New Sensations

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New Sensations
Studio album by Lou Reed
Released	April 1984
Recorded	Skyline Studios, New York City
Genre	Rock
Length	42:24
Label	RCA
Producer	John Jansen, Lou Reed
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Rolling Stone link
Lou Reed chronology
Live in Italy (1984) New Sensations (1984) City Lights (1985)

New Sensations is a 1984 album by Lou Reed.

When this album was released, critics and listeners alike took note of a change in the songs as being more upbeat and fun than much of Reed's prior work. Lou seemed to have abandoned the often self-destructive lifestyle of a New York rock star and retreated to the New Jersey suburbs. In a non-judgemental way, he encouraged those still stuck in the world he apparently left behind that he hadn't forgotten them, but he was in a better, more mellow place now.

“

I don't like guilty, stoned and stupid Drunk and disorderly I ain't no Cupid I wrote this song cause I'd like to shake your hand In a way you guys are the best friends I ever had Doin' The Things We Want to

”

“

If your father is free-basing and your mother turning tricks That's still no reason you should have a rip Remember I'm the one who loves you You can always give me a call Turn To Me

”

Nevertheless despite this "retreat" from the city, Lou still decried the lifestyle of suburban materialism, as long as he could play video games:

“

You can keep your dresses You can keep your jewels You can keep the colored TV Those soaps just make me sick All I'm asking you to leave me is my red joystick My Red Joystick

”

By 1984, punk (given the demise of the Sex Pistols, The Clash) and new wave (The Police becoming more a pop than a punk/reggae band) music had lost their novelty and bleeding edge. MTV and the video game industry were both making their mark on popular culture. Lou was identified by some reviewers as reacting to this trend in his music on this album.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Lou Reed

1. "I Love You, Suzanne" – 3:19
2. "Endlessly Jealous" – 3:57
3. "My Red Joystick" – 3:36
4. "Turn to Me" – 4:22
5. "New Sensations" – 5:42
6. "Doin' the Things That We Want To" – 3:55
7. "What Becomes a Legend Most" – 3:37
8. "Fly Into the Sun" – 3:04
9. "My Friend George" – 3:51
10. "High in the City" – 3:27
11. "Down At the Arcade" – 3:40

[edit] Personnel

• Lou Reed - lead & rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals
  
• Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
  
• Randy Brecker - trumpet
  
• Jocelyn Dodd - vocals
  
• Rory Dodd - vocals
  
• Jon Faddis - trumpet
  
• Connie Harvey - vocals
  
• Fred Maher - drums
  
• Tom Malone - trombone, horn arrangement
  
• Robert Quine - guitar
  
• Fernando Saunders - electric & string bass, rhythm guitar, vocals
  
• Lakshminarayana Shankar - electric violin
  
• Eric Troyer - vocals
  
• Peter Wood - accordion, piano, synthesizers
  

v • d • e Lou Reed Studio albums Lou Reed · Transformer · Berlin · Sally Can't Dance · Metal Machine Music · Coney Island Baby · Rock and Roll Heart · Street Hassle · The Bells · Growing Up in Public · The Blue Mask · Legendary Hearts · New Sensations · Mistrial · New York · Magic and Loss · Set the Twilight Reeling · Ecstasy · The Raven · Hudson River Wind Meditations Collaborations Le Bataclan '72 · Songs for Drella Live albums Rock 'n' Roll Animal · Lou Reed Live · Live: Take No Prisoners · Live in Italy · Beauty and Rust · Live in Concert · Perfect Night: Live in London · American Poet · Animal Serenade Compilations Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed · Rock and Roll Diary: 1967-1980 · City Lights · Walk on the Wild Side & Other Hits · Different Times: Lou Reed in the '70s · Retro · A Retrospective · The Definitive Collection · Perfect Day · The Very Best of Lou Reed · Legendary Lou Reed · NYC Man (The Ultimate Collection 1967-2003) Box sets Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology Related articles The Velvet Underground · John Cale · Nico · Mike Rathke · Fernando Saunders · Tony Smith