Lou Reed: The Definitive Collection

iTunes Review

It's nearly impossible to assemble a "definitive" Lou Reed collection, considering how no two people see his career in the same light. Reed has few across-the-board hits and hasn't shown much appreciation to several of them. (Where, you ask, is "I Love You Suzanne"?) "Walk on the Wild Side" is the exception, appearing on every decent Lou Reed anthology. This album is a quirky assemblage with a few curious choices ("I Want To Boogie with You," "Cremation Ashes to Ashes," "Vicious Circle") alongside sure-shot candidates ("Coney Island Baby," "Vicious," "Street Hassle," "Romeo Had Juliette," "Dirty Blvd."). Truth be told, there's no perfect Lou Reed "greatest hits" album, and potential fans looking for a decent introduction should certainly start with each of his studio albums with The Velvet Underground, then possibly seek out Transformer, Berlin, Street Hassle, The Blue Mask, and New York; in the digital age, everyone can cherry-pick favorite tracks to make personal hit anthologies. This issue earns points for including "The Bells," one of Reed's most underrated songs.