When you think of Lou Reed, I'm sure a lot of things spring to mind- First of all, a legendary musician and artist gone too soon, member of the Velvet Underground, drug-riddled glam rock icon, and all-around strange guy... But I doubt you picture the guy you see in the photos above. Because Lou's more "normal" look here comes from his often forgotten 1984 album, New Sensations. Other than the minor-hit single "I Love You, Suzanne", New Sensations was definitely not a chart topper back in its heyday, nor is it easily remembered by casual Lou fans today. But there is something so special and rare about New Sensations that makes it stand out from the rest of Lou Reed's lengthy (20 studio albums!) catalogue.
New Sensations showcases some major changes and growth in Lou Reed's life, as he entered his 40's in 1982. By the end of the 70's, Lou had decided to swear off drugs, and by the time of this record, he was finally sustainably sober ("no drugs or alcohol", being the alleged rule for the whole band on the New Sensations tour). Lou was married to British designer Sylvia Morales in 1980, and overall seemed to be in love and...happy?? Yes, Lou Reed was happy. And there's photographs to prove it! Look at that smile- adorable!
What resulted from a happy, sober, and married Lou Reed was a more straight-forward rock album, with wonderful notes of new wave, but not as artistically utilized as you might have expected from someone as famed for his weirdness as Lou. The album's opener, "I Love You, Suzanne" sets the tone...and it sure is a dancey one! I can't help but think die-hard Lou fans' reaction when they first put this record on must have been one of collective shock and awe. Many probably smashed it before side one was even over, saying something like, "This isn't the Lou I know!! It's too happy! Too normal! Uhg!"
But they just don't know how to have fun! How can you tear a man down when he's so happy just having fun? Lou had been one of the kings of weird for so long, and I genuinely think he just needed some time to unwind and relax. And I think this album is absolutely perfect for anyone else trying to do that right now. If you want to see an even stranger sight still, check out Lou's uh...dance moves?? in the end of the "I Love You, Suzanne" music vdieo...it is truly something to behold. I have to be honest, I did laugh, but it wasn't in a mean way! It does my heart good to see a happy, dancing Lou (or stunt-double because...I find it hard to believe that's really him).
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| Lou Reed, playing with his red joystick (sorry I couldn't resist!) |
Then there's the heavy-handed innuendo of "My Red Joystick". On first listen, it seems like Lou's simply telling his girl, "you can go, just please leave me my video games"...but he's definitely talking about something she couldn't take, seeing as it's attached to his body. *Ahem*, anyways! It's another example of Lou just having fun, in the same way that the Who were just having fun when they released their own innuendo hit, "Squeeze Box". And the video game concept made for a fantastic, minimalist album cover.
But what I really want to talk about on this album, is the title track. "New Sensations" is not just my favorite song on the album, it's my favorite Lou Reed song. Yeah, that is high praise, considering it would have been easy for me to pick something off of Transformer or one of his other more revered works. But I can't, because this song is just a breath of fresh air. It is the ultimate "roll your windows down and cruise" jam. Though I know I use that phrase a lot to describe songs, this one deserves it the most, hands down. It is a cool, minimalist rock track, with a killer funk bass-line, that feels like Lou looking at his life up until that point, and saying "I need something new". There is a story told through the imagery that the lyrics create, where you can envision him (or yourself) on a motorcycle driving on a scenic highway, with nowhere to go, and nothing but time to kill. It always makes me feel good, even on hard days. Give it a listen and harness that good energy for yourself, below.
The next track, "Doin' the Things That We Want To" continues this energy, and definitely gives off the same vibe of just being yourself, doin' your thing, and not giving a damn what others think of you for it. Pretty much how Lou must have felt making this album. But, even after all this talk of "chill" vibes and happiness... there is still that classic "what the hell, Lou?" question we have to ask ourselves on a track like "Fly Into the Sun". The lyrics of which basically describe welcoming death, and the chance to launch himself into the sun... Somehow the music and choir-like female backing vocals still make it sound like a happy song though! Now there's the depressed Lou we all know and love (jokes). More like, there's more of the sarcastic, comedic Lou we love.
Overall, New Sensations is one hell of an album, and it should be seen as such. Yes, it is less artistic and out there than some of Lou's greater known, 70's efforts, but like I've said before, there's nothing wrong with just letting yourself be happy. And Lou Reed felt the same way. He was happy, but he did it with an attitude. Like, "Fuck you. I'm happy, and there's nothing you can do about it". Rest in Peace Lou. I have to say, even though it's been nearly seven years, I still miss you and your infinite wisdoms. But at least I'll always have this record to make me smile, and give me a chuckle.
Thank you all for reading, and happy Friday! Go out and do "the things that you want to"! Cheers!
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