Between Thought & Expression [Box set]

Lou Reed | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 14, 1992)
• Original Release Date: April 14, 1992
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002W3C
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,828 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Nowhere at All

2. Kicks

3. Downtown Dirt [#]

4. Rock & Roll Heart

5. Vicious Circle

6. Temporary Thing

7. Real Good Time Together

8. Leave Me Alone [#]

9. Heroin [Live][#]

10. Here Comes the Bride [Live][#]

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. America (Star Spangled Banner) [#]

2. Think It Over

3. Teach the Gifted Children

4. The Gun

5. The Blue Mask

6. My House

7. Waves of Fear

8. Little Sister

9. Legendary Hearts

10. The Last Shot

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent survey of Lou Reed's RCA/Arista recordings, April 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Between Thought & Expression (Audio CD)

Lou Reed's solo career is notoriously erratic, and for anyone looking for a good introduction or a good summary, this is your best choice. A three CD set over three hours long, it has almost everything going for it. Everything's been remastered by Bob Ludwig from the original sources (in many cases, much better than other currently available CD's), the extensive liner notes by Rob Bowman is very well-written, incorporating a great deal of input by Lou himself, and the track selection by Lou and Bowman is very good. Every studio Lp recorded from 1972 (Lou's self-titled solo debut) to 1986 (MISTRIAL, his final Lp with RCA) is covered as well as a handful of choice live cuts and rarities. Every important aspect is given equal representation, from tender confessionals ("Think It Over"), raging confessionals ("The Blue Mask," "The Last Shot") political anthems ("Voices Of Freedom"), avant-garde experiments ("The Bells"), and even expert pop ("My Friend George").

This is almost everything you'd want from Lou Reed's RCA/Arista output (later Sire/WB albums like NEW YORK and MAGIC AND LOSS are worth owning), but it's not definitive. A few key tracks are missing, at very least, "Perfect Day" from TRANSFORMER, "I Wanna Be Black" from STREET HASSLE which Lou was hesitant to include, "Families" or "All Through The Night" from THE BELLS, a few more tracks from THE BLUE MASK and LEGENDARY HEARTS, and "I Love You Suzanne" from NEW SENSATIONS (his finest pop hit ever).

It's a minor complaint, because TRANSFORMER is a popular album, THE BELLS is love-it-or-hate-it (some think it's one of his best, others think it's a career killer), and THE BLUE MASK, LEGENDARY HEARTS, and NEW SENSATIONS are three rock-solid albums, arguably Lou's best run, so anyone who misses those tracks will probably buy the albums.

Normally I wouldn't recommend a three-CD box set as a first purchase, but in used condition, this set can be found CHEAP. Look around on ebay, or better yet here (as of this writing, there are THREE complete sets selling here for less than $10). Why pay $12 for one of Lou's subpar single disc collections, or a two-disc "NYC Man" when you can get this set for less? A nice introduction, after this set, check out THE BLUE MASK and NEW YORK, and if you still want more, check out TRANSFORMER, LEGENDARY HEARTS, and NEW SENSATIONS for Lou's more accessible side, and THE BELLS, BERLIN, and MAGIC AND LOSS for Lou's darker, somewhat more experimental side.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ups and downs of Lou (mostly the ups), August 30, 2000

By 

Brian D. Rubendall (Oakton, VA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Thought & Expression (Audio CD)

Lou Reed's recorded catalog is frustrating for the average music buyer. He has plenty of great songs that are buried onto mediocre or ill-conceived albums. Fortunately, "Between Thought and Expression" contains many of his best moments from before the release of 1989's "New York" album. The best part is that it contains six cuts from his best 1970s album "Berlin" and mercifully contains only a short snippet from the atrocious double disc "Metal Machine Music" album that nearly destroyed his career. His biggest hit single "Walk on the Wild Side" is here along with his smokin' extended live version of "Sweet Jane." The only truly regrettable exclusion is "Wild Child" which is one of his best songs. Overall, this is a fine anthology album from one of rock's most eccentric figures.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who's gonna argue with Lou?, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Between Thought & Expression (Audio CD)

Lou Reed hand picked the cuts on this compilation, and where one could nit-pick over the selection presented it stands up as a whole quite well. If Lou thought the songs worthy of inclusion in a retrospective of his career he had good reason. Collectively these performances create a considerable statement. Where Lou had his down moments, his brilliance is what perseveres. Slumps are unavoidable when one succumbs to the temptations of drug addiction. Still, the artist, like his music, has survived well. There are a number of unreleased cuts here that make it worthwhile for the fan(atic)s who have much of his work. Lou Reed, like Patti Smith, is one of the greatest voices of New York/American rock and roll. Voices of the street, voices of depth, integrity, and power. Highly recommended...Simon