Set the Twilight Reeling was the album with which Lou Reed celebrated his relationship with filmmaker Laurie Anderson, one of the most important of his life. Self-produced and recorded with his regular band, the record has a more intimate and optimistic tone than anything he had done in previous years, with songs that explore love in maturity with surprising tenderness.
Tracks like 'NYC Man' and 'Finish Line' show Reed reflecting on his place in the city that has always been his muse and central theme. The album sounds softer than his 1980s work, with arrangements that prioritize space and texture over rawness, but without losing the lyrical intelligence and narrative specificity that always distinguished him.
Set the Twilight Reeling was well received by critics as a mature and satisfying album. It represented Reed in his most serene mode: the middle-aged artist who has survived his excesses and can contemplate love and the city with genuine gratitude.