Actually Lou was not enamoured with the sound -very bassy not the way it was supposed to sound. Not defined enough The album was not recorded in Dolby but when it was mastered it was Dolby decoded the net result was a thuddy bassy release minus the high frequencies- corrected here on these tracks -the results are palpable. Page 9 booklet
Ok. I've got you. I just read it online. They explain the Dolby issue that i've heard about on this forum before. ie. that the original album was recorded without Dolby, but that they mastered it with Dolby reducing the high end and making the bass thuddy. So, if this is true I assume they did the 2015 master of the album correctly, too. But I've never noticed a significant improvement.
Me too. Plus the 2000 CD, and the 2015 remastering. And I've never noticed any great improvement or changes to this album. To be honest whilst I could hear what people's complaints were, it never bothered me.
All I know is I heard the album in multiple formats and it never sounded good to me. Some people say the tracks on the Between Thought And Expression box set sound the best. I can't tell any real difference. Wherever Dolby was applied in the chain it seems the album was just not well recorded. Unless the multitracks are missing and all we'll ever heard is the album mix as done in 1971.
agree although i'd put Rock n Roll heart in the weak cover pile, Coney Island is better, Take No Prisoners leaves an impression, Sally Can't Dance is pretty cool
The 2015 Vlado Meller remaster issued as a hi-def download and included in the RCA/Arista Albums box is a little easier on the EQ smoothness front, but with brickwalled dynamics The album itself sounds really dry but the Thought and Expression box set adds reverb to the mixes. I just checked "I Can't Stand It" on Tidal and you can really hear the extra 'verb tails on those opening drum hits. It has the effect of making Lou's voice sound more "produced" as opposed to bone-dry and right in your face
I like the debut a lot, however there's something a bit off about it and I really can't put my finger on it. The songs that work best are Wild Child, Ocean, Love makes you feel. Does anyone know where the back cover photo was taken? Is it from a Velvets show? And that hand gesture he's making is so camp/theatrical
It seems to be from a Velvets show in spring or summer 1970 (Max's). Ronn Campisi's photos of the band appeared in a number of publications that year: The Velvet Underground - Magazine Articles - English
Heheh. But prisoners is so ugly! I can't bear looking at it. Coney is a bit too art-directed, but nonetheless inoffensive. Not sure what he was trying to pull off with that look, though. Sally? Well - that hand-drawn artwork makes lou look like a hunchback and a petulant grumpy one at that. At least rnr heart has that cool blue video art finish.
Funny, I've listened to Lou for a long time and have never acquired the debut. I guess I'll have to break down and get it sometime.
heart doesn't really look like him, I guess that's my issue….prisoners has that cool bald guy and im a sucker for a good gatefold! r n' r animal is great as well lay it on me
A related question: does anyone know why Lou signed with RCA records? They never seemed the most visionary or artistically sympathetic of labels. In fact, RCA might be the last label that Lou should have been on, other than, IDK, Rounder or Dunhill or something. If I was a record exec at Warners or Electra at that time and heard 'Loaded' I'd be thinking 'we've got to sign this guy......'
Good collection...but sadly missing some great tracks like ' Wild Child ' and , oddly , ' Perfect Day '
Richard Robinson was A&R man at RCA. And it was he and his wife Lisa, the rock journalist, who got Lou back into music.
RCA had Bowie and Hunky Dory had already come out (end of '71) by the time Lou Reed was released (mid '72).
I know - different continent, different management. I'm just saying they were beginning to put out more modern material than just Elvis or Latin American acts.
A big Lou fan, I'm not keen on the first album. Sounds sort of half-baked. Maybe it's the wrong type of band for the material. Good songs in there tough of course.
