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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
1967
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!Truth time. I’ve never given it a full listen before bc everyone tells me I’m supposed to like it and I resent that. That being said, I really did enjoy this haha.
It’s honestly amazing how influential this album is when you look at it from the surface level. On the surface it’s just simple songs with lots of distortion over them, but when you cut into the nitty gritty of it, you find an amazing album consisting of some very risqué lyrics and themes. The songs themselves are a stunning example of how less is more in music. As demonstrated with the lack of any competently forged riffs on these albums, but more a collection of chords that form a melody and the lack of any form of cymbals in the drums.
To my mind, Lou Reed's gift as a lyricist is for literalness and plainspeak poetry. So I was surprised when I listened to this for the millionth time and realised I'd always assumed this was the one where he's more gnomic. Probably because of the album's avant-garde edges. Not so. When he says, "And I feel like I just don't know" on Heroin, he means it. What he does know is what's down back alleys, under ground and after dark. The music is just as filthy. The inclusion of gentile European tradition signifying Nico by Warhol (more likely director than producer) is a masterstroke, both elevating all this American vulgarity with her presence but also upending and debasing what she signifies.
1/1001. Got ‘Em: 1 Need ‘Em:0 Vinyl quality: fair— surface noise throughout. V5008 Canadian Mono.
Nico <3 Lou Reed <3 John Cale <3 Moe Tucker <3 Sterling Morrison <3. Perfect in its naivete, purity, experimentalism, tonal painting. Just perfect. The world of sound would be a lesser place without the existence of this album.
oh my god. why why WHY how is this influential. this is the worst album ever. the voice- awful. and the background? i cant even call it music. why is there screeching. it hurt my ears. this is not good in ANY way. the first song was just boring but it got progressively terrible each song after I did not enjoy this album for even a second I don’t understand how this is influential in anyway. sorry 😞
Production: 13/20 Songwriting: 16/20 Innovation: 17/20 Bangers: 20/20 Emotional response: 18/20 =84 Class class class class class
A thrilling and tremendously influential experimental rock album. It's blend of pysch, proto-pop, art-punk, dream pop and on and on is what makes it such a fascinating and still wholly original sounding work. It's a difficult work but one that rewards every minute you engage with it.
My first exposure was freshman year of college (2017). Before spotify, I would queue up songs on a Youtube playlist and play them in a random order. One day, probably listening to a Beatles or Doors song, Youtube recommended me Heroin on the right sidebar and it was one of the most astonishing things I've ever listened to. I never heard anything like it before. Initially I thought it was something modern until I discovered it was 1967 when rock was still only getting established. Now I want to remark again that this was my freshman year, so at the same time I was getting introduced to all the countercultures on campus. Due to the topics of drugs and LGBT, I would associate it with the Rocky Horror Show / steampunk culture that was so strong at my school. This atmosphere made me view music as more than just a melody to sing along to but like a gateway to an entirely different perspective on life. Through VU and Lou Reed, I saw the streets of forbidden society, the kind we turn a blind eye to thinking it's dangerous. It would take me another 3 years to finally listen to the whole album, but I'm glad I did not just go into the album blind. I knew how to go into the album. This is an avant garde album. But it is a successful avant garde album, which is very very rare. Whereas pop music was heading toward a direction of being more refined, complex, and crisp, this album went in the exact opposite direction. But I don't mean backwards to 1965 (which is what people thought when they heard this album in 1967). I mean forward by utilizing simple chords and lofi techniques in creative ways that would be picked up by garage bands and later punk. Except the Stooges, no one would was even doing anything like this for years to come. So besides the atmosphere and innovation, how does the album hold? I think almost all the songs are perfect. Sunday Morning is the best opener (holy shit I'm writing this on Sunday Morning). Love the celesta. Femme Fatale is the most classic song, almost like a Carpenters song sang through a tin can. Venus in Furs the most atmospheric song, giving me hard drug and BDSM imagery... Reminds me of A Clockwork Orange. Run Run Run is like rock n roll on speed. I love how simple it is, how it doesn't progress anywhere, but it just keeps going on with periodic distortions that give the audience anxiety. All Tomorrow Parties' sounds like a Jefferson Airplane outtake (which is a compliment I think). There is nothing in this world I love more than the intense drumming and drone in Heroin that creates the atmosphere of the craziness in taking smack. Black Angel's Death Song best shows Lou Reed's poetry and interesting production techniques. European Son is an amazing closing track, beginning with classic Chuck Berry and then diverging into an awesome display of conflicting instruments and feedback distortion.
It's scary how they were ahead of their time. They are immersed in the dark, oppressive atmosphere of German expressionism and French existentialism, but they also exhaled an epic libido: each song was a sexual fetish, and a cathartic sadomaso release. (9/10) FT: Heroin, Sunday Morning
Who did I wrong in this or another life to deserve this week...Patti Smith and now this back to back. Uninspiring-at-best so-called songs about drugs and the streets, many of which were "sung" by Lou Reed. oooo edgy! Oh but at least it closes with *pure genius* [suffers through untold minutes of no-composition feedback-drenched dissonant sounds of a band openly mocking the idea of music and/or anyone in the future voluntarily listening to this] in "European Son" ..... what the absolute hell - was there nobody around to put the brakes on this?? -10/10 0 stars to everyone responsible in 1967 for foisting this mess upon the public.
I listened to the album after several years and I enjoyed it! My favorite song is Heroin and Venus in Furs. The last song is too experimental for my taste.
A very strange album which can feel both musically great while being uncomfortable to listen to - as the songs appear intended to be.
It's one of the most perfect albums ever. There isn't a bum note. No song that isn't classic. It's astonishing that it is a debut record.
I was already very familiar with this album and love it. Great to revisit - it’s been quite a while since I listened to it all the way through.
Elements of psychedelic and pre-punk. Clearly influential and for good reason. Heroin, Sunday morning, Femme Fatale <3
Nico <3 Lou Reed <3 John Cale <3 Moe Tucker <3 Sterling Morrison <3. Perfect in its naivete, purity, experimentalism, tonal painting. Just perfect. The world of sound would be a lesser place without the existence of this album.
Disco redondo, completo, un lujo escuchar esto hoy en día. Quitando alguna canción que no me termina de gustar por prejuicios más que otra cosa, creo que es un disco con 5 estrellas en casi todas las canciones y por supuesto con 5 estrellas como conjunto sin dudarlo.
Variadito y sí dan ganas de hacer un bailecito torpe. Venus in furs fue la que más me gustó, está heavy y lenta. Aunque todas me gustaron en realidad. Jamás en la vida había escuchado a esta banda, solo había visto su famosa portada de andy Warhol, probablemente elnhechod e que Warhol está en la portada me ahyantaba. Qué bueno que lo escuché. Mood: psicodelia :3
Listened to my vinyl copy. Sounds kinda harsh. Bad surface noise, especially on Heroin (side 2, track 1).
Of course I knew The Velvet Underground by name, I know the famous banana image and I've definitely heard a couple of the songs without ever knowing it's by them (especially the opening song Sunday Morning). Yet, for some reason I was never interested in them and my expectations were low. I really don't know why though, as this album is just really good. The depth and versatility really caught me by surprise and I can easily imagine this album being as hugely influential as it ended up being. Saved this album and will re-listen. I do have one criticism: I really could have done without the final six minutes of the album.
просто уже за Venus in Furs можно лепить пятеру и признавать топом, одна из лучших песен эвер. Но только тут как бэ и другие номера — моё почтение. Открывашка вообще чудесна, героин — культовый депресняк, Вейтинг фо май Мэн — внезапно слушабельный блюз роцк, Фем Фаталь — охуенное исполнение от Нико. Для 67 года это не то что прорыв это просто как Гагарина в космос запустить, как придумать водку с пивом смешать. До сих пор мало кто что-то похожее сделал, а в те времена этот альбом просто убрал всех этих ваших битлов и роллинг стоунзов, любивших поизображать шутов при пидорасах. 10/10, тупо маст лисен, и банан вот этот пусть у нормисов ассоциируется с годным музлом (да и искусством хороших обложек тоже)
Undeniably one of the most important and influential albums of the last century. Perfection.
Love this, really acted as the vague portmanteau for rock and defined the proto-punk genre, brought rock backs to its roots
Je connaissais mais j’avait jamais prit le temps de l’ecouter actif en entier.je suis imprwssione, c’est envoutant .4.95 car je ne sais pa si c’est un album que j’ecouterais n’importe quand, mais j’y reviendrai tres prochainement.
Muy posiblemente esté entre mis 5 discos favoritos. Cada vez que lo escucho termino sintiendo como si mi canción favorita fuera cambiando de una otra entre Waiting for the Man, Sunday Morning, Venus in Furs, Heroin o There She Goes Again... en realidad no tiene puntos débiles ni canciones de relleno. Un sonido como no había ningún otro en su momento y como no había escuchado nada en el momento en que lo conocí hace tantos años. La música undulante pasando por canciones dulces, psicodelia con el acelerador a fondo, rock y llegando a incluso el ruido total pero que tiene orden y sentido y hace una obra de arte. No hay mucho que pueda decir sin que se oigan a halago tras halago. Las letras todas inusuales incluso las que pueden ser un poco más convencionales o románticas, el resto hacia el ya conocido tiraje de drogas, exceso y prácticas sexuales poco comunes que siempre les caracterizó. Conocí este disco quiza hacia los 12 o 13, sin poner atención a las letras y simplemente recuerdo que me agradaba la música de Venus in Furs. Con el tiempo lo reencontré como a los 16 cuando me adentraba a leer mucho Burroughs, Kerouac, Ginsberg, etc. y no podía haber obviamente mejor acompañamiento, era tal cual como si un autor adicional hubiera plasmado todo en música y se sintiera todo compaginado a la perfección; de esos momentos que a veces menciono en la juventud de cada quien que marcaron hitos fuertes. Todo lo personal que puede ser el disco y ni siquiera ya creo tocaré la magnitud de importancia musical e histórica que representa. Es ya sabido que gracias a este disco se abrió un abanico de bandas y géneros gigantesco con el pasar de los años que estaban tremendamente endeudados con Velvet Underground. No quiero extenderme de más siendo repetitivo. Uno de esos discos perfectos para mí.
First VU I ever bought after they were covered and name dropped by R.E.M. on Dead Letter Office (which was actually the first R.E.M. album I ever purchased). 16 year old me didn't completely get it but it sure grew on me. An all time classic by a band whose entire studio catalog is comprised of nothing but classics (I can pretend Squeeze doesn't exist, try and stop me)
Absolutely PERFECT album. Genuinely one of the greatest achievements in rock, and music in general. One of my favorites!!!
This is my 100th review. A special kind of symmetry in that my first album was Berlin by Lou Reed. In case you were wondering, I gave that one a 3. It’s hard to review an album that you love, an album that is one of your favorites. There’s a sense of obligation to say something meaningful, but the album is also wrapped up in all kinds of feelings and experiences that are hard to extricate from the music. I don’t have a single favorite album. I have a small number of albums that I consider foundational to my tastes in music, my attitudes about music and, to some extent, my world view. This is one of those albums for me. If you've never heard the Velvets before, that first song is deceptive. The twinkling celesta, the strings, "Sunday Morning" is a lure into a very dark, gritty space. Feedback, dissonance, dark lyrics that take you to dark places, oh yeah. This album is a scar across the lovely face of music. VU is one of those bands that cracks open the possibilities of what music is allowed to sound like and what we as listeners should expect from music. As I said, foundational. I’ve been listening to this album for about 30 years now and it still challenges me. I love that it still challenges me, that it’s never boring. There are still moments on this album that make me uncomfortable, a flash of distortion that will make me tense up momentarily, a turn of phrase that will make me stop cold for a second from whatever it is I’m doing. This is music that is designed to make you uncomfortable. But it’s also immersive and fascinating. I have never in my life met anyone like the people Lou Reed writes about. But he writes it so vividly that you feel like you can understand it. The world revealed in this album is terrifying, but somehow also alluring in a twisted way. The Velvets shine a light on that dark underbelly of what’s acceptable, revealing depravity, humanity, and a surprising beauty. The arrangements of these songs are deceptively simple for the most part, but every sound is precisely placed, every distortion intentional. Cale’s explorations of the viola paired with Reed’s own experimentation with guitar tuning creates a powerful sound that no one has ever been able to match. Add in the steady, minimalist backbone provided by Moe Tucker and Sterling Morrison and you have a sound for the ages, one that’s been copied incessantly but still never really captured. Also, for as much as this is an album is worthy of serious thought, it also is just excellent music. It can be sweet, it can be catchy, it can be provocative, it also at moments just simply rocks. You can’t ask for much more in an album. Fave Songs: (The whole album, favorite to least favorite): Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, I'll Be Your Mirror, Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, European Son, All Tomorrow's Parties, There She Goes Again, The Black Angel's Death Song
I was all over this album when I was in my early 20s, as it should be. I like that this is one of those legendarily influential albums that still holds up. It doesn't quite feel like an artefact of its time, it's weird and edgy enough to still feel current-ish in an unusual way. The pop songwriting craft is there, along with songs about heroin addiction that aren't as boring as drug addiction is. The melancholic feeling is sublime and it is probably very apt for these troubled times. I am very happy that this album exists and I want to peel Andy's banana.
Undisputed classic, both in influence and substance. The sound is raw and stripped-down and the lyrics are reflective of the emerging counterculture of the era. There is so much diversity in this album and it has such a distinctive sound. Favorite tracks: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Heroin.
One of those less deniable classics. Responsible for a lot of terrible bands, and a few good ones. Such a strong opening from the twee, gentle Sunday Morning, to the jangly driving (and only slightly overrated) I'm Waiting for The Man to the sad Femme Fatale to a droning, sinister Venus in Furs and on. Heroin is the only break this album takes for mediocrity - Lou Reed was always at his most dull when he was trying to be edgy.
This album's especially great for giving Nico multiple opportunities to say "clown" (pronounced 'klauhn')
5 star album. Hated it the first time I listened to it in high school. Kinda liked it a few years later. \"Get it\" now that I'm in my late 20s
sunday morning is one of my favorite classic rock/alternative songs. it's so simple, but emotionally complex and almost entrancing. im waiting for the man is a catchy presumably queer, love song with an awesome riff. even though i don't like nico at all as a person, she is a beautiful singer on femme fatale. venus in furs is an interesting song musically and lyrically, but it has a unique charm run run run remains me of bob dylan and other late 50s/early 60s rock and alternative groups. sadly, i have to say it's my least favorite, i come to lou reed for lyrical content, and this feels mostly instrumental and lyrically hollow. all tomorrow's parties is just- kinda bland. nothing really notable about it if i can remember. heroin is a heartbreakingly perfectly ode to the drug and lou's addictions throughout his life. it slowly builds to an incredible conclusion and is probably the best track on the latter half of the album. there she goes again is a good track. however i do feel like it's mostly filler. i'll be your mirror is absolutely perfect. it's one of the best alternative love songs ever written, and i plan to play it at my wedding if i ever get married. the black angel's death song is a sweeping almost horror song, which is almost definitely the inspiration for the halloween theme. overall, a 4.75/5. genuinely one of the most influential albums of all time, even if some of the tracks aren't up my alley.
I love this album long before this project. Lou Reed's voice has such swagger and sweetness. And then Nico, sounding so warm yet aloof. Every single song does what it was intended to do, even if I don't know what exactly that was. I really got into Venus In Furs for the first time, digging the strings. I Am Your Mirror is one of my all-time favorite songs, but it hit me differently this time around. It sent me into reflecting about how that's how I can only hope to be that for the people I love.
Not my first time of listening but it's been a year or so, what hasn't been said about this album already isn't really worth saying, i wasn't born when this album was released but you can hear it resonating down the decades, seeping into the subconscious to this day and forever. Timeless.
Love this album, always have. Not much else to say, I'm sure there's a 4-hour long documentary on Youtube that analyzes every single note of every song on this album.
A truly iconic album. It's just cool isn't it? Everything about it is cool, from the cover art to Nico's very good, not very good singing to Lou Reed's snide attitude to John Cale's experimental noise making. The grandaddy of trendies everywhere from art-rock to heroin chic to 21st-century hipsters.
Imagine being one of those reviewers that painstakingly deconstructs every song and writes 15 paragraphs like they're auditioning for Q Magazine, when you can sum some albums up in one emoji. 🍌
What's the opposite of defecating in a zorb and then having it hit you in the face over and over as you run down a hill?
Tied for the best VU album ever (with the self-titled album). Gritty. Reminds me of NYC.
Nunca tinha parado para ouvir Vevelt Underground e esperava um som diferente. Fiquei positivamente surpresa! Que disco delícia, dá vontade de dançar na sala, num fim de tarde, com aquele solzinho entrando pela janela...
This is classic Velvet Underground that became so influential in so many ways, Bowie, Glam Rock, Punk and Post Punk all inluenced by Warhols Factory house band, who would have thought it! some great songs here. My Favourites are "Sunday Morning" "All Tomorrows Parties" & "Venus in Furs" Rightfully in the list here.
Great album. Very experimental sound with use of heavy distortion, interruption and varied pace. Various styles/delivery: psychedelic, r/b, rock. Good songwriting to understated vocals esp heroin/femme fatale. Heroin is definitely the standout track which I hadn’t heard before; clear representation of his experience through building chaos and clamor. Solid top to bottom. Femme fetal, waiting for the man, heroin, there she goes again 4.6
I used to be prejudiced against music outside the 80s. Everything seemed too psychedelic until I discovered that everything I listened to was influenced by this album. And how wonderful it is to listen to this album and rediscover it for life! From the cover and the lyrics, the whole album is a work of art.
When you hear some of these songs, it's hard to believe this was released in 1967. Songs like 'Sunday Morning' or 'There She Goes Again' are just so far removed from the typical sound of music at the time. It's not surprising that this album is flagged as being as influential as it is - you can hear the influence this album had on the alternative/indie rock scenes of the late 70's and 80's. This album is absolutely bizarre at times, but in a brilliant, unforgettable sort of way. The album's centerpiece, 'Heroin', is an excellent example, beginning in a more mellow way before gradually building into an eruption of cacophonic screeching and twisted guitar sound effects. The Velvet Underground were clearly experimental pioneers in their day - to this day, I've never heard another song that reminds me even faintly of 'The Black Angel's Death Song'. And yet, amidst all that weirdness are just some of the most melodically pleasing songs I've ever heard. 'Sunday Morning' is an amazing start to the album and captures the often ethereal feel to many of these tracks. Nico's vocal contributions to the album pair perfectly with some of the album's more psychedelic tracks, including the stand-out 'All Tomorrow's Parties'. "I'll Be Your Mirror" is simply beautiful, and I'll always appreciate the pronunciation of 'Clown' as 'Clon' on the catchy 'Femme Fatale'.
Loved it perfect for a Sunday morning, some lyrics sounded a little misogynistic though.
Du folk garage racontant l’addiction et le désespoir, est-ce que ça peut mal vieillir? Mention spéciale au technicien de son, s’il y en avait un, pour avoir réussi à faire croire qu’il pouvait faire la job.
Have you ever been on a major wooden rollercoaster? Compared to steel rollercoasters which dominate the scene, wooden coasters don’t go as high, they don’t have loops, there are no barrel rolls, and they don’t go as fast. You know what wooden rollercoasters have that steel coasters never will? Grit! Wooden coasters have a distinct sound and feel as a rider. They rattle you around more. This album feels like a wooden rollercoaster to me. It feels raw, unpolished, ambitious…and gritty. Lou Reed’s voice fits this sound quite well. But I also contend that Nico’s voice elevates her songs to another plane. I’ve always been disappointed that Nico was only with The Velvet Underground for one album…really just four songs. This album is remarkably distinct. Against my better judgment, I’m going to give the 65 track super deluxe version a go because it has a bunch of Nico solo tracks and a disc full of live songs. Wish me well…
Great album. Lou Reed / Velvets, classic. Basically every band worth mentioning has shamelessly ripped this style and sound since they were in high school diapers practicing in the garage. Nico is super-strange, but I dig her, there's some movie about her imploding after her time at the Factory. Love her pronunciation of 'clown' aka "KLON" in Femme Fatale. Sunday Morning is beautiful, Heroin brings back memories, Lou Reed, RIP.
Finns något oändligt coolt med detta album, en mänsklighet som syns väldigt väl och kalla, kalla ljud.
One of the most crucial albums you must hear before you die. 1967 really was a loaded year
It's hard to believe this was released when it was considering you hear echos of noise rock, experimental, drone and a whole host of other genres that didn't properly form for another 2 decades. Of course experimentation and influence don't necessarily mean something is great, luckily however this has Steller songwriting throughout. the sweet poppy songs are as intoxicating as the drone songs or the gritty, dirty rockers. Nico and reed kill every performance.
Well well well... this one almost makes too much sense, perhaps as an atonement for yesterday's MGMT pick. The thing is, that when I first got it, I was disappointed, I only liked I'm Waiting for My Man and Heroin. Yet I knew there was something there... and kept with it, and it's grown and grown on me. And as it's one of my favorite covers, I probably own at least six copies on vinyl (even having given away two copies in the past couple of years, trying to get perfect covers as well. 10/10
A true classic! For me, at least, it's the pinnacle for everyone involved. Yeah, Nico has that cool solo album, and Lou Reed made some cool songs elsewhere, but this one is just hard to beat. The four-track run that opens this album is amazing: a perfect intro, one of my favorite Lou Reed tracks, one of Nico's most memorable tracks, and then the super psychedelic "Venus in Furs." I feel like if I were alive back when this came out this album would've permanently changed me. And I haven't even gotten to my favorite track on here, "Heroin." Such a brilliant, building song. It was used very obviously in the movie Killing Them Softly for a scene where Ben Mendelson does, yep you guessed it, heroin. Leaving that aside, I just love the length and trajectory of this song. The rising and falling throughout is so satisfying. I'm struggling to come up with a good reason to give this less than five stars. There were some songs on the back end that didn't stand out to me, but with all that I love and the highs it has to offer, it's really one of the best of its era. Favorite tracks: Heroin, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Sunday Morning, All Tomorrow's Parties. Album art: The unforgettable, iconic banana. Designed (and signed) by Andy Warhol, the early vinyl pressings of this had a peelable peel sticker and the flesh of the banana underneath is an unsettling pink. I do have this on vinyl, but it's a repressing without the peel sticker. Maybe that's for the best; that pink banana is creepy, and I'd hate to be the guy who lost the sticker. 5/5
This was absolutely fantastic. I have no idea why I've never listened to The Velvet Underground before. My mistake, because they were really fantastic. I also tend to love 1960s and 1970s era rock, so I was destined to love it.
Með betri plötum. Fengi kannski 9,5. Mjög ljúf hlustunar. Gamall góður vinur einhvernvegin.
Classic alternative rock is classic. This was the first alternative album. Much props. Also, how many covers did this album spawn?
Funny to have another Velvet Underground album so soon on the list. This is their first album and musically, it’s a fascinating mix of psychedelic pop (“Sunday Morning,” "I'll Be Your Mirror") and more experimental avant-garde fare (like the gloomy BDSM jam “Venus in Furs” and "The Black Angel's Death Song"). There are also songs that exist somewhere between those poles (like “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” which has a simple enough structure but features druggy mood music in the background). The album has some great rock numbers too. I love how "I'm Waiting For My Man" keeps that steady rhythm throughout. The music only changes slightly between the verses and choruses. "Run Run Run" takes a relatively basic rock/blues sound and pushes it towards noise rock, and then "European Son" takes things even further into experimental territory. Somehow the sequencing of the album balances all these different styles. Having Nico sing lead vocals on a few songs helps break up the stranger, more challenging material. The album is a weird, wild ride but I really love it. P.S.: If you're not sure about this one, their sound definitely changes after the experimental first two albums. Their self-titled third album is mostly melodic acoustic songs and their fourth (and basically last) album "Loaded" is a big, beautifully produced pop album with some major hits. P.P.S.: Funny to hear the name Severin used in "Venus in Furs" - I never knew he was saying a name there until now!
Objectively genius? The fact that this was made 55 years ago is a glitch in the matrix. Petition to investigate whether it was in fact made by the ghosts of Lou Reed, David Bowie, Mozart and God gone back in time from 2077 in a DeLorean so that 80% of current music it ultimately influenced could be a thing
I've heard that in Waiting for my Man he described perfectly the attire of the late 60s heroin dealer '' ... he's all dressed in black; PR shoes and really big straw hat." (PR is short for PRFCs meaning Puerto Rican Fence Climbers - shoes with a narrow point that enable fence climbing if needed to make a quick exit.) The next lines in that song tell how dealers are always late (another very accurate comment - or so I've heard): "He's never early; he's always late. The first thing you learn is that you always gotta wait" My favourite song is Heroin. Both these addiction songs are anti-drug but even mentioning drugs was enough to get the stations to ban the songs. While my personal favourites are the addiction songs, the album also has songs with transgender and kink themes. More excellent topics to generate radio play lol. I like the Eno quote that the album sold hardly any copies but everyone who bought it started a band.
Best album cover of all time. Also legendary album with some of my favorite velvet underground songs.
48 minutes that mysteriously feels like 48 hours. 48 intense, stimulating, unsettling, glorious hours. OK, getting the obvious out of the way, yes, the recording is primitive and the instruments are often out of tune. And Maureen Tucker’s drumming on ‘Heroin’ is unlistenable. Unless it was some kind of artistic choice to, every so often, allow the beat just to randomly wander from the rest of the band? If so, avant garde genius. Who knows? This ain’t King Crimson, that’s all I’m saying. But neither are Neil Young or Bob Dylan (both of whom have, at times, intentionally left mistakes on recordings) going for the sparkling perfection of, say, Rascal Flats. The Velvet Underground’s sound does not require Steely Dan proficiency. This is street stickball, not Major League baseball. And sometimes, that’s where you want to play. Then again, play might not be the best word to use for this particular LP. No one’s better than The Velvet Underground at offering a sweet, simple, almost lullaby type tune set to sour, complicated, dark lyrics: ‘Sunday Morning,’ ‘Femme Fatale,’ ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror,’ all three songs featuring Nico on lead vocals. Nico is like escargot, an acquired taste you either love or hate, no in between. But the entrée to these appetizers are really the Lou Reed led numbers, even darker lyrics and set to darker tunes: ‘I’m Waiting for the Man,’ ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song,’ and especially, ‘Venus in Furs,’ a most unsettling song set to a mostly drone tune (a musical genre the Velvet Underground mine well and often), sustained by the shamanistic beat of Tucker’s tom and accentuated by the haunting middle-eastern moan of John Cale’s electric viola (which is also featured in the terrific free association exercise of ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song.’) ‘Venus in Furs’ is a heady experience, where five minutes casts a spell that seems to last for fifty, concluding in the chilling lyric: ‘Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart.’ Lou Reed and company are not all doom and gloom, though. They enjoy a perdcic kicking up of their heels, too, as on the very Highway 61 Revisited sounding, ‘Run Run Run,’ or the uptempo pop of ‘There She Goes Again.’ I love Reed’s spontaneous joy and laughter at the end of ‘I’m Waiting for the Man,’ not to mention Sterling Morrison’s adventurous walking bass lines. And, believe it or not, some genuine gentleness and caring is expressed on the lovely and comforting ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror.’ So there are some characters and situations in the Velvet Underground’s world that lean more towards the velvet than the underground. Just not many. The song to end the LP, ‘European Son,’ was dedicated to Reed’s literary mentor, poet Delmore Schwartz, who died alone three months after the recording. The lyrics are sparse and bleak, but the extended musical jam is extraordinary, a precursor to the noise rock of groups like Sonic Youth. Each player is allowed to run free, yet together, and somewhere in the cooperatively created cacophony glory blooms. I was a little winded at the end of the near eight minute track. All this, and an Andy Warhol original on the cover? 'The Velvet Underground & Noco' is embarking upon a journey down a red velvet carpet into a dark cavern. Be prepared for any eventuality.
This album might as well be the epicentre of rock and roll. It's the peak, the high water mark that every other album preceding it built up to, and every album following it, tried to no avail, to best. This is not Lou Reed best, I leave that to his magnum opus that is 'Transformer', but this is the world of fashion, design, art, music, drugs, sleaze, psychedelia, literature and poetry - the meeting point of the minds in New York at it's most vibrant and decadent. The album sleeve alone is literally an art piece - its sign by Andy Warhol itself rather than having the band and album name. It's legendary its function too. And then, there's Nico, whose contribution elevates the album past the sum of it's parts, lifting it from the opium den fever dream to an angelic catwalk. It's not the Beatles, it's not the Stones, nor the Stooges that should be the snapshot of 7 decades of guitar music. It's this specific album.
It’s a bit avant garde but I always loved this album. My music teacher in college always used to say that only 1000 people bought this album but every one of them went on to start a successful band
I went through a real Lou Reed phase last lockdown. Love how honest and raw this album is.
I gave this album my first listen back in high school, and I'll be honest, I didn't get it. The breadth of my musical knowledge wasn't as wide back then, and I couldn't appreciate the artsier sounds or the groundwork they laid for so many amazing bands and artists after. Now it's been a few years, and I hold some of those artists in my highest possible regard, artistically: Bowie, the Talking Heads, Joy Division/New Order, even more modern acts like LCD Soundsystem and the myriad post-punk outfits we have going today. So if I still don't fully "get it," I at least now totally appreciate this album as the source of inspiration for music I love that also happens to have more than a few great tracks on it as well. I'm not at the point yet where I can give it a perfect score (the second half is noticeably more hit or miss than the first imo), but this is an album I think I'll only appreciate more with age.
Venus in Furs has long been a favourite. It might even make my all-time top ten tunes, I get chills from it every time. There are some other good songs on this album, but Nico's voice drives me a bit nuts. Even the songs I don't like so much work well in the context of the entire album though. Highlights: The Black Angel's Death Song Venus in Furs
A great album! Venus in Furs was a favourite and would gladly add to regular listening,
is this better than Loaded, no, but still was pretty and happy. each song I end up liking by the end. 🍌
Loved this album as a kid! Never noticed how bad the bass was off on Femme Fatale on my old cassette version. Still enjoyed it!
A classic but also a couple of songs I'm not so fond of. But on the whole, very enjoyable
My parents were in their very early 20s when this came out. That blows my mind. I don’t think there’s a chance in hell that they listened to it then. Because I feel like if you hear “I’m Waiting for the Man” as a young person in 1968 then that’s pretty much game over. You’re not buying Steve Miller and John Denver records after that. And my dad definitely had THOSE records. Ah well… At any rate, I love how odd and imperfect it is but it will always need more Nico.
Definitely paved the way for punk, noise rock, alternative, and probably a thousand other mini genres. Must have been very provocative at release.
The Velvet Underground es de esas bandas que me gustan cuando las escucho (no tan seguido), pero que siento que ya no me pertenecen (?). Igual, revisitar este disco fue lindo y algo que siempre me impresiona de él es cómo con sonidos y tonos tan distintos entre canciones, lo pienso y sí me la creo como unidad. No que todos los discos deban serlo, pero aquí creo que funciona. Me gusta desde lo melódico y quizá hasta infantil de la música en "Sunday Morning" con todo y su letra en un punto medio entre la desesperación y la esperanza, hasta el final ruidoso, caótico de "European Son". Disfruto sobre todo "Femme Fatale" y "Heroin" y pus ya. 9/10
Really like Venus In Furs and Run Run Run and Heroin. Great art rock album with noise from Lou Reed. Strong 8/10, maybe 9
An album I bought yonks ago without knowing much about the VU, and it hasn't disappointed. Some of these tracks are timeless - 'Venus In Furs' would be somewhere on the list of my favourite songs of all time. Nothing else quite sounds like it. The only fly in the ointment is Nico, I'm afraid. I don't buy the 'ice maiden' thing, and too often her contributions, whilst possessing a certain guileless charm, are simply clumsy
I preferred side two. But overall I though it was lyrically and musically pretty average but I get it. At the time it would’ve seemed better
Really good album. It's easy to see it as one of the bridges between so many different genres. It's both all over the place and coherent.
classic. i think VU were coming up at this point. venus, sunday morning, waiting for the man, femme, heroin. all bangers
Where cutting edge art and music met. This album encapsulates the era of Rock in NYC, while still being timeless enough to be appreciated all these years later.
Хороший альбом. Сперва кажется довольно скучным и немного архаичным, особенно на непопсовых треках. При этом не подталкивает себя выключить, не душит. По мере переслушивания треки становятся приятными. Такими, что был бы не против слушать раз за разом. Но всё же не охуенными. Прям охуенным, кроме обложки, могу назвать самый попсовый трек, Sunday Morning. Он заходит сразу и не надоедает. Остальные – хорошие и отличные. Так, на самом деле даже бы ничего и не выкинул. Но по эмоциям отбиваются не сильно. Да и в целом альбом не похож на то, что я кому-то бы порекомендовал между делом. Так что твёрдая четвёрочка. Вот тут явно заметил, что моё восприятие порой сильно привязано к самочувствию и настроению. Альбом слушал несколько дней, сперва маленько душил, а однажды проснулся, включил и сказал: «Бля, хорошо же». И впрямь хорошо. Но не отлично.
Yes I dug it. Have not really listened too much to it before and would certainly require more listens to mine its full depths, but there’s some early punk in there, right? Bags of tonal variety. I enjoyed it.
I haven't even listened to this one with much attention before. Didn't realize how much flower child is in this one. I always thought it was a little more punk than that. Sort of a sweet folk album and a noise rock album smooshed into one.
1. Sunday Morning - 9/10 2. I'm Waiting For The Man - 8/10 3. Femme Fatale - 8/10 4. Venus In Furs -8/10 5. Run Run Run - 9/10 6. All Tomorrow's Parties - 7/10 7. Heroin - 9/10 8. There She Goes Again - 7/10 9. I'll Be Your Mirror - 6/10 10. The Black Angel's Death Song - uhh 11. European Son - so long jfc
Very experimental and edgy, love the vibes it gives off, the album is a complete experience. Stand outs: Heroin, Sunday Morning
Makes me want to do heroin. I know its not supposed too, but it does. This is my type of 60s music. Deep and dark
the sound quality is what I'd expect from 1967, but the riffs and grooves are catchy, and the vocals are soothing.
was nice to listen to some more velvet underground, as I've only heard some songs. Will definitely play songs from this album more often
Raw driving energy. Still not fond of Nico's voice but the songs seem cooler every time I hear this album.
Pretty amazing psychedelic album. Definitely a lot of weird and melodic sounds here. Some tracks would hook a lot less than others but It's definitely something I'll listen to again.
I enjoyed this album. Unlike the follow up, this was accessible without being to far our there.
Mucho mejor de lo que me esperaba dado el antecedente de Velvet Underground. Quizá de haberlos oído en el orden opuesto ambas opiniones serían muy distintas. Lo que es muy claro es que en este disco me es más evidente el lado musical y lírico y está alejado del casi dadaismo y noise que sentí en el otro. Si bien no son las rolas que traeré en el celular la próxima vez que no tenga otra cosa que oír, creo que puedo apreciar mucho más su valor como letras y como exploración de sonidos.
This is dope. From vocals, to experimentation, to the impact it had on music, all solid. However, and I mean this shit, Andy Warhol drags this down a point
The proto-everything album. I certainly enjoyed it, but honestly Nico drags this down by a lot. I like the ripples it caused more than the album's splash itself, but the forward-thinking experimentation is pretty incredible in and of itself.
A totally different and hard hitting album. The songs here tell stories that resonate. Listening to this album is always an experience. Overall it’s really good. Some songs can get a little dull. 7.8/10
The Velvet Underground; Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) !!! Все, написанное ниже, является личным мнением автора и не претендует на признание в качестве истины первой инстанции. Здесь только то, что в альбоме услышал я, и в той форме, в которой я это воспринял. Всем мир. ЧТО: Один из самых влиятельных альбомов в истории рока. Дебютник TVU, записанный при участии немецкой певицы Нико. Классическая культовая пластинка со всеми атрибутами: экспериментальное звучание, первоначальный коммерческий провал, критика, переходящая в признание культового статуса произведения. Альбом оказал огромное влияние на развитие рок-музыки (особенно альтернативы) и популярной культуры, в частности на историческое становление постпанка в 1970-х. КАКОЙ: Один сплошной эксперимент. В первую очередь внимание привлекает стандартное использование необычных инструментов и нестандартное использование обычных. Так на Sunday Morning появляется челеста (вообще уважаемая и любимая рок-музыкантами того времени), а Venus In Furs сыграна Ридом особой техникой, которую он назвал ostrich (все струны настроены на одну ноту). Причину, видимо, следует искать в сотрудничестве участника TVU Джона Кейла с экспериментальными композиторами (например, с Джоном Кейджем и его подготовленным фортепиано). Кроме того, сам Кейл использует электронный альт. На треке Heroin он издаёт одну ноту на протяжении всей песни, передавая ощущения наркотического трипа. Интересное использование темпоритма, который то ускоряется, то замедляется. Под конец Heroin вовсе срывается с цепи, заливаясь нойзом и делая прослушивание местами невыносимым, что также работает на атмосферу и стиль композиции. Напротив, Venus In Furs не отпускает слушателя до конца. Она нравится, она привлекает и затягивает своей вязкой, барочной, вальяжной атмосферой, олицетворяя тем самым человеческую страсть, нечто потаённое, скрытое (что пересекается с текстом). Встречаются здесь и, с позволения сказать, логичные поп-песни 60-х. Занятное сочетание даёт американская рок-музыка и европейское угловатое звучание вокала Нико. Альбом разнообразен настолько, насколько это возможно, и подчёркнуто экспериментален. Отдельно можно сказать про обложку авторства Энди Уорхолла, которая, с моей точки зрения, не только вновь иллюстрирует экспериментальность альбома, но и позволяет ощутить самобытность творческой среды, в которой он создавался. О ЧЕМ: Лирика альбома выдержана Лу Ридом в традиционных для него мрачных, прямых и провокационных тонах. Тексты затрагивают нетрадиционные для воздушных замков 60-х темы наркозависимости, человеческих пороков и влечений, сексуальности и сексуальных девиаций, садизма и мазохизма. Рид как всегда пишет смело и прямо, но не для намеренного провоцирование слушателя. Его вдохновляли книги и стихи, смысловые концепции которых он переносил в контекст музыки. Постоянная смена настроений, создающая уникальную атмосферу пластинки, явно достигается, в том числе, за счёт работы с текстами и достижения их совместимости с вокалом. ИТОГ: Альбом, влиянию которого нет предела. TVU & Nico учит быть более открытыми не только в музыке, но и в осознании себя как человека, имеющего пороки, несовершенного существа; забыть о страхе. Полный интересных музыкальных решений, этот альбом является точкой пересечения аудио-визуального таланта нескольких гениев, собравшихся, условно говоря, в одной комнате, чтобы изменить музыку навсегда. ЛУЧШИЕ ПЕСНИ: Sunday Morning, Venus In Furs, All Tomorrow’s Parties.
I went into this not wanting to like it, because of all the wanky bearded overhyping of it. However I gave it a fair go and it is a decent album, better than the other velvet underground I've listened to. I'll be generous and give it a 4
The Velvet Underground's eponymous album (without Nico) was the first record that generated for me on this odyssey. I found that one to be a bit boring, but that could not be further from the case with this. Everything about this is cool, including the iconic album cover. The music is varied with interesting and unusual elements throughout. However, it remains very much of a piece, with a consistent lo-fi and arty vibe which ties together the range of styles. I personally prefer the more mellow moments, but each track from 1-9 contributes to its brilliance. However, the final two tracks are basically just noise, which is a shame. The first nine tracks of this are a 5 star record. Half a point has to come off for the final two, but in practice I'll just pretend they don't exist. 4.5/5.
It's run the gamut from cult classic to basically being the most overrated underrated album of all time. I for one am all in favor of songs that capture the excitement in searching for heroin (Waiting For The Man) and describe the experience of using heroin (Heroin). This album lets you have the entire heroin experience, including addiction and withdrawal, and you come away with no desire to try the drug. You feel like you've already gone through the entire experience. There's a sort of magic in that. Bands with female drummers are always among my favorites (The White Stripes, The Carpenters). Not especially hot take: I wish Nico sang every song except for Heroin and I'm Waiting For The Man.
Very good! I don't think I consider it one of the best albums ever, but I understand why so many do. I loved "Sunday Morning" and "I'll Be Your Mirror". "Heroin" is incredibly brutal, harsh and difficult to listen to, but it absolutely should be that way. Overall, very good.
Casi un 5. Pero la última canción es muy pesada. Me gustan There She Goes Again y Femme Fatale
Sonically this is an outstanding album with plenty of treats for the listener. Lyrically it’s seedy, gritty and underground. I can only imagine how groundbreaking it was in the late 60’s. I loved the ending / time signature shifting in “all tomorrows parties” Fave tracks: “Heroin” “Run Run Run” “All Tomorrow’s Parties”
No todas las canciones son buenas pero tiene picos altos. Black angel death song de lo más raro que escuche, me gusto.
Great album to get into experimental rock. Love Lou Reed’s delivery and lyrics. I hear so many bands that have been influenced when I listen to this.
Junkies band to together and make an album that no one buys. Cut to a few years later and it's now one of the most important albums ever. Nowhere near as out there as people claim. Solid tunes. They almost make heroin sound worth it. Best Tracks: I'm Waiting For My Man; Venus In Furs; Heroin
Det var mycket bättre andra gången jag lyssnade på det än första. Förutom sista låten som är tråkig. zzz
Jag tyckte det här var en av de bästa classy rock-albumen vi haft hittills! Kanske inte bara bangers, men Femme Fatale Heroin och All tomorrows parties går alla tre in på mina spellistor
A classic. There were a couple of songs I recognized, but for the most part this album was new to me. This is right up my alley, and while some songs didn't quite "click" upon first listen, I enjoyed it overall.
Pretty much the genesis of a lot of the music i listen to but it is by no means a stellar album. for starters you can write off the last ten minutes of it, i'm all for a jam out but its not very listenable. and then we get to nico and her fucking irritating voice. i can tolerate her singing on femme fatale, probably because its a huge tune and weirdly her retarded singing actually adds to it. I can only just manage to listen to ATP all the way through, which is a shame because its a great song beneath the caterwauling, thankfully there are decent cover versions out there. anything else where she does that weird anglo german accent just gets skipped. but the bottom line is the other tunes are such bangers that it would be madness to give it a mid score.
A great album with a chaotic energy, but that sometimes drifts to being a little too chaotic.
I am having a tough time with this one. There were moments of listening to this that were not entirely pleasant. But somehow they were unpleasant in an interesting way that made me want to listen to more. I can't figure out why that is, but due to the fact that I want to hear more, I am giving this 4 stars.
02/21/22 I was always under the assumption that it was grungy punk-rock, so I never gave them a shot or even an attempt at listening, despite the constant praise. Wow, how wrong I was! Heroin's a great one, but got in trouble at work for the wild guitar strings at the end, lol. :-/
Undeniable confidence and charisma. I have no idea why it's so good, when other similarly unpolished things strike me as pretentious and annoying. Denied a perfect rating by that *actually* pretentious and annoying closer...
A Classic that offers weird, but fun offerings. A lot of the songs here are great, but I'm hesitant to call it a 5 star favourite. Favourites: "Sunday Morning", "Venus In Furs", "Heroin", "European Son"
Undeniable confidence and charisma. I have no idea why it's so good, when other similarly unpolished things strike me as pretentious and annoying. Denied a perfect rating by that *actually* pretentious and annoying closer...
Better than expected. 3.5 for me musically, but begrudgingly rounding up for the influence.
Overall a tight album, and probably my first time listening to all of the tracks together. Sometimes I think some of these albums from this era are often looked at with rose tinted glasses but this was a great listen for me.
This album would have been too weird to most listeners in 1967, with it’s shifts between mellow psychedelic and bluesy garage rock, edgy lyrics and of course, Nico's voice. It’s not hard to see why it was ignored by everybody. It went through a rebirth in the 80s when I bought it. I have a better appreciation for it now. There are a handful of timeless tracks, especially on S1, while some of the others grate the nerves. Nico is a bit of a downer.
Really interesting stuff, shocking that this is 55 years old and still sounds so fresh.
Klassikko eikä syyttä. Viiltävän ivallinen sävy ja hieno tasapainottelua rajujen tekstien ja kevyemmän musiikillisen otteen välillä. 4/5.
I don't like Nico's voice! At all! Right, with that gangly truth evacuated, I feel better, more capable of discussing this album cogently. The Velvet Underground and Nico has long held the critics' choice of coolest album ever, but to we professional contrarians that's a provocation; hasn't its coolness been diluted by the elevation of the Velvet Underground to the pantheon? And isn't Eno's declaration that the few who bought this album each formed their own band obsolete nowadays, considering this is now an entry-level music snob text? Funny thing: plenty of bands I adore cite the Velvet Underground as a major influence (Bowie, Roxy Music, Sex Pistols, Joy Division), but that's also true of plenty I find inadequate (U2, The Strokes, a thousand abject landfill indie bands each with the lame ambition of their debut album fusing this with Sgt. Pepper). Influence is not a virtue in itself, and humanity has quite the history of venerating the feeble. So, shearing away the tangles of its legacy, I can say that much of the album does hold up. Lou Reed's drug odes still sound exhilarating, and I'm a sucker for sleaze. The production is a tad muggy, but that's to the album's benefit: how would their songs of pushers and transvestites work if they sounded like Steely Dan? But whilst listening I found myself thinking of The Doors' debut, which was released two months before this. The Doors (the album) shares much with The Velvet Underground and Nico: the subject matter (drugs, fucking, mooning authority, nightmarescapes), freaky beatnik ropy poetry, the desire to experiment, to stretch rock beyond its still-inchoate borders. But The Doors (still the album) coheres much more satisfyingly than The Velvet Underground and Nico. The tracklist to The Doors (again the album) feels impeccably structured and it flows effortlessly. The Velvet Underground and Nico, by contrast, seems just an aggregation of songs. Fine songs, yes, but songs that don't cleave together that well. Also, The Doors (yet again the album, but also the band as well in this case) got to number 2 on the Billboard chart. The weird, disreputable and exploratory were already becoming mainstream by the time this was released. Surely The Velvet Underground and Nico's legacy involves some revisionism? But that's not the real problem. The impediment, as I said right at the start, is that the Nico-led songs sound crap because Nico can't sing. Andy Warhol insisted that the band feature his acolyte Nico, ignoring that she sang as well as an anus, and the band accepted her to keep the peace and perhaps get fellated. Nico was partially deaf and didn't know what key she was singing in. The result was, to be technical, pisspoor. Try listening to Femme Fatale, counting the words as she sings. With the twelfth word "break", the whole song aptly breaks as Nico strains for a key she has no hope of finding. Her songs aren't bad enough to ruin the album, but they feel more like chores than treats. One lazy contention about albums like this is that time has blunted their impact, that in 1967 this would have been as gobsmacking as a brachiosaurus. However, I don't think that's the case here: I believe I view The Doors (once more the album, and I think the band as well) as remarkable as 60s teens would have, whereas I view this is as more interesting on paper than in actuality. The Velvet Underground and Nico is a valiant and oft-successful first attempt, but it's hard to herald it as the grand paradigm-shifter of 60s rock.
Another iconic album with very controversial lyrics for that period of time. I imagine how shocked my grandparents must have been when listening to this kind of music and how revolutionary it must have been. Aaaand yes, there were drugs involved...for sure.
I'll need more listens because I think I get the hype but I'm not too sure... It sounds fairly timeless, though
some fragments sound good, but in general it is too bland for me, though it does sound that guitarists know what they are doing.
I guess this is ok... Never been a huge fan. Heroin and Sunday Mornings are good. Mostly art songs that don't do it for me. As a whole I'll give it a 3.
I love the album cover, but most of the songs are unlistenable to modern ears. Nico is really bad.
Nunca me llamó la atención The Velvet Underground, había escuchado de ellos pero nada de su música. Y pues este disco no me parece malo pero tampoco nada memorable
I had a great time listening to this, I thought the voice in 'I'll be you're mirror' was interesting to listen to, and I liked the different themes I found them kind of captivating
Listening to this album all the way through has been fun and entertaining. A lot of Bob Dylan vibes further into the album, but I guess that's just the product of its time.
it's decent! yea not as brutal as the Nico solo album. She's used sparingly here and somehow her voice sounds alright. The rest is fine, though I still stand by the fact most of the popularity is due to the Warhol clique connection.
Expected I was going to like this more than I did. Love Nico’s voice. The tracks didn’t ‘go anywhere’ enough for me.
3,2 Hey, i like this, dit is best oké. Maar weer soms echt kut geluiden! Zoals het nummer heroin en einde van european son, wat ne kut sound. Voor de rest oké. Andy warhol cover also goat
I liked it more than I thought. The slightly out of tune guitars and the chaos throughout really made it something that lingered in my brain.
Read up on the history of the album, will probably have to listen to it again, but for sure certain songs and lyrics in this album sure hit in a way. Uh, that last song though. Was never a fan of long af instrumentals to end off with, this ones just a shit ton of noise that vaguely sounds like music.
A slower softer listen than I was expecting with some very experimental sections. Favorite song was probably Sunday Morning.
Actually not as bad as I was expecting! Good 60s pop and garage rock. I can understand why it is so influential. Terrible noisiness in European Son, which is quite a good song for the first 2 minutes.
This is like my 4th VU or Nico album so far, and I really just... don't get it. It's all very dreary. I can appreciate the historical significance, but it's really just not for me.
I hated White Light/White Heat but I went into this ready to give it a chance. I'd call Side 1 (the first six tracks) a 4, maybe even a 5. Great song-writing. Venus in Furs is probably the nicest sounding song ever written about BDSM. I really liked the droning viola in this. All Tomorrow's Parties is an excellent song - I knew the cover version by Japan, but never heard the original. Good stuff. Side 2 has way too much annoying feedback and sloppy guitar, similar to White Light/White Heat, which makes me want to give Side 2 a 2 at best. In fact, after listening to these two albums, I think Lou Reed was just a lousy guitarist who covered it up by playing noise solos. Ever time Lou Reed plays a sloppy solo filled with feedback I want to punch him, which would be rude since he's dead. I'll give the whole thing a 3. I understand its influence, but I can't take the noise.
Ah, this is your brain not on drugs (or on less hard drugs). A completely different album than their sophomore attempt. Very Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, Frankie & Annette etc. in terms of its upbeat tempos and bubblegum rock feel. The lyrics are a bit edgier of course but it still feels like safe/G-rated 60s rock more than half the time. Even when it goes dark it doesn't really feel that way given the musical arrangements. A bit of a Bob Dylan feel. Sunday Morning is a very inviting opener - I'm sure the old folks and middle agers thought "oh now this is a nice band" hearing it. Femme Fatale has some awful distortion in it and is one of a few darker tracks with some unusual musical accompaniment (3,4,7,10). A bit schizophrenic in terms of whether they are happy rock (I'll be Your Mirror) or edgy rock (Heroin). A fine album but nothing truly remarkable about it.
This is the debut album of the band The Velvet Underground, recorded during an art tour with Andy Warhol. This album was ignored by consumers & critics when released and even banned from stores for its dark lyrics. But years later it's regarded as one of the most influential rock/alternative/pop albums, and described as the original art-rock record. This was a "prophetic" rock album released too early to be commercially successful, but was a sign of what was to come in rock music's future. A great album to listen to, with experimental sounds, dark lyrics, and a trip for the ears all the way through.
I feel like I was supposed to like this album more than I did. I can appreciate how revolutionary this was when it was recorded but I didn’t really enjoy listening to it.
I liked the sound, but I think I need to listen to this a few more times to better understand it. I think it was more important in its time.
Svårt att bedöma denna på en skala 1-5, jag tyckte albumet var spännande, kul hur de utmanar gränserna mellan rocknroll och konstmusik, tyckte Heroin speciellt var kanon. Men det är samtidigt inte så catchy? Inte jätteroligt att lyssna på som musik, mer som konst kanske? Klurigt!
Interesting album, sounds like it was made in a weekend. Not my cup of tea, but it's influences are there.
Have you ever been in an elevator, being steadily and pleasantly elevated one floor after another, only to have the cables break and you suddenly plummet towards the bottom of the shaft? And then the cables are magically repaired and you go up a couple more floors before plunging down again? You've probably never been in that situation, but I have an idea of what it might feel like after having "The Velvet Underground & Nico" repeatedly cable-cut by the Nico songs. I was having a good time, and then Nico's voice intruded upon the flow. Nico is out-of-place here and I don't dig her voice. The rest of the album is good-to-great. Some songs feel like they imitate the Beatles or the Stones without enough to stand out or differentiate themselves, but in other places The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed unleash a punk aesthetic that would inspire the future as much as they were inspired by the past. -1 star for Nico though.
Not bad. Very avant garde for its time. And I can certainly see how it's loose, dgaf style was so influential on the New York CBGB types. Overall, it wasn't a bad listen. Some good tracks all produced by people who can't really sing.
Great atmosphere but hasn't necessarily aged well because what was maybe a first back then and very influential, has now, 55 years later, been done often and better
I can understand their influence, but I continue to fail seeing why they are such a legendary band. Nothing stood out on this particular album.
Makes sense that this would be hugely influential, but I don’t know that I’d put it on to listen regularly.
About this band Ive only had the warhol banana reference. Listened it and didnt like at all, but it is not bad.
Some of it's very fun and interesting, while the rest is just psychedelic tinged trite that needed a stern trimming.
Really enjoyed Sunday Morning and Venus in Furs but this almost felt like Bob Dylan’s less wordy clone. Felt like a classic album which means some were great and some were just eh.
Much better than expected above average art rock. Still - it’s art rock, and Lou Reed is overrated.
The first half is iconic, the second half hurt my ears, and I used to make noise for crying out loud.
Ohan tää cool ja ajaton, mut ehkä mä en vaan oo tarpeeks cool. Muistaakseni pidin enemmän bändin myöhemmästä helpommasta matskusta.
I didn't hate it but I wasn't blown away either. It has it place on the list but for me it was a one and done.
Iconic... album art but what’s with the music tho? Not very special or interesting or good really
I respect The Velvet Underground and like a lot of their stuff, but there are parts of this one where they lose me. Mostly it's the parts with the electric viola (wtf), and unfortunately, that overshadows what would otherwise be some really solid stuff. The album that has Sweet Jane on it should have been on this list instead. Best track: All Tomorrow's Parties
At first I didn't like it...then I put a heroin spike in my vein and it started to sound really good.
Bastante coñazo psicodélico. Algunos temas, como European song son una auténtica tomadura de pelo.
Meh, sonido innovador para la época, pero no me gusto mucho. Se nota que fueron influencia de bandas de los 90 .
Ja, ein Klassiker. Aber nicht so ganz meins. Und Nico, die Sängerin, kann den Ton nicht treffen. Wenn man sich die Geschichte auf Wikipedia dazu ansieht, weiß man warum
Ok enough I guess but just basic and monotonous and the irritating screeching and scratching was annoying. And never Nico.
Some songs I liked, some I didn't so much. I got rather bored after a while. 2/5 stars.
Rock and influential figure of punk. The band has an interesting story on Wikipedia. Buthowdoesitsounddd?? Good: Sunday Morning - Beautiful. Feels like a good dream ya dig Femme Fatale - I wish the whole album sounded like these two songs I’ll Be Your Mirror - light and breezy like a linen pantsuit Bruh: Heroin - this song is the epitome of this album. something about the pulsating drum heartbeat and the unnerving electric strings work with the vocals and it’s beautiful. Still weird but nice. Then ~5min in, and the guitar is literally screeching like it wants to die. And I want to die too. Wtf happened. Bad: Venus in Furs - really not pleasant to listen to European Son - it’s like they’re playing rock in the garbage disposal Overall:4/10. When it’s good it’s goooood. But when it’s bad it hurts. Will def be adding Sunday and Femme to a playlist
Ok these guys have some solid stuff but kinda fuck that album. At least the end — I ended up literally about to smash something during European Son. That shit ain’t music. Sorry I’m in a bad mood but that song honestly might’ve been the reason haha
I'm not 100% sure, but I think I've listened to this entire album before. There are tracks that I like and would listen to again ("Femme Fatale", "Sunday Morning"), and most of the album is good enough. Two tracks have so much added noise ("European Son", "Heroin") that I wouldn't want to put this album on again. Most of the tracks were good, but if I'm rating the album as a whole - "no thanks, it's not for me."
Ugh. Well, their first album is markedly better than the second album. I do know “Waiting For The Man.” So there’s the one song, like in the other album. This one… it’s just so sixties. And not in a good way. It’s very dated. And you could feel the Andy Warhol influence all over it. So as opposed to the second album which was like a 1.8 rounded up, this is probably a 2.2 rounded down. I did not hate it as much, but it sounded so incredibly dated and pretentious I can’t imagine coming back to it.
This experimental and debut album has been cited for its influence on other artists. As I listen to it, I just hear attempts to mimic and build upon others from Dylan to the Byrds or the Beatles. The original parts with odd layerings are what minimize the result to me. Each track feels like it starts with a really good beat, sound or theme and then it goes either off the rails or on and on so repetitively.
The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) If one is careful to keep in mind that this was produced in 1967, one can appreciate its positives while observing its many negatives. On the plus side, the music of The Velvet Underground, led by singer/guitarist/songwriter Lou Reed (of the great hit “Walk on the Wild Side”, 1972), successfully breaks from the sometimes stifling confines of 1-3-5 chord structures and Scotch-Irish melodies (tracks 4, 10, 11). The group deploys a groundbreaking ‘droning’ compositional structure (tracks 5, 6, 7, 10) that would be (more successfully) followed by others (e.g., the last six minutes of “Three Days” by Jane’s Addiction) And the lyrics make a more explicit dive into the hitherto under-explored themes of opioid use and sadomasochistic ‘sexuality’ (Some will argue that this is not a ‘plus’, until one admits that since these themes are part of our culture, it would be a poverty if artists were forbidden to treat of them). On the negative side, these works are poorly performed. Nico (tracks 3, 6, and 9) cannot sing. And her voice is not helped on “Femme Fatale” by the serious distortion on her channel (too much gain required?). Sterling Morrison’s rhythm guitar is frequently out of tune; likewise John Cale’s viola is suffering in the intonation. Maureen Taylor’s drumming is good and innovative, but it fails monstrously in the attempt to keep the group together, especially in passages where there are frequent and complex tempo changes (e.g., on “Heroin”—although it could be argued that this was intentional, to produce a ‘heroin effect’, in which case it was a bad musical choice, and it confirms my dictum that heroin always screws up the music). I suspect that Reed and Taylor paid little attention to one another in the studio. I also suspect that this rhythmic disjunction was so bad that on several occasions Taylor was dropped from the mix altogether. The recordings are under-rehearsed and sloppily improvisational. The musical ad lib is fine for concerts, but an album is an album. And finally, it’s terribly obvious that the group needs a good (and brave) bass player. Brian Eno famously said of the influence of this album that while only 30,000 people bought it, they all went out and formed rock bands. To the extent that that’s true, it could have been because those 30,000 thought anybody can do this. Listen to the closing track “European Son” (as much as you can stand) for an illustration. Brian Eno should stick to producing. 2/5
Weird and psychedelic, has extremely repetitive drums, bass, and chorus. Fav song was Venus In Furs
Just kinda boring. I get the slacker 60s aesthetic, but it drags on after a song or two. No standout tracks.
I don't see what the big deal of this band is, but maybe its more of an influence thing than an actual product thing. Of course, when Andy motherfucking Warhol makes your album art I guess that's a good sign. Venus In Furs is not great as a song but cool as an artistic expression. Heroin is a legitimate masterpiece work of art. European Son is minutes of aimless noodling and feedback. I am docking a star for that bullshit.
as far nothing really HIT me hard. ,,sunday morning" kinda calm, u can hear kind of bells in the background what gives the vibe (but are not my favourite), and the guitar, that peacefull vocal is nice ,,waiting for my man" is also nice to listen ,,femme fatale" another one with peaceful vocal. nice. liked it ,,venus in furs" not as peacefull as previous one becouse of the background noises ,,run run run" definitly better begining has kinda nice vibe. ,,all tomorrow`s party" sounds nice. ,,heroin'' the beggining is cool but the end literrally hurt my ears (after 5th minute) i had to turn off the volume ,,there she goes away" nice to listen. lite. liked it ,,i`ll be your mirror" lite/sunny vibe. nice. good to listen when you don`t want to worry for the single thing in life ,,the black angel`s death song" from the begginig it`s that hard to listen and unpleasant kind of screetching. not liked it (mostly bc of that) ,,european son" started with a nice nutes (sound of breaking glass) later it started to be hard to listen for me. i coudn`t properlly finish it album is ok, firsts songs has a nice vibe and, but some of them are just imposible to listen and literally hurt my ears. definitly not liked ,,heroin" , ,,the black angel`s death song" and ,,european son". the rest of them i could at to my playlists. my favourite one is ,,I`ll be your mirror'' and ,,femme fatale" (i think). but still nothing hit me really hard. some of these songs were really 8/10, but all of the album 5/10
Christ, this fucking sucks. Why does this book constantly, without end, punish me with late 60s SHIT? 2/5.
The shrieking and/or monotone background melodies in half of the songs spoiled it a lot
Don't do drugs, kids... Heb met gemengde interesse naar dit album geluisterd. Er staan een paar aangename nummers op om naar te luisteren. Andere zijn een hele doorworsteling.. Moeilijk te beoordelen
Maybe I didn't do the research on this one. I don't know who Nico is, I feel like there's a concept here but I don't know what it is. Is the Warhol tie just aesthetic? This is probably what I expected from Lou Reed? All I know is satellite of love, and there was nothing like that here.
Honestly... getting tired of "noise" albums. Screeching violin strings, or crazy guitar/amp feedback in a recording is ridiculous. The song Heroin dropped this down to a 2 star for me. And it's one of the more played songs on the album. I just don't get it.
There are a few albums that are really highly regarded and highly rated but I just don’t get. This is one of them. I think I’ve listened to this 10 times over the years but I still don’t like it. I particularly dislike Nico’s voice and think her rendition of All tomorrow's parties is horrible. I think I’ll just have to agree to disagree with all the fans of this record.
SUNDAY MORNING - Fin harmonik, melodi och sång. Trevlig ballad. I'M WAITING FOR THE MAN - Partylåt, samma grove genom hela låten. Helt ok men aningen tråkig. FEMME FATALE - Min favorit hittils. Nicos röst är väldigt trevlig att lyssna på. Enkel rak låt med en bra melodi och text. VENUS IN FURS - Helt ok, nice fiolspel. Medeltidskänsla. RUN RUN RUN - Experimentell blues. Solot behöver vi inte prata om igen. ALL TOMORROW'S PARTIES - Tack för att du räddar mig igen Nico. Den tyska brytningen gör det vädligt bra faktiskt. HEROIN - Upplevelsen när du tar ditt koks. Intressant. THERE SHE GOES AGAIN - Helt okej. Vet inte vad jag ska säga. Inte min favorit direkt. I'LL BE YOUR MIRROR - Nico igen som gör det bra. Märkt att detta band gillar tonika-subdominant ackordgångar. THE BLACK ANGEL'S DEATH SONG - Skum. Lou Reed mina damer och herrar. EUROPEAN SON - Inte mycket text. Men ljudet är ju WTF.
old white guy music, alternative version, I guess. 2 songs in, and i'm not impressed. We're working in the 2 range, give or take. Let's see.... GAWD, the MUSIC just isn't any good. Maybe the words are witty or progressive or whatever, but the sound is crap. 1/5.
My limited knowledge of the velvet underground is that it was a club in New York...or possibly LA, where you could be your freakish best and live out your sexual fantasies for a night and everyone else would have to put up with them. It was run by an equally freaky dude who would encourage the artistic elitists to get up on stage and put some musical entertainment on for the adoring patrons. This led to a band under the same name as the club, which led to this album...among others. Am I close? Do I really care? Does anyone care? Would I recommend you go out & buy this album?...Definitely not. 1 Star!
I’m not on nearly enough drugs to appreciate this kind of music. I’m sure KG&TLW fans dig this, but I cannot. WHERE ARE THE 5’s?!
The rating's unfair but I've listened to this album so many times in my life it drives me crazy. I never liked Nico songs when I first listened to this album and now when I hear her it's nails on a chalkboard. Besides that though, it's a classic. Seriously, I just hate it.
Ouwverwetste popmuziek. Het album begint wel geinig, beetje cult-achtig. Helaas wordt de opname erg slecht, overgemoduleerd geluid, short-loops in de audio - peeeep. Daarna worden de nummers ook wel erg vaag. Nee, dat wordt hem niet. *
Not for me.
Just ok
Greatest album ever recorded.