To capture the correct mood—exactly what has been missing from most of his RCA records—for Coney Island Baby, the artist has forsaken his recent daze for the days of 1969 and Loaded to reclaim the warmth of some of the songs ("Pale Blue Eyes," particularly) he loved to sing. Such a move does not imply that Reed was then or is now a moony sentimental fool—1969, Loaded and Coney Island Baby are all extremely tough LPs. But it does infer that since he left the Underground (in more ways than one), too much of his work has been a cheap, sensationalized self parody of the more freakish side of his persona. Those who admire the contrived outrageousness of the simple, speed-crazed Monster may be more than a little nonplused by the ambiguity and extra dimension—call it ironic, friendly reality—its creator has added to almost every...