Search - Lou Reed :: Take No Prisioners

This is NOT anything like "Rock 'n Roll Animal"

Dick Joyce | Bayonne, New Jersey USA | 11/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These shows were not for anyone looking for a reprise of "Rock 'n Roll Animal". In truth, this "Live CD" can barely qualify as music. This is the REAL Lou Reed. If you're a diehard fan, you'll appreciate his performance immensely. If you want a reprise of "Rock 'n Roll Animal", stay very far away!"

A live album with a reason for living

Andrew R. Golden | 11/23/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In my opinion, most live albums are redundant - often the live versions of the songs are just poor facsimiles of the studio versions. But Take No Prisoners may be uniquely worth hearing for two reasons. First, Lou Reed's stage patter is often very funny in this performances and seamlessly becomes part of the song he is playing; he alternates between monologuing and singing in a way that seems very natural and comfortable. And somehow it doesn't get old for me - you would think after a while, the talking would get annoying after repeated listenings, but somehow it doesn't - perhaps because his monologs are so well integrated into the music. The other reason that this is a good live album is that the songs are often radically re-configured for this performance - for instance, "Coney Island Baby" is transformed from a singer-songwriter sort of thing into a Springsteen-and-the-E-Street-Band-style workout. "Berlin" is similarly fleshed out by the presence of a horn section and background vocalists. "Waiting For The Man" is a sort of slow, bluesy vamp (this number isn't quite as successful as some of the others, admittedly). "Sweet Jane" and "Street Hassle" stay fairly close to the originals, but they are still strong performances. I'm not a fan of Lou's other live albums without the Velvet Underground (particularly Rock n Roll Animal, which I find borderline unlistenable except for "Sweet Jane" (minus the guitar intro) and "White Light/White Heat"), but this one is definitely recommended."

Its Like Witnessing the Scene of an Accident

Andrew R. Golden | Redwood City, CA United States | 01/13/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Take No Prisoners presents a fascinating view of the rock 'n' roll ego soaked in absurd doses of the whole gammet of drugs. Lou's drug-raged banter decorates many of thye songs, especially Sweet Jane and Walk on the Wildside. The band is good, but the real appeal of this album is more as a sociological oddity. Lou is smart enough that his wasted babbling is really quite funny and interesting. I really do like this album!"