio perchè la verità a volte fa male ma rimane pur sempre la verità.

Berlin is the third solo studio album by Lou Reed, originally released in 1973. Wow, what a change in sound from his previously released record, Transformer. He kinda abandons the glam rock thing on here in favor of a more artsy, quieter sound. Apparently this is a rock opera, although I had a bit of trouble following the storyline at times. Some of the tracks become a bit over-indulgent (The Kids being a prime example), while others are a bit half-baked. I do respect what Lou Reed was trying to do here, though. He's always great at writing those dark and depressing songs about very real problems. He's definitely expanding on what he first laid down with the Velvet Underground. Very ambitious, so I gotta give him some props.

A desperately sad story told desperately. An album that feels like trying, and failing, to drag yourself out of bed with a hangover. Heavy, grim, dark, full of anger and self-loathing. Very effectively captures and recreates that mood. Big ambitions semi-coherently articulated, some tender intimate moments and beautiful passages emerge from the struggle. Seems like a sketchbook full of ideas taken into a fully loaded studio prematurely, so kind of a bloated mess, but again, that fits the mood pretty perfectly.

Favourite song - Caroline says 1 2.5 stars

Yeah not bad, has some pretty deep imagery.

Oh, hey, this is the guy from Walk on the Wild Side. This album is great. I knew the name before, but would not have been able to pair it with the voice.

Honestly, I don't know even where to put it. It's nice. And that's pretty much it...

Tell you what, they don't make music about drugs like this anymore

i need a few more listens before i make my mind up on this one 3.5-ish

Was okay, but not that great.

I can see both why critics thought this was incredible and why it was a commercial failure. It's very cool musical art but not something you'd just throw on.

My least favorite and least listened to album by Lou ‘effin’ Reed. But I still like it. Always inventive and throwing a lot at the wall kind of music.