In 1972, Lou Reed took a walk on the wild side with his glammy Transformer, and the next year he took a walk on the dark side with his gloomy Berlin. The latter, a concept album, was slaughtered by critics, but like fine wine it has aged well in the hearts of Reed’s truest fans. “I always thought it was a masterpiece,” Reed tells the Smoking Section. “I’ve always loved it.” Reed will debut the thirty-three-year-old song-suite with four December gigs at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn and January gigs in Australia. “I haven’t a clue as to why I didn’t perform it when it came out,” says Reed. But boosted by his pals — artist Julian Schnabel (who will design the set), Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons, who will add harmony) and Bob Ezrin and Hal Willner (who will be the musical directors) — the time has finally come!

Pavement’s 1995 LP Wowee Zowee is one of the wildest, most fantastic albums ever, so the Smoking Section was thrilled to reminisce about it with leader Stephen Malkmus on the eve of WZ’s bonus-dripping two-disc reissue. “I remember that as a time of youthful confidence, narcissistically feeling like we could do no wrong,” he says. “I’d listen to it and say, ‘What are people gonna think? Isn’t this great?’ “Criminally, it never hit big. Sordid Sentinels Edition is the remastered album, plus live renditions, plus eighteen unreleased tracks, plus e-access to a 1994 Pavement board tape. Malkmus just welcomed Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss into his awesome current band, the Jicks (West Coast shows in January!), and as for the drooled-about Pavement reunion, well . . . “It hasn’t been long enough for nostalgia yet,” he says. Good news: “Everyone’s alive, which is the most important thing about having a future relationship.”

The S.S. has a band to rave about: the Denton, Texas, quintet Midlake. If you haven’t heard their second album, The Trials of Van Occupanther (and chances are you haven’t), your duty is now clear. With influences ranging from Tusk to After the Gold Rush to OK Computer, Midlake have delivered mellow-rock perfection. Songwriter Tim Smith is embarrassed to reveal the inspiration for this work of genius, but it has something to do with a fashion ad featuring a woman in equestrian garb. “I usually hate ads, but this one was very romantic to me,” Smith tells us. “I felt if I wrote eleven songs that felt like this picture looked, then I’d have a good album.” Midlake got hosed when they lost their opening slot after Keane canceled their U.S. tour — “Bummer,” says Smith — but Keane are lucky not to get blown away every night. Midlake will tour the U.S. in early ‘07, but go buy Occupanther now, because Smith likes it when you sing along. If you’re not sold yet, check out the cut “Roscoe” on their MySpace page. Believe it!