A tiny, optimistic part of my brain keeps telling me not to give up on the new Lou Reed-Metallica collaboration. Reed fronted The Velvet Underground — he’s a living legend. Metallica members James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and Lars Ulrich were living legends up until 1996. With the amount of quality songs between these artists, I should be excited for the Nov. 1 release of Lulu, the collab’s upcoming album.
But those good songs were written years ago. Neither Lou Reed nor Metallica have been relevant in over a decade. And frankly, supergroups usually suck. Why would this be any different?
According to the album’s official site, Reed originally wrote Lulu as a theatrical production but recorded it as an album after “coming together with the ‘Tallica boys for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York in 2009.” Loutallica (their word, not mine) started recording in May, their efforts culminating in the 10-song, 87-minute rock opera Lulu.
Just think — 87 minutes of Rob Trujillo-era Metallica. I shouldn’t judge something before hearing it, but that’s too long for any band, let alone this one.
Below is a video of the aforementioned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame collaboration that sold Reed on this whole project. Hetfield and co. awkwardly stumble through “Sweet Jane” as Reed mumbles words that resemble lyrics. Not really the stuff of legends, but it’s a taste of what the album might sound like.
Lulu drops worldwide on October 31 on Universal Music and on November 1 in North America on Warner Bros. Records.
(via IFC)
Lulu was in stores via Warner Bros., but they’ve all sold out now, sorry.
Lulu tracklist:
- Brandenburg Gate (4:19)
- The View (5:17)
- Pumping Blood (7:24)
- Mistress Dread (6:52)
- Iced Honey (4:36)
- Cheat On Me (11:26)
- Frustration (8:33)
- Little Dog (8:01)
- Dragon (11:08)
- Junior Dad (19:28)
