I love Lou Reed but even so, I can honestly admit that his musical output was, um, erratic.
However, he was hitting all the notes on 1989’s New York. It’s easily his strongest and most consistent solo work and is just full of great songs, great lyrics, great lou-isms. Just a really great record all around.
As he wrote in the liner notes:

You Can’t Beat 2 Guitars, Bass, Drum.
I love a great story song – Lou was a master of creating characters, like the ones in “Last Great American Whale”

Your thoughts?