Transformer - Lou Reed

This is the sophomore solo album by ex-Velvet Underground lead singer, Lou Reed. Now I watched the Classic Albums doc on this and I gained a new appreciation for it. Before that this was one of those "I'll listen to it eventually" albums. Even though I knew that David Bowie produced the album. I heard a few songs from it and decided to do a review.

1. Vicious: I don't know if there is a specific reason, but I keep listening to this song. I don't think it's the best song on the album, but there is something about it that makes it catchy. This is a good way to start out an album. It gets your attention and it kind of keeps it. I like how the drums sound like a "metrognome". The lyrics are kind of dark. Not sadistic, but the type of dark that reminds me a little of One More Minute by "Weird Al". Tongue-and-cheek dark.
2. Andy's Chest: I guess this is about how Andy Warhol was shot. This is a decent song, I mean that I don't think it's mind blowing, but it's ok. I think that this track does have some significance to Lou. But you know, I just am not super into it. The more I hear it the better it gets, but for right now, I'm not in love with it.
3. Perfect Day: I was just, before I started the review, listening to Duran Duran's cover of this song off their Thank You album. The more I listen to it the better it gets. The more "perfect" it gets. Here are the legendary Mick Ronson strings. Damn, if I could have ever had the chance meet this guy. But I can't, :(. This song though has this pretty piano and the strings that go along with it. I mean, Damn.
4. Hangin' 'Round: This is a total Bowie song. I could almost see this being an outtake from Ziggy Stardust sessions. It's kind of uncanny about how much this is like one of those tracks. I'm assuming that it sounds like that because Bowie helped, but still. This reminds me of a song off that album.
5. Walk On The Wild Side: I love the way this song is. I don't love it, how it turned out, but it's amazing. That contradicts itself but I love the way this song is, the instrumentation, just the overall. I love the lyrics and love the way it IS, but I'm not in LOVE with it, if that makes sense? I think the way the instrumentation is and the whole overall idea about it is awesome, but I'm not crazy about how it turned out? I like it, but I wish it was a little more exciting. This is a relaxing track. I guess you could compare it to Soul Love.
6. Make Up: I'm not a huge fan of this song either. I get what it's talking about, but I don't think it's anything special. If I had a choice I'd probably skip this track, but it's not horrible.
7. Satellite Of Love: This song is just... it took me by surprise. I never really cared for The Velvets but after this song, I decided to check them out. They aren't as bad as I though, and I plan on reviewing one of their albums I've yet to touch later this month. This is by far my favorite song by Lou that I've heard. I heard a demo of this song from the Loaded deluxe album. Only that demo. It's not as good as this version. I do like it tough. It has one of my favorite chord progressions and is one of the funnest songs I know how to play. The whole "I've been told". This is my favorite part and it's so much fun to play along with. The ending that is like ad-libbed, it's great. I love David's high notes in that outro. Something I don't think he used enough on his, if at all, Next Day.
8. Wagon Wheel: This song reminds me of The Velvet Underground. I'm not huge on that band, but you know, it's not that terrible of a track. It's hard to live up to that last track.
9. New York Telephone Conversation: This is a fun song. I can honestly say I never though Lou Reed would do anything like this. Maybe David had an influence on him, but still. This is a silly song, and probably the most silly. I love this song, it's so weird that I don't think it could ever work unless Davey had something to do with it. This is a very fun song and I hope I could write a song almost as fun as this is to listen to.
10. I'm So Free: This song is a little more return to this sound of glam rock, more so than that last song. It actually reminds me of the Wagon Wheel track a little.
11. Goodnight Ladies: This is a great ending to this album. It's a bizarre and it's an awesome ender. It's like a glammed up version  of Good Night off 1968's self titled album The Beatles. Its a great track and if you've never heard it, I'd definitely listen to this first or second to Satellite.

Overall I have to give this album a 8.6/10. I understand this thing. Lou Reed seems like a guy who is dirty and one of those Factory Kids who hung with Warhol, but this is a silly album. It is the opposite of the dark Velvet Underground albums. Just listen to any track off this album, then any track off The Velvet Underground & Nico. David definitely know how to work magic. Most of this album is amazing, though there are some Ok parts, nothing is terrible or boring or bad.