Consumer Guide Album

Lou Reed: Lou Reed [RCA Victor, 1972]
Hard to know what to make of this. Certainly it's less committed--less rhythmically monolithic and staunchly weird--than the Velvets. Not that Reed is shying away from rock and roll or the demimonde. But when I'm feeling contrary he sounds not just "decadent" but jaded, fagged out. On the other hand, he dabbles with the best of them. "Wild Child" has the offhand, reportorial feel of a Bob Dylan dream, "Walk It and Talk It" is a "2120 South Michigan Avenue" based on "Brown Sugar," and in "I Can't Stand It" lean post-gospel harmonies and a Stonesish bass line fill out that headlong mechanical "Here She Comes Now" rush. Question: what are the guys from Yes doing on this record? I mean, talk about staunchly weird. Or are we just talking about art-rock? B+