Metallica and Lou Reed have created in this album a complete masterpiece destined to become a cult album. I'm not saying this is the best album ever, but sure one of the greatest CDs in the last 5 years. The main reason is because they have created something new mixing their own styles in a conceptual way. Lulu is not only an album, it's something more and it's hard to explain it. Is when yo have listened all the CD, read its lyrics and watched all the art-work when you realize it's something special. Talking about Lulu's music, I think is awesome, specially Metallica's work, that explores new kinds of music with a great sensibility. It's true that in the beginning Lou's voice can seem strange in that melodies, but listening to it you see that this is a part of his poetry, of the sense of Lulu.
Finally I want to say that the main problem for me is that this album should have been far away from mainstream and be a little work, but nothing that is done by Metallica nowadays will go unnoticed for their main audience, and specially his "purists" and detractors fans. But no matter what they say. Lulu is a GREAT album.… Expand

So many people have come out against this album and I really don't understand why. Lou Reed's albums are all one large work, each song compliments the others. I think its really incredible how easily Metallica fit into his style. The album is challenging and engaging if you give it the time it deserves to be absorbed.

Total, absolute masterpiece. Certainly within the top 10 albums I have ever heard and I have been an avid music fan for 35 years. It is an acquired taste. It is very different and challenging. The lyrics are as good as anything I've ever listened to or read. High art. Great literature. The music is utterly driven and intense but still manages to find space where space is needed. Every single track has depth and its own sense of being, but Junior Dad stands out as a milestone in rock music. This is a truly astonishing album that stretches boundaries and the listener. It's like nothing I've ever heard before and I would rank it in the same league as the work of The Velvet Underground, which is the highest praise I can give it.… Expand

As I've gotten older I've found my tastes and .. acceptance of things outside my comfort zone (music, philosophy, etc) growing as my views of the world in which we live change. The key to getting enjoyment (or understanding?) out of Lulu, for me, is to accept that I have to listen to it on it's own terms. Listening to it as a Metallica fan, a metal fan, a music fan, will lead to listening to something that on the face may seem unlistenable. My impression of this album has grown considerably since first listen. Last night was the first time I actually sat down, and listened to it cover to cover. Honestly, I was kind of dreading its darkness and it felt like I had to do a homework assignment. So, I grabbed my best headphones, and set into it. I think a key thing I did was I pulled up the lyrics to each song online as I listened and followed closely along. I think that really helped put me into the music. They've always said the lyrics are the key, the music augmentation and manifestation of the feeling of those lyrics. Lyrics aren't really the correct term, it's more spoken word poetry than anything. As far as Lou's voice: As one review I read put it, it's like "an oil slick sitting on top of an ocean of metal". I agree, I think the discordance is all a part of the art. This is supposed to be uncomfortable, a difficult listen, I think that's a part of it. Once you get acclimated to the voice, and really listen, word for word, song to song, there is true dark art there. Eventually you become a victim of the flow of the moment, as Lou and Metallica became in the 10 days they put this together. If you've ever been in an emotionally violent, destructive relationship, or loved someone who took everything you could give, and returned only their emptiness back to you: this can make you identify with it to an extent. To listen with any expectation from Metallica's past or future is a mistake. Lulu is outside of that, and to listen influenced by those expectations, you won't appreciate it. You'll probably hate it. Lou Reed has been interested for some time with expanding narrative work to build music around it and create kind of a literary fusion of long form story and music. Lulu is exploring that. It's as much narrative as it is music, if not more. The words he brought in to this project are brilliant. They're real. They paint a devastating portrait of two amoral and destructive people. They are at the darkest end of the spectrum of humanity. If you can dive down into your own emotional blackness without losing your equilibrium and knowing when to come back up to draw breath, you can appreciate this fully, I think. Provocative art always has a way of polarizing people to either love or hate it. Lulu is not a metal album, not just a story, but it's own fusion of provocative, violent art. It is brilliant to that end. People complain about a lack of musicality, and that only means you cite a lack of musicality within your own comfort zones and constricted definitions of what musicality can mean. You have to allow yourself to experience this on it's own terms. Not on your terms. I'm not saying you need to remove subjectivity and just blindly accept it. But listen to it on it's terms, if you can, and then judge it. If you're unable or unwilling to listen that way, with more than just your ears and expectations, then you shouldn't judge it either. You should just ignore its existence. Lou Reed and Metallica are both artists that have earned the privilege of doing things on their own terms, and it's a sign of respect to view their collaborative art on those terms. You can then choose to accept or reject it. I happen to accept it, and I'll take from it what I can. This will probably get me more into avante-garde type music and further my own horizons of music and understanding, and to me that's a beautiful thing. I accept the terms. Thanks for reading.… Expand

Yep, I fully agree with JeffWrubel. Can't say it better than he did. The only reason I registered at Metacritic is to support his view.
LISTEN to the CD and read the lyrics with your headphone on. Lulu in my opinion is a good symbiosis of the dark voice of Lou (which I have liked ever since Velvet Underground) and Metallica (that I didn't like that much). Perhaps I am gonna try and listen to Metallica as well, now that I am out of my comfort zone!
That's what music is all about: enjoying and bringing you further down the road. You're right: I'm older as well, though Lou is a bit older.… Expand

The year

There are a lot of problems with this cd. First, I am not a Metallica fan and I thought they did not deliver. However, they do not shoulder all of the blame. Half of of the songs are decent but the other half really suck. Little Dog and Mistress Dread really dreadful. Junior Dad starts out as a classic Lou emotiomal song piece but collappes under the weight of pure musical **** I cannot decide whwther Lou and Metallicala are **** with us or really trying to experimement. Knowing Lou's track reord, the joke is on us. A damn shame!… Expand

Personally, the instruments sound awesome (because it's Metallica). They always sound good. It's the singing/talking that drives me wild. I mean, it's ok, but it just gets creepy after you listen to it for a while. So basically, the 5 comes from the Metallica part of the album, where as the other 5 that aren't there come from the Lou Reed part of the album.

The only saving grace for this album may be that it is not the worst album of 2011; Theory of a Deadman already clinched that honor back in the summer. But Lou Reed's nasally delivery just doesn't fit, it comes off as some uninspired old fart recording his voice in the living room while a metal riff plays in the background. As Allmusic wrote, this would have worked far better with an ambient band such as Sunn 0))) than with Metallica.… Expand

Honestly, it's not as horrible as people make it out to be. I feel like the user score has been artificially deflated thanks to the scores of disappointed Metallica/Lou Reed fans. Don't get me wrong, it's an aggressively taxing listen, but if you make an effort to pay attention to the story, and give the album a fair chance, you'll find it does have some redeeming qualities. That said, there is a major disjunction between Lou's vocals and Metallica's instrumentals, that could have been repaired with some studio workshopping. This album was made quickly and it shows.… Expand

After listening to this album, I have NO respect for Lou Reed anymore. He has ruined Metallica and what they are known for. His voice is so annoying and sounds awful... and it's put to crazy, loud guitars. It doesn't go. If Lou thinks that this is the best thing he's ever done, then he must have has a crappy career. And Metallica, please forget you ever did this and go back to Death Magnetic. At least this wasn't as bad as St. Anger.… Expand

An album that just sounds like nobody knows what's going on. Simple as that. Lou Reed sounds like he's in a different country, and Metallica, well, kinda saves the album, but like always, Lars can't really keep steady time. This is Metallica's worst album, but not Lou Reed's. (see Metal Machine Music)

It has the balls to not be conventional, and it has some decent songs where the two seemingly opposite Lou and Metallica find a common ground. Not a great album but far from the utter failure most people claim it is. The production of the record, IMO, if better could have improved the final result of the mixed styles.

Soo i bought this album being a long time fan of Metallica. Do not make that mistake! I haven't really had much Lou Reed experience but im sure he was better off on his own, same with Metallica. The whole album feels like poetry being read to you with some guys playing metal in the background. It just doesn't work. Maybe i didnt give this enough time to sink in, but i only listened halfway through the album before i had to shut it off. It was that bad.… Expand

The emperor has no clothes. There are people who want to like this because they think it's "avant-garde", or "artistic", or "challenging". I don't criticise Lou Reed or Metallica for attempting this project, but I think they failed quite badly. There are many problems with this album, but perhaps the most fundamental is the general lack of connection between Reed's vocals and Metallica's backing music, something that, in combination with the monotone delivery, robs the lyrical storyline of any possible impact (not that some of the lyrics aren't downright laughable in their own right) and the entire album of any coherence.

Many of the songs are excessively long, stretched out with mindless repetition or pointlessly tacked on sections. Incidentally, there's absolutely no justification for the length of the album, it could have only been improved by trimming it to fit on a single CD. The heavy parts which some fellow-Metallica fans probably enjoy are often... just there... sounding ok for what they are, but contributing little. (Who thought it was a good idea to take the already average speed/thrash riff of Mistress Dread and repeat it for 5+ monotonous minutes? Incredible).

This could have been an outstanding project. All it needed was a different singer (one able to convey the twisted emotions and inner workings of the character rather than drone on witlessly, relying on the tired shock value of lyrics about vulvas, tampons and various forms of degradation to create any impact) and a different band (one able to consistently display the subtlety and creativity required to make the soundtrack fit the storyline).

I was tempted to give it less than 3, as when I think of this project as a whole, it's pretty dire. But there are some good moments, and even a few songs that come close to working, though spoiled to some extent by the failings I've mentioned.… Expand

A bigger disaster, this album, Lulu is horrible, I don't like the music of Metallica, but I believe that is a great band, but my problem is that I like the music of Lou Reed, but this CD is terrible.

I laughed at times. Specifically at Reed's vocal efforts. He sounds like a confused old man without any muscial abilities.

Summary: Metallica wasted riffs on this album. Lou Reed's poetry would be better off in text form.

Lulu has two alright songs on it, the songs that are alright are "Iced Honey" and "Cheat on Me" the rest of the album is just **** The lyrics for the album are just rubbish, such as, in the song "Frustration" Lou says some like "Kiss your breast and toes" what **** idiot would say that? The man is a wanker and Metallica are dick heads for working with him! What ever you do, don't waste your money on this bull****, buy something better. But i do recommend listening to the album on youtube for a laugh.… Expand

I dont know what to say of this album. Lou Reed and Metallica, separately, are both awesome. But this album left me confused. The music is without doubt very good. But the singing part (or the speaking part actually) is what i dont get. It confuses me.. Creeps Me out. I tried to expand my taste in music and hear this album but its not what i want!

Why Mettalica? One of the greatest bands of all time falls into the greasy hands of the old geaser Lou Reed. He talks, not sings, and you would not be able to tell this was Mettalica. For the die hard fans, my heart goes out to you, haha. But really, everything is garbage, I respect a change from the hard rocking band, but I did expect a change that was higher in quality than this.

While I can understand what Metallica and Lou Reed tried to do on this record, their sounds are too different to fit well together. This album sounds like Lou Reed reciting dark, and unappealing poems that he had written, while Metallica can be heard jamming in the background and it ends up sounding like a mess. I gave this album several chances to grow on me but it truly is a waste of time and a poor collaboration between very accomplished musicians. The only thing keeping this from a 1/10 is "Iced Honey", which is actually more or less listenable.… Expand

When The View was released I hoped it was the worst song of the album. It was horrible listening to such a lament (and the lyrics? I am the table? Who the hell wrote that?). But listening to the whole album was also worse. Little Dog is one of the worst songs I have ever listened to. It seems that Lou Reed had stomachache while "singing". Awful. I hope Metallica's 2013 record will be great, so I will forget this album.… Expand

I gave this rating a star because Metallica does have some good riffs in here, some of them with a bit of variety/progression could make good Metallica songs. The issue here is Lou Reed ruining any potential here. I like a lot of Lou Reed solo work (Blue Mask, Transformer, Coney Island Baby) but his lyrics here are awful, to the point that they distract from any musical flow. Worse yet, his "singing" has no consistent pattern, melody, nothing of redeeming value. This was a struggle to get through, a total vanity project for Reed, maybe wanting to put out a metal machine music for the new decade. It's funny, because Reed has now been responsible for some of the best works of rock/pop music with Velvet Underground, and now the worst as well. Metallica does not help matters here, the music is too repetitive to be enjoyable. If they could work with a stronger producer like Danger Mouse or Rick Rubin, they could do something interesting again. Ever since Bob Rock reared his ugly head into their careers, they've gone downhill.… Expand

This album have some great riffs, but they are overexploided. For example, Junior Dad is composed basically with 1 riff. 19 minutes for 1 riff is very bad. Lou Reed voice sucks, and sometimes just destroy the songs. For example, the Pumping Blood intro. It's a horrible album, Lou Reed and Metallica doesn't combine, so please don't try to do more albums together. Worst album in Metallica's History.

Aweful. Just absolute tripe from start to finish. Now, I understand that some artists like to try and experiment every now and then and end up with remarkable results. But the only think that's remarkable about this album is just how unlistenable it is. Repetitive riffs, moronic lyrics and non-existant progression simply proves that spaghetti and chocolate just dosen't mix.

Unintentionally kitsch, laughably awful, and more than just a little misguided; I'm honestly in shock that album was allowed to exist. In a normal review I might detail each track one by one, but in this case that is very unnecessary. Simply put, Lulu is Lou Reed reading pretentious poetry over some of the most forgettable music Metallica has crafted. Attempting something new should be applauded, however, I hope all parties involved are embarrassed with this effort and never produce anything like it again.… Expand

I remember listening to this album for the first time and literally laughing. I thought it was a joke, I hope it is, because if Lou Reed and Metallica seriously thought this was a good album then they BOTH need to hang it up. Terrible lyrics, horrible vocals, flat melodies, uninspired riffs, just about every misfire in the book is present on Lulu. I am giving it a 1 because, as I mentioned, it made me laugh, and that has to count for something.… Expand

I AM THE TABLE!!!! lol Lou Reed you are the master troll. Metallica ALMOST redeemed themselves with Death Magnetic but now they're back to being the lowly sellouts they were always destined to become -_- RIP Metallica 1981-1992, 2008-2010

The worst thing is that Metallica can pull the whole 'it's different so THAT'S why people don't like it' thing yet again. I understand wanting to do something different musically. But the band also needs to understand that sometimes doing something different means that it can still suck. And suck this album does. Lou Reed and Metallica don't match. I don't care how poetic or progressive or deep this album is. In the end, it's about the music. And the music tends to sound stupendously bad.… Expand

Why Lou? Why would you choose to work with Metallica? I could think of 100 better artists you could have chosen to work with. This is just a terrible album on all accounts. Fans of both Lou Reed and Metallica need to be honest with themselves and admit that NEITHER artist is relevant anymore. They are not changing the music scene or doing anything of significance. They are OLD artist trying desperately to change the landscape of music like they did earlier in their careers. I have no problem saying I love a particular artist for the influence they originally had, but that I hate their current desperate pretentious career.… Collapse

If this album was listened to without knowing who the artists were you would think it was a 4th rate garage band made up of 17 year old high school students spewing forth really bad teenage poetry!
I am all for trying new things and pushing the boundaries but sometimes you have to know when to pull back and review your art objectively.....this i'm afraid is just an exercise in self indulgent narcissism by musicians who are obviously bored.....probably shouldn't have been released because i can only see it hurting their brand!… Expand

to give it a 0 is to say it hasn't any artistic merit, which it has. still, it hasn't got enough to score a 1. listen to it as a Metallica fan, a Reed fan, or not a fan at all, everything in this album sucks the same

I've seen several comments online where bloggers say we "don't get it". Anyone who says this is avant garde music has little experience with that genre. Dangerous, abrasive and compelling are all hallmarks of avant rock. This is just an embarrassment made by two creatively bankrupt artists. Please stop your Metallica hero worship and hear this album for what it is: Crap.

Metallica, what happened? The snare drum experiment in the st anger now this?! mediocre would give credit to this garbage.
the brand and name of both lou reed and metallica and everyone involved will be forever scarred.

This album makes me sick to my stomach. What has happened to Metallica? Megadeth comes out with a new one and its just as good as their stuff in the 80's. I'm almost ashamed to be a Metallica fan.

Lou Metal(lica) Machine Music. If we weren't all aware that Lou was an idiot, we would have probably thought this was a joke, a joke on Metallica, but clearly it it not. Clearly, the man sees himself as some sort of Avant-Garde master, when really everytime he's tried to be experimental he has **** up. Metallica 1983-88 - Best metal band in the world. 1991 - Still good, but not great. 1992-2003 - Jokes. 2008 - Slight potential. 2009-2011 - Jokes, again. They've become a joke, but this has been said for almost 20 years. Lou and Metallica have both gone from being greats releasing masterpieces to has-beens with dumb fanbases. "Metallica are **** awesome, you **** Go die" That would be the general response from one of their fans, their cultureless **** for fans. I know huge Metallica fans. They're deluded idiots.... They give music and rock/metal music, in particular, a bad name. They're ruining it. They could atleast retire. They could atleast not further this, this Trage-comedy. They could give up and try their hardest to erase the last 20 years of thier career. You too Lou, the last 38 years. This is a mockery. A **** MOCKERY… Expand

Worst album in the world. Metallica has been a great band since the 80's but since then it seems like it's been losing their magic to make music. What happened to Metallica?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, what a joke for an album, the sound on this album does not work or fit together at all.
Sounds like Metallica were keen to make an album that would be remember through time. But they have grabbed Lou Reed who isnt a very successful singer with music that isnt appealing to the mainstream market or metallica fans and try and failed very very badly, more dissapointing the st anger lol.… Expand

one of the most disgusting things i have ever encountered in my life, bad riffs, bad vocals, lyrics "appears" to be sophisticated while they are mostly crap. definitely not for Metallica fans, or music fans i general. the only good thing about this is last couple of minutes in "The View" where James Insists that HE IS A TABLE, works every time i feel down and want to have a good laugh.

The worst piece of **** I've ever heard! Sometimes Metallica (the best band in the world) surprises me with its stupidity! They don't think rationally that's for sure!

Listening to this record is like witnessing your middle-aged parents performing sexual act for an hour. They certainly enjoy it themselves, and you respect them both, but that performance is not intended for anyone else to see. You wish you never saw it and want to flush the scene from your memory. There's something unnatural in that from your perspective.

I get it - it's not 100% Metallica album, but who are you kidding ? If not for Metallica fans, nobody would pay attention to this dreck. I couldn't care less about Lou Reed, but I am not sure if I can take Metallica seriously after this.… Expand

After first hearing some of this album some months ago, I first thought that it was weak, not fitting and generally painful to listen to. Despite this, I decided to try out the whole album regardless. And the end result was just as bad as my prior opinion. The main problem with the album is that Lou Reed does not go with Metallica in any way. It's like a 12-year-old kid mish-mashing two songs together and calling it a 'remix'. As much as I don't like saying this, this is an album deserving of it's criticism. Metallica fans won't like it, Lou Reed fans won't like it and anyone with the gift of ears won't like it either.… Expand

Just got to say that this is probably the worst album ever made, i rather prefer being forced to listen to Justin Biebers greatest hits. Nothing absolutely nothing on this album is worth using. Don't waste your money on it!!!

This is an absolute joke of an album. It sounds like an old man reciting bad poetry over his grandson's garage band. I could go off on a lot of rants regarding Metallica releases in the last 2 decades, but I will stick to this album alone: It is trash. Artistically, it offers nothing to the listener. Musically it is a grungy mess of off beat noise. There is really no reason to buy this album, or even steal it, to be quite honest. There is no reason to add this album to your collection, not for Lou Reed, not for Metallica, not as a joke.… Expand

Lou Reed SUCKS!!! You think i'll buy it?? Hell NO! I would just download it and hear em all and delete it eventually! It sucks!! F#CK THAT! I know its a collaboration album.. Well it sucks! and TH1RT3EN was like 10 times better! And i Just hope their new album like they promised will be better and also better than Death Magnetic.. Possible similiarly to their 80s album! I JUST HOPE!!! And their fans will keep in touch with Metallica back like before back in the 80s! The "THRASHING" stops right after The Black Album! Load was Nonsence! ReLoad was ReNonsence! St. Anger... hmm.. The most worst album ever heard by the Heavy Metal Legends! As for Death Magnetic.. I Like it! Cause it kinda bring back their rocking! But could be better! What bothers me the most is that James voice is dead.. :( But well He's old now.. But if you look at Bruce Dickinson.. He's voice just stays the same! Well why can't James?!?!?! I just hope! I JUST HOPE! that their next album would bring back to the 80s! I really want that alot! Come on! We also wants this guy back....... JASON NEWSTED!!!! What i'm trying to say is that we all WANT THE OLD METALLICA FOR GOD SAKE!! Like the time when they were in Moscow (1991)!! That really blows me away! 100 over 100!!! I still love Metallica!! That is because they mae songs that reminds me of the memories you know! m/ Metallica m/ LULU'S CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand

Once I heard the first line from the first song, which was "I would cut my legs and **** off", I immediately turned it off! Worst collaboration in the history of rock! Rob Zombie and Lionel Richie can breathe a sigh of relief! Like come on, "I'm Am the Table" What the hell does that mean??? And no I would not like "Iced Honey" its disgusting!!!

NO METALLICA NO NO NO YOU WERE THE BEST METAL BAND IN THE WORLD AND YOU WENT AND RELEASED PURE GARBAGE LIKE THIS! LOU REED DOESN'T EVEN SINGS HE TALKS AND COMPLAINS LIKE AN OLD MAN!

This is the worst album of 2011. Metallica seems to be playing a uninspired jam session with Lou Reed mumbling bad poetry to another tune. Both made a great contribution to music and maybe we should just forget that this ever happened.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to join the long list of people who consider this album absolute crap. I've tried. Many times. But no, I can't get it. Right from the opening track, James Hetfield appears to be taking the piss out of himself.

Metallica throw their instruments around the room, while Lou Reed talks over it. Utterly boring.

If this were the first album that today's youth heard of Metallica's, or indeed of Lou Reed's, they would forever foresake their earlier output, which would be a terrible shame.… Expand