The Bells (Lou Reed album)

The Bells
Studio album by Lou Reed
Released	May 1979
Recorded	1979
Studio	Delta Studios (Wilster, West Germany)
Genre	Jazz-rock art rock
Length	40:37
Label	Arista
Producer	Lou Reed
Lou Reed chronology
Live: Take No Prisoners (1978) The Bells (1979) Growing Up in Public (1980)
Lou Reed studio album chronology
Street Hassle (1978) The Bells (1979) Growing Up in Public (1980)
Singles from The Bells
"City Lights" Released: June 1979[1] "Disco Mystic" Released: 1979 (ESP)

The Bells is the ninth solo studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in May 1979 by Arista Records.^[2] It was recorded in binaural sound at Delta Studios in Wilster, West Germany. Production was handled by Reed with Michael Fonfara serving as executive producer. Three out of nine songs on the album are the product of a short-lived writing partnership between Reed and Nils Lofgren. More of the team's work appeared on Nils' solo studio album Nils, released the same year. Lofgren released his version of "Stupid Man" as "Driftin' Man" on Break Away Angel (2001).^[3] Lofgren resurrected five songs he wrote with Reed in the late 70s on Blue with Lou (2019).^[4]

A jazz-rock and art rock album, The Bells features contributions from Michael Fonfara, Ellard "Moose" Boles, Don Cherry, Marty Fogel and Michael Suchorsky. The album peaked at No. 13 in New Zealand, No. 44 in Sweden, No. 58 in Australia, and No. 130 in the United States, and received mixed reviews from music critics.