release date: Jan. 14, 1992
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Lou Reed, Mike Rathke
label: Sire / Warner Bros. - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Dorita (The Spirit)" - 2. "What's Good (The Thesis)" (4 / 5) (live on Letterman) - 3. "Power & Glory (The Situation)" (live) - 5. "Sword of Damocles (Externally)" (4 / 5) (live) - 7. "Cremation (Ashes to Ashes)" - 8. "Dreamin' (Escape)" - 9. "No Chance (Regret)" - 11. "Harry's Circumcision (Reverie Gone Astray)" - 14. "Magic and Loss (The Summation)"
16th studio album by Lou Reed is in many ways like a fine conglomerate of his best album in almost 20 years, New York (1989) and his collaboration album with John Cale: Songs for Drella (1990). This is almost as great as the '89 album, and in some ways I like it better, although, it may not be as consistently great throughout. Guitarist Mike Rathke, who also participated on New York is again Lou's right hand, now as co-producer, and also co-writer of five of the album's 14 compositions. Thematically, the album is also a blend of the two previous albums, but without being just a copy.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5 stars ]
