I'm about to give this a spin. What should I expect?

>>72362248
a really depressing listen

What happened when Lou was listening to Genesis while high and thought "Hey, I can do that."

>>72362248
a 10/10 album

>>72362248
it's great

File: 127513216christgau.jpg (80KB, 970x667px) Image search: [Google]

80KB, 970x667px

Berlin [RCA Victor, 1973]

I read where this song cycle about two drug addicts who fall into sadie-mazie in thrillingly decadent Berlin is a . . . what was that? artistic accomplishment, even if you don't like it much. Well, the category is real enough--it describes a lot of Ornette Coleman and even some Randy Newman, not to mention a whole lot of books--but in this case it happens to be horseshit. The story is lousy--if something similar was coughed up by some avant-garde asshole like, oh, Alfred Chester (arcane reference for all you rock folk who think you're cool cos you read half of Nova Express) everyone would be too bored to puke at it. The music is only competent--even Bob Ezrin can't manufacture a distance between the washed-up characters and their washed-out creator when the creator is actually singing. Also, what is this water-boy business? Is that a Buddhist cop? Gunga Din? Will Lou lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it? C

>>72362343
Reed on Christgau: “What does Robert Christgau do in bed? You know, is he a toe-fucker?” And later: “Could you imagine working for a year and you get a B+ from some asshole in the Village Voice?” In his review, Christgau thanked Reed for pronouncing his name right and gave the album a C+.

>>72362343
Of all the talented people 2016 took from us, and somehow this plebian hack is still breathing.

>>72362405
His complete lack of talent saved him

>>72362343
How does Christgau remain this based even when I disagree with him so much?

>>72362440
IIRC the Rolling Stone Magazine review from 1973 also panned Berlin. But that's just Lou being Lou, which is to say making albums that try your sanity.

>>72362266
Or more accurately, what happens when Lou tries to replicate on vinyl the experimental movie he never got to make in college.