Transformer

Lou Reed had such an amazing voice and cadence on this album. It feels like he was in tune with the scene and really expressed his view in a powerful way without the loudness and the big show that many other musicians were doing at the time. This album is a classic and has such a unique sound that it is recognizable almost instantly. Such a fun listen.

I have a friend who thinks Perfect Day is a song about drugs. He’s wrong of course It’s a song about love - it’s just that Lou’s love was a very unhealthy one That this album contains two of the greatest songs ever written (Perfect Day and WOTWS) would be enough That the rest of the album is right up there too is testament to its greatness

One of my favorite records of all time. Not a missed moment in this. When David Bowie comes in at the end Satellite of Love is 🤌.

fucking love this album. I think David Bowie produced and the backing band is The Spiders from Mars. Reed's real first solo album, but his second overall after self titled debut. The first album was written while he was in VO. First song - "vicious" comes from Warhol. Warhol: write a song called "vicious" Reed: andy, vicious can mean a lot of things, what do you mean? Warhol: you know, "vicious" I hit you with a flower. such a dope album!

Listening to Walk on the Wildside and Perfect Day as a part of the album was a different experience. Can see why Lou Reed is considered such an influential artiste. WotW was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest on their song Can I Kick It. It’s rumoured that Reed allowed them to use the bass line one one condition - that he gets 100% credit and royalties from the song.

Easy 5 long term fan of Lou Reed

Loved jt

Great album

Album 231 of 1001 Lou Reed - Transformer Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Tracks: Wagon Wheel / Walk on the Wild Side / Perfect Day Always a great listen. Awesome tunes. Lou at his best. With a production assist from David Bowie.

Love. Familiar and unfamiliar. All great.

Un album tout en ambiances, avec des chansons classiques et des textes solides. Je ne me lasse pas

The late 60s/early 70s truly loved to put a tuba somewhere prominently in the mix hahaha. Lou Reed is such a gifted songwriter, but like Bob Dylan I wish I enjoyed the timbre of his singing voice more, or at least was less distracted by it. That being said, that's really the only criticism I've got for this record, which I don't even think is a fair one to take off any stars for, and is in fact arguably the secret sauce to the success of Walk on the Wild Side, which I could have easily listened to for several minutes longer; that speak singing delivery works perfectly in context. Perfect Day and WOTWS aside, the rest of the tracks have much more variety to them than McCartney's eponymous record yesterday, and I enjoy Lou's solo sound generally more than I do the Velvet Underground. The sequencing was spot on. Are we finally getting a solid week of worthwhile listens?

SWEET LOU

Beste album van Lou, wist niet dat Bowie het heeft geproduceerd maar zodra je het weet hoor je het ook. Satellite of love een van de beste outro’s ooit gemaakt.

Amazing, insanely influential that I personally really enjoyed. Ofc Iggy Pop and Velvet Underground type style characteristic of that era that I am quite fond of. Certainly will listen again and I'm quite surprised that I didn't properly know/listen to it before. 9/10 for this genre. You just can't go wrong.

Oooh, Lou Reed. I love that this album came up, cause i feel like I should've listened to it already. Feels like a lovely mix of The Velvet Underground (What a shocker that is!), David Bowie and Iggy Pop. Also reminds me of my mom. Great album, would listen again.

up there with 1 of the best albums of all time, just awesome

Big fan of Lou Reed. This album rides. Classic tracks “Perfect Day” and “Walk on the wild side” still banging 50 yrs later

Essential Lou

Great, lots of saved songs on first listen, old school rock, nice voice and writing

Masterpiece.

Perfect

So many good songs that clearly have inspired so many others.

tetszik az albumborító esős napon a buszon nagyon jó

Lou Reed en estado puro. Vinilazo.

Perfect Day.

This album doesn't overstay its welcome, going from strength to strength before seeing you out with the smooth Goodnight Ladies for the perfect finish. Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side are absolutely brilliant songs.

Loved it.

Holy shit this is so great. I never realized what an influence this dude had on indie music. This reminds me a lottt of Pavement. Really impressed with the guitar Solo on Vicious.

One of my favorites. It offers colours of rock over a canvas of intelligence.

Lou Reed punches well above his weight with regard to influence compared to recognition. Whether they realize it or not, a slew of artists in the past half century drew at least some aspects of their styles from him. He establishes a solo electricity in “Vicious” while keeping a hint of the mellow rhythms from his days with the Velvet Underground. “Perfect Day” boasts anesthetic instrumentals on top of his ambrosial vocals in what might be an auditory interpretation of a chardonnay-laced picnic. “Hangin Round” throws it back to the original rock n roll of the fifties with its guitar and piano reminiscent of Little Richard. With its low-key beat, intriguing vignettes, and addictive saxophone, “Walk On the Wild Side” may have kickstarted the early alternative genre. In “Satellite of Love” Reed’s fingers slide across the piano keys like hang gliders over the Alps on the first day of spring. Lou Reed arguably started the alternative genre with this record. Or, maybe we could say, he simply transformed music. Either way, he keeps me hangin’ on!

Outstanding record.

This album was almost perfect, I knew some of the songs here but I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve actually given Lou Reed a proper listen. I know I have so much to explore in my musical journey and discovering albums like this is the reason I’ve been working through the 1001 albums list. There is a lot going on in this album and I think after a few more spins, this might been a favourite. Standouts: Vicious, Andy's Chest, Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, Satellite of Love (I know these are the obvious picks but they really do standout)

Heard before: yes I always have thought of this as the gateway drug to Lou Reed. I mean, the bass line for Wild Side alone is enough to secure his place in rock history. But I forget that the rest of Transformer isn’t just the most accessible he ever was, it’s an amazing collection of characters and urban tableaus, a gateway drug to the city and its endless possibility: an invitation to transform. Follow your dreams, give in to your vices, be whoever you want to be, fall into nightmares… Whatever you do, it’s still a perfect day. Top tracks: Andy’s Chest, Perfect Day, Walk On the Wild Side

Some good-ass songwriting

I think this could be a perfect album. I can't think of anything wrong with it. I always enjoy it start to finish. The lyrics are fun and engaging, the vocals are unique, the arrangements are original. It's just a blast. Love it. 5/5

Amazing

Way ahead of its time and still ahead of our time. The feeling of that spoken word singing style… The influence this album has on modern music is probably under recognized

Pop songs but weird

The best of Lou Reed. I play Perfect day on a lot of playlists.

Fucking great especially perfect day 5/5

Classic

Most mainstream thing Lou did. And he did good. Altough this looks like a regular old glam rock album, it's very diverse and non repetitive.

When I watch you come, baby, I just wanna run, far away You're not the kind of person 'round I wanna stay When I see you walking down the street I step on your hands and I mangle your feet You're not the kind of person that I want to meet Oh, babe, you're so vicious You're just so vicious 5/5

What on Earth can I say about this masterpiece that hasn't been said before, here or elsewhere? Nothing. I'm gonna review the reviews then. That will give us an inkling of what makes this album so popular for genuine music fans--after all, 3.75 *is* a pretty good score, is it not? Funny how a significant number of reviewers confessed they had a "bias" for *Transformer*. As if it was a dirty little secret they were only sharing now, decades after this record was released. My take about that word and its "guilty" undertones (because it's often that exact same word that's used, "bias") is that it fits with the sleazy, sexually promiscuous world depicted by some of *Transformer*'s songs. Like a kink of some sort. Other reviewers were quick to prone another aspect of that sexual world Lou Reed presents to us, i.e. all those innuendoes about the variety of gender and sexual orientations displayed in those songs (with direct references to all that in "Walk On The Wild Side"--oh my god, what a song, by the way!)."Forward-thinking", I believe one of the reviewers called those songs. Popular cuture is often the best way to open minds. And with *Transformer*, you *also* have great music to do that, which can't hurt. Which leads me to the impressive number of reviewers commenting on David Bowie and Mick Ronson's production. Of course the sonic flair of the two Brits is a *huge* part of the charm here, turning " Satellite Of Love" into a cousin of "Life On Mars?" (what an outro section, my god!) or a bunch of Velvet-Underground-flavoured, hard-rock-like compositions into glam-rock gems ("Vicious". "I'm So Free" , "Wagon Wheel" "Hangin' 'Round" ). Yet, make no mistake, large chunkss of *Transformer* are still very much American as well. That jazz double-bass and gospel-like choir on "Walk On The Wild Side". Or the Broadway accents on " Perfect Day" and the ones from New Orleans on "Goodnight Ladies"... Glam-rock and the world of the Velvet Underground had much in common, but they were also very different (rock'n'roll) animals. As such, they were not necessarily supposed to collide the way they did here. So it's nice that they did collide, and thet we can still catch the sparks that came out of that collision today. Right after *Transformer*, Lou Reed went to diametrically opposed aesthetics with Bob-Ezrin-produced "Berlin" (I haven't read a single reviewer mentioning that album, oddly enough, even though later *New York* has been mentioned a couple of times)."Berlin" surely is an acquired taste (I've grown to love it over the years), yet there's one thing most Lou Reed and Velvet Underground fans can agree about: It's nice that Lou Reed never attempted to record *Transformer 2*. Let robots and AIs do that, lol. *Transformer* was a commercial breakthrough for Lou, sure. But this wonderful record is also unique for more than commercial reasons, and for that bridge between London and NYC Reed, Bowie and Ronson built to make it happen. 5 stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: less than 500 (I've temporarily lost count) Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately (including this one, of course) Number of albums I *might*  include: a quarter, approximately. Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter (many others are more important to me).

En ollut harmikseni kuunnellut tätä levyä koskaan kokonaan, mutta olipa erinomainen. Hauska, surullinen ja aikaansa edellä. Tekee sen verran mieli antaa tälle 5 että annetaan.

Lou Reed with some help from Bowie. Some really silly lyrics. And Perfect Day. Love this album.

This is a great album. I've always been a big Velvet Underground fan and a fan of Lou Reed in particular. It's also great to hear him in his element with Bowie producing and encouraging his instincts. Nearly every song on here is a standout to me, I've got to go with 5/5. Standout Tracks: Vicious, Andy's Chest, Perfect Day, Hangin' 'Round, Walk on the Wild Side, Make Up, Satellite of Love, Wagon Wheel, I'm So Free

This album has always been a big blind spot for me and I’m happy this list finally encouraged me to listen to it. These songs are Vicious; 5/5. Even the sleepy ones towards the end.

This was always an album that I knew by the singles, but never realized how good it was as a whole until now. in terms of producing other artists, this might be Bowie’s best. He’s got my guy Lou sounding like T. Rex and it rules; it’s a makeover that shouldn’t make sense but it does. Side note: I’m with mister tunes - perfect day sucks. Compared to everything else, it’s a stale song that just doesn’t work. While the glam compliments Lou, perfect day almost goes out of its way to make him sound bad. Unless it’s the version he did with Paravotti lmao that was hilarious

Glad I had the weekend to let this one bounce around and listen a few times! I’ve loved this album for a long time, but some of the kind of goofy/whimsical breaks and horn parts have always sat a little weird with me. After a couple listens (and a convincing argument from Allijah), I’ve gotta say, it’s grown on me. Lou Reed has a weird charm in his absolute sincerity, and this album is him as typical putting it all out in the open. Bowie’s production is a perfect match, and I fully believe this whole album is, in fact, great.

Thus is my favorite of all time. Lou Reed’s voice resonates so beautifully over these arrangements and the way everything fits together so nicely is in part due to the big man himself David Bowie (who also provided backup vocals in addition to producing this album). I love how Lou Reed sings with such intense sincerity about loving his tv, drag queens, NYC gossip, and having a nice day at the park. I genuinely think this is the best album ever written and I think the last 90 seconds of Satellite of Love are the best in all of music. That arrangement always blows me away. I think Andy’s chest is such a perfectly weird and cute tribute to Andy Warhol. I realize it’s not the most popular opinion but i also really like the closer and it brings me to a very specific place and feeling. Anyways I would give this album 100 stars if i could. it is perfect to me

Lou Reed <3

Wow!

I've got this. Haven't listened to it for ages, had forgotten just how good it is. Great album tracks go from good to outstanding. And contains the iconic walk on the wild side and perfect day.

What a talent 🙏

Lou Reed at his best. Perfect Day is one of my all time favorite songs, Satellite of Love is also great.

Completo

Why have I never heard this before? I love it!

As a guitar player I keep thinking I need my songs to be complex chord arrangements, and then I listen to Lou Reed and realise what a genius he is at simplistic songwriting. Perfect day has to be one of the prettiest songs I’ve ever listened to, and Walk on the Wild Side has maybe the most intriguing lyrics of any song I’ve ever listened to. 5 stars

Some great tracks on this one

The perfect mix of sleaze and sarcasm with kindness and gentleness. Embraces the cheese of glam rock and the 70s as fully as anyone (Satellite of Love) while injecting it with bites of understated darkness (Walk on the Wild Side). Lou Reed is probably one of the best examples of an extremely limited singer who succeeded by knowing exactly how to write for his voice. Love the weird mix of jazz and cabaret influences too. A fantastic album, up there with Ziggy Stardust at the peak of glam for me. Best song: Perfect Day

Great record. Lots of interesting material

Perfect Day.

Transformational transgressions from one of the coolest motherfuckers to ever do it.

Not a perfect album, but the hits carry the water here. Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day, Vicious, Satellite of Love, just great glam and pop songwriting. Just like with Bob Dylan, I’ll fight anybody who doesn’t like Lou Reed’s voice. Fun fact: this album was produced by David Bowie.

Most of the record holds its own with Walk on the Wild Side. Very solid album front to back. Lots of interesting music variation. Very Bowie-esque in many ways.

An all-time favorite album of mine.

10/10 Lou Reed is the GOAT while this might not be as ambitious or creative as the Velvet Underground, it still has that signature charm that makes all of Reed’s music so iconic and lovable

I lov lou

Awesome. Rating: 4.7

Hell yes

Wonderful record.

classic

♥️♥️

Great album, Bowie on production! Walk on the wild side. It’s an all timer

Lou reeds best album

Fantastic album. So many bangers. For being 36min, this is beyond power packed. Great flow from audio engineer with track layout. 5 TBz 1. Perfect Day 2. Walk On the Wild Side 3. Satellite of Love 4. Vicious 5. Wagon Wheel

Full of classic tracks

So many great tunes on here that really showed what rock music can do.

The most accessible Lou Reed album. Still dark and strange enough to appeal to VU fans but with the production help from David Bowie to make him appeal to the average listener. There's a reason songs from this album are still used in media to this day.

Still one of the best rock records.

Liked it.

esse foi por pelo menos um mes da minha vida o album que eu mais ouvia, eventualmente eu enjoei dele, mas isso não muda minha opinião sobre ele. otimas musicas com o estilo glam que era novo sucesso na epoca por causa do bowie. alguns dos arranjos de guitarra aqui são os melhores arranjos ja feitos. a poesia rebelde e imunda nova iorquina é um grande marco tambem nesse album. "when people say her feet smell they mean her nose" certamente o melhor do lou reed.

4.5

Start to finish brilliant album. Makes you feel mellow.

It's a shame this album ends on its most annoying song. Nevertheless, I'm going to take a walk on the wild side and rate it a 5 for the rest of the songs.

Drags itself over the 5* line, as half of the songs are fabulous and Bowie has never produced a clunker. Hangin' Round is my favorite, somehow, and the whole thing is kinda the evil twin of Hunky Dory

Goed album, paar echte klassiekers. 5*

Incredible album

Una pieza fina y suave para cualquier persona, muy bien digerible y con momentos muy suaves para relajar.

a classic. I love it.

Great

One of my all-time favourites. Particularly like Goodnight Ladies.

This is the type of shit I'd try and get up to nonstop if I could live in the 70s for a while

A classic for a reason

PREFS: TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN

This is what a 5 star album sounds like. I so wish that Lou had recorded more with Ronson/Bowie. Timeless record. An old school album that you play from start to finish.

- Heard this before - Probably prefer this to every VU album I've heard - Perfect 70s glam rock album - Fav songs: Satellite of Love, Perfect Day, Vicious

Incredible record

Always loved this, so more than a little biased. Great for walking on dreery days.

I think New York is better but this one is great

I loved this album in college, and Re listening only reminded me why. It’s hilarious, rollicking, and just a great groovy glam time.

this is almost bananas

An amazing album. "Vicious," "Andy's Chest," "Satellite of Love," and "Perfect Day" are probably my top tracks.

One of my all-time faves. I mean, any album produced by Bowie is guaranteed to be great, but this one has a special place in my heart. RIP Lou Reed.

Beautiful album, with two really good songs. A perfect day and walk on the wild side…

I didn't realize that my four favorite Lou Reed songs all came from the same magical album! (Not that there aren't others that I just haven't thought of.) And in addition to those four, I enjoyed the whole thing, discovering some new delights and the wonderfully prominent use of tuba. I listened several times today enjoying so many phrases both familiar and new each time.

What an excellent album! I know that I have heard it before, but now it has found a place in my library.

Have I really never listened to this before?! How is that possible? And how did I not know David Bowie produced this? Anyway, this is a fantastic fantastic album that more than lives up to the hype. I have heard several of the songs on this album before, but the songs I haven’t heard before are really fantastic too! This album feels fresh, if I heard it for the first time I couldn’t tell you when it was created. But I would tell you that I love it!

p264. 1972. 5 stars. Camp, sardonic glam rock classic. 50 years on and it still sounds terrific. Half a star deducted for suspect lyrics (Andy's Chest), but otherwise this is practically flawless.

I wrote last time that Lou Reed is very hit or miss for me. This album is the hit. So much great stuff here and Lou Reed at his finest.

A brilliant Bowie insprired album

My favorite Lou Reed album, still very Velvet underground like in many ways which is fabulous. Walk on the Wild side was my gateway song into the Velvet Underground when I heard in high school.

You can put me down for 5 stars on almost any Lou Reed. Maybe not his best (Velvet Underground is), but man, there are some great songs on here: Vicious, WotWS, Satellite of Love,…

I really really liked this album and the visuals it evoked. Lou Reed makes heroin sound like a really good time.

A true classic, every song is amazing.

El cénit de Lou Reed en solitari, que no és poca cosa. Reed amb ganes de reivindicar-se i David Bowie en estat d'inspiració màxima, què podia sortir malament? Una de les obres capitals dels '70 i una de les joies atemporals del rock com a génere

Fucking love it

Es genial Lou Reed y Transformer sin dudas un gran album

Already one of my favorite albums.

Fantastic songs.

I think I'm a carny fan, I really enjoy "Circus sounds" on an album. The other part that elevates this album is Lou Reed's vocal delivery.

I have always liked Lou Reed songs when I've run across them, but never listened to this famous album. It did not disappoint. Of course I love "Perfect Day" and "Walk on the Wild Side" but another standout is "Goodnight Ladies". This is a fun and perfectly composed album.

Totally seductive. Somehow he makes living on the wild side feel glamorous. I thought I’d get tired of his delivery which almost sounds bored, but it fits the music and lyrics well

Ту ту ту тудуп

Oh ya

This is one of my favs

Bellissimo e con 2 capolavori

Absolutely great!

I think Perfect Day is a perfect song. So bittersweet. The rest of the album is great as well.

lou reed’s best solo album, this is just excellent — it’s produced by bowie and mick ronson, and you can really tell, they combine with reed’s songwriting incredibly well.

LP

Clássico. Maravilhoso.

Lou Reed....what else is there to say

This is magnificent! I love every single song.

True understated genius.

Brilliant. Bowie's backing vocals on Satellite of Love provide one of rock's priceless moments.

9/10 Best Song - Perfect Day

Love Lou Reed. Perfect day, wak on the wild side

Great album, love lou Reed

Amo esse álbum <3

Glam rock, producido por david bowie, dos de los mejores temas de la historia y otros dos que se quedarán en tu cabeza al instante escuchadlo

Classic.

Amazing album. Very influential. I can hear why a lot of bands got inspired by his sound.

Classic album. Real good.

Liked it.

Una tras otra. Chingón

Love Lou Reed. It retains some of the sound of the Velvet Underground, and features some of his best songs.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

Classic

Such a great album! Love his singing style.

Glam, punk, camp, rock, great

Outstanding and massively influential

Fantastic!

love this album already - the music still feels fresh and vibrant

Nothing I didn't like on this album, and some all time greats, namely "Perfect Day" and "Walk on the Wild Side."

The songs, the arrangements the delivery are all amazing. It's totally understandable why this is considered a classic

nice

uno de los discos de la vida

Love it.

ваще крутой альбом, молодец

Vraiment excellent dans son genre. J’adore. 5

This album is so lovely

The songs themselves generally sound slow and nostalgic, but the lyrics are very charged with topics such as sexuality. It's an album that I like and might listen to once or twice but not very many more than that due to the uncomfortable element of the lyrics. I really like the songs, however, and they really hit the spot on a lower energy day. Favorite track: Satellite of Love

Vassar quads, aviators, Luci

This is the album my Dad would have made. Vicious is maybe the best first track I’ve ever heard - just in how it sets up the rest of the album. Blues, rockabilly, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, beatnick poetry - I heard it all in this one. Music a good, lyric are maybe even better. Great album

What’s left to say? Sublime … everytime … Hit me with a flower …

Banger

Done. Short. Good.

Really liked this. All the way through. 5 stars.

Very queer, excellent

Great Album.

One of my all time faves!

One of the greats. End of.

Way better than I thought it would be. Loved almost every song.

Really nice listen. Had some classic songs and some songs I wasn't familiar with, but all were enjoyable.

Wie selbstverständlich das anders sein sein kann, meine tiefe Verehrung für diesen Meilenstein, der auch 2021 noch frisch und anders klingt.

Sensual and flavourful

There is really nothing that needs to be said here. One of the greatest of all time

VICIOUSSSSS

Also in the NME list | I love this album

Speaking of loo reads. I was reading 'Being Freddie' by Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff whilst squeezing out the most painful, dark, foul smelling, Guinness shit yesterday. I must say, what a funny and articulate young man he is. To be a world class cricketer, who goes out on the lash at the drop of a ball, try your hand and boxing and they become a national tv treasure, you really have to hand it to the man. I bet he gets the Guinness shits a lot too. By jove, it was brutal, it felt like molten lava pouring out of my soul.

“Well you know what they say about honey bears, that’s when you shave off all their baby hairs you have a hairy minded pink bad bear.” Yeah I really like this album. Lots of bangers including “satellite of love” I didn’t realise that was Lou Reed

👌

could pick holes but it's just great music

Classic. I LOVE this album.

Perfect Day.

Lou Reed en estado puro.

Awesome

Great album, classic.

oh this is goooooooooood. the last one was so great i almost lost my head.

It’s all over the place and everything works out. Love it.

Perfect album

Well this was fancy af

This has been my favourite one we've had so far. I find it such an original album unlike anything else, even Velvet Underground. It's got some ultimate bangers on it.

Incredible from start to finish, the 70s had so many bangers. Perfect Day is one of my favourite songs of all time I think

5

Really nice! Another where I discovered - oh hey, he sings that song.

Mixed feelings about this one. Full of massive tunes but I’ve always found the lyrics to be a bit childish or sort of half though out. Don’t think I can give less than 5 stars though.

Awesome album. Heard it multiple timen and can't get enough.

Better than I would have expected. Had a thought his voice would be unappealing to listen to and I enjoyed this.

Made for a perfect day

I have listened to this album MANY times these past few months. Underrated, indeed.

A classic album. Reed's best collection of songs, in my opinion, combined with perfect balance of art-rock and pop.

Album #149: Transformer - Lou Reed Genre (W): Glam rock Singles: Walk on the Wild Side / Perfect Day, Satellite of Love, Vicious I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: I love Lou Reed’s cheeky songwriting! It gives me a lot of comfort and I can deeply relate to it. I also love David Bowie and Mike Ronson’s production, not too overwhelming, it’s perfectly subtle. Favorite tracks: Vicious, Perfect Day, Hangin’ ‘Round, Walk on the Wild Side, Make Up, Satellite of Love, Wagon Wheel, I’m So Free, Goodnight Ladies

Gosh just realized I haven't listened that close to the lyrics on walk on the wild side, it sure is wild! A solid album which I will come back to.

Much poppier than I was expecting. Great lyrics of course. I can see this on regular rotation for me.

Only a cursory knowledge of Lou Reed via the Velvet Underground. But this was a fun little album. Had a ton of hits where I was thinking "Oh I didn't know this song was him!" Would definitely listen to again. It was a great album that felt timeless and relatable but also pushed what was new, both then and now. There were a couple of misses on the album, but overall enjoyable. 4/5 Favorite Songs: Vicious, Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, Least Favorite Songs: Andy's Chest, Make Up

I see how this became so incredibly influential. Some songs are super cool, one or two a bit goofy. Not my favorite music, but I am glad I finally listened to Reed for a bit more than just a single song.

Nice

"Perfect Day" gets me every time I hear it.

I knew the hits but not the rest of this album. I was pleasantly surprised at how Glam it starts off. “Vicious” is a fun, rockin’ way to start the album and then “Andy’s Chest” keeps up the momentum. “Perfect Day” is a lovely comedown. “Hangin’ Round” takes us right back to the glam rock, and “Walk on the Wild Side” is so innovative. Side A is perfection. 5/5. Then… I don’t know what to make of Side B. It has a lot of playful bits. “New York Telephone Conversation” should be on a They Might Be Giants album. “Goodnight Ladies” is a fun take on a Broadway number. Both songs seem so out of place, but when you consider how *weird* this album is overall, I kinda get it. Side B is a 3.5/5 for me now but I have a feeling it’ll grow on me when I listen to it more. Overall, I’m happy I got to hear this album.

Vocals are too low; they need a bit more volume IMO. Nice chord progressions. Creative use of guitars. I like the drums. Reminds me of Bowie. Enjoyable album, overall 4/5

Interesting, a little boring, but deep enticing lyrics. learned about velvet underground and 20th century NYC, Nico etc. Cool guy.

Best song(s): - Vicious - Perfect Day - Walk on the Wild Side - New York Telephone Conversation - Goodnight Ladies

The most I know of Lou Reed (other than being in Velvet Underground) is that Metallica collaboration... Vicious sounds almost like something that Bowie would have wrote... then I went to Wikipedia and found out he was the producer of this record and was instrumental in getting Lou Reed's career going. Pretty cool. No shit. Can I Kick It? is from Walk on the Wild Side???? Holy shit. Heard that sample for years and didn't realize what it was. I understand immediately from the lyrics why I hadn't heard this song before, even though it's Reed's biggest. Not something you get exposed to in conservative America. This is a little slower for my typical tastes, but side A was excellent. Side B wasn't quite as catchy, and felt like it slowed even more, but all-in-all, this is a really good glam album.

The jangly, rambly, intensity of Mr. Reed. Fantastic record!

emotional, a true masterpiece. can feel Bowie's touch all throughout

Very nice album. "Perfect Day" is super.

This is kinda hard because I love Lou and I love almost every song on this album. But there's also just a little bit of weird fuckery happening on here that just feels like fuckery for fuckery's sake. Like there appears to be a satirical point of view but it doesn't hit. Still, this thing has "Vicious," "Wild Side," "Satellite of Love," "Hangin' Round," "Perfect Day," etc. etc. Great record.

Pretty nice one, even some of the songs sound like a joke a little ha-ha. But still it is pleasent to listen to, even I've heard it like 3-4 times before

Some truly unique songs that obviously had a lot of influence on bands that would come later. Experimental without getting pretentious.

A lot of the songs were a vibe and I didn't realize how many of his hits were either sampled or that I knew. The ones I like the most were Perfect Day and Vicious.

Indie bible

Do own and love

Listened to this as a live recording of each song. Adds a little extra grit.

The album's rep makes me want to rate it higher but there are too many songs that I'm not interested in. Though, this did make my best album art list. 3.5/5

An old favorite of mine. A lot of cool sounds mixed with Reed's oddball/aloof persona on a record that sounds like every corner of 70s New York City

Yeah it was good, love when the last song of the album is a goodbye song

bem funky, parece um arctic monkeys inicial misturado com blur e echo & the bunnymen. a única que não gostei foi New York Telephone Conversation, e não tanto de Goodnight Ladies. 8/10

Easily a 4/5

There’s like 5 or 6 songs on Transformer that are as good as the best of the Velvet Underground’s work. The other half of the album is still very good but pales in comparison

4.5

It's very good

Very queer, but a little racist lol

a bit of silly fun, i'm a fan of his voice and Vicious is a fucking hit

I like most of this album, but I dunno, it just feels like its missing something vibe-wise, which prevents me from giving it a 5.

que buen albuuummm

A short but nice album

I absolutely hated this guy's music when I was a kid. I remember hearing Walk on the Wild Side and thinking it must have been intentionally crafted to be as boring and bad as possible. Oh how I've grown. Now I find it pretty catchy. Perfect Day is forever a bop as well.

Never knew who did the hits on this album before now. Overall I really enjoyed it, but there were a few filler songs that I really felt droned on. Also, some lyrics didn't age well

Perfect Day makes up most of the album for me. But even the rest is still quite solid.

Heard it before. I don't listen to Lou that often, I guess because I don't really care about Velvet Underground either. But I really do like this solo album. I think I rarely listen to it because in my mind the biggest songs from it are a bit overplayed? But when I listen to the full album they make sense and I enjoy them 4/5

A lot of these songs sound timeless. They are often depicting life in NYC in the 70s, but the music still works today (2026). Even the strings sounded great and added a lot to the songs they were used in. Usually strings often sounded cheesy in the 70s. Perfect Day might be the best song ever written. Liked Songs Added: Vicious Andy's Chest Perfect Day Walk On The Wild Side

Good stuff

Such a great album: Hanging Around, Perfect Day, Vicious, Walk on the Wild Side etc. A treat to revisit after many years. Sounds ahead of its time.

Some classic songs on here, but I’ve always found this a little bit scattershot. Perfect Day is such an incredible, mournful ballad that it arguably causes problems coming so early in the running order.

Lou Reed: Transformer (1972): I didn’t realize how completely ridiculous Lou Reed was in the 70s. I can’t decide if that is a bonus or annoyance for me. But those songs we all know and get excited for (Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, Ladies Goodnight) will always be some of my favorite songs ever. Does that make the albume 5 stars? I don’t think so. I don’t think I’ll ever return to hear the album as a whole unless it’s part of something like this.

cool as hell

It's boring, cozy, and a little bland and yet I like it

+1 gwiazdka za perfect day, mogą to zagrać na moim pogrzebie

Anyone who has a song featuring a tuba can't be too bad. Tuba, drums with voice and not much else. I liked that. Glam rock is an interesting label. Not sure what that means but quite happy to groove along with Lou. Actually not a huge fan of the massive hit "Walk on the Wild Side" but can't deny it's influence.

I used to listen to this a lot. When I was twenty. I’m no long twenty so I don’t listen to it anymore. I still remember the words. So yesterday, walking through a sunny park I sang along to Perfect Day. Who would care. No one was near. Except the couple who walk past as an old bloke suddenly intoned “You’re gonna reap just what you sow”. Four times. It was a Perfect Day. I’m glad I spent it with Lou.

lou reed's voice and songwriting is just heavenly nuff said

i appreciate how cheeky and playful this album is. the lyrics border on stupid sometimes but it feels like he's not taking himself extremely seriously so it lands? perfect day is one of the most beautiful songs of all time. and satellite of love is my favorite david bowie song (har har). Fav tracks: Andy's Chest; Perfect Day; Walk On the Wild Side; Satellite of Love; New York Telephone Conversation

Great start tot he punk era.

I was thinking this was going to be a 5, then it fell off.

Vicious - 4 Andy's chest - 3 Perfect day - 5 Hangin' 'round - 4 Walk on the wild side - 5 Make up - 3 Satellite of love - 3 Wagon wheel - 3 New york telephone conversation - 3 I'm so free - 3 Goodnight ladies - 3

i love lou reed and this album. perfect day was the last song we played at our wedding to close out the reception.

Anthony Bourdain style, New York swagger. This is not a bad thing.

Very good. Not a huge Lou Reed guy but this is undeniably solid. Great songwriting, great band work, inventive and weird in places. I really liked it.

this is getting rounded up to 4 from a 3.5, largely on the strength of “Vicious” and the run from “Hangin’ Round” thru “Satellite of Love” the rest of this I could go without hearing again and be fine. cool that he was taking some chances after Velvet Underground fell apart, but the songs just aren’t as strong in many cases. “Perfect Day” has always struck me as an odd, overwrought song, and it stands apart even more on this album where it doesn’t really fit in with anything else happening here.

Some classic songs on here obviously. The rest pretty much holds up too. Particularly liked “Vicious.”

Wow. Never thought I’d see that picture and it would evoke instant joy. This project does interesting things to a person… Yeah. Always happy to hear Lou Reed’s delivery. Is he serious? Is it all satire? And a tuba. 4 Boolean: TRUE

first listen had me a bit underwhelmed ("i guess you had to be there?") but it grew on me. walk on the wild side in particular is dated but a genuine classic. highlights: vicious, andy's chest, perfect day, hangin' round, walk on the wild side, make up, satellite of love, i'm so free, goodnight ladies. so most of it. #first time listening (mostly)

I loved the start of the album, but it lost me at the last tracks somewhat, so no five stars, more like 3,5. But the songs that are good, are crazy good, and it's undeniable.

This is a fairly pleasant album, especially coming from the musically schizophrenic Lou Reed. I do think it's some of his better cohesive work, and yet, I'm not amazed by this record. This is a 3.5, but I'm rounding up for being good all the way through.

Favorite track(s): Perfect Day, Hangin' Round, Walk on the Wild Side, Make Up, Satellite of Love Heard before Previous rating: 8/10

Fast living wrapped in a blanket of consistency. This album contains themes relevant to a young man with a proclivity for danger. It is sonically tuned to a 70s backdrop of mesmerizing counterculture and revolutionary personalities. Themes explored also included the highs and lows of a precarious lifestyle within a tempting urban environment. I enjoyed being transported to this attractive and hair-raising world of pleasure chasing, somber reflection, and lowlife regret. Particularly, the themes of love, romance, and pleasure stuck out to me as the most prominent within the album. They immediately transport you into the rapid fire nature of 70's NYC and its endless cast of quirky and distinctive personalities. It captures the intoxicating rush of romantic encounters, chasing highs, and reeling from danger within a bustling back drop that begs for whole-hearted devotion. Lou Reed does a great job pulling you into his world of idling, crashing, and exploring the Rotten Apple during a time where pop culture was transforming, much like the album title suggests. This is a great listen for anyone willing to taking a leap into this wild goose chase of desire, hurt, and ecstasy.

4.5

cool

Outside of Walk On The Wild Side, there isn't a lot on here I'd be willing to call essential. I do however enjoy it all quite a bit. Possibly because of the very obvious Bowie fingerprints all over it.

The hits are clearly the best songs on here, but there are a few other gems with some almost vaudevillian composition and instrumentation. The worst songs are the actual rockers; his voice just really doesn’t donut for me on those tracks.

A really fantastic album, probably closer to A 4.5 for me but just having something on the second listen.

This reminds me of the occasional substitute teacher in high school. You know the one. He would stroll in change the way you see teachers forever by being human, raw, and honest. No subject was taboo. All filters off.

Like NYC in the 70s - gritty and dangerous but also classy and sophisticated. Bonus points for the bass playing throughout. And the lyrics are a cut above - and cutting. Mother Nature's son indeed.

Vinyl time. A few fantastic tracks.

I thought I was unfamiliar with Reed going into this. Started off with really liking Perfect Day, and then Walk On the Wild side came up, and there was the aha moment. Satellite of Love and I'm So Free also hit pretty well for me. I kinda bounce back and forth on liking his singing style of getting a little loose with the beat and pitch, but it could grow on me.

these classic rock album doesnt rly stick to me but this one kinda mixed lyrics were good but instrument was ordinary but pretty good

What I love about Reed is the characters that pop up in his songs. Perfect Day is a perfect song

Got this on vinyl for my 16th birthday. Side A rules.

Super charming album. Its really endearing to hear Lou have this monotone voice over these really upbeat tracks. Almost like he recorded in a karaoke booth or something

fav songs: vicious perfect day walk on the wild side satellite of love goodnight ladies melodic, provocative, warm 80/100

Some of these songs have been with me my entire life and will continue to be. Others are duds, and the back half drags a bit. He does look like Frankenstein's monster on the cover.

It's nice, but u need to hear it a couple of times, it has this old and comforting style, definitely not my vibe but I thinks it deserves hearing it

3.6 2x

Lyrics were super progressive for the time. Production is classic glam rock. Bowie was definitely involved. Great album. Favorites were Vicious, Perfect Day, Hangin’ Round, Walk On The Wild Side, and Satellite Of Love.

Tyckte det var bra,

#390/1001. Probably the best post Velvet Lou Reed album out there. I tried to listen to some of them but they were quite meh. Here we have 2 eternal classics, which is 2 more than most albums. His image and songs don't always match, but I guess that is part of the charm.

I thought I only knew Walk on the Wild Side but I actually know quite a few of these. Solid album.

Still trying to catchup Today I had the pleasure of Lou Reed - Transformer (1972) Great album. The 3 singles ( perfect day, walk on the wild side, satellite of love) are the best tracks. Loved the sax and other wind instruments. Lou in great voice at this stage of life. Standout track: Satellite of Love ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lou Reed is one of those artists that I recognize is wildly influential, and I really enjoy some of his songs, but I also have a hard time listening to him for a long time. I did prefer this to some of his other works though.

I've always loved "Take a walk on the wild side" but first time listening to this in full. I dig it quite a bit! Usually I'm very turned off by singers that can't sing well but I don't know, his voice just works?

8.5/10

I like Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground a lot, but it’s not always what I’m in the mood for. This is such a strong album, my first time listening to it all the way through. Love the production by Bowie.

As excellent as this is I’m still a tiny bit torn on it because it seems less like a Lou Reed record than a Lou Reed Wearing A David Bowie Suit record. Bowie produced it, and while I’m sure Lou definitely put his own stamp on the recording (I mean, the lyrics to “Walk on the Wild Side” prove that) it’s hard to tell where Lou ends and David begins. The same thing happened with Iggy Pop’s two ’77 records, although there Bowie had an even bigger role. Still, this is wonderful stuff, without a single weak track, it’s a classic, etc…but if you want pure-strain Lou, go somewhere else – there’s a reason why this is far and away Lou’s most popular record, because Lou’s music (aside from this album) was largely structured to avoid popularity by design. Best track: “Perfect Day”

8 / 10

Good album. Terrible vocals. Recorded well

-has 3+ killer hits -beautifully produced -culturally relevant -great song writing (mostly-I’m looking at you, Vicious) -fun to listen to