Lou Reed and Metallica record an album together

[cavorting with nudists]

How far below par?

I don't really have a metal-liking bone in my body, but I can't quite give up on Lou.  Apart from that dumb Edgar Allan Poe thing which I haven't heard and don't want to, I actually kind of like his recent crappy albums more than most people, I think.

[Christina]

I phrased it differently on twitter yesterday, but the song I heard was straight up Wesley Willis - it was just Lou Reed talking over an instrumental Metallica track.

[JonFromMaplewood]

I phrased it differently on twitter yesterday, but the song I heard was straight up Wesley Willis - it was just Lou Reed talking over an instrumental Metallica track.

I'm now thinking that this collaboration would have worked much better if it was Lou Reed and Metallica doing Wesley Willis covers exclusively.

[Omar]

I like the album.  While I can certainly understand people not liking it, especially if you have no interest in Metallica, the notion that this is some complete heap of trash (e.g., Pitchfork's 1.0/10, among many other extreme pans) is absurd.  It's a one-off experiment, and within that context, it's an intriguing effort.  If one is predisposed to loathe the album, it certainly provides an easy target for ridicule.

Stuff like this from Klosterman: "If the Red Hot Chili Peppers acoustically covered the 12 worst Primus songs for Starbucks, it would still be (slightly) better than this."

What a clown.  Hilarious stuff, Charles!  You nailed it again!

Within some metal circles, the same people who find this repellent are giving fairly high marks to the new Megadeth album, which is mostly a respectable, workmanlike effort, but considerably less interesting than the Loutallica oddity.  As for Lou Reed's yell-singing, it's not like David Mustaine is unleashing his luscious liquid gold pipes.

As for the Wesley Willis connection, I'm pretty sure I heard Lou bark, "Timex! Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" and something about drinking milkshakes with Liz Phair during "Pumping Blood."

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I'm kind of relieved that it's not on Spotify yet.

[daveB from Oakland]

I'm kind of relieved that it's not on Spotify yet.

It's on grooveshark. Listening at work. Just heard the first lyric of the first song. Hoo boy.

[nec13]

I like the album.  While I can certainly understand people not liking it, especially if you have no interest in Metallica, the notion that this is some complete heap of trash (e.g., Pitchfork's 1.0/10, among many other extreme pans) is absurd.  It's a one-off experiment, and within that context, it's an intriguing effort.  If one is predisposed to loathe the album, it certainly provides an easy target for ridicule.

Stuff like this from Klosterman: "If the Red Hot Chili Peppers acoustically covered the 12 worst Primus songs for Starbucks, it would still be (slightly) better than this."

What a clown.  Hilarious stuff, Charles!  You nailed it again!

Within some metal circles, the same people who find this repellent are giving fairly high marks to the new Megadeth album, which is mostly a respectable, workmanlike effort, but considerably less interesting than the Loutallica oddity.  As for Lou Reed's yell-singing, it's not like David Mustaine is unleashing his luscious liquid gold pipes.

As for the Wesley Willis connection, I'm pretty sure I heard Lou bark, "Timex! Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" and something about drinking milkshakes with Liz Phair during "Pumping Blood."

I believe that people have gone overboard in their criticism of this album. Chuck Klosterman's review, in particular, was ridiculous. The album is not great by any stretch, but it's not terrible either. Yes, the lyrics are turgid and repellent. But the music itself really isn't all that bad. It's sort of what I expected a Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration to sound like. And even if you  consider this experiment a failure, I believe that you at least have to give them credit for attempting to do something different. Right?

To me, this album was/is a lot more interesting than whatever generic indie schlock Pitchfork is hyping this week.

[cavorting with nudists]

I played it once through while doing something else.  The music Metallica makes isn't even slightly to my taste.  The songs were a mess. The lyrics made me want to puke and Lou's voice is horrible. I kinda liked it.

[Smelodies]

it was just Lou Reed talking over an instrumental

That sums up "Dirty Boulevard."

[cavorting with nudists]

Not to mention "The Gift." (I know, that was John Cale, you get the point.)

[Christina]

Maybe I should clarify that it sounded like he was recorded talking over a different instrumental track, and then this was bolted onto the other one.

[Ojingeo]

How far below par?

Just below par. Better than the Raven. Lou Reed has done worse. And so has Metallica. Probably best thing Metallica has done since the black album. Not a huge fan of metallica--but I like the early stuff.

Anyhow, I don't get the critic-dogpile. But, that's critics, I guess. IT WAS SOMETHING NOT MEANT TO BE. I think critics would have feared of being made fun if they had written anything positive about it. I'm sure there are some contrarian voices saying "It's not that bad."

Or, moreover, Metallica has been the antithesis of cool since Nirvana. The Billy Joel of metal after Sad But True. And not even Lou's gravitas can help them. I don't know where that leaves us. 

[nec13]

Personally, I believe that this is the second best thing that Lou Reed has ever done, "Take No Prisoners" being the best.

I'm sorry, but Lou Reed's solo ventures have never done anything for me. I honestly can't think of any Reed album that I've found enjoyable from beginning to end.

[Ojingeo]

Transformer and Berlin inclusive? He's done a lot of crap...but still. Give him a point for Satellite of Love, even if it is Bowie doing the ziggywork.

[snacoman]

I love the phrase "The Billy Joel of Metal".  It sums Metallica up so perfectly.