Cheap Take No Prisoners (Music) (Lou Reed) Price

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Customer Reviews of Take No Prisoners

Classic Reed Album; A Great Perfomance; Poor CD Remastering
Every two or three years I go back and listen to my collection of Lou Reed albums repeatedly for a month or two. During such stints, I seldom listen to anything else. After his latest release (The Raven) I decided to revisit his substantial catalog in order to, for my own sake, place his current work in a broader artistic context. There has always been a tremendous thematic continuity in his work that I appreciate.

After listening to his recent releases and then to "Take No Prisoners," I was pretty shocked (in a good way, mind you) by how completely different Lou Reed was back in the late '70s. Bold, brash, arrogant, desperate-Lou Reed was all these traits in addition to being one of the greatest singer/songwriter/performers of the '70s. "Take No Prisoners" is an incredible album that features a version of Lou Reed that is just as edgy and abrasive as the crowd to which he plays. The band is tight, but often they are not given much of a chance to develop the tracks into coherent musical constructions, due to Reed's extensive monologues, which are occasionally compelling, sometimes banal, but often hilarious. When the band does find the room to break into the choruses of the songs, they charge into them with the strength and force of a runaway locomotive. This was a great band recorded on a very special night. The energy in the music is astounding.

Although the discs boast several classic Reed tracks that are all performed in a style that is somewhere between the Lou Reed we are normally used to hearing and something from the comedic repertoire of Lenny Bruce, for me the standout tracks are the versions of "Coney Island Baby" and the epic "Street Hassle" on Disc 2. Reed's singing on these tracks is stellar-he passionately captures the speech mannerisms of the downtrodden, the hustlers, and of the humanly expendable in these songs. He so convincingly becomes the characters in these songs that you feel as though you are down in the gutter with him, looking for that crumb of salvation that someone may have left behind.

The only issue I have with this recording is the poor remastering that was done for the CD release. An original LP vinyl copy will sound much better than this CD, which contains far too much tape hiss to be a genuine remaster. The poor sound quality of the CD prevents me from giving this a 5 star review.

If you have any deep interest in Lou Reed, buy "Take No Prisoners." Listening to this CD is like going to the circus, but not being able to enjoy it fully because all the clowns are just a little too dirty. It is like going to the zoo, only to walk by the Polar Bear exhibit to see that the animals have eaten the zookeepers. "Take No Prisoners" very well may be flawed in many people's eyes due to Reed's long orations, but it also brilliantly captures the punk aesthetic and a classic Lou Reed persona that we shall neither see nor hear ever again. This is essential equipment for living in a world that is clearly one big "Dirty Blvd."

Unforgettable "comedy" from a very drunk Reed
While ex-Velvet Undergroud mastermind John Cale was spilling his drunk soul and Guts on a smaller stage, a drunker VU mastermind Lou Reed found new ways to dump on his loyal fans. This is Reed at his absolute worst - musically this is a live non-show - Lou never gives his great band a chance. As a live comedy document this is unforgettable corny fun. It must be a comedy record. It HAS to be, as the music seems an afterthought. I can't imagine how the backing band felt - they probably felt "just play". And they do, quite well. Lou would rather heckle the audience. Constantly.

And it IS funny. Reed's quips and barbs are the equal of any 'Hee-Haw' episode. It's a live laff riot. I loved it when Lou Reed (being drunk and all) slurred and mentioned Groucho Marx. I didn't think he would but BAMM! classics speak for themselves. He gives Rupert Pupkin (Scorcese's "King of Comedy") a run for his money.

The cheap jokes here are funny in their bitchy and cheap way. But you wanna good one? That same year Johnny Rotten & the Sex Pistols were launching a punk revolution, inspiring countless bands to express anger/helplessnes/isolation. Very much Velvet Underground material. I just wish Lou Reed was there to see it. I guess he was already booked, playing a drunk burn-out. He performed that role exceptionally well. Betcha he doesn't listen to this blasted diary much. But I do - you haven't heard a "Walk On the Wild Side" like the version here.