I really don't get what you're trying to say here. Lou Reed more than most in pop music would understand that likability is not the highest aspiration of a musician. In fact, I think he would really disagree with your idea of the purpose of music. He made a lot of music that people still struggle to comprehend.
Where you think he's trying to rationalize feeling positive about the album, I think he's simply saying that there were some aspects of the album he didn't completely connect with, while other aspects absolutely floored him. On the whole, I'd say that's still a pretty stunning endorsement.
Where you think he's trying to rationalize feeling positive about the album, I think he's simply saying that there were some aspects of the album he didn't completely connect with, while other aspects absolutely floored him. On the whole, I'd say that's still a pretty stunning endorsement.