REVIEW: Lou Reed, Perfect Night Live In London (Reprise)
- Reto Koradi
One stunning thing about the temporary Velvet Underground reunion a few years back was that all other band members either looked twice as old as Lou Reed, or were already dead. Reed is arguably one of the most reliable figures in the past decades of rock history, and the latest proof of his freshness comes as a live album titled Perfect Night Live In London.
Upon listening to the album, the first feature that catches immediate attention is an incredibly clean and crisp sound that leaves many studio albums standing in the dust. Reed attributes this to new technology for recording acoustic guitars. Matching the acoustic setting of the concert is the relaxed, yet intense, playing and singing, showing an artist who is obviously full of confidence and energy.
The selection of the material is far from a "greatest hits live" performance; "Walk On The Wild Side" and most other big hits are not present. The few classics, like "I'll Be Your Mirror", "Vicious", and an outstanding version of "Dirty Blvd." are mixed with lesser known and rarer tracks.
While Perfect Night Live In London will hardly open a new audience for Lou Reed, it will certainly make his fans very happy, and is also recommended to all lovers of first class live albums.
