The Berlin album stands as a perfect testament to Reed's state of mind/being at that particular time when he recorded it, flaws and all. As detailed in the biography, Transformer, that came out just before this disc was released, Reed was going through a terrible time with his dependence on speed leading to a screamingly unstable emotional state. This makes all the more poignant the album’s theatrical-German-tavern orchestration and the blatant violence (particularly misogyny) in the lyrics. A stunning achievement of pure gloom, you don’t want to put this album on if you’re suicidal, but I recommend it to all
Lou Reed fans who want to take the journey of his life along with him.
