Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio

Overview

Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, first released in 1975, is an enigma. Sonically, its a blend of electronic sounds, loops, tapes and feedback, a pure expression of industrial punk and an avant-garde statement of noise. It pushes the listener beyond the edges of endurance: no matter how much this is 'your thing', it's difficult to listen to for more than a few minutes at a time. There is no beginning or end, no sense of progress: the listener is suspended. Details are overwhelming, but are lost in the overall void of sound. There's a sense of 'accidental' music, yet at the same time it's determined and relentless: simultaneous horror and ambiance.

Usually discussed as a cynical fulfillment of contract obligations or an attempt to alienate fans, it was critically condemned, regarded as absurd and irrelevant. There were, however, notable fans: Thurston Moore, for one. A later sign of the cult status of the record was its adaptation for the German chamber orchestra Zeitkratzer in 2002. At the helm of this adaptation was Ulrich Krieger who, along with Sarth Calhoun, formed the Metal Machine Trio with Reed in 2008.

This music may not be your thing. In fact, it probably won't be. But for those who have the interest, curiosity and patience, the Metal Machine Trio will undoubtedly be the experience of a lifetime.