Mistrial [Limited]

Performer: Lou Reed
Artist: Ruben Blades
Producer: Lou Reed; Fernando Saunders...
Distributor: MSI Music Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Lou Reed (vocals, guitar); Eddie Martinez (guitar); Fernando Saunders (guitar, piano, bass synthesizer, bass, drum programming, percussion, background vocals); Rick Bell (tenor saxophone); J.T. Lewis (drums); Sammy Merendino (percussion, drum programming); Jim Carroll (background vocals). Engineers: David Greenberg, Bruce Lampcov. Recorded at the Power Station, New York. After three successive accomplished and mature albums, Lou Reed made an attempt to stay current with the stilted Mistrial. Six of the songs are driven by drum machines, which certainly gives the music a robotic feel. However, Reed doesn't help the situation any by turning in a set of songs that are stripped back to their bare rhythms, lacking memorable hooks and melodies. All of these spartan arrangements are designed to attract attention to the lyrics, which aren't among his finest efforts. Reed is in a social protest mode, particularly attacking violence, in both its domestic and global incarnations. Instead of personalizing the material, he relies on platitudes, which tend to make the processed chords and beats of the music even more grating. Nevertheless, he ends the album with two ballads that showcase many of his finer musical and lyrical skills. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Lou Reed is among the most literate wordsmiths in rock & roll history. His first decade of post-Velvet Underground work included some undeniable high points (BERLIN, the David Bowie-produced TRANSFORMER) but he was plagued by inconsistency. Reed came back with a vengeance in the '80s and '90s, though, producing some truly powerful work (THE BLUE MASK, NEW YORK). Throughout his solo career he's collaborated with everyone from former bandmate John Cale to avant garde theater king Robert Wilson. Through it all, Reed remains the quintessential urban poet, and undoubtedly one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.

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