After weeks of negativity. After the weeks of wondering how bad the new album featuring Metallica and Lou Reed would sound, I have news. Much like the famous Pizza Hut commerical (or was or Dominos?); I can say that I have been to the edge and back. I have sat through Lulu, and I survived. The entire album can be heard on streaming audio here.
While 'The View' may not have been a great choice to give listeners as a sneak peak Lulu definitely doesn't get worse than that song. I mean, that song is beyond horrible. What the track does showcase is the general confusion and mismatch the two rock icons appear to be. I was hoping that Mettali-Lou (as I will now call the collaboration from now on) released the single to lower the bar of expectations, or perhaps a sneak attack to blow our minds later on. While Lulu definitely isn't mind blowing, it's actually not half bad, but not even a quarter good.
Much of this album is Metallica playing at half mass while Lou trying to read or sing poetry over the music. What appears to be the biggest challenge for Metallica here is not so much the song writing, but getting Mr. Reed to sing with the music, rather than against it. It makes anything worthwhile somewhat hard to listen to.
'Pumping Blood' is the first track that provides Metallica fans with some hard hitting riffs that seem to bob 'n' weave over atmospheric sections that dominate the track. It's laughable to think that this might be Metallica's first attempt at avant garde. Lars seems to think so. His drums are falsely improvised and seem predictable.
It's the following two tracks, 'Mistress Dread' and 'Iced Honey' that provide listeners some relief. 'Mistress Dread' kicks off with some pummeling thrash with a violin, or something, droning in the back, while Mr. Reed moans his lyrics through the tornado of sound. This track is not what I expected months ago when this project was first announced, but it's surprisingly effective. However, you wish that Metallica would save the riff for their next album. You know, the one where they again go back to their roots and actually kick ass.
'Iced Honey' sounds more like what I imagined Metalli-Lou sounding like, based off their performance at the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies some years ago. It's Metallica when they're rockin' out, something they've been know it do. It makes you wonder what would have happened if this collaboration happened when Load and Reload came out.
I don't want you to think that I've drank to punch and I've been convinced that this album isn't as bad as you'd think. Over all it's mediocre at best, but definitely worth listening to. It show a side of Metallica you'd never expect. As mentioned before, there's a handful of riffs Metallica could have saved for their next album. They chose to blend it in with a bunch of rubbish, perhaps in an effort to save this album and make it appeal to their more traditional fans. The outcome sounds like Metalli-Lou couldn't make up their minds. It has direction, but doesn't. That depends on how you choose to approach the album. With the amount of violins and cellos and avant garde nonsense, it would have seemed more fitting if Godspeed You Black Emperor would Lou. I don't know. I'm glad I got this nugget of curiosity out of my system. Maybe this will be the album Metallica fans will get their parents to listen to.
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