Lou Reed - Transformer By Mark Montes

What is the New York underground without Lou Reed? And who is Lou Reed without “Transformer.” So what does a successful musician do in between hit albums? That’s easy; they help produce hit albums for people who inspired them. A little bit far fetched? Not if you’re David Bowie. In 1971 London’s number one glam rock icon David bowie and band mate Mick Ronson met with Lou Reed to discuss producing the ex velvet underground’s sophomore album. Who could have thought the young could teach the old something new? Although Reed and Bowie are only five years apart, Bowie still felt intimidated by helping one of his heroes put a new album together. Especially after Reed’s first self titled album did nothing to overshadow his work in the velvet underground. Transformer is an 11 track album filled with pure 70’s rock n roll. The album starts off with a mellow upbeat song titled “Vicious” which has a very well structured chorus backed by well arranged guitars. Although the second track on the album titled “Andy’s Chest” is nothing too “oooh” and “aahh” about the next three tracks are definitely something to write home about. starting with “Perfect Day” which is a little more heart rendering to a normal Lou Reed listener; nonetheless it has a nice feel to it something to relax too, preparing you for the next track “Hangin’ ‘Round” almost exactly opposite in meaning to it previous track. It makes you wish you could sing like Lou himself hitting melodies at all types of highs and lows. The fifth track “Walk On The Wild Side,” which made transformer a hit maintains an almost haunting but genius bass line invites you to take a look at the New York life of drugs, and drag queens which is in actuality a song describing all of Andy Warhol’s factory crew at the time. The next track “Make Up” is an ideal track for listening, but it’s not quite as strong of a song as its predecessor “Satellite of Love,” where both David Bowie and Lou Reed collaborated on vocal harmonies helping make the song what it is. Rolling right into “Wagon Wheel” a lick with more of a Rolling Stones like feel to it; in this track Reed shares the mic with Ronson and the Thunder Thighs, who help fill the verses almost perfectly. Track 10 is the first song in which Bowie shares those blissful melodies with Reed; “New York Telephone Conversation” gives you an idea of what New Yorkers cared about during the 70’s although its short in duration its “just a New York conversation..” Track number 11 “I’m So Free” gets your hips moving, and fingers snapping with its great guitar arrangements. Perfectly produced; David Bowie lends a little bit of vocals to help Lou Reed keep the song worthy of finger snapping and living up to its title of feeling so free. Although “Goodnight Ladies” is the final track on this album I guarantee what will be in your head all day is “Walk On The Wild Side,” and at night all you will be hearing before you go to bed is its trademark bass line “doo-doo-dooo-doo-doo.” After all this album is what it is because it took a walk on the wild side….