Speculation and Tribulation
Since Metallica let slip about a collaborative album with Lou Reed, there have been months of speculation of how such an effort would turn out. A lot of the time, fanbases on either side in any such works will be disappointed since it isn’t the same as usual and one artist has to accommodate the other. In this instance, this is why it is Lou Reed “&” Metallica, not Metallica “&” Lou Reed. Metallica are accommodating to Lou Reed’s needs in this album.
So if ‘The View’ is anything to go by, their music will be a lot less complex than their last album Death Magnetic. This will dismay the metal fans. Also of consternation are Lou Reed’s vocals as he talks the whole way through, making some emphasis only on certain points.
Fans of Lou Reed and his back catalogue won’t be too impressed with the non-melodic touch to the song. Velvet Underground it really ain’t. But Reed has been putting out a lot of experimental music, and even what he did years back isn’t exactly deemed “normal”.
Loutallica
James Hetfield, the lead singer of Metallica, only comes in at around two minutes in, and the heavy jam-riff happens at around four minutes in. There have been thirty-second and ninety-second previews of the song, but they really don’t do this any justice. The song has to be listened to as a whole, as it really is all about the build up. The main riff sets it up slowly, with a slow, plodding drumbeat that lets Reed speak his piece, building up slowly and ominously with the slow riff behind it, a feeling of outright evil. Hetfield and the rest of Metallica really kick in after the first “verse” of the song, and then die away nearly as swiftly.
The middle is a little too much for Reed to handle, and on this song at least, he sounds his age. The voice cracks and wobbles a bit as he carries on. And then Hetfield’s voice comes in, strong, sure, nihilistic, with a long, pronounced “I am!” that goes into the up-tempo riff, featuring a quick solo from lead guitarist Kirk Hammett. Once again, it is definitely not one of Metallica’s most intricate songs, but it is one that has a lot of feeling of presence to it.
View of the Lulu
‘The View’ is not for everybody, and if Hetfield’s shock vocals had not saved the day at the end of the song, then many, if not all, would have turned away from this. Many will turn away anyway, since it is neither Lou Reed or Metallica, but a cut-down version of both in order to be able to make something complete and substantial. It’s not a song that you’ll listen to on the radio, but it will be one that is to be heard in a darkened room while drawing some very scary pictures, and that's something to be thankful for.
James Clapham - After winning his Creative Writing Diploma, James Clapham moved to Slovakia. He currently works as an English teacher there, and is also ...
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