Lou Reed - Street Hassle

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. BMG. 2006. Album Description

SWEET LOU AT HIS LATE 70's BEST

If you've never listened to Lou Reed before, this mightn't be where you want to start. The uninitiated would do better to pick up "Transformer," "Rock And Roll Animal," or "New York." However, if you are already a bona-fide Lou Reed fan looking to get a new, totally fresh perspective on the man, you are ready for "Street Hassle." I'd also apply the same caveat to "Take No Prisoners," his live album from this era: not for first-time listeners, but if you're ready for the real HEART of Lou Reed, it's all here.
"Gimme Some Good Times" starts proceedings in fine fashion, with Lou's quavering, overdubbed vocals casting a gritty pallor over a ultimately catchy tune. "Dirt," is my opinion, was better served in it's earlier form as "Downtown Dirt" from the Coney Island Baby sessions (available on the "Between Thought And Expression" box set) but this version is a fascinating evolution of the original idea and features some VERY far-out and great playing by the band.
"Street Hassle" is the unqualified masterpiece of the disc. Several other reviewers have nailed the essence of the song, if you haven't heard it, just listen. Definitely one of the top highlights in a career full of them. I could go on all day about it but the other reviewer's comment have summed it up nicely.
"I Wanna Be Black" is a fun, bouncy number, although I prefer the "Take No Prisoners" version. "Real Good Time Together" is a sonic head-trip that melds studio and live performance to great effect.
In my opinion, however, the hidden classic on "Street Hassle" is the next song, "Shooting Star." The band crashs and plods wildly all over the place as Lou lays down one of his catchiest tunes ever. Lou's chorus and the sax riff that hold the song together provide BIG hooks, the song might've had a chance on the radio had it not be such an experimental, noisy, improvised performance. It rocks as hard as anything Lou's ever done, and it's a must-hear.
"Leave Me Alone" is another song that I feel he did better on "TNP" but perhaps I just haven't opened up to this version yet. The last song, "Wait" seemed to me a throwaway number when I first heard the album years ago. Now it's one of my favorite tracks on the album...some great singing by the girls and one Lou's funniest, heartfelt vocals ever. I love when he says "I know propriety is such a WASTE!" He ends the album in true punk fashion, pleading "Babe I really wish that you would wait...I really think you oughta wait..." The band is all over the place again, but listen hard, and you'll hear there's some great hooks in this song...they just need to be drawn out. The horn playing of Marty Fogel and bass of "Moose" Boles particularly stand out.
All in all..."Street Hassle" is definitely 5-star, a must-have for any Lou Reed fan. There's a reason they call this his "Godfather Of Punk" album...without giving an inch or kowtowing a bit to the scene that had taken his beloved NYC by storm, he sticks to his guns and beats the punks at their own game. September 12, 2008

Sha la la man

In the title song, Lou is at his cold-hearted best. Beautiful music with Lou's cynical observer of human depravity street-wise poetry, then a great surprise vocal from a special guest, then the real surprise when Lou assumes the voice of the dead girl and it suddenly turns heart wrenchingly sad.

Yikes, Lou where did that come from? Thought I had you pegged and then the "Love has gone away" finale. I was stunned and speechless when I finally figured out (well I think I figured it out anyway) who was who in the song. A totally unexpected and pleasant surprise. And the heartless parts of the song ain't bad either, some of Lou's best lines ever

"Some people got no choice/because they can never find a voice/to talk with/or even call their own/so the first thing that they see/that allows them the right to be/they follow it./ You know it's called bad luck"

and of course see the title of this review. Lou delivers that line perfect. Very much in character.

It's a very cinnematic story-song. Well worth the price of admission.

The rest of the album is filler. I deducted a star for the other songs on the cd.

But buy it for the title song. It's a long one, nearly half the album's length anyway. June 12, 2008

Undone By Its Very Strengths

This review is of the Japanese version, although I doubt there are substantial differences between this and the US issue. Street Hassle is my single favorite Lou Reed solo release.

The most important songs on SH - with the notable exception of the title track - are based around repeated half-riffs and chords in the same way VU stuff is. 'Dirt' and 'Leave Me Alone' especially are ugly songs with ugly arrangements, ugly lyrics, and very ugly performances. Nothing contrived, though.

'Gimme Some Good Times' and 'Wait' are the filler, but they are also the bookends, and seem easier to tolerate as such. 'Street Hassle'...what can I say that hasn't been mentioned here already? It's undeniably a classic, and true rock theater in and of itself, without props, without stunts, again without pretense.

The sound fits, but CAN'T be appreciated without headphones owing to the use of the 'SBS - Stereo Binaural Sound' technology. OK, this is the lowdown - you can search the technical SBS definition if you want...long story short - a styrofoam head with internal microphones in its synthetic ear canals was stuck at the back of the room to record this. If you use a speaker system to enjoy this, you'll inevitably get cross-bleed in the sound, and the really cool headphone effect will be missed altogether. So, listen to this on headphones. The production really contributes a lot. December 24, 2007

Dark Genius

It amazes me that this one has remained so obscure. To me, it is his best and will be a collectable item for decades. "Dirt is surely one of , if not his best, composition. October 25, 2007

right up there with VU albums

In my opinion Street Hassle is a masterpiece. The album delivers everything that makes Lou a great musical artist- street-wise lyrics, sleazy rhythms and an attitude to kill. How many listeners out there know about Bruce Springsteen's cameo on the title track? And the way Lou nails the vocal after Bruce's spoken word delivery. "I Wanna Be Black" is hysterical. "Dirt" is a wonderfully raunchy put-down of someone who obviously got on Lou's bad side. And there's even a tribute to Phil Spector called "Wait" with a subtle Crystals reference. But note this album does not offer instant gratification- it takes a while to sink into your pores, but once it does your hooked. If it ain't the rock n roll animal himself!
May 20, 2007

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