AMG Review of Sally Can't Dance

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Following the self-conscious artiness of Berlin, Sally Can't Dance was Lou Reed's blatant stab at commercial success, featuring beefed-up guitar riffs, horn charts, and the occasional slick melody. The move paid off -- it was his only album to reach the Top 10 -- but it's an inconsistent record, complete with lackluster material, terrific rockers ("Sally Can't Dance" and "Kill Your Sons"), and one of Reed's best ballads, "Billy."