The Blue Mask (studio album)
by Lou Reed

I believe this album, Lou Reeds’ eleventh, is one that divides the waters. Some feels it belongs among his very best, while others find it a bit sloppy and unfinished, with too few really good songs. I primarily belong to the latter category. There are good songs, but I think they are too few, and moreover, the live in the studio concept with raw only a few overdubs is for me not necessarily a virtue without problems; some songs turn out a little too for my liking.
The album opens nicely, with three really good songs, but from there I do not really think it comes back on track. "My House" is a slow and rather melodic song, which, however, sours a little towards the end. "Women" is quite funny, with a chorus you won’t just forget - also quite a nice melody.

"Underneath the Bottle" is heavy and rocking, but also quite charming. From there, I find the album either petty or noisy ("The Blue Mask"), perhaps with the exception of "The Day John Kennedy Died", which has interesting lyrics that tell the story of a day that those who experienced it can completely forget . A bit like 9/11.

https://www.angelfire.com/nv/Badfinger/BANDloureed.html

From OldToad 09/07/2019 01:03

The rating is for side 1 alone. Side 2 has one good track (Waves of Fear), but side 1, the first five tracks, is where it's at. It's true that 'Women' is a ridiculous track, but he KNOWS that, and it's followed by a song about being f'ing drunk; the sequencing is part of it. Side 1 is the last whiff of greatness from Mr Reed, and it's truly great. The title track is better with the entire side as a build-up. Robert Quine rules, obviously.

From tgarritsen 06/20/2016 00:37

Very underrated Lou Reed album. Maybe if you're not that into Lou Reed this may be a boring album but for any big Lou Reed fans after listening to this a few times it becomes an amazing different album. Thick bass lines, some really beautifull lyrics (both sweet and rough) and a little dark.

This is one of Reed's best albums - personal, delicate and visceral. Brilliantly produced. The playing is superlative, especially the guitar work of Quine.

From timtooky 03/31/2014 20:46

sigh. lou could be such a sleeping pill. i guess he wants to be as cool as 70s, but this album just appears to me like a sedative. music against insomnia? ok: delete the title track and waves of fear from the playlist.

From Brandon8 03/13/2013 03:42

I heard "The Gun" originally in the film Rock N Rolla and I'm glad I did it helped me discover Lou who is now one of my favorite artists. This album is one of his best solo works. The songs blend together as Lou seems to describe his life at that point in time.

From Norman Bates 09/30/2012 11:39

Mostly verging on ridiculous ("Women", seriously), but the title song is very good.