| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [2] |
| Robert Christgau | B[3] |
| Kerrang! | [4] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable)[5] |
Mistrial is the fourteenth solo studio album by American musician Lou Reed, released in June 1986 by RCA Records two years after his previous album, New Sensations (1984). Fernando Saunders and Reed produced the album.
Mistrial peaked at No. 47 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and at No. 69 on the UK Albums Chart. Two singles were released from the album: "The Original Wrapper" and "No Money Down" with the latter being the only single to chart, peaking at No. 75 on the ARIA Charts. A music video was created for "No Money Down" that featured an animatronic Lou Reed, and a music video was also created for "The Original Wrapper" which features time-lapse photography of New Yorkers on the street.
Panamanian singer Rubén Blades provided backing vocals on two tracks, "I Remember You" and "Tell It to Your Heart", while punk rock musician Jim Carroll sang backing vocals on one, "Video Violence".
Track listing
All tracks are written by Lou Reed.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mistrial" | 3:20 |
| 2. | "No Money Down" | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Outside" | 3:02 |
| 4. | "Don't Hurt a Woman" | 3:59 |
| 5. | "Video Violence" | 5:35 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Spit It Out" | 3:39 |
| 7. | "The Original Wrapper" | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Mama's Got a Lover" | 4:12 |
| 9. | "I Remember You" | 3:13 |
| 10. | "Tell It to Your Heart" | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 39:12 | |
Personnel
Adapted from the Mistrial liner notes.[6]
- Lou Reed – vocals; Lead guitar, rhythm guitar
- Fernando Saunders – rhythm guitar on "Tell It to Your Heart" and "Don't Hurt a Woman", bass guitar, synthesizer, programming, piano on "I Remember You", percussion on "Outside", backing vocals
- Eddie Martinez – rhythm guitar on "No Money Down", "Don't Hurt a Woman" and "The Original Wrapper"
- Rick Bell – tenor saxophone on "No Money Down"
- J.T. Lewis – drums on "Mistrial", "Don't Hurt a Woman" and "Tell It to Your Heart", percussion on "No Money Down"
- Sammy Merendino – programming on "Don't Hurt a Woman" and "Tell It to Your Heart", percussion on "No Money Down", "Video Violence" and "The Original Wrapper"
- Jim Carroll – backing vocals on "Video Violence"
- Rubén Blades – backing vocals on "I Remember You" and "Tell It to Your Heart"
Production
- Lou Reed – producer
- Fernando Saunders – producer
- Bruce Lampcov – mixing
- Sylvia Reed – cover design
Chart performance
Weekly charts
| Chart(1986) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 47 |
| US Billboard 200[8] | 47 |
| UK Albums Chart[9] | 69 |
See also
- List of albums released in 1986
- Lou Reed's discography
References
- ^ Deming, Mark. Mistrial at AllMusic
- ^ Kot, Greg (January 12, 1992). "Lou Reed's Recordings: 25 Years Of Path-breaking Music". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (July 1, 1986). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
- ^ Dickson, Dave (29 May 1986). "Lou Reed 'Mistrial'". Kerrang!. 121. London, UK: United Magazines ltd. p. 11.
- ^ Fricke, David (1986-06-19). "Lou Reed: Mistrial : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2009-01-16. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
- ^ Mistrial (CD booklet). Lou Reed. RCA Records. 1986.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 249. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Lou Reed > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ^ "Lou Reed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2010-09-02.