Transformer

Packed with classics

Very enjoyable, would like to revisit again

perfect day is a perfect song

Thoughts before listening: This is the Lou Reed album that gets the most praise from journalists. I was pleasantly surprised by Berlin when that came up on this list so I'm excited to listen to this one as well. Review: This is great. Reading up on this album I see that David Bowie and Mick Ronson produced it which makes sense cause this sounds like 70s era Bowie glam rock. There are some absolute classics on here in "Perfect Day", "Walk On the Wild Side", and "Satellite of Love", but I'm also enjoying "Vicious", "Hangin' Round", and "I'm So Free". Overall a very good album that presents a much more radio friendly take on Lou Reed's sound that stands out in a discography filled with tough listens. 4-stars.

I hadn’t properly listened to much of Lou Reed before this, but he’s a great songwriter with good tunes

i'm squarely between 3 and 4 on the rating for this one. the 3 reflects how much i actually like listening to it. 4 reflects what i think about the album's legacy on music i like. I'll round up this time.

I'm gonna make my group mad and just say it: this album could use like three more songs!!!!

Great album start to finish... 4.5 Stars

Some wonderful & unique songs and some filler. I will keep coming back to "Perfect Day," "Walk on the Wild Side," and "Satellite of Love." The other songs, not so much.

Interesting listen... the tubas harken back to an older time, but the definitely still has a foot in rock and punk.

When this is good it's transcendently good. But it sort of peters out at the end. I wished it finished with a bit more oomph. If it did, it'd be a clear 5 star. But it didn't get all the way there for me. Still loved this and hope to revisit in the future.

This was good, couple great songs, some "fun" lyrics. Nothing particularly stand out, but everything gels quite well as an album. I quite enjoyed listening to this.

a nice little jaunt through the wild side, even if a couple bits did feel a bit safe. overall a very good album that is extremely well produced, i would go back to this one.

Very Dylanesque. I love his poeticism because it especially contrasts his dead pan voice. This is definitely his most popular album, and I think for good reason (satellite of love, etc). In terms of the album structure I think he went for very Beatles inspo because all of the folk/alt/orchestral mixes on here. 8/10

amazing. the jazz and cabaret undertones in rock n roll, David Bowie production (so obviously its good), and Reed's slightly lazy delivery make the album a captivating listen. vicious is now in my playlists and I'm entering another velvet underground era thank you !! 8/10

Was p good, don’t think I’ll revisit much tho 7.5/10

generally liked it, new york telephone call was a little odd though 7.5/10

Lou reed’s talk singing misses quite a bit, but there are some bangers on this album and the songs all have fantastic production. I don’t know how to rate it since a good number of the songs are ass but a few are incredible, 8/10 I guess

Classic Lou Reed. Not my favorite album of all time but I respect it. Has some great singles. Walk on the Wild Side, Vicious, Satellite of Love are standouts.

Lou Reed was one freaky dude, but I think his solo output is far superior to The Velvet Underground. While his music is still very psychedelic, I feel it's more streamlined and works better! Definitely one of his best works. Standout tracks: Vicious, Andy's Chest, Perfect Day, Walk On The Wild Side, Satellite Of Love, I'm So Free 8 out of 10

Goed album, maar had niet anders verwacht van m'n naamgenoot ;) Luistert lekker weg en heeft een aantal nummers die ik al kende maar niet mega bijzonder dus geen 5 sterren Would buy wel

Ahh, Lou Reed! This is an album I had already listened to in the past. A true classic, indeed! Great music, great lyrics, and Lou's distinctive voice. Definitely love this one!

Bowie + songwriting + Lou. Gold.

Jag tror att detta faktiskt handlar om om man prioriterar det ambitiösa, svåra och utmanande framför det tillgängliga och kommersiella. Även om det alltid borde finnas en plats för den förra, föredrar jag de flesta dagar den senare, vilket är anledningen till att jag skulle välja Transformer. Berlin är en jäkla intensiv åktur och, mina reservationer över en del av Ezrins utsmyckade produktion förutom, ett album med stor genomslagskraft. Men Transformer är ett av de fantastiska feel good-albumen som omedelbart kan ta dig till en bekant, glad plats. Jag älskar svischa av låtarna och produktionen, men det har ett tillräckligt mörkt hjärta där för att förhindra att den blir för lätt.

4/5. Not quite a 5* album, but close. Lou Reed paved the way for alt and indie rock. Walk on the wild side is still excellent.

Very modern sounding in terms of the recording quality itself as well as the disaffected post punk sound. Very cohesive record too - sounds like it could have been put together in the studio in one single session.

Bowie - good Mick Ronson - good Lou Reed - okay but with the other two, good He’s got a great voice for storytelling, but maybe not for signing. Great beats, great lyrics. Solid album that’s been imitated for decades.

7.7

A great, but inconsistent album. Very much a mash-up of Velvet Underground and Spiders From Mars.

Overall really enjoyed this. Had that weird mush mouth / acid vibe where dude was just talking about whatever.

This is the first album I’ve actually revised and rated and I’m glad I saved it for this one. 4.3/5. He is who the Beatles thought they were. I assume this album will be the biggest surprise for it least the next 300 albums we listen to on this journey.

Lou Reed's lyrics and delivery style were unique to me the first time I heard this album. There is a certain simplicity to the presentation of each song that works beautifully without needing to build to any kind of emotional crescendo. Lou Reed's lyrics are front and center in his songs--nothing getting buried behind a crescendo of sounds.

bowie produziu bum explodiu

Wow wild side is one of the best recordings I’ve ever heard. Inspired by the floating narrative, each song is a world that floats, simple, clear, production each element is highlighted at its time, wow

Song: Walk on the Wild Side This isn't what I expected from an album produced by David Bowie, but I quite liked it. I didn't know Lou Reed—although I have heard of the Velvet Underground before, I didn't know its members. This song has a really nice, chill, relaxed feeling—the instrumental feels so familiar, and I'm certain I've heard it sampled somewhere before. Also, I liked the lyrics— although he was mostly speaking rather singing than them, it made the song feel a little like slam poetry, which I liked. The saxophone solo was also unexpected and nice, capping off the song with a fadeout. I would definitely listen to it again—more like this, too.

I really enjoyed this one quite a bit as a first album. It had a lot of tracks that I really liked, and it would definitely be something that I will listen to again just on my own. I don’t think I know a lot about music, yet I think I could have placed this one as being mid 70s rock and roll. The lyrics and the way that Reed sings it make the composition feel very casual for most of the album, as if he was simply jamming and wrote the songs as he was going. I liked too when more brass was being added to the tracks, especially the saxophone (wind) during ‘Walk on the Wild Side’. I have heard this song once before, somewhat recently because I didn’t know that ‘Can I kick It?’ was a sample. I hope that I will remember this track and album going forward. My favorite track was 'Goodnight Ladies'; It felt like waking up hungover in New Orleans. Close second was ‘Andy’s Chest’ particularly when Reed said, “Now, when people say her feet smell, they mean her nose.” As it is the first album, I want to add a quick goal for this project, and then hopefully not talk about it much more. I am hoping to expand my musical taste and enjoyment. I want to learn to like albums as a format and so, unless instructed otherwise, I will try to listen to the album in the order recoreded and in one sitting. I also am hoping that I can get more granular with my musical appreciation, and hear more when I listen, as well as discuss music better. I will try the best that I can to write a review for each album, but there will be no requirement for it to be clever. I don’t want to pretend, just listen to good music.

The first time I really remember hearing a Lou Reed song was during the 1993 leg of the U2 Zoo TV tour, Bono would start singing "Satellite of Love" and a pre-recorded video of Lou would duet with him and it was cool. Then came the "Perfect Day" scene in Trainspotting at it was harrowing. And "Walk on the Wild Side" has always been around, I just never knew it as a Lou Reed song. So imagine my delight when all three are on this album. Just a wonderful listen from start to finish.

Lou Reed has always been a tough nut to crack for me, but this has to be his most accessible album. I really liked it. Will stay in my rotation

Amazing laid back vocals from Lou reed paired with distorted and garage guitars make for a fantastic glam rock record. Lou reed also has great ballads like perfect day which is one of my favourite songs of all time. 4/5

Very interesting. Similar to Sugar Man

Classic

An in my view over rated Lou Reed glam rock document with nonetheless amazing peaks and lazy valleys.

161223 14:30 4

Pretty good album for the 70s. 7/10

He sing talks and it works most of the time. The background music was nice at times and then really forgettable some other times. “Walk on the wild side” is great, didn’t realize that it was the sample for “Can I Kick it?”. “Make up” made me uncomfortable, the clown music, saying little girl, and describing what turns him on, ew. I can hear a bunch of different singers in the songs so I guess he was pretty influential. Heavy Violent femmes vibes but less unhinged. Minus the clown songs I rather enjoyed it. 7/10

Not to everyone's taste I know, but a groundbreaking album. The iconic "Walk on the Wild Side", plus the original version of "Perfect Day"; also worth a mention are "Vicious" and "Satellite of Love".

I don't think I've ever listened start to finish but I knew pretty much all of it.

the subject matter on this album is scary.

I do love the first half of this album it feels like such a stretch and a brave personal vision. Much more of a ground level exploration of identity and personal viewpoint than Bowie or glam rock. It starts to fdade some as the album closes.

fun

Really good!

Minimal with some bangers.

7/10. My guy was stoned as hell, but I liked it.

7/10

I like it. I think T.Rex does glam rock better than Lou, but if I listened to music regularly, I’d probably include this album in a rotation. Walk on the Wild Side, c’mon! 4.2

Some absolute classics here - only a couple of not so great tracks, but overall pretty fantastic.

Heel Chill, zonder wat te zeggen uit een raam staren muziek

Pretty ood

Fave track absolutely Goodnight Ladies

The list has redeemed itself. This was great.

A few stellar tracks, a few plodding ones. I listened to this and Iggy Pop back to back, wondering if the slightly creepy vibes towards young women on both albums made me a bit less excited about this one.

master storytelling ability and succinct songwriting

Perfect day je заиста прелепа песма. Цео албум је леп и квалитетан 9/10

C’est comme Bob Dylan mais sur la distortion. Très chill et énervé en même temps

This album is folksy, weird, and, at times, humorous. I found myself laughing out loud at New York Telephone Conversation. A few of the tracks have a bit of a creepy element to them but overall this was a fun listen.

Perfect day, walk on the wild side, make up, goodnight ladies are all amazing. Not a fan of the more strident songs in the first third.

I've listened to some Velvet Underground and thought this would be a Beatles scenario (I don't really like the independent Beatles work). But I really enjoyed this, I love this sound and had a fun time listening.

I think I might prefer New York to this one but it’s still great. The sound is influential, the lyrics are taboo-breaking. Walk on the Wild Side is so popular there’s not much new to say about it, but damn that song is good. So cozy. Vicious, Perfect Day, and Satellite are other standouts but this is an excellent record to listen to front to back. High 4.

Grew up listening to Take A Walk On the Wild Side. Always loved Lou Reed’s envelope pushing lyrics. I hadn’t heard most, if not any of the other songs, but it was fun musically and tonally. Great listen.

This is a good transition from Velvet Underground Lou Reed to solo artist Lou Reed. Maybe that's where the title came from? He did go on to re-record some songs originally written for VU, but I feel like this is a step away from that band. Having David Bowie and Mick Ronson produce (plus having Ronson provide lead guitars) gives this a different feel that is definitely (for lack of a better term) Bowie-esque and even a bit more commercial sounding.

Feeling very vindicated after thinking this sounded like David Bowie and then reading he produced it. My guess is that in 1972 this was wayyy ahead of its time, so it should get credit for that. I don’t think I’d listen to most of these songs again though. “Take a walk on the wild side” is just a fascinating piece and “perfect day”is haunting once I read more about it.

I really enjoyed this album. I think the songs feel very timeless, not stuck in a certain era of song production/sound. There were some parts that were a little goofy for me and Lou Reed’s voice sounds a tad weak in parts (which, I prefer bored-sounding Lou Reed over that) but I still think I’d like to listen to this album again.

33/1001 - another classic, transformative album in rock history. For novice listeners, a few chestnuts you will enjoy and have heard before. Admittedly, first time of rme to hear album all the way through but a good listen. Lou always had an instantly recognized voice! Don't ignore lyrics. Thanks!

A classic ass good album :D may be a little biased but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Czech Republic revolution

Melkee vitonen.

Surprisingly ahead of its time politically

Love having more artistical context around popular songs like walk on the wild side

Going into this I already knew Walk on the Wild Side and Satellite of Love. This is quintessential glam rock which is super fun. It's very apparent that David Bowie produced this. I really liked Makeup and I'm So Free and it also helped me rediscover Satellite of Love.

Tiptop

Lou Reed’s best work. Iconic voice and sound.

Normally don't like slow tempo music but very good.

Freakin cool!

What a classic. As a fan of the Velvet Underground, I appreciate Lou Reed's beautiful voice and the overall brilliance of this work. However, there are a few tracks where I don't quite connect with the music.

From what I gather Lou reed is a weird guy from his lyrics. Funky ass album.

Good!

Ik mag eigenlijk niet meer klagen over het zoveelste rock album want het vorige album dat iets nieuws was heb ik maar 2 sterren gegeven. Maar toch, weer een rock album? Ben benieuwd, Lou Reed is wel echt een grote naam, dus dat zal vast een reden hebben! Vicious is wel een lekkere opener dus mijn hoop is toch weer een stukje groter dan ik van tevorren dacht! Wat ik wel heel leuk vind aan dit project is dat je soms achter nummers komt die je kent maar 0 clue hebt van wie het is of hoe het nummer heet. Perfect Day van Lou Reed is zo'n nummer voor mij, classic man. WTF CAN I KICK IT!?!??! Oh nee, het is Walk on the wild side. Opzich ook wel prima, maar ik vind de versie van A Tribe Called Quest echt vele vele vele malen beter. Maar wel een prima nummertje hoor. De muziek an sich is vrij traag en een beetje saai. Moet wel zeggen dat de benadering van Rock door Lou me wel bevalt, het is wat meer soulish, wat meer bluesey en dat trek ik dan wel altijd goed. Zn stem is ook heel prettig dus dat scheelt ook behoorlijk. Snap wel dat dit een hit album is van hem, al heb ik verder niets gehoord. Ik vind Make Up een heel chill nummer, met de trombone(?) die zo duidelijk te horen is. Daarop valt ook het beste de bluesey kant van dit album te horen. New York Telephone Conversation is een fantastisch nummer en naar mijn bescheiden mening zou die elk jaar de Grammy voor beste nummer moeten winnen. Verdorie Lou, ik kom toch tot de conclusie dat ik deze Rock beter kan waarderen dan ik dacht. Dit is een prima te verteren album! FAVO: Vicious, perfect day, Make up, Satellite of Love, New York Telephone Conversation, goodnight Ladies

Musicalement c'est assez riche, mais j'aurais aimé que la voix prenne moins d'espace. Bien sûr, impossible de passer à côté de Walk on the Wild Side (qui a traversé les âges). Satellite of Love est très bon aussi.

Just good

Slaps. Solid collection of strings, keys and horns. The way Lou sings; humble, doesn’t over play it.

Now I see why They Might Be Giants write some songs as they do! Phenomenal writing here, with occasionally beautiful melodies.

What I assumed was going to be a straightforward '70s rocker surprised me. The lyrics were frequently abstract, leaving the listener to think about the song's meaning. When the lyrics were less abstract, the songs often addressed subjects in life that were not black and white. Again, this left the listener to consider the song and its implications. Reed's singing/speaking style fits the music very nicely. I could hear much inspiration from Reed's style in bands such as Spaceman 3, Silver Jews, Luna, Sonic Youth, and The Fiery Furnaces. This album was much more than I thought it would be.

What a fun album! Love the Velvet Underground, and know some of Lou Reeds later work - and of course the well known sogs from this album (Satellite of Love, Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side) but it’s interesting to hear him in his younger years. Quirky lyrics and stylistic shifts. Love the storytelling element, poetry, and humor in his songwriting. And what’s up with the tuba in some of the songs? Hilarious and unexpectedly perfect.

liked vicious, hangin' round was really good, never listened to him before, enjoyed

You can definetely hear the bowie influenze with this album, but as a bowie fan that is not a bad thing at all. It honestly matches up to be just as good as bowie, which is a big feat to achieve. Honestly I just love an album that's unapolagetically weird and taboo with weird lyrics. Stand out tracks: Perfect Day and Walk on The Wild Side.

Great album for sure. The main track is a 6/5 to me and I appreciate how raw „Super Stupid“ sounds. It‘s easy to sell me on long guitar solos and psychedelic music and this album is easily one of my favorite ones. I love the closing track „Wars of Armageddon - it’s wild but not extreme.

I want to start this review by getting a potentially controversial complaint out of the way. I'm not a big fan of Lou Reed's singing in this album. I can tell that he can sing if he wants to, but it doesn't sound like he wants to. Half the time it just sounds like he's talking. He does good when he tries though. However, despite my complaint there, I think everything else about the album is really good. The instrumentals are quite good and have some interesting sounds with each song. I really like David Bowie's work on this album. The pacing and tone of the album are just right. I think the biggest and most important thing to discuss about this album is the lyrics and subject matter. The fact that an album all about drug use, sexual orientation, and gender identity released in 1972 is astonishing. The songs get their points across quite well. Overall, while the singing could've been more interesting, this album is quite good and absolutely deserves to be on this list. High 4/5.

Pretty good

So close to a five star! Without doubt the peak of Lou Reed's powers, for me. It's hard to find a weakness in here really, and hard to pick a standout. In the end, I think Satellite of Love just pips it. It's a simple song really, but worms its way into your head and has a level of openness and sincerity that I think LR occasionally lacks. Thanks for this The Project!

Pretty damn good. A few tracks that have more than lasted the test of time and a solid supporting cast.

Not quite sure how I feel about this one. Has the two Lou Reed songs that I knew before this (Perfect Day and Walk On The Wild Side) which are both great, but there are a handful of patches where he doesn't seem to realise the limitations of his voice and takes it to places where it really doesn't belong. Doesn't tell a story in the way that Berlin does, but definitely has the better individual tracks on. I think it's a low 4 - probably not deserving of a 5 overall anyway, and the New York Telephone Conversation track definitely brings it down.

There are undeniably some amazing songs on here, but I can’t quite get over the feeling that someone is screaming “the 60s! The 1960s!“ at me every time I hear Lou Reed. He cannot sing. It’s pure over the top coolness and balls, which is simultaneously admirable and annoying.

Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side are the best. A really cool album. 3.5/5

so ahead of its time

Definitely got Bowie vibes before reading that he produced it. Really liked the album, Perfect Day, Vicious, and Satellite of Love were standouts.

Classic album with at least 2 great songs. Lou Reed isn't an exceptional singer and is outclassed in my eyes on almost all his records by Bowie but still a worth while listen for anyone.

the lyrics are the best part

the thing i really like about lou reed's music is that is just oozes cool and has a really biting sarcasm that adds to it. i think the production here is fairly plain, but i think that just amplifies his singing delivery and his lyrics. i knew the big song off of this one and a handful of the album tracks, but had never listened to this one in full. i really appreciated this album. i don't know how to describe it fully, but i feel like things lou reed touched just have this inherent coolness, and the combination of lou reed and david bowie just works so well and accentuates this.

classic cool

Classic early glam rock.

I like Lou

One of those albums that I have heard alomst every song but did not realize who it was or what album its on. It covers a really wide range of sounds levels. It can be pretty quiet and then pretty rambunctious. Good stuff.

‘Goodnight Ladies’ and ‘New York Telephone Conversation’ are the two missteps on what is otherwise a great album laden with essential tracks like ‘Vicious’, ‘Satellite Of Love’, ‘Hanging’ Round’, ‘I’m So Free’ and of course all timer ‘Walk On The Wild Side’.

I have loved this album for a long time but haven’t listened to it lately. Upon revisiting, the hits are classics. The rest is very ROCK N ROLL which luckily Lou’s voice sounds good on. A different singer and I would be bored by most of the album. Lou is the man

Even though lou reed comes off as borderline tone deaf sometimes, this album is still a great listen.

Never understood why I liked Take a Walk on the Wild Side, and now I don't understand why I liked this album. Fun and easy listen

Vicious

I can't believe how catchy these tracks are yet some how atmospheric. I've never listened to this album, just the songs. Definitely enjoying myself.

Love

This is a solid album and shows just how good Bowie was, as he had Reed give it a certain flavor that really works. I only knew Walk on the Wild Side growing up, and then later thanks to commercials I discovered Perfect Day, so saying Lou Reed is glam rock seems weird - neither is quite glam though I've always liked both. Still this album has that feel, like a Donovan (or Bowie) album and it's good. Vicious might be my favorite and Andy's Chest has a nice glam rock sound but Lou Reed's signature weird lyrics. Hanging Round is a little more conventional on both sound and lyrics but still a bit weird, in a good way. That's side one and it is borderline outstanding. Side two doesn't quite do it for me in the same way - too vaudeville or circus sounding? The ones that weren't so pompy were much better - Satellite of Love, Wagon Wheel, and I'm So Free (that one deserving of side one). Lou Reed is strange and too smart for his own good, but he has talent and really put it together on this album.

Musically and lyrically amazing, not a huge fan of Lou Reed's voice

En hel del fina spår.

Very good album. Like a 7.6/10 for me. Some songs were just a bit to much 70s Rock for me.

Not normally a "glam" fan, but this absolutely chunters along doesn't it? Plus very happy memories of a (actually, the ONLY) mixtape in my Dad's car that had "Walk on the Wild Side on it"

Really liked this one. I recognized a song or two from before. Not really type of sound but still very enjoyable. Great album

Lou! Some classics in there.

Jep no varmaan aika tyhmän kuvan antais itsestä jos tässä sanois että tää levy on paska. Mut ehk nää hitit on itselle vähän kulahtaneet ajan saatossa. Sanotaan vaikka niin. Enemmän kiinnostaa noi muut styget. Et joo loppujen lopuks onhan tää silti aika hieno. Ja olin kokonaan unohtanut että Bowie on ollu tuottajana. 4/5

Hugely influential. The glammiest of glam rock albums. Fine album. Some real bangers on here. Not entirely perfect but definitely belongs in the book.

Un poco irregular, pero con temazos. Es un 3, pero +1 estrella por que he visto Trainspotting.

Bizarre but fun album. Lou Reed just did his thing and didn’t care what others thought. Great collaborators as well. Added to playlist: Walk on the Wild Side

I originally gave this a 3, but the autoplay after this album was playing some absolute bangers so this gets a 4 now

I really enjoyed this album, it feels like Lou is still trying. So much of this feels like leftover velvets stuff, it’s no surprise it bangs. Okay, here’s the big catch. I hate Perfect Day. I know I know, people love it, it’s a wedding song, a funeral song, etc. For me it’s never really clicked. It feels too childishly written, and not in an endearing simple truths way. It has the same formula as Daniel Johnstons ‘True Love Will Find You In The End’, but all the things that make that recording so touching and deep feel missing on ‘Perfect Day’. Idk just my two cents.

Loved it

A classic album! Not listened to it in full in such a long time. Vicious is a great opener, reminiscent of the Velvets at their best. Some brilliant tracks; Walk on the Wild side, Satellite of Love and the song the wife walked down the aisle to (an edited version of) Perfect Day! Very campy and glammy in places which fits the era. A low 4 - just because it isn't the Velvets!

Some songs are classics for a reason. Some songs are barely heard for a reason!

Couple really good songs on this one. Lyrically theyre all amazing, but some fail musically.

Very good

A lot of classic tracks on here. All round good set of bops

It has some brilliant moments but there’s some nonsense on there stopping it from being a 5.

Classic Lou Reed, with favorites like 'Perfect Day', 'Walk on the Wild Side' and the lovely 'Satellite of Love'.

First time listening to this entire album. I did not know before reading the RS review that Bowie produced this which made the sound of Vicious and Hangin' Round make a lot more sense. The first half of the album sounds like T. Rex and The Velvet Underground made a record together (well besides Perfect Day where Reed does his best Sinatra by way of Cohen) and I'm here for it. Once A Walk on the Wild Side hits though, it all gets a little more interesting. That Sax and then the Tuba on Make Up. He has a really unique voice. It isn't quite as evident in the Velvet Underground stuff probably because there is just a lot more noise. He makes interesting choices vocally. This was my first time listening to this album and I will be sure to return to it.

this one I have as a vinyl! - not a fan of hangin’ ‘round

Heroinnnnnnn

Jammin

Pretty good I like Probably 8/10

Brilliant.

Hat alleine wegen "Perfect Day" schon eine 4 verdient. Insgesamt irgendwas zwischen 3 und 4.

About as close to a 5 star as a 4 can get idk it’s so close but it just is too flawed but what’s good there is so great satellite of love might be the best think Lou ever did

GOOD

Great tunes, some of those lyrics though...

Kind of like an understandable Bob Dylan, but cooler and definitely more chill. You can hear how his sound influenced many, including this album's producer, David Bowie. Some solid tunes on this album, with just a few "uh, okay - what was that about" moments. All in all, an album worthy of the list.

its called transformer but wheres optimus prime or bumblebee?? explain?! fav songs: andys chest, perfect day, hangin round, im so free, goodnight ladies

7.5/10 Perfect Day stands out the most. Walk on the wild side is great. Mostly good.

Surprised me

He's an odd one, but a hell of a songwriter.

Favourite song: Perfect Day

I really enjoyed this album and listened several times. There are some hits on here that were very familiar (Perfect Day! Walk on the Wild Side!) but I don't think I've ever heard the album and I really enjoyed listening to it in full. It still manages to sound edgy and cool after all this time and the message is on point. Probably not surprising since Bowie was involved. An easy 4/5 for me.

Perfect Day is one the best songs ever. Walk on the Wild Side is a classic. Favorite Tracks: Perfect Day, Vicious, Walk on the Wild Side, Make Up, Satellite of Love, Wagon Wheel, New York Telephone Conversation, Goodnight Ladies. 4/5

Good album. Enjoyed the variety

I really liked this album. Fav tracks: Vicious, Hangin’ Round, Walk On The Wild Side, Perfect Day

Just a perfect day You made me forget myself I thought I was Someone else, someone good.

Giving Bowie and The Stooges tbh. Not enough of music buff to know much about him but the album was great, sometimes a little slow but would probably listen again.

Yeah nice, some bangers on here.

hyvää musiikkia...Transformerit ovat kotoisin kaukaa avaruudessa sijaitsevalta Cybertron-planeetalta, jossa kaikki elämä on mekaanista. Robotit ovat jakaantuneet hyviin Autobotteihin sekä pahoihin Decepticoneihin, jotka ovat taistelleet keskenään jo kauan. Robotit tulivat aikanaan myös Maapallolle jatkamaan keskinäistä taisteluaan, missä ne tuottivat paljon vahinkoa myös ihmisille... hell music...devil songs...ei heti luulisi mutta on.. perfect day

7.6, Great production and sound but mildly creepy lyrics. Amazing record though.

Wasn't expecting so many hits in there

So easy. The voice, the rhythm, it just all plays. Without any effort. Can hear the Bowie.

Lou takes a break from shagging Iggy and gets an album produced by Bowie. His pop smarts are here in spades. Classic tracks abound and even those that have been overplayed don't sound tired in this album setting. There are occasional dips with some of the off-Broadway brass section tunes but this is a confirmed classic album. Best Tracks: Vicious; Walk on the Wild Side; Satellite of Love

Pues genial(PSP)

Fav walk on the wild side, Wagon wheel Least fav Andy’s chest The 3 song run from perfect day-walk on the wild side is amazing DANGER OOOUOH

I love this album! Couple of my favorite Lou Reed songs on this one. I just love the feel and the sound of this album. Brings you right back to New York about late seventies early 80's.

All in all, i really enjoyed it.

Good for background and feelings vibes.

Fascinating use of percussion to fill in the soundscape. The whole album feels satirical and fun, yet serious and brooding at times. Reeds voice sounds tired, but very unique and fits the style well. Lyrical content is interesting. I had a hard time deciphering if Reed was being satirical most of the time. Really a work of art.

This isn't at all my type of music. But I'm not an idiot. I appreciate what this album is and I can appreciate how it sounds. It sounds pretty good. I liked this album a surprising amount, actually. Lou has a really sick ass voice it sounds kind of drowsy at times and it just sounds good. There was a moment where I was listening to one of the songs and I thought that the production sounded really good so I looked over at Spotify to see who produced it and noticed that this album came out in 1972. I have so much respect for Lou and everyone else who worked on this album. To make such beautiful and vivid songs on such primitive technology. That sounds kind of rude lmao. Really solid album I enjoyed it. Goodnight ladies was a great closer.

Good album but Lou Reed's voice kinda pisses me off sometimes.

Great album. Love Lou Reed

Lou reed e nice with it ja gillar hans röst

Cool album. A bit on the fence with quite how much I like the music but it’s something like a decent 4

Bra skiva! Walk on the Wild Side är överlägset hårdast thouuu

Exceptional Standouts: Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side, Satellite of Love,

Some classics here but also some pretty out there stuff

i like lou reed in general. as part of this project, i was subjected to velvet underground's atrocious second album, and transformer is so much more palatable than that. there was some weirdness, but it wasn't overpowering. the quirks remind me of reed's punk origins. he leans more into rock on transformer, but he dips his toe into punk and pop, and jazz? i mean, i admired the tuba and saxophone inclusion on "goodnight ladies" but it was unusual on the album. i guess that ties back into punk, huh? reed's voice struck me. like some other musicians of this time period, they weren't strong singers--alice cooper comes to mind immediately. but these kinds of singers have unique voices and bring something different to their songs. in fact, reed's steady voice is perfect for slower songs like "perfect day" or "satellite of love." lyrics tend to be stronger, i think, for these kinds of musicians. the first few opening lines of "vicious" seems to prove that. 3.5

sonzao, classico e pa

Here's an example of an influential album that certainly influenced folks but still sounds fresh

Paar hele goeie en een paar waarvan ik dacht mwah

Soft vocals, talk singing. Some of the songs have more action than others, but overall Lou has a knack for composing a rhythmic compilation. He has created interesting lyrics with uncommon story telling and fun choruses. He employs some various instrumentals including keys, horns, and strings. The quality of the album is adequate.

"Transformer" is the second studio album by American recirding artist Lou Reed. It was produced by Mick Ronson and David Bowie who helped promote it. Both Ronson and Bowie were also musicians in the band and some songs do very much sound like early 70's Bowie. Reed had written the songs while in The Velvet Underground and, I know, there's some versions of these songs if you search the VU discography catalogue. The album is considered an influential landmark in the glam rock genre. It also gave Reed commercial success and took him from cult status to international fame. "Vicious" was written at the request of Andy Warhol. When Reed asked Warhol about vicious, Warhol said "vicious, like getting hit with a flower." Sure enough that lyric appears in the song. A nice Velvet Underground guitar melody. Ronson on lead guitar gives a unique, scratchy, searing solo. A melancholy piano, guitar and a string arrangement by Ronson highlight "Perfect Day." About heroin and one of Reed's best songs. Speaking of Reed's best songs, side one ends with "Walk On the Wild Side." The classic bass line. The doo-doo-doos. Name another song you think of when you hear Polly. OK, Nirvana don't count. Sexual orientation, gender identity, prostitution, drug use. And it's 1972. Another Reed classic "Satellite of Love" was written as Reed observed a guy watching a satellite launch. About jealously. Great piano melody and backing vocals. "I'm So Free" is more rockin' and a good glam rock example. The album ends with "Good Night Ladies " I didn't know Reed had New Orleans ragtime in him. Horns. Jazzy. Whimsical. The title based on a T.S. Elliot poem and also a line from Shakespeare's Ophelia right before she dies. The highs on this album are super high from the Lou Reed cannon. The other songs are decent, maybe though, not at his Velvet Underground level. The influence of Bowie and Ronson are heard throughout. The album is very good and definitely worthy a listen if you haven't yet and a re-listen if you have.

Somewhere between 4 and 5. Continues the clever songwriting and easy but unforgettable hooks of Velvet Underground, and cuts new ground in the glam rock direction, no doubt because Bowie and Ronson were behind it. The subject matter is really out there for the US in the 70s, and even the quirkiest tracks have an edge to them. I've listened many times and will continue to do so.

Bereits gehört. Ikonisch. 8-9/10

Lou Reed is truly an icon. I absolutely loved Walk On the Wild Side and Vicious. His sound is very unique, but David Bowie producing the album does influence the sound a bit.

I ♡ Lou Reed. I like to pretend he's my ultra weird uncle and I'm just so proud of every one of his quirky songs.

Interesting album, very varied, very good guitar.

I am ashamed to admit I had no idea the David Bowie produced this album. I’ve listened to it so many times in the past. After reading that and listening again I notice it so much. Landmark album.

This is exactly what I was in the mood for today. Thanks to this challenge, I went down a Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, and Iggy Pop rabbit hole. Perfect Day & Walk On the Wild Side are classics, and I love Satellite of Love. The album gets a little sleepy at times, but it's such a solid listen, I left it on repeat. 4 stars.

Different song styles, catchy groovy stuff. Some progressive messaging for a 1972 album with "Make Up". Overall good listen.

Robert a tellement de cocaïne dans les nasaux que même les albums de Lou Reed en deviennent bon. Il paraît d'ailleurs que Reed a attendu que Nico soit partie faire les courses pour enregistrer l'album en vitesse et ainsi éviter toutes les ondes négatives émanant de celle-ci. Et quelle bonne idée...

This album slowly and surprisingly won me over.

Lyrically with is going on. Its interesting stuff, will listen again

No stinkers, great composition.

I've owned this album for years. Solid 9.7/10

Very 70s feel good soft rock music, loved it and love him :)

“Walk on the Wild Side” — the most popular and commercially successful song off Lou Reed’s seminal second solo album (and one i already knew) — is a song i consider to be borderline perfect. Reed perfectly creates a mood peppered with tranquility and light nostalgia as he recalls experiences of close friends walking on the wild side. it is a testament to Reed’s quietly epic writing and David Bowie’s rich production that the rest of the album surrounding that centerpiece manages to hold up lyrically and sonically. Reed doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but the music on Transformer still feel particularly otherworldly in how they ebb, so non-intrusively, that you don’t realize how much of a punch they pack until you’re square on the ground. Reed’s greatest strength here is his ability to evoke: on “Perfect Day”, for example, he pens a tune that so succinctly feels like the contentment and peace derived from a sweetly mundane day; on “Andy’s Chest”, his humor shines through as his words bleed care and affection for a dear friend; and then there’s “Satellite of Love”, a beast of emotional turmoil and pain that genuinely threatens to eclipse “Walk on the Wild Side” with its simple descriptions and comparisons. there are some songs that break up the album’s tight pace and let some steam off the top, but one can’t ask for a better representation of an era of music that just wanted to see people feel to the fullest.

Bra greier!! Et par bangers der også. Merker godt at David Bowie har produsert

Real cool

Heel fijn album, Walk on the wild side en Perfect Day zijn natuurlijk super, en de rest is ook wel fijn. Alleen net niet goed genoeg genoeg voor 5 sterren, ik geef er 4.

good

Transformer is a great and classic glam rock record and deserves the praise it got throughout the years. Some killer tracks like "Vicious", "Perfect Day", "Walk On The Wild Side" and "Satellite of Love" rises this album up there with other great rock classic. However, this album is far from perfect with fillers like "New York Conversation" and "Goodnight Ladies" paling in comparison with the great tracks here. 8,5/10

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Vicious, Perfect day, Wagon wheel

Perfect Day is just about a perfect song. There's a few other greats on here. At times I was a little underwhelmed, but overall, a great album.

This is Lou’s most accessible album and very pleasant on my ears, which are still recovering from White Light/White Heat. The song writing is solid throughout, though at times the lyrics go from clever to goofy. I like the lesser known tracks, (like Andy’s Chest and Make-up and Perfect Day) especially when they feature a tuba. I didn’t realize that the reigning Spiders from Mars produced this and contributed in a big way to the overall sound.

Really strong songwriting in my opinion. I really enjoy the arrangements of the songs as well.

4.5. Some all time greats and a few duds

Expected irritating, pretentious, monotony. Pleasantly surprised that I didn’t get that. Really good songwriting. Lots of melody. Reed’s delivery of talk-singing is unique and interesting, but what I like most is every lyric is understandable throughout. I always taken in the musical quality of lyrics, but not the meaning, because they’re always so hard for me to understand. This was refreshing in that sense. 1 = bad 2 = average 3 = good 4 = great 5 = outstanding

Percebi com uma obra fundamental do pop rock ao escutar o hit Perfect Day no contexto da construção do disco. Apresenta uma leveza com profundidade sonora sustentada com os pilares que são além de Perfect Day, Walk o the wild side.

pretty nice

Fantastic album! 4 clear stand outs: Sattelite of Love, Walk On The Wild Side, Perfect day and Vicious

Lou Reed's Transformer is a seminal piece of art rock, which has spawn countless imitations, cover versions and film adaptations. U2 and Lloyd Cole's versions are among the strongest). While some of the themes play off of earlier content by The Kinks (Lola) and David Bowie's (also the album producer) entire ethos, Lou Reed's delivery made these themes distinctly his own. As a result, the album can also be considered at the forefront of a global conversation about #LGBTQ rights and equality. The album also transports the listener to the dark and dirty back alleys of early 1970s New York City's night life and sexual underworld. All good things...

Ein af þessum snilldarplötum frá fæðingarári mínu. Mæli með!

I enjoyed a lot. Very interesting character.

Some great tracks here

A good fun time.

First half is amazing, second half could be a bit better

Amazing album

Transformer by Lou Reed cemented him as a rock and roll legend. Some of his best material turns up on here. 'Viscious' and 'Hangin' Around' are some of my personal favourites, as well as 'Walk On the Wild Side', obviously. Unlike the Iggy Pop record Lust For Life which we reviewed a few weeks ago, the Bowie influence on here is not as jarring, yet it's still noticeable. 'Perfect Day' and 'Satellite of Love' have Bowie's fingerprints all over it, yet these tunes don't lose Reed's charisma through his witty lyrics and that forever recognisable voice. There's a slight drop off in quality on the back end in comparison to the first half, however I still thoroughly enjoy Transformer. Awesome record!

Lou was actually capable of writing the occasional album of accessible and enjoyable songs, post Velvets, and this his most consistent and best solo album. Bowie's production really lifts the songs. Mark Ronson and Herbie Flowers need to be highlighted as best on field for their playing contributions. Some absolute classic songs (Wild Side, Satellite, Vicious).

This album is so cozy even with Reed's imperfect voice. Perfect Day sounds like something straight out of a movie soundtrack. Also the production quality sounds way better than other albums from its time. Fave track(s): Perfect Day, Satellite of Love

diver

Really enjoyed half the songs and hated the others. A divisive but good album

A very good album, not quite 5 star worthy because a few songs aren't all that great. Quite possibly Lou's best post-VU work.

Le rappeur préféré de mon rappeur préféré

petite journée parfaite là 🫠

This is such an inherently interesting album, full of well crafted songs that are so much fun to listen to. The real spark of this album lies in how Lou Reed tempers the darker, more prickly aspects of his sound with moments of sweetness and vulnerability. This is arguably Reed's best album. Fave Songs: Satellite of Love, Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day, Vicious, Goodnight Ladies, I'm So Free

4/5 Seeeehhhr iconic Aber faktisch ist Lou Reed einfach nicht so gut Lou Reed Live ist das einzige gute Album an dem er beteiligt war, inklusive Velvet underground stuff

Highlights: Hangin' Round, Perfect Day, Make Up. Didn't realize just how much I like Lou Reed, and I can hear the lines connecting this album to the artists he influenced, which is always fun.

Amazing album until the last song which feels like I am attending a bad pantomime.

Incredible album, Lou reed is simply fantastic, however it doesn't quite have the punch of his stuff while with the velvet underground so it leaves a little to be desired. Fav song: vicious Least fav song: Andy's chest

Giving it a 4 for the good stuff and I can tell it was pretty cutting edge musically. The album in totality is a 2.75

lou reed as an artist is so hit-or-miss for me, and this album really encapsulated that, with some tracks I love and others that I really wanted to hit skip on. overall, it takes a positive review because the highs are really high , and even when the lyrics made me cringe, those david bowie touches in the production held things together. 7/10

8/10. Really rather nice, lyrically quite cool. And always fun to learn where a memorable sample comes from

What a strange album. Lou Reed has a pretty mediocre voice but I caught enough of the lyrics to like the overall package. 7/10

I’ve heard the big hit but also “Perfect Day”. I really like this album because it sounds like early New Wave but there’s less electronic synths that true new wave

Really enjoyed the witty lyrics and riffs. Goodbye Ladies is a fantastic track

Honestly it was just a really nice album. A great record.

Lou Reed is one of those artists who I think is a good song writer, but I don’t like the way he performs his own songs. I almost always prefer the covers to his originals.

This was dope!

No idea that so many big classics were packed onto one album. Particularly loved Vicious - excellent opener. Andy’s Chest did absolutely nothing for me but everything else is absolute perfection.

Before going into this, I was pretty excited. I've heard Walk on the Wild Side before and thought it was decent, but loved Satellite of Love and Perfect Day. I've been meaning to listen to this for a while. Upon listening to Transformer in full, I can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed. There are a few additional songs I like including Vicious and Make Up, but I didn't care for the album after Satellite. Its still a good album, but my expectations were probably a bit too high coming into this.

Glam rock

4/5 very nice!!!

Fun, clever, good music. A unique slice.

I already knew Lou Reed so this album style was not much of a surprise for me! I do quite like the overall vibe: there's something quite soothing about the general rhythm and voice tones! Fav Track: Perfect Day

good

I liked it

soothing, very soothing. this really calmed me and made my day better. :)

Por mucho que me gusten las canciones que más me gustan, he de reconocer que muchas de ellas no me dicen tanto. Eso baja la puntuación al cuatro o incluso a un tres. Pero es que solo las canciones más buenas ya sostienen el disco de forma que no puedo bajarlo hasta un tres. Cuatro se queda.

Nice and chill, good mix of sad happy and funny. Take a walk on the wild side bro.

Very enjoyable. Like a missing Velvet Underground album.

This was the type of album where every song was pretty great, but as a whole it got a smidge too samey. But man, some groundbreaking stuff here, especially lyrical content-wise.

Lou Reed was a referent. The best songs in this album are "Vicious" and "Walk on the wild side".

Expanding my mind yo!

Wow. Best album i’ve never heard. So many great songs!

aka Ziggy goes to NY. Skuzzy, just how I like it.

4.5

Great album to put into the rotation. Proto-indie rock in many ways. Great songs

Big fan. However the album includes the sublime and the ridiculous. Classics inter dispersed with cabaret tunes. Cover art 5/5 iconic in its own way

классика которую я не особо внимательно послушала из-за социальной жизни

Great collection of songs. Reminded me of Adam Green

A fun and pretty good little album. Lots of recognisable songs alongside a few lesser known, but listenable pieces. My first real Lou Reed exposure was a Nelson Mandela celebration concert and I did not "get" the gruff atonal man or know about his Velvet Underground past. Now I still find his voice languid and a bit annoying, but I quite enjoy it's unique sound and it fits well with the excellent songs. I agree with others that some rhyming is childish, but so it was with the Beatles and Beach Boys. Great album.

wanted to give this a 5 but the end of the album kinda dropped off. too much filler. great songs are great though

A fantastic album, combining the wit and poetry of someone like Leonard Cohen with the punk sensibilities of Iggy Pop. World-weary, weird, and wise

Hell yeah. Sure, his voice is bad, but cut Lou some slack. He and David were inventing bisexuality!

Very close to a 5 falls a bit short second half

Listened to on 7/11/22 4/5 Favorite song: Perfect Day The cover for this album is so contradictory to what it is - very calm and relaxing background

Really great album! Beautifully produced and performed collection of 70's rock music. Favourite songs are Vicious (fav), Perfect Day, Hangin' Round, Walk On the Wild Side, Make Up, and I'm So Free. However, I feel like the lyricism is kinda lacking, giving me no idea about what the overall message or goal or concept of the album.

Classic Lou Reed album, not my favourite of his, that distinction goes to Coney Island Baby which has a more relaxed and personal feel, but Transformer is the album that gave Lou his solo voice and launched his career. And of course it has classic songs like Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day and Satellite of Love which have all become classics. It does have some filler material as well which keeps it from being a 5 star album. 4.5 stars

Pensé que no me guataba Lou Reed pero me sorprendió. Ya vi de donde sacaron las cosas The Clash y Sex Pistols y similares, the birth of punk

The whole package. Lou Reed crosses the punk, post-punk eras and launches himself into glam with the much needed help of David Bowie. This album is such a gem of a listen.

A psychedelic depression with expressionistic overtones. Love him. (7/10) FT: Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side

I liked this album. A slightly jazzier velvet underground. I suspect this album grows on you, but for now only four

Some great songs. Perfect day.

Certainly interesting to see the beginnings of what his supporters believed in. Perfect Day is such an incredible song. Walk On the Wild Side is such a classic along with Satellite of Love. But there's a few oddballs in the mix as well.

Some parts were coffee by the fireplace, while other parts were strolling down the street in studded leather. A good balance, I'd say.

Some good songs on this one, but also some throw aways. Doesn’t reach the heights of the Velvet Underground and Nico.

I'm sorry, my rules are strict; if you have a song with the lyric "little girl", you lose a star, no matter how good the rest is.

Loved the well known tracks, they were excellent. Not so bothered about most of the rest. Think the great tracks elevated it to a 4*

One of those albums where the lesser knows tracks outperform the chart toppers...

The older I get, the more I love Lou Reed. Among musicians that are artists...I think he is a king. He didn't give a fuck what anyone else was doing, he just did what he wanted. The Velvet underground never got him any commercial success and his first album was kinda blah, so hooking up with Bowie (who produced this album) while he was in Europe he came up with this masterpiece. Walk on the Wild Side, Sattelitte of Love, NY Conversation. All amazing. Love this.

Say what you will about Lou Reed, he always puts together an interesting album. It's been a few years since I've revisited Transformer. For some reason I always think this album is going to be more intense than it is. Perhaps its the combination of the title and cover art. Regardless, this is a cool album. Relax, yet very engaging, like a lot of Reed's work. Perhaps his finest work outside of the Velvet Underground 4/5

Taboe-doorbrekend, en met goeie muziek

Några bangers

lou reeed is smoooooth

I really dig it

Much better storytelling voice than Dylan. Can actually sing too

This record has a cool feel to it. I imagine it's exactly what NYC in the 70's felt like. A bit sleazy, a bit scary, a cool mystique. Lou has such an interesting voice and delivery. Hard to imitate. A classic record.

The three "hits" (read: The songs you know) are unabashed classics, which also makes this Reed's most accessible work. I'm all for Reed and the Velvets appearing on the list. I even love a few other of the album cuts on here (although a couple are an absolute snooze). This baby is a Sweet Jane away from being bumped up to 5 territory.

I've read Reed himself disdained this album at least somewhat but I love it. Wild Side, Perfect Day, I'm So Free... it's rock and roll, it's sweetness with hard edges, and queer as hell to boot. Essential.

A really nice album, great for a late listen with a couple of beers. Some amazing songs and topped off with that sublime oboe solo on Walk in the Wild Side

um clássico de Lou que nunca havia parado pra ouvir na íntegra, só conhecia uma das faixas. não é surpresa de que gostei - embora não seja o tipo de som que ando consumindo atualmente - pelo simples fato de ser atemporal

I would love to know what concoction of "medicine" he was on when this was written. I do like the album, and even though some of his bigger songs are on this album, I actually liked the songs 'Hangin' 'Round' and 'I'm So Free'