Set the Twilight Reeling

Set the Twilight Reeling is the seventeenth studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released on February 20, 1996, by Warner Bros. Records.

Set the Twilight Reeling
Studio album by Lou Reed
Released	February 20, 1996
Recorded	1995
Venue	The Roof, New York City (track 6)
Studio	Magic Shop, New York City[1]
Genre	Rock
Length	52:03
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Lou Reed
Lou Reed chronology
Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology (1992) Set the Twilight Reeling (1996) Different Times: Lou Reed in the '70s (1996)

Packaging and lyrics

The cover artwork direction and packaging design was done by Stefan Sagmeister.^[2] The photograph is by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.^[2] The CD case sold with the album was a dark purple/blue hue, making the cover look like a dark blue picture of Reed's face; the bright yellow aspect and the "rays" of the cover image were only made apparent when the liner notes were removed from its case.

Included in the liner notes of the CD booklet is the following: "Due to increased dynamic range, raise volume above average. PLAY IT LOUD."

As noted on the lyric sheet, "Finish Line" was Reed's tribute to the Velvet Underground's guitarist Sterling Morrison, who had died the previous year. The album is dedicated to Laurie Anderson, whom Reed would marry twelve years after its release.^[3] David Fricke of Rolling Stone wrote that Laurie Anderson was the love interest in the track "Hooky Wooky", in which Reed writes of his jealousy over his paramour's ex-lovers.^[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Alternative Press	5/5[5]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	A−[6]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[7]
The Guardian	[8]
Los Angeles Times	[9]
NME	8/10[10]
Q	[11]
Rolling Stone	[3]
Spin	6/10[12]

Set the Twilight Reeling received generally positive reviews from critics.^[3]

Track listing

All tracks written by Lou Reed.

1. "Egg Cream" – 5:18
2. "NYC Man" – 4:56
3. "Finish Line" – 3:24
4. "Trade In" – 4:59
5. "Hang On to Your Emotions" – 3:46
6. "Sex with Your Parents (Motherfucker) Part II" – 3:37
7. "HookyWooky" – 4:19
8. "The Proposition" – 3:27
9. "Adventurer" – 4:18
10. "Riptide" – 7:46
11. "Set the Twilight Reeling" – 5:04

Track 6 recorded live on July 4, 1995, at The Roof, New York City

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Set the Twilight Reeling liner notes.^[13]

• Lou Reed – vocals, guitar
• Fernando Saunders – bass guitar, acoustic guitar on "NYC Man", backing vocals
• Tony "Thunder" Smith – drums, backing vocals
• Oliver Lake, J. D. Parran, Russell Gunn – horns on "NYC Man"
• Roy Bittan – piano on "Finish Line"
• Mino Cinelu – percussion on "Finish Line"
• Laurie Anderson – backing vocals on "Hang On to Your Emotions"

Technical

• Struan Oglanby – programming, production co-ordination
• Bob Ludwig - mastering