This album makes me wish I liked Lou Reed’s music more. People who sing Lou Reed songs sound so hip. And that goes double for folks who dig into the Velvet Underground catalog. I don’t hate Lou’s stuff, it’s just a little inaccessible for me. It never makes me feel anything. Except his “New York” album. Loved that one.
But this isn’t about that. This is about hipster covers of Lou.
Amanda Fucking Palmer, formerly of the Dreseden Dolls, has the punk cred to pull this off.
The album is mostly live, and she doesn’t try to pull out weird songs or avoid the expected: She covers Walk on the Wild Side, Waiting for My Man (best cut on the record), Satellite of Love, I’ll Be Your Mirror, and Perfect Day. She doesn’t do Heroin, but I’m fine with that. That song makes me want to die.
The album was recorded live, and it’s got a wonderful, warm feel–and terrific sound quality.
I loved it, and I’m not a Lou Reed fan. So you’ll probably dig it, too.
