The passing of Loud Reed has surely been a loss for the
living. By all means, he was one of the greatest rock musicians and songwriters
of all time. He influenced every musician featured on this website, whether
they know it or not. I look forward to hearing his albums down here in Hell,
but you’ll just have to wait till you’re dead to hear them. In fact, I see him
jamming with George Harrison as I write this.
Here are some bands that have stolen from Lou Reed.
Milwaukee’s best beer is a bit shit, but these kids ain’t. Quick,
gloomy pop songs that the angry and depressed can play when looking for something
to dance to in their studio apartments. Polished and competent with just the
right vocals to run beside the guitar licks.
Country surf? Not as new a concept as you may think, but
this lo-fi recording of twangy songs to play on your board are entertaining and
agreeable. Since they guys are form Minneapolis, you can fight them when they
try and take the best waves at your local beach. Just buy a CD from the kids
later.
If Lou Reed taught us anything, it was that bigger than life
records with lots of noodling do not a good record make. Reed predates the home
recording era, but those early Velvet Underground tracks demonstrate his love
for the real and the simple when it comes to making music. Wasteland from
Australia is slurry and snotty, but it carries Reed’s message about honesty and
truth, and so it is worth a free download.
Not sure how to describe this, but it’s catchy pop-rock from
Virginia. There is nothing offensive about it, which is unfortunate. Don’t say
I didn’t warn you.
Reed never went entirely down the experimental rabbit hole,
but his recordings pushed boundaries and showed a generation of musicians that
playing with sounds and simple chords could be as effective as well considered
and performed guitar solos. The first track from this Lancaster band almost
sounds like a Velvet Underground track in fact. Mood and tone are key to this
release, and they have put together a fine soundtrack to my drinking and Lou
Reed ruminations.
This is a fine band to end on. This act from the
Netherlands, fronted by one of the best female vocalists I have heard this
year, blasts through this rockin’ garage rock single like they just finished
off a case of Rolling Rock and don’t give a shit if their neighbors hear. Loud
Reed may be dead, but he will live on in acts like this that continue to create
music that the common man can both enjoy and be challenged by.