Blue with Lou

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Blue with Lou
Nils Lofgren - Blue with Lou.png
Studio album by
Nils Lofgren
ReleasedApril 26, 2019 (2019-04-26)
Recorded2017 [1]
StudioLofgren's home studio, Scottsdale, Arizona
Length56:15
Label Cattle Track Road
Producer
Nils Lofgren chronology
UK 2015 Face the Music Tour
(2015)		Blue with Lou
(2019)		Weathered
(2020)

Blue with Lou is an album by Nils Lofgren, released on April 26, 2019, through Cattle Track Road Records. Lofgren co-wrote six of its tracks with Lou Reed in the 1970s, [2] with Reed's death in 2015 being the catalyst for Lofgren to record the material at his home studio in 2017. [1] The album received generally positive reviews from critics, who felt that the songs co-written by Reed were the strongest of the material. [3]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 75/100 [3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
American Songwriter Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
PopMatters 8/10 [1]

Blue with Lou received a score of 75 out of 100 at review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [3] Uncut remarked that "Lofgren's voice is crackly, but plays perfectly", and Classic Rock called it "a pleasant album and one that covers a lot of bases", while Mojo felt that "the Reed/Lofgren songs muscle their way to the top of the pile". [3] Glide Magazine stated that "the 'less is more' premise remains in effect just often enough on Blue with Lou to certify the record, name associations aside, as a memorable entry in the lengthy discography of Nils Lofgren". [2]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that "Lofgren achieves a lean, sinewy sound that gives the tight group plenty of room to roam" and while "Lofgren's originals may not carry the same swagger, [...] when they're surrounded by these Reed co-writes, they're given a slight lift: the whole affair simultaneously feels like an affectionate tribute to a departed friend and a resuscitation of Lofgren's gut-level rock & roll". [4] PopMatters ' staff opined that "Lofgren rises to the occasion, playing with a sense of abandon and danger that recalls his best work with Grin and blistering, if overlooked, live albums, including 1977's indispensable Night After Night ". [1] Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter noted that despite the passage of time since the material was written, "little has changed with [Lofgren's] youthful sounding voice, sizzling guitar playing, melodic songwriting or overall boyish enthusiasm. That makes this comeback of sorts particularly sweet, irrespective of Reed's beyond-the-grave involvement". [5]

Track listing

Blue with Lou track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Attitude City"
4:24
2."Give"
  • Lofgren
  • Reed
5:56
3."Talk Thru the Tears"
  • Lofgren
  • Reed
4:08
4."Pretty Soon"Lofgren3:49
5."Rock or Not"Lofgren3:31
6."City Lights"
  • Lofgren
  • Reed
4:15
7."Blue with Lou"Lofgren7:12
8."Don't Let Your Guard Down"
  • Lofgren
  • Reed
2:52
9."Too Blue to Play"Lofgren4:00
10."Cut Him Up"
  • Lofgren
  • Reed
6:08
11."Dear Heartbreaker"Lofgren5:02
12."Remember You"Lofgren4:58
Total length:56:15

Charts

Chart performance for Blue with Lou
Chart (2019)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [6] 62
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [7] 23
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [8] 33

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Nils Lofgren Celebrates Love, Loss, Friendship Via Blue with Lou". PopMatters . May 23, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Collette, Doug (April 26, 2019). "Nils Lofgren Delivers Unreleased Lou Reed Co-Writes Via Blue with Lou (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Blue with Lou by Nils Lofgren Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Nils Lofgren – Blue with Lou Album Review". AllMusic . Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Horowitz, Hal (April 22, 2019). "Nils Lofgren: Blue with Lou". American Songwriter . Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Nils Lofgren Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
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