Now, allow me first to note that I am the sort of Lou Reed fan that dismisses "Transformer" as mildly fun but little more than ear candy and considers "Berlin" to be his greatest work ever. Having said that, I also would like to note that Reed's latest release, "Ecstasy," which was released today (4/4/00) is without a doubt his best since the highly underrated "New York," and very possibly since "Berlin." Some critics are likening it to "Magic and Loss," which I can understand, but this is a much more mature and well structured record than "Magic and Loss" - it stays with you longer, it speaks more clearly and much louder in it's message(s), it's the sort of record that revives an existing Lou Reed fan's love for the man or begins a brand new love affair between Reed and the listener who has yet to know the glory that is Lou Reed. I'm listening to the title track for the seventeenth time today as I type this, and for good reason - this record is fabulous.

Wow. What an incredibly bleak album, even by Lou's standards. Though themetically similar to "Berlin" (with it's boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, girl kills herself plotline), it lacks the orchestration of that early '70s masterpiece. Instead, it sounds more akin to "New York" or "Set the Twilight Reeling" -- a rocking, feedback-laden sound. If you don't mind the fact that the lyrics wouldn't be out of place in a suicide note, I highly recommend it.

Lou Reed's "Ecstasy" is the finest work that he has produced in several years, even when viewed in the context of his masterpieces "New York" and "Magic and Loss." He largely avoids the fault to which he occasionally succumbs on other albums, namely making his references too specific and topical. (He does have one reference to Clinton, unfortunately.) The writing on "Ecstasy" is hard-hitting but universal--they are the kind of lyrics that will resonate with poignancy years from now. "Modern Dance" is a beautiful clash between realism and romanticism; "Tatters" is soft and contemplative; the lines in "Mystic Child" are edgy and terse. With this album, Reed shows yet again that there are very few songwriters in his league.

The music is rough ala the Velvet Underground, and this is quite surprising and very welcome. "Paranoia Key of E" sets the tone with its fuzzy bass and wide-open guitars. Reed is in fine form musically--the guitars have a really nice edge to them, and the music is often passionate and frenzied. "Like A Possum" is another sonic feast that even bears similarities to Metal Machine Music. Frankly, it is nice to see Reed utilizing the aesthetic lessons of his early years by employing them in the context of challenging, contemporary songs that are relevant for the present and the future.

Although the lyrics are sublime and the music is intense, you should buy "Ecstasy" just because Lou Reed, better than any writer in the history of Rock, can take his listeners into the bowels of their consciousness and expose to them the filth that they desperately wish to deny. The urban themes in his music provide the perfect operating metaphor for the contemporary American's mind. It is a place that is a wee bit seedy, perhaps like a psychological equivalent of a freak show. It is a place where salvation is hustled on the street, lies are convenient substitutions for the truth, and where we all cheer when someone gets the upper hand on "The Man."

it is thrilling to hear an artist in his fourth decade of work this vital, inspired and experimental. a sublime discourse on love in its various forms from transcendence (big sky) to masochism (rock minuet) to regret (baton rouge) to existential angst (like a possum) just to name a few. lou knows the power in the music and allows his voice to be shaped by the incandescent sounds. this must be one of the greastest vocal performances on record on a par with dylan on blonde on blonde and lennon on plastic ono band. along with the blue mask and live in italy, ecstasy can stand next to the genius of v.u.

I waited about half a decade for Bob Dylan and Tom Waits' new release, and the dudes didn't let me down. Reed's new studio album too, which features a cycle of 12 uncompromising and viciously stunning songs, astonishes me. It continues the grand tradition of albums with a central theme (as oppose to a collection of unrelated and scattered selections). Magic and Loss is Reed's interpretation of the impact of death on life; New York is about the decay of the modern American society; Ecstasy is about love, and the pain induced by it. At certain places in the album, Reed's feelings come out violently which resembles the emotional style in Berlin and Blue Mask. I especially enjoy Turning Time Around and the eighteen-minute Like a Possum. Brilliant! I gave Ecstasy a 4-Star because I couldn't help but comparing it to Magic and Loss, which is my favorite Lou Reed album. Songs such as Magician, Harry's Circumcision and Dreamin' from Magic and Loss are simply unparallel, even Reed himself would find difficult to top them. But don't get me wrong, Ecstasy is as good, if not better. I just personally prefer Magic and Loss over Ecstasy. 2000 has been a depressing year, the after-stink from 1999's teen pop, white dude rap and Rick "the Disposable Boytoy" Mart(I'm not calling names, okay) still lingers. It's good to finally have a breath of real talent and innovation. Long live music!