release date: Jan. 6, 1989
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Lou Reed, Fred Maher
label: Sire Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Romeo Had Juliette" (4 / 5) - 3. "Dirty Blvd." (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "There Is No Time" - 6. "Last Great American Whale" (4 / 5) - 10. "Hold On" (4 / 5) - 11. "Good Evening Mr. Waldheim" - 13. "Strawman"
15th studio album by Lou Reed released after an unusual long time since his last studio album. Reed wasn't an artist with huge sales numbers but this one in particular is his perhaps most succesful commercial album release ever. Transformer also sold platinum but that album has had several heydays since its release in '72, and has made its way to the top via retrospective reviews ovr many years, whereas New York simply was an immediate success. Somehow, it shook off critics, or just came at the right time and place - somewhat unexpected after the poor Mistrial (1986), which didn't live up to his series of strong albums in the 80s; however, this also stands as one of his best ever albums. Not only is it a fine melodic balanced pop / rock album with strong rock roots at the bottom of all compositions, it's also a marvellous homogeneous and near conceptual album with stories about the city of his life. It's also one of only a few Lou Reed albums where you actually may think of him as an actual band leader - there's such a fine support to back up each and every song. The cover could suggest that it's a band, until you notice that it's five versions of himself.
Reed has made many fine albums in his long solo career but few are of this coherent quality from start to finish. This is his best album since 1972 and imho, it's his second best album ever.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Chicago Tribune 4 / 4, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]
