In 1975, Lou Reed was drowning in debt and facing a backlash from fans and industry alike after the white-noise album Metal Machine Music. Coney Island Baby wasn't just a career rescue job, but also a rare example of Reed expressing emotional vulnerability. Although the songs adopt the chugging rock template of late-period Velvet Underground, they gradually unveil their humanity and beauty. The lyrics set a moral battle between the druggy, debauched character Reed had become and the youthful idealist he once was. Pivotal tracks are the psychotic Kicks, a barbed discourse on the futility of thrill-seeking, and the mesmeric title track, which yearns for his adolescence. Here, the original eight tracks are bolstered by alternate takes plus 1975 sessions with former Velvets guitarist Doug Yule. These complete a fascinating document of a pivotal time in the life of a rock legend.