Magic and Loss is a strong contender for Lou Reed's most underrated album. Clearly it has enjoyed its share of accolades, but when it comes to discussions of Reed's greatest records -- even those dealing with albums other than Transformer, Berlin, Metal Machine Music, and Coney Island Baby -- Magic and Loss rarely seems to come up. But to me, this album's alternately big hearted, downcast, determined, harrowing, and ultimately life-affirming musings on mortality and the process of dying represent some of the most touching, unadorned, and all-in-all beautiful material that this otherworldly talent ever conjured.
Track listing:
1. Dorita
2. What's Good
3. Power and Glory
4. Magician
5. Sword of Damocles
6. Goodbye Mass
7. Cremation
8. Dreamin'
9. No Chance
10. Warrior King
11. Harry's Circumcision (Reverie Gone Astray)
12. Gassed and Stoked
13. Power and Glory, Pt. 2
14. Magic and Loss
Sitting with my back straight, it becomes hard to hear
Some people are crying, it becomes hard to hear
I don't think you'd have liked it, you would have made a joke
You would have made it easier, you'd say, "Tomorrow I'm smoke"