The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground, Nico

3.61
Rating
28835
Votes
1
4%
2
13%
3
26%
4
29%
5
27%
Distribution

Reviews (page 4 of 14)

Oh how I ADORE this album.

Nothing sounded like it when it first came out, or when I first heard it four years ago (when I wasn't exposed to much music). A completely new sound, a record that defies any genre classification. Abstract. Noisy. Dissonant. And yet, if you peel slowly, at the core there is something very beautiful and sweet. It's like modern art. You may think that who cannot make noise for 7 and a half minutes and call it a song? Who cannot write random rhyming words to a rhythm that doesn't mean anything? Who cannot be a vocalist without having a soothing voice, like Nico? But nobody did it and they did. They thought out of the box. This is truly one of the greatest achievements in music. And I sort of feel proud that I was able to understand and appreciate it's genius even before knowing about it's legacy. All songs are favorites. So I'll just rank them. Sunday Morning > All tomorrow's parties > I'll Be Your Mirror > Venus in Fur > Femme Fatale > The Black Angel's Death Song > Heroin > I'm waiting for the man > Run Run Run > There she goes again > European Son

OMG i didnt listen to it today im sorry but its a 5

the velvet underground was the first band i ever heard described as "your favorite band's favorite band" and TIL i've been calling this album Andy Warhol for YEARS and that is actually, not what it's called at all huh was cool to revisit this album after discovering nico as a solo artist, i fully didn't realize that it was her on this album until this relisten anyway, i have such a fondness for this entire album that it gets a perfect score

I mean come on

Didn’t really appreciate in my younger years but can acknowledge this now as a piece of art!

A magical experience; cathartic in a lethargic way; a newborn opening their eyes for the first time. On the surface, it's positive/naive and noisy, but there's a layer of existential dread and life-hatred underneath which makes for a compelling listen. Songs like "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting For The Man" are all-time classics. I guess it speaks to me because deep in my bone marrow I hate life and that will never change, but at the same time I can appreciate the ephemeral glimpses of beauty in between the seams. The muddy simplicity reminds me of nature's stunning harshness and indifference as an integral part of my life experience. It's just raw, flawed and beautiful... it has soul.

It's hard to overemphasize the importance of this album---so many sounds in here that have rippled out and echoed through music since... It's raw, unpolished. It's indie and artistic. It's ennui and ecstasy. It's heroin and beatnik. It's New York at its filthiest, when adult stores, perpshow cinema, dealers, addicts, whores, and pimps filled Times Square. It's litter and graffiti. It's fucking genius that captures the moment and shows the way out. It's endless loops and untuned voices. It's timeless.

Oh yes, now this is excellent - but everyone knows that, right? A wonderful sonic experience and one of the best albums ever recorded!

Phenomenal album. The influence notwithstanding, this album gets better every listen. It's haunting, powerful, interesting--a seminal album. *****

Easy math. Velvet Underground was a 4. Nico was a 4. Obviously, this is a 5.

Any good monkey will tell you that this is NOT the side of a banana from which you want to start peeling. 🙄

Albumet The Velvet Underground & Nico släpptes den 12 mars 1967 och innehöll den ikoniska bananen på omslaget med texten “Peel slowly and see.” Det öppnar med låten “Sunday Morning,” som lades till i sista stund. Trots att den inte producerades av Andy Warhol, fångar den känslan av att vara vaken en söndagsmorgon efter en lördagskväll med festligheter. Albumet är ett mästerverk som fortsätter att inspirera och fascinera lyssnare över hela världen.

Just a iconical album

I literally have this on a poster

60's was the hardest era of music, change my mind.

Someone wanted me to have a good day today. This album is musical perfection and you can immediately tell by the harmonies, lyrics, chord progressions and the variety of style on the album. I have so many memories with these songs and it’s one of my all time favourites.

yeah 9/10

here we are!! my favorite album of all time! very creative choice, i know. but how could it not be? heroin and sunday morning used to be my favorite songs of all time, im waiting for the man is currently my favorite song of all time, and the rest of the tracklist is absolutely stellar. find me something that sounds anything like venus in furs. the appeal of this album for me is not only how amazing each song is but how eclectic the tracklist is. constantly jumping from pretty pop songs to noisy rockers doesnt sound like a great idea but it is executed amazingly here. the most common critique i see of this album is that european son is weak and that sister ray is a better version of it. i believe this dismissal of the song fails to appreciate it for what it is. it doesnt try to be the same chaos that sister ray is. it does, however, have the same appeal to me. you can tell the band is having a hell of a time just fucking around trying to be as stupid as possible. if that isnt something you enjoy i get it but i cant think of a better way to end this album. anyhow i could go on for a while longer but nothing i say will be new so ill just end it here. 10/10

Show anyone that's not familiar with them Sunday Morning, or Femme Fatale, and they'll never say it comes from the sixties. The album feels like a missing link from psychedelic pop and rock to modern indie and grunge.

This is one of the seminal albums that shaped what music could be. The first time I listened to this it did not connect at all, now I see it for what it truly is. We are better as a society because if this.

been on my listening list for a minute now, glad i finally have an excuse to listen - so far i've enjoyed every track with nico on lead vocals - venus in fur is fucking crazy. weird asf, can't imagine how it must've sounded in the 60s when it first came out - the guitar solos on run run run is sick af. they sound awful in a good way idk how to explain it - love the way the tempo on heroin swells to correspond with the lyriscm. whenever lou reed references taking shot of heroin the beat speeds up, thats sick af. this a song is perfect holy shit i feel 1960s (somewhat) mainstream weird doesn't really translate well to 2020s weird. This album still hold up today surprisingly. Heroin induced noise rock bullshit fuck yes. Some tracks are for sure more experimental than other, but even the more contemporary tracks manage to still be engaging despite them significant less interesting than the wack ass shit like Heroin and Venus In Fur. Lou Reed is a crazy good song writer, and Nico offers soothing break from the noisy chaos that is this record. 9/10

I used to be on the fence with the Nico songs but they're among my favourites now. I love how it touches on every indie genres that would bloom decades later. This band was truly special.

As we know, a historic album for several reasons. So artsy and different from everything that rock bands were doing in the 60s. I've never been able to appreciate it properly, not my jame maybe? But it deserves a 5 stars without a doubt.

Dark hipster psychedelia, it still sounds alive and urgent. I'm Waiting for My Man and Run Run Run are incredible high energy rock songs, all propulsive rhythms and distorted guitars, and actual hooks. The best bits are stripped back and spare without any studio frills or production wizardry, when it sounds like a band in a room playing themselves into a increasingly frenetic trance drawing on a whole repertoire of ragas and drones and changes and a pharmacy full of downers. The viola does so much work here, like on Heroin where it adds a layer of tense anxiety buzzing along barely in one channel, a bare bones vamp that itself descends into screeching noise as the songs climax. Lou Reed's gift for disarmingly sweet melody means there's a bright core to everything, shining through the darkness and chaos. To balance out the descent into madness, there are perfectly crafted little loungey bubblegum songs, Femme Fatale, Sunday Morning, I'll Be Your Mirror - sweet and jangly and atmospheric, ironically naive but bittersweet pop gems undercut by Nico's flat dettached deadpan delivery.

Timeless proto indie album detailing the artists life in the pits of NYC circa 1967. This album is always a treat to listen to anytime and is diversely influential in the production and artistic creation of 60 years worth of music. Love Nico's voice throughout and Lou Reed was one badass mofo.

Another one I have listened to 100's if not a thousand times. What can you say about this one? One of the most important albums ever.

Classique. I have to give this a five, I’d probably give it a five had it come out last week and this shit came out 60 years ago. So fuxking replayable.

We have to overcome the social prejudice that heroine is bad for you. Clearly it has the fuel for some of the most influential music ever made!

What a great album. From the first song till the last song. Absolutely great!

And what costume shall the poor girl wear To all tomorrow's parties? A hand-me-down dress from who knows where To all tomorrow's parties And where will she go and what shall she do When midnight comes around? She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown And cry behind the door And what costume shall the poor girl wear To all tomorrow's parties? Why silks and linens of yesterday's gowns To all tomorrow's parties? And what will she do with Thursday's rags When Monday comes around? She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown And cry behind the door And what costume shall the poor girl wear To all tomorrow's parties? For Thursday's child is Sunday's clown For whom none will go mourning A blackened shroud, a hand-me-down gown Of rags and silks, a costume Fit for one who sits and cries For all tomorrow's parties OK, I 100% agree that this album belongs on a list of the best albums of all time. It also has immense social impact and is a historical marker of a counter cultural high water mark where the 1960s broke and rolled back in the US and Europe. This is one of the rare occasions where I completely agree with this list and say that absolutely everyone in the world should hear this album. 5/5

Every home should have one.

It's beautiful and depressing.

I really, really do not like Nico's voice. This album is still pretty much perfect. It has one foot in the sound of its time and the other firmly planted in the future. I have to join the chorus of voices proclaiming it as one of the most influential, impactful albums to come out of the 1960s, but I think calling it THE best album of that decade is hyperbole. That being said, its impact on music as we know it can't be overstated, like it or not. I will continue to be annoyed with people telling me how much "better" and "cooler" they are than their contemporaries. They were like the fucking Sonic Youth of the 60s. At least the Velvet Underground did it first, I guess. I'm astonished whenever I hear "Heroin"; it is such an achievement in pacing, composition, production, sound design, and performance. Highlights: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting For The Man, Femme Fatale (I know what I said about Nico's voice), Venus In Furs, Heroin, There She Goes Again

"The Velvet Underground & Nico" is a sonic trip into a dystopian carnival, where pop art and avant-garde collide in a beautiful cacophony. Lou Reed’s deadpan vocals and Nico’s haunting, Teutonic drone are like dueling sirens luring you into the dark underbelly of 1960s counterculture. John Cale's electric viola and the band’s unorthodox instrumentation feel like a séance with the ghosts of rock ‘n’ roll past and future. The album's raw, unapologetic take on taboo subjects—heroin, S&M, and urban ennui—transcends mere shock value, forcing a reevaluation of what rock music could say and do. It's as if Andy Warhol, with his pop-art sensibility, dipped the whole record in a can of Campbell’s soup, only to reveal the simmering angst beneath. This isn’t just an album; it’s a manifesto. It’s the sound of beautiful losers finding salvation in chaos, and it's utterly timeless in its imperfection.

If there is a genre of rock that the average person knows about, there's a decent chance that its DNA can be traced back one of the 11 tracks in this LP. Super influential, with legendary cover art and lyrical themes that went against the usual norms of the 60s. Very easy 5 to give.

Every home should have one.

Gr8 record

It’s a classic for a reason.

One of the greatest albums of all time. This thing is absolutely insane

Wish i could give it 10 stars. This album is incredible. Nico's voice over the psych rock benzo induced music is like a snip of a moment in time and ill never get enough of it.

This is the kind of record that makes this list worth while. It’s brilliant in ways that would radiate out in waves that would influence every cool band that followed.

I listened to this in high school and quite often since then. It feels like I hear something new every time i listen to it. Really a classic.

When I first decided to do this challenge, there were a few albums that I knew, without a doubt, that they would be on the list no matter who wrote the book. This on is pretty close to the top of those choices. This is an amazing album that is not just good, but is also very influential. Very happy to listen to it yet again.

Love it, one of my all-time classics. European Son is usually a skip for me though 😬

Goodness me, this is great stuff. It's so atmospheric and takes you straight to the heart of the Warhol Factory and all the creativity that goes with it. It's hard to pick a favourite really, because it hangs together so beautifully. Heroin though, what a song. It's so cool it hurts.

I've loved this one since I found it in high school. This is a great example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Massive influence on all rock that came afterward.

Thinking about when I was walking through the Kraków modern art museum last year and I could distantly hear a distinctive thumping drumbeat. As I got closer I realised it was the distinctive thrum of “Venus in Furs”. I entered the room to behold an explorable reconstruction of Andy Warhol’s famous studio, complete with industrial metal walls, grimy pink chairs, lewd videos playing on CRT screens, graffitied walls, and pinned Polaroids. I must have spent at least 20 minutes there, enjoying the atmosphere, “Venus in Furs” blasting on repeat the whole time. What a way to experience that song. No wonder everybody wanted a piece of that.

Love love love.

Clear 5-stars. So far the best album on this list, and I'm over 100 in. A classic both musically and thematically.

Haven’t actually had a chance to listen to this as part of our little challenge. But this is one I have listened to countless times and own a copy of the banana lad myself. Just one of the best albums of all time. Simpsons: not that I can find, but there must be a Lou Reed reference in there somewhere

The most annoying people you know throughout your life will try and get you to listen to this album. DON'T DO IT!!! Not because the album isn't good, because it absolutely is, but because you need to listen to this album on your own terms. Only then do you really sit in it and have an easy time putting yourself in the shoes of someone in 1967 hearing these sounds for the first time and feeling unlimitedly inspired by what you could do with it. This album has taken some time to grow on me but the greatness of it ultimately will always shine through for those that love and understand music

Great - Music History

I mean… it’s an absolute new york classic that still holds water.

cherish is a word i use when i bathe in the morning cherish is a world ill go to in when i die cherish is a word i scream at the top of my lungs cherish is a worm crawling through my heart

Definitely an avant-garde album that I can see would not be for everyone. But I thought this was great. Simple yet profound, shows you don’t need to overload with too many parts - less is more. ‘Heroin’ plays with the soundscape in a way that makes you feel desperation and euphoria. Maybe this hit me on a good day, and an argument could be made to lower the rating, but giving 5 stars today

4.7 - Stunning album. Listened to this loads first year I moved to London and I still love it.

I love this album so much. I remember hearing Venus in Furs on vinyl (maybe on mushrooms?) and it absolutely blowing my mind. Now I love hearing the context of new York “hippie” scene - as compared to the San Fran scene at the same time which was way more whacky.

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: geschichts- und skandalträchtiges Kunstwerk von Andy Warhol 😘🤌 Mix (45th Anniversary): Lou Reed-typisch (mutmaßlich) bewusst hemdsärmlig, dröhnend und verzerrt abgemischt - sagenhaft (und gerade) auch vom mittelprächtigem Plattenspieler! Musik: prophetischer Klassiker für Noise, Art-Rock und lyrischen Nihilismus. Keine Frage für mich also. Wertung: 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌/5

el mejor disco de la historia

Genoeg nummers gehoord, ook wel eens het hele album, maar dit is de eerste keer dat die echt klikt. Voor heroin pauzeerde ik even wat ik aan het doen was, wat een nummer. Meerdere unhingedheid in dit album, wat toch een solide geheel voelt. Twijfel tussen 4 en 5, maar het krijgt denk ik de voordeel van de twijfel

Bello bello bello

El debut de The Velvet Underground (de la mano a la artista francesa Nico), dio el puntapié inicial a una nueva era de experimentación y el nacimiento del "sonido neoyorquino" del rock. Con canciones legendarias como "Femme Fatale", "Venus In Furs", y muchas más, Cale y Reed construyen un LP que revolucionó a la música, difuminando el límite del pop, el buen gusto y la saturación sonora.

Beautiful album. A must listen.

Excellent album, not my favourite VU but I still love it.

Though definitely a bit artsy/experimental (certainly European Son), it is all very approachable folk approach that is more challenging due to lyrical content and some ways it conveys story with pacing (e.g. Heroin). Compelling from start to finish.

Imagine being a rebel without a clue in 1967. Warhol has decided to put together a band. He assembles some of the most drugged out experimental musicians on the scene, sticks a German fashion model as the front person alternating with a beat poet whose previous musical success was writing jingles for local radio, and tells them all to go to town. You go down to the local record shop get this disk in your hand. A Warhol banana graces the cover. You pull the vinyl out of the sleeve and put it on your record player. You drop the needle down. And you proceed to have your face melted by some of the most subversive shit you've ever heard in your life. We live in the shadow of this particular art record. While I'm not sure it's great music (though I unabashedly love it), it is absolutely great art. I'll be your mirror is one of the most beautiful messages in any love song ever written. +1 star for Jungian psychology. I mean, who does that? Just gorgeous.

While I'm glad this album is in this list, I have already listened to it. I relistened to it today, and it was still fantastic. I don't know whose quote it is, but the one about 'it wasn't about the commercial success. it only sold 30k copies. but everyone who bought it started a band' very rough paraphrasing but it encapsulates what makes this album great. Highlights: all, but choosing 3, 4, and 7.

Not every song is perfect, but overall it still stands up 60 years later and there is no denying its greatness

A classic for sure. I remember when I first heard it I didn’t like Nico’s voice, and I’ve since come around on it. Not my favorite VU, that’s already been covered, but any VU record is gonna get high marks from me.

What a great album. I used to not like the Nico tracks, but have come around on them since watching the VU doc.

Classic.

At the time of release, this was probably the greatest rock and roll album ever produced. It’s the perfect combination of talent, all the way up and down: mostly written by Lou Reed but with the tenderest songs sung by Nico, backed up by Sterling Morrison on guitar/bass, John Cale on viola/bass, and Maureen Tucker on drums. Produced (mostly) by Tom Wilson, who got his start with eclectic jazz musicians like Sun Ra and Cecil Taylor, then worked with Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel on some of their tenderest folk music, before moving to VU and The Mothers of Invention, who were both sort of jazz/rock/folk fusions. And of course all brought together, managed, and produced by Andy Warhol. While Warhol gets a lot of credit for this album, his impact can’t be understated, and his involvement is way more than just the iconic cover design. The songs are all fantastic, with my favorites being “Sunday Morning”, “Heroin”, and “I’m Waiting for the Man”. I’ll also add that it’s pretty unique for the time period to have a woman drummer, especially in an almost all-male group.

Un disco fracasado del que apenas se vendieron unas pocas copias y que luego se ha convertido en una de las mejores y más influyentes de todos los tiempos. Obligatoria su escucha, sin excusas ni condiciones. Desde la mítica portada (Peel slowly and see) hasta la última nota, es imprescindible. Tiene mil historias que contar. Con la colaboración en las voces de la cantante alemana Nico (despreciada por sus propios compañeros de grupo), con la producción de Andy Warhol (que no produjo ni una sola nota)... Clásicos como Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Heroin, I´m waiting for the man... cualquier canción es un clásico en sí misma. Otras obras enormes editadas ese mismo año 1967: Sgt. Peppers y Magical Mistery Tour, Forever Changes y Da Capo, Surrealistic Pillow, Are you Experienced y Axis:Bold as Love, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, The Doors, The Who Sell Out, Days of Future Passed, Disraelí Gears, Bee Gees´ First (en realidad el segundo), Younger Than Yesterday, Evolution y Butterfly, I never loved a man the way i love you y Arrives, Something Else, Scott, Wild Honey o Happy Together. Mientras todos estos hablaban sobre campos de fresas y otras cosas (salvo Syd que presentaba sus obsesiones sexuales) la Velvet exloraba un universo de drogas, prostitución, camellos, depravación con enorme acierto melódico.

Incredibly ahead of it's time.

Hooray!

A seminal work in the history of Rock amd Roll.

Great songs all-round, very influential sound as well

An insanely influential and creative album. Still stands out today as a unique album with a lot of variety, and can only imagine what it must have felt like to listeners in the 60s. Stand out tracks for me include Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Run Run Run, Heroin and I'll Be Your Mirror.

Three key points make this a 5 star masterpiece you should listened to before you die. 1. Light years ahead of its time. 2. Arguably the most influential album of all time. 3. A commercial flop. "Everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band!” Brian Eno

already a top fave of mine. Excited to revisit!

always a classic... listened to many times over the years

The Velvet Underground & Nico 5 / 5 Well, it’s drug music isn’t it? Often cited as the most influential rock music album of all time. From 1967. Things are minimal and they drone on and on. All the vocalists are very mello. Sometimes very matter of fact. Almost bored. It’s mostly mellow and abrasive at the same time. Sometimes I hear touches of contemporaries …The Byrds (I get Byrds vibes more than once during the record, but it’s just a sliver or the overall sound), Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys…Garage Rock. It feels like a majority of the album is the repetitive spell inducing minimal hypnotic rock. And there’s freak outs.

Great album calm but fun at the same time!

I like this album very much! It is in the top of my favorite albums! Masterpiece! Music and voice are amazing!

2024-04-05...

A solid collection of songs with a heavily "late 60s" musical style, but perhaps more risqué and experimental than was the norm. And yet, if you go beyond the surface, you'll realise how monumentally influential this music actually was, despite its poor sales when it was released. Yeah, sure, everyone talks about how important this album is as a landmark in music history. But there's a reason this is so universally accepted. It's because it's true. Chronologically, one of the first-ever albums to dive headfirst into lyrical (and, in a sense, musical) themes of drug addiction, sex (addiction?), prostitution, masochism, and more. For the 60s, the Velvet Underground and Nico were light-years ahead of its peers. Pretty dang cool album cover too – instantly recognisable, mysterious, and just plain strange. One of Andy Warhol's finest contributions to music. Plus, you just have some genuinely fantastic songs. The album moves effortlessly from the beautiful, airy, music box-like lullaby Sunday Morning to classic grungy underground rock tracks (I'm Waiting For The Man, Run Run Run, There She Goes Again) to exotic mystery (Venus In Furs) to pretty 60s ballads (Femme Fatale, I'll Be Your Mirror) to some seriously impressive experimental rock epics (Heroin, European Son). It's a versatile mix, with a couple apparent instances of new genres being created on the spot. An otherwise 4-star experimental rock album, pushed off the charts when you consider historical context. 5/5

I have previously scored a Nico album poorly and White Light / White heat. Thisalbum though is a classic and all the things right about The Velevt Undergound. Without listening to this again I know its a 5/5. Every song on the album is a classic. The opening 2 songs are so powerful. Heroin is unreal!! All classics. Favourite song: The black angels death song Least favourite song: There is not a bad song on the album Album artwork: could even be the best album artwork ever

The year is 2005 and I'm in the driver seat of my Ford focus sedan. My best friend Dan is in the passenger seat and his girlfriend Sonya, is in the back seat. We're headed to the Green Day concert American idiot tour. I have this album playing on our way to the show. Sunday morning comes on. You know the first song and Sonya in the back seat says "what the f*** is this gay ass s***?! F**in f*g music. Turn it off" I tried to expound the fact that without Lou Reed, we might not have Green Day or pop punk at all but she wasn't having none of my Longview historical perspective. Well needless to say Dan and Sonya didn't last very long after that but our love for velvet underground and Nico live on. Wherever you wound up, Sonya, I wish you the best

This album made me think I was a Gonzo journalist like Hunter Thompson. I would go round James's at about midday and we would drink whisky in teacups and pretend to like it before making a nuisance of ourselves. We would cut ea mother's hair, shoplift and smoke embassy cigarettes with Freddie. I 💭 get i'd be a writer or a painter. None of this is relevant, I just listened to it a lot. Lou Reed's strained, charismatic voice, nicos hairy but vulnerable posture, John Cales cacophonous, wailing guitar. I don't know the others to be fair. This album made you feel marginal in an exhilarating way, expressive.

With the Nico album coming up here the other day it made me think a lot about this one, the myths and the legends involved in its making. Say what you want about Lou reed but the guy was an arteeste. Nico was definitely Warhols muse for a minute but this record changed the landscape of NYC for better and for worse. Heroin too but whatever. I love songs that tell a story and this album is full of them. Waiting for the Man is all about waiting for the next fix and Venus in Furs is so sexy it feels illegal. Nico’s songs aren’t too bad but again her vocals aren’t my favorite but good on them for trying, eh? John Cale is a friggin genius and I wish the guy got more props. They all do tons of weird shit here and for 1967 it was unheard of. Bunch of strung out but beautiful people slumming it in a loft painting and recording? Jeez man. Insanely impressive music here. Early experimental industrial sounds inspired a whole separate no wave movement and the track Heroin proves that dissonance in sound can be just as emotive as music. Automatic 5 stars.

I was introduced to the Velvet Underground through R.E.M.'s cover songs before I was even a teenager. I bought this album then, and never clicked with it. Glad I listened to it again 30+ years later because this indeed lives up to the hype. This album features so much experimentation for the era; studio tricks, layers of instrumentation, stereo panning, improvised jams. There's so much here to digest. So much beauty, but it's also juxtaposed by an ugly chaos in many places. I think I respond most to the idea that these are musicians truly creating. Nothing by the numbers here. This is art, and I'm here for it.

have heard the albums over a hundred times since my senior year in high school

picks up a banana, peel it, eats it, gives a 5, refuses to elaborate.

This is rock and everything that followed. Everyone should listen to this album at least once in their lives.

I have banana album on a T-shirt. Masterpiece and deeply influential, the bands that this record created.

A favourite of mine. When I first encountered this album I wasn’t ready for it but after repeated listened it just clicked. I don’t need to take drugs if I can just listen to Heroin whenever I want.

Nico, my dark dark German angel.

Really enjoyed this. Love the distinctive vocals of Lou Reed. A band so ahead of its time. Cannot believe this album was made nearly 60 years ago, still sounds so fresh. It's little wonder that they influenced so many music genres and so many bands were created on the influence they provided. Amazing.

Вчера Лу Рид - а сегодня банан! Великая обложка великому альбому. В моем любимом ревью автор утверждает: это не столько про технический прогресс, сколько про открытую дверь для всех любимых групп, вроде The Stooges, Joy Division, Can и так далее, и целых жанров, типа нойз-рока или инди-рока в целом. При всей авангардности, этот альбом по уши забит реальными хитами, песнями, которые может полюбить как забитый RYM-нерд, поставивший пять звездочек каждому альбому Porcupine Tree, так и человек со здоровой кукухой. Когда впервые услышал этот альбом (не из-за его важности, не из-за знакомства с Нико или тем же Лу Ридом, не из-за жанровых предпочтений - исключительно из-за банана), мой шифер затрещал от песни Heroin - от того, что так можно. А ведь там есть море прямых песен, которые отлично заходят под гитару, которые можно выть во всю глотку. Лучшая песня - Heroin.

One of the best

This album has some of my all time favorite tunes. Nico's voice is incredibly powerful. The songwriting is perfect. Ill be your mirror was my wedding song. Would give it 6 stars if I could.

good shit (mostly)! a couple of non interesting ones, but mostly good stuff.

Love this album.

Utter banger. Incredible mix of atonality and drone with spoken word and more classic rock.

As Brian Eno said, everyone who bought an original copy of this album started a band. The Velvet Underground’s first album contains the origins of punk, Krautrock, post-punk, shoegaze, etc. and is considered one of the earliest art rock albums. The music takes earlier and contemporary rock influences, and transforms them into something deliberate, dark, and explorative. The lyrics take on sex, drugs, and the underbelly of the 60s in New York City. Nico’s contribution adds something ethereal with an edge. This album is in a word, essential.

Historic album! The beggining of Lou Reed and John Cale

So close to a perfect score. Brilliant 4.9

The VU at their experimental peak courtesy of the fabulous John Cale (and a good deal of his "jetliner" viola). After the sheen and serene of "Sunday Morning" which just about evokes the feelings of lingering on in the early hours after a drug fueled evening - that is, reveling in the afterglow - the listener is treated to everything that leads to that point from Reed's view of the seedy streets of NYC, including scoring and shooting up some horse. The soundscape is occasionally chaotic, but such is life; the same can be said of Nico's almost robotic vocals, which add some character with their drone. An absolute emotional tour de force; imagine being such a square that you don't "get" it?

I recognize this album cover, but I’ve never listened to a Velvet Underground album before. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to even one song of theirs. Needless to say, I went into this album not really knowing what to expect. The lead-off song “Sunday Morning” really hooked me in with Lou Reed’s vocals and the tinkling of the celeste. “I’m Waiting for the Man” was good too; I liked the change in tempo from “Sunday Morning” and the fuzzy guitar distortion. “Femme Fatale” was good too, and a good introduction to Nico’s vocals. “Venus in Furs” and “Run Run Run” had some really good guitar playing too. But my favorite songs on the album were “All Tomorrow's Parties” and “Heroin.” “All Tomorrow’s Parties” is exactly what I want in a psychedelic rock song: weird and abstract lyrics, guitars tuned to almost sound like a sitar, and jangling piano playing. “Heroin” on the other hand, was fantastic because of the way the frantic ebb and flow of the music matched the story being told in the lyrics. The structure of “Heroin” was so obvious in a way, but the way the song was written never made it feel like the band was phoning it in or just trying to take a free ride by singing about a taboo topic. “There She Goes Again” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror” were great, and I especially liked Nico’s singing on the latter. Unfortunately, the album ended on a whimper for me, because the last two songs were far and away my least favorites on the album. There was a grating, repeating sound on “The Black Angel’s Death Song” that really annoyed me, and “European Son” had some really sharp high-pitched sounds that I didn’t care for, even though I liked the manic guitar playing. Overall though, I think this album is fantastic. It’s wild to me to think about how this was recorded in the late sixties, but you can hear how it influenced post punk and early alternative rock. I can’t imagine Sonic Youth or Pixies existing without this album’s influence. I wasn’t blown away by this album on my first listen, but I listened to it a couple more times, and it really grew on me. This isn’t an album that I’m likely to be drawn back to, but it’s incredibly influential, and I think it’s just an objectively good album, but I can see how it may not land with everyone.

früher eher belanglos gefunden, heute bin ich darüber erfreut, wie hier so manches dröhnt, nicht zusammen passt und kratzt

One of my all time favorite albums.

Weird trip. Loved it, love Lou Reed.

Classic

Normaal hou ik het kort... maar dit dissonante, fascinerende, betoverende, en geregeld onaangename schilderwerk van Andy Warhol & Co vereist wat extra aandacht. Het is een album dat zijn eerste jaren na release in de obscuriteit van de musical underbelly van New York doorbracht. Een misfit in het tijdperk van zinloze oorlogen en sociale spanningen, waarin het volk meer een uitweg vond in de escapistische psychedelische muziek, die stond voor persoonlijke vrijheid en de geestverruimende middelen die daar bij hielpen. Terwijl de meeste rock bands het leven vierden en de soundtrack vormden voor de Summer of Love, hielt The Velvet Underground een spiegel voor om te laten zien dat de horrors van een Vietnam Oorlog zich ook gewoon afspeelden in de donkere steegjes van de Amerikaanse stad. Het is een vreemde eend in de bijt als je dit album naast z'n tijdsgenoten legt, en dat dit in 1966 is opgenomen blijft een wereldwonder. Amerika was destijds nog niet klaar voor dit geluid, of wilde simpelweg niet geconfronteerd worden met de thema's. Het zorgde voor een stroeve relatie, maar op de lange termijn bleek de kleine splash van z'n release een tsunami van invloed te hebben op de alternatieve muziekscene. Zoals samengevat in de klassieke quote van Brian Eno: "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band". Waar het album in zijn eerste levensjaren op weinig erkenning kon rekenen, werd hij rond de jaren 80 beetje bij beetje blootgesteld aan een breder publiek. Dit bredere publiek besefte toen dat veel van de genres die destijds zelfs op populaire radiostations te horen waren al in hun primitieve vorm langskwamen in het werk van The Velvet Underground, zo'n 15 jaar eerder. Foreshadowing kun je het bijna noemen. De band is proto-alles, wat toe te wijden is aan het lef om ver over de grens te gaan qua sounds en topics die toentertijd acceptabel waren. Dat is hun grootste deugd. Tegenwoordig is het echter weer cool om dit album te typeren als doelloos gerammel en zinloos gezever, zie ook het gros van de negatieve reviews op deze site. Ik sluit me toch nog steeds aan bij het eerste, en ik vind dat het album staat voor tomeloze inventiviteit van het niveau Sgt. Pepper. Minder verfijnd, uiteraard, maar dat is het resultaat van de durf die werd getoond. The Beatles zongen vrij indiscreet over risqué onderwerpen als LSD, terwijl Lou Reed in 1966 op de proppen kwam met een angstaanjagend en paranoïde ballade als een metafoor voor een heroïne rush. Raad maar welke van de twee een genot is voor de zintuigen, en welke overkomt als doelloos gerammel voor virgin ears. En het schappelijke van de band is dat ze bij tijd en wijle je oren de verdiende rust geven, nadat ze meermaals worden verkracht door de snijdende violen en gitaren. 'Sunday Morning' is de opener, die daar zonder twijfel tactisch is geplaatst om de luisteraar te laten denken dat hij weer te maken heeft met zo'n vredelievende '67 popband. Al laten de lyrics al wel een sinistere ondertoon doorschijnen. De psychedelische vocalen, de mellow gitaar, en de wolkerige percussies, het zou een blauwdruk worden voor het dream pop genre van een jaar of 20 later. De kalme vibe horen we ook terug in 'Femme Fatale', die Nico introduceert. Een relatief toegankelijk én zeer verslavend folk-pop nummertje, dat klinkt als een Franse new wave film. Maar dat andere moment waarin Nico de lead pakt, 'I'll Be Your Mirror', is mijn favoriet. De toon van haar stem is bijna ongemakkelijk, en het accent moddervet, maar op één of andere manier klikt het volledig met het liefelijke en ietwat naïeve gitaarspel van Lou. Echter moet ik voor mijn absolute highlights van deze plaat toch echt zoeken in het grauwe en grimmige repertoire. 'Venus In Furs' is een afschuwwekkend stuk over onderwerpen die het daglicht tijdens de Summer of Love niet zagen. Voor het eerst maken we echt kennis met de ijskoude elektrische viool van John Cale, die in combinatie met de bloedstollende percussie en stompende trommels van Maureen Tucker zorgt voor een ambiance alsof je aanwezig bent bij één of ander demonisch ritueel. Hoe de instrumenten de griezelige vocalen van Lou bijstaan nadert perfectie. Ik ben obsessief verliefd op dit nummer, wat toch wel zorgwekkend is gezien het thema. 'The Black Angel's Death Song' voelt als een verlengstuk hierop, en zoekt nog meer de dissonantie op. Een unsettling en bleek nummer, waar bands als Swans en Sonic Youth decennia later nog steeds inspiratie uit lijken te halen. Het is een album die je voortdurend op het puntje van de stoel houdt. Ogenschijnlijk aandoenlijke popnummers als 'I'm Waiting For The Man' en 'There She Goes Again' worden opgepompt met smerige gitaren, hypnotiserende drumloops en zenuwslopend piano gepingel, waardoor ze de luisteraar vaak extatisch en mogelijk met een gevoel van walging achterlaten. Eind jaren '60 vond het equivalent van de Cambrische explosie plaats in de muziekwereld, maar bijna geen organisme was zo lelijk en afstotelijk als The Velvet Underground. Echter was het wel de levensvorm die zich in de luwte van magnifieke wezens zeer efficiënt wist voort te planten. Dit gewaagde kunstwerk stond aan het begin van de tree of life van een waanzinnig scala aan alternatieve muziek waar we vandaag de dag nog steeds het nazaat van zien rondlopen, en daar moeten we ze dankbaar voor zijn. Het geklooi in 'European Son' had niet gehoeven, en 'Heroin' had de afsluiter moeten zijn, maar desondanks een 10/10, natuurlijk. Highlights: Venus In Furs Heroin I'll Be Your Mirror Sunday Morning

Ik heb mezelf betrapt op het overmatig gebruik van het woord iconisch. Dit zal ook nog vaak terugkomen verwacht ik. Maar het is veelzeggend dat ook bij dit album 'iconisch' als eerste in mij opkwam. Iets wordt (volgens mij) iconisch als het staat voor iets anders, iets groters. En ik denk dat dat bij uitstek in de popcultuur heel belangrijk iets. Het gaat daarbij juist om de herkenbaarheid voor een grote groep, een aanzienlijk deel van de bevolking. En dit album is daar zo'n onwijs treffend voorbeeld. De muziek is een kunstwerkje, maar destijds zeer beperkt gewaardeerd. Het Andy Warhol kunstwerk op de cover is een klassiek stukje popcultuur. En als invloed in de muziekgeschiedenis is the Velvet Underground & Nico zelf ook een pop kunstwerk geworden. De invloed en bekendheid van dit album en de band overstijgt de kwaliteit van het muziekstuk zelf, al is die ook van hoog niveau. Dat maakt deze plaat (en band) uniek en verdient het een hoge score. 9/10 Highlights Im waiting for the man Heroin

Amazing

Fantastic. All Tomorrow's Parties just wouldn't be the same without Nico's wooden emotionless delivery.

One of the greatest albums ever!

Absolute masterpiece. An album that is always in rotation.

Classic, first listened to this one in high school

Wow, and it's nearly 60 years old!

The original 'art rock' album. There's a lot to say about this one. Lou Reed brought a classic rock and roll sound and married it with the gritty subject matter of New York poets, singing about topics previously off limits in the genre, including drug use and prostitution. John Cale brought in a fearless experimentation inspired by early 20th century avant garde composers. The addition of Nico is a strange choice for a debut album but she adds a further sweet strangeness to the songs she appears on. Andy Warhol, supposedly the producer, did little beyond paying for it and adding a phallic front cover image. Yet his presence is all over the album. Without his reputation and fearlessness, this music wouldn't have existed. Few albums have ever been as influential as this.

And what will she do with Thursday's rags When Monday comes around? She'll turn once more to Sunday's clown And cry behind the door.

Amazing album which still sounds fresh, though I'll admit to never really liking "Black Angel's Death Song" all that much. But every other song is stellar and the guitars, the way it was recorded, and Nico's voice add so much texture and dimension--just superlative.

Amazing album. Perfect album.

I'm Waiting For the Man, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow's Parties, Venus In Furs, Heroin. GTF outta here. Wall to wall bangers. As good as it gets.

Honestly I've taken this album for granted. I never really gave it a good critical listen. So, I really dislike Nico, but aside from that, this is an incredible work of art. I am sorry that I hadn't fully experienced this album earlier.

Classic and massive influence on much to come

a favorite... fabulous and perfect as always. obviously the punk stuff was unbelievably influential but the mellow stuff is my preference.. it's so well-written and nico's voice is perfectly delicate and raw. fav tracks: heroin, femme fatale, sunday morning, i'll be your mirror

Listened to this already. Classic. Not much to say that hasn't been said already.

Finally, B A N A N A. Yeah this album's really good. It's one of the most highly praised and iconic albums of all time, and that's for a good reason. I think the best word to describe this album is "revolutionary". The sound is abrasive and the writing is dark in its subject matter. These weren't common attributes for music in 1967. This album changed that. Without it, music as a whole would likely be less powerful, less unconventional, and less willing to take risks. The songs are quite unique, not just for the time, but right now. The singing is definitely interesting. Having Nico do some of the singing was a great move since, while I feel this is arguably him at his peak, I can understand if someone wouldn't want to listen to Lou Reed's singing for 11 songs straight. The sound, while noisy and unpleasant at times, has a purpose at all times. The harsh sound and rapid acceleration of the song "Heroin" encapsulates the experience of a heroin rush, or so I've heard. It definitely sounds like how I've heard drug experience be described. The album is also thought provoking. This really is just a very culturally significant album. From the change it brought in music, to the absolutely iconic album cover painted by the legendary Andy Warhol, this is absolutely one of the top 1001 albums to listen to before you die. 5/5. That's three in a row!

I’m just gonna say it, this is my favourite album ever. There is so much in this album I love, and if I ever tried to make music, this would be my primary source of inspiration.

This was an exception album, I loved Femme Fatale, Bonus points for the Andy Warhol painting!

A mastrerpiece. A light for the music to come.

Nothing I can say that hasn't said a thousand times before. The art scene in mid 60s New York must of been wild place. Exudes cool. One of the ten most significant albums in history. 10/10

How was this recorded in 1966? Decades ahead of its time!

Uno de mis discos preferidos de toda la vida, a mí en particular me sigue ibmotizando

This thing is amazing, there’s so much memorable songs and moments here. Lou Reed and Nico’s vocals, the lo-fi like sound, the lyrics, it’s all great. Not to mention it’s huge influence? I can definitely see it here. Great project all around!

Delightful and weird, moody and cool. Not a huge fan of Nico but this album is still a masterpiece.

If you want to understand Leonard Cohen you need to listen to this album.

Vibey and cool.

Didn’t listen to the whole thing but it is a wonderful album.

Using my 1967 glasses to go back when this was released, it’s groundbreaking. The legend of Lou Reed is born.

There’s a lot of mediocre 60s psyche on the list but I really enjoyed this. Surprised I’ve never bothered to listen considering the classic album cover

I like the vibes. I actually didn't realize that the music style would remind me of rolling stones. Also didn't realize that they were that influential like that I really liked the steely guitar honestly. I'll listen to this one again

best album of all time

So glad I listened to this. It's not my type of music, but the music it influenced IS. The opening song, Sunday Morning, is lovely -- sounded so much like the Monkees I grew up listening to. But that track isn't about a pleasant time spent relaxing, no. It's about waking up Sunday morning after a late Saturday night of partying.

Second Velvet Underground album in four days, third out of four studio albums of theirs. I'm not bored yet and in fact I am loving it. 5/5

I don’t know why it’s taken me until now to listen to this but gotta say I love it.

This was the album that helped me realize that rock music could be art. It borders on avant garde without being unlistenable. Good stuff.

wonderful

Classiqe. 4.5 would be a more accurate but can’t argue w/songs nor innovative

Just too many great tracks to not be considered amazing. Just too influential to not be considered amazing. Venus in Furs is a standout among outstanding tracks.

Velvet Underground and Nico This is just what I needed to get me out of the Bowie cycle. This album has everything, drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism, and sexual deviancy! Everything that makes a great rock and roll album. So maybe I don't hate art rock albums as this is so fucking amazing!

Ground breaking album. While ahead of its time, it is also far from perfect. Still an essential listen.

Am I the only one who's ever wondered how much heroin Lou Reed was able to purchase for $26 in 1967?

Fine, fine.

Sunday Morning - 9.6 - love it. awesome. damn. I'm Waiting For The Man - 8.7 - Sounds more 60s than the first. not necessarily a bad thing. Femme Fatale - 9.0 - very experimental instrumentally. not the biggest fan of the vocals right now but I think they'll grow on me. Venus In Furs - 9.3 - love the organ and harrowing strings. Run Run Run - 8.8 - the theme clashes with the instrumental and almost cliche-sounding vocals. All Tomorrow's Parties - 8.4- unfortunately felt pretty drony Heroin - 10 - one of the best songs I've ever heard. There She Goes Again - 8.6 - folkier. I'll Be Your Mirror - 8.5 - seems to have slowed down. The Black Angel's Death Song - 9.1 - feels like an old fable European Son - 8.8 - amazing instrumentation. want just a bit more lyrically.

Anyone who considers themselves a fan of alternative music sees the bones of it here. From Lou Reeds solemn, downbeat delivery to Nico’s Euroinfused voice the entire makeup of rock n roll was forever changed by one banana splattered debut.

Oh ok. Five stars. Could leave it there really but this is a site for blathering so let's blather. Fun how these songs have slid down the strange-ometer as the years pass by and don't seem nearly as freaky as they did even in the 90s to my discovering ear, particularly the more weird, viola heavy ones, obviously due to its incredibly wide influence. It's just seeped into the culture, it's everywhere. Another band I heard mostly covers of first, before I went back and listened to the real thing. The REM covers of Femme Fatale, Pale Blue Eyes, James' cover of Sunday Morning even. Amazing to read it was pretty much recorded in one 8 hour session. The cultural explosion fanning out from that one day is just daft.

So cool.

This is the musical equivalent of cavemen discovering fire, there's no predecessor to this in rock music. Compare this to everything else around in 1966/1967 and you can only wonder how they hell they made this. The beautiful 'Sunday Morning', wild guitar flailings on 'Run Run Run', BDSM lyrics and screeching viola on 'Venus in Furs', ear-shattering crescendos of drug addiction on 'Heroin', and the improvised madness of 'European Son' to end it out. It still sounds like it was from the future nearly 60 years later, and it influenced damn near every genre of alternative rock we have today. God bless The Velvet Underground for what they did for music (and for 'Sister Ray', their masterpiece in my opinion, but that doesn't happen until the next album).

I consider this the definitive album that came out of the 60's. Certainly not out dated. Timeless in its appeal and listenability. A classic.

This album is about perfect for me anytime, but even better with a joint, a cocktail and a warm fire. Lue Reed is a boss.

Vi bliver forkælede de her dage. Jeg elsker den her plade så meget

Still a wonderfully intriguing and subversive album.

I knew what I was going to rate this going into it, but my GOD is this a spectacular album. I think there was a quote from Brian Eno that went “only about 2000 people bought this album when it first released, but all them started bands” and that sums this up pretty well. This album initially only caused a little ripple in the music scene, but over time it grew and grew into a tsunami of musical importance that’s affected almost every genre. It also just contains some phenomenal tracks, with I’m Waiting For The Man being my all-time most listened to song on Spotify for good reason. Everything about this scream legendary. 5/5

Yet another one that I can't believe has passed me by until now given how iconic it is - worth the rep

Nooit begrepen waarom dit zo legendarisch is geworden en al helemaal niet waarom ik dit zelf ook zo goed vind. Eigenlijk gewoon rare shit met katten gejank gitaargeluid of zang. Hoe dan ook; Briljant!

Reminds me of the summer I spent face down in a gutter in New York City.

Some monotony / droning guitar. I would have liked it even more a long time ago. Still worth adding to rotation.

Sunday Morning // I’m Waiting For The Man // Femme Fatale // Venus In Furs // Heroin

As this is a Cultural Artifact, I was very happy to be able to listen to it in its entirety, which I haven't done in years and years. I enjoyed very much of this, although the last 5 minutes of "European Son," being the last song, made me think I hated it. Ignoring that, it's pretty cool.

Yes, this album was definitely a must-listen-to-before-I-die one. Although, I guess I thought that we already had...

I don't know that this music is actually good but it is undoubtedly cool.

I thought The Velvet Underground was going to be like taking musical history medicine before starting this project - as I knew they were important, knew they'd be on this list, but didn't think there was any way that this was going to be something I really enjoyed. I couldn't have been more wrong. While I loved my first album from The Velvet Underground on this project - the self-titled one from 1969 - and this one is even better! It's varied, interesting, the song craft is impressive, and I love listening to it. Terrific!

I forget just how good this is. They really were one of the oddest and most innovant bands to have existed. This is their most accessible album and is packed with their most well liked tracks (I count 9/11 biggies). There's a lot of variety here too- from dreamy pop to raucous rock. Iconic

I was culturally aware of this and knew a few of the songs, but this was my first time really listening to this album. I loved it. It felt very cinematic to me, the song order is essential to the feel of the whole thing. The journey from Sunday Morning to Black Angel Death Song and European Son is wild.

Woof. Another masterpiece. That's 3 five-star albums in a row, 1001 Albums Generator. Keep 'em coming.

Banana album good old chill nice rock

Shoot this album straight into my veins

One of the most influential albums of the 20th century...even if people don't know it

One of my all-time favorite albums!! It is essentially perfect, not a single misstep from the first song to the last. It's a dark and intricate story of New York, addiction, desire, loneliness, regret, and love. I got to know the Velvet Underground from a best of album I bought in my grad school days, when I yearned to move to NYC. I had read a review of an album by the band Luna (which one? I don't know) that said their entire playlist was derived from the bridge of a Velvet Underground song. I decided I had to learn more about the Velvet Underground, and what better way to learn a band's music than from a best of album? For many bands that's probably true, but not for VU. This particular album is such a brilliant experiment in sound and storytelling that it belongs in context. Waiting for My Man and Heroin are incredible as paired auditory descriptions of the grip, the power, and the rush of addiction, mimicking in sound the feel of adrenalin and the crash at the end of the high (to be fair, they are also both on the best of album). But they also pair well with the other songs that don't appear on the best of album - the same intense, adrenalin-pumping musical themes are echoed in The Black Angel's Death Song and European Son, for instance. Nico's peculiar and haunting voice is the perfect match for this album. At some point I lost Luna but I kept the Velvet Underground. I've graduated from the best of album to appreciating all of the albums in their original contexts. A definite win. The opening track, Sunday Morning, is my particular favorite (also James does an incredible cover of it).

This album has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember being a music lover. Nico’s cool detachment and Lou Reed’s achingly beautiful lyrics were a combustible combo. It’s perfect, from start to finish, but if I had to pick some favorite songs then “I’ll Be Your Mirror”, closely followed by “Sunday Morning” and “Femme Fatale,” would probably be on such a list. But it’s an impossible ask, because then I remember the incredible storytelling of “I’m Waiting For The Man” and how, the first time I found myself walking around Lexington Ave and 125th St after I moved to NYC, this song sprung from some corner of my subconscious and I immediately started singing “ I'm waiting for my man/ 26 dollars in my hand/ Up to Lexington 125/ Feel sick and dirty/ more dead than alive/ I'm waiting for my man.” No, I cannot just love a few songs - I love them all. 10/10, all killers, no fillers.

好牛逼的一张专辑😭

Classic and iconic. The inspiration for a million other bands. The songs swing in tone from sweet to harsh yet it all seems tonaly together. Lou Reed is at the heart. 4.5

This album has everything anyone could ever want or need from one of the tightest bands ever recorded. Amazing from start to finish. Not a second wasted. Perfect.

Five bloody star

First time I've gotten to listen to one of these albums on vinyl, so that was fun. I wrote a lot about my feelings about The Velvet Underground as a band when I got The Velvet Underground album on here two weeks ago, so I won't rehash that here. It's hard to believe that it's only been about 8 months since now, but I listened to this full album for the first time on a bus in Cancun and it's become a staple for me since then. The album is obviously awesome. It's definitely dark, mostly in a sex and drugs way. It feels real though, you definitely get the sense that Reed is capturing his lived experience. I love the casual NYC references throughout as well. Two lineup differences on this album vs. The Velvet Underground from a few weeks ago (I guess three if you count Andy Warhol, but that's another thing). First, this one has John Cale as a bandmember. I was fortunate to see Cale perform live a few months ago, and at 81 he's still got it (he played "I'm Waiting For The Man"). He brings a lot of the avant-garde/art-rock sound that really makes this album stand out from others from the time. For example, something like the constant drone underneath on "Heroin" really makes it stand out in an unsettling way that just perfectly complements the song. The band's later work was still great, but in a different way. I would've loved to see what came later if Reed let him stick around. Then there's Nico. She's definitely an interesting character, and I enjoyed learning more about her dynamic with the band. I think it's probably good that she didn't end up becoming a long-term member of the band, but I really do have a soft spot for the Nico-sung songs on this album (Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll Be Your Mirror). I've heard this whole album before a number of times now, but "I'll Be Your Mirror" really stood out to me on this listen in a way that it hasn't before. It's almost strangely upbeat in the context of the rest of the album, but is just a really beautiful short little love song. A close read might sense some sadness in "please put down your hands" line, but I still think it's really touching and is just a really great song. So much good stuff on here, I won't write too much more. It was hard to pick a favorite, but Heroin is just so epic-sounding and builds up in such an unsettling way. Sunday Morning is apparently their most streamed song on Spotify and is definitely a classic too (and a bit more of a tame start to the album). I'm Waiting For The Man certainly paints a picture of Lou Reed's life, and European Son brings it all home with some classic Velvet Underground chaos. This is just a masterpiece top to bottom. This lineup didn't last long, but it produced something great, so thanks Andy Warhol. Favorite song: Heroin Other: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting For The Man, Femme Fatale, Venus In Furs, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow's Parties, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror, The Black Angel's Death Song, European Son 11/2/23

Absolutely brilliant. I've love this for years. Right up my street!

An album whose influence was not widely known until a generation after, the Velvet Underground stood to create an icon in their debut. Under the wing of Warhol; Lou Reed, John Cale, and Co did just that. It's amazing to think these kinds of subjects and types of sounds/songs were not widely used, because this has tinged so much of all music since. I feel that its' influence stretches a bit over its' musical quality, but reverent none the less.

In my top 50

Oh, finally something I’m familiar with! True legend.

Really good, I loved the scratchy blown out sound of the album

I didn’t realize how revolutionary this album was. Can’t believe I didn’t listen to it before. Lou Reed’s haunting voice made the experience. Definitely listen to this with headphones.

Absolutely killer album. One of my favorites. Beautiful.

One of the best albums ever made, the birth of the punk genre

Platano hippie

Loveeeee!

Cool album.

Heroin alone earns this album 5 stars. The arrangements here are just simply second to none. The only complaint I have is how Nico swindled a solo mention here. She is outsung in terms of quality, quantity, AND consequence by Lou Reed here!

The album that launched 30,000 bands. A remarkably good album which still sounds fresh to this day.

A true classic. This album helped set the stage for punk rock in the 70s. Many of what people think of as classic Velvet Underground songs are on here including Venus in Furs, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatal, All Tomorrow's Parties, and the penultimate Velvet underground song, Heroin. If you can own only one Velvet Underground album, this is the one.

"The Velvet Underground & Nico" is the studio album by the American band the Velvet Underground and German singer Nico. Art rock, experimental rock, proto-punk, pyschedelic rock and avanr-pop. Yes and in many cases the defining example of that genre. The music has experimental aspects with controversial lyrics such as drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and sexual deviance. The album was recorded in 1966 while the band was featured in Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. The music of album was primarily produced by Tom Wilson with Andy Warhol also listed as a producer. The band consisted of Lou Reed (vocals, guitar), John Cale (electric viola, bass, piano, celeste), Sterling Morrison (rhythm guitar, bass), Maureen Tucker (drums , percussion) and Nico (vocals). The album initially sold poorly which prompted the famous quote by Brian Eno that "everyone who bought one of the 30,000 copies formed a band." It was also initially ignored by critics but later recognized as one of the most influential albums of all time. In 2006, the Library of Congress put it into the National Recording Registry for its artistic significance. "Sunday Morning" opens with Cale on celeste. Reed comes in singing softly. It's about paranoia. A charging guitar begins "I'm Waiting for the Man." It got a melody and beat. Jangly pyschedelic guitar. The guy needs his heroin. Nico joins the album on "Femme Fatale." Melodic guitar. A distorted feel with the highlight being Nico's lead and Reed and Morrison's backing vocals. A great ending in Nico's "Ooh ooh oh." This was written about about actress/model Edie Sedgwick. Cale has his electric viola droning in "Venus in Furs." Reed's guitar is weirdly tuned. This is pyschedelic. And, oh, about sadomasochism. Nico adding an emotionless voice in "All Tomorrow's Parties." Slow guitar, tambourine, viola and piano. Singing about the people at Warhol's "Factory." "Heroin" starts with a slow repeating guitar note. The rhythm guitar, viola and soft drum comes in. The song speeds up, slows down and finally ends chaotically with feedback and distortion. Just a brilliant song. Reed describing the feeling of a heroin rush. The last Nico vocal-led song is "I'll Be Your Mirror." Sort of a surf-sounding guitar and a tambourine. Lovely dual vocals by Nico at the end. This is a great album. Cale's unique electric viola. The distortion and feedback. The counter of Nico's haunting vocals and Lou Reed's. The pyschedelic guitar. Sometimes sounding of the 60's with the pyschedelic guitar and garage rock and others thirty years in the future with the distortion, feedback and musical notes. The influence is immense with future rock genre's punk, garage, post-punk, krautrock, shoegaze, indie and goth. Needless to say a must listen..

Brilliant album. Sounds really modern still in places other than some unintentional fuzz. Other songs sounding a bit more like Bob Dylan were slightly less interesting to me. Nico's voice is perfect for the sightly uncanny thing they have going on through the whole album. Highlights were anything sung by Nico, Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Heroin

Personally, a top 10, most influental album.

I have been listening to this album for over 20 years and it's still a pleasure every time I hear it, probably the favourite album I am going to hear on this 1001 list.

An absolute classic. "Venus in Furs" is worth the price of entry by itself.

This is such a landmark album it's hard to give it anything but five stars. It's artistic, it's poppy, the switching between Lou Reed and Nico gives it a funny sort of dissonance. Heroin is such a standout, experience of a song too. Deserves it's place in history.

5 I love Lou Reed and think he is a musical genius. I feel I learn something new about this guy every time I read a story or article. I never realized this was Velvet's debut album, but I am starting to recognize the influence he had over music an other artist. If there was another artist I can compare his diversity, change of sound, willingness to push his fans to open their mind, shock you and some times just rock you, that would be Prince. Yep I'm talking Lou and Prince in the same conversation of musical genius and creativity. Two different genres and a different topic for another day. This album has it all. Songs that make you feel good, songs that are dark, songs that rock you and songs just that just blow you away. His voice, presentation and delivery are simply awesome. Something about the way he sings, I just love. I have most of this album downloaded my LOU playlist so it's difficult to state my favorite. The studio version of Heroin is bit more reserved than his live versions (his live stuff is even better than his studio versions), but has to be up there as one of his best. Along with I'm Waiting For The Man. I mean who the hell can make scoring some drugs such a great song? Sunday Morning is such a great opener with Nico's voice such a contrast to Lou, but together just beautiful. And then we just roll into one great song after another. Whenever I hear Venus in Furs, I think of Shankar. Great song with a very unique sound. I could probably spend a few minutes explaining why I like each song, but I can probably sum it up by saying I was introduced to Lou and Velvet late in life. They quickly have become one of my all time favorites. I wish I had the opportunity to see him live. I wish I would have introduced to his music decades ago. Great, great album. Great musical talent. One of the all time best. I love Lou! 5

as you get older you realize your idols were degenerate and broken, but you also realize all of us are broken so they still have a place in your heart

I expected this album to be on here. It's one of my absolute favorites and the album cover is iconic. Each song can sound like modern indie and some raw 60s. Beautiful. Nico is a wonderful touch added in and I simply can't choose a favorite song.

I think it’s a 5/5 just for venus in furs honestly but the other 10 tracks are pretty great too only flawed by the last track being just not as good as the others but this is still brilliant 5/5.

I'm so glad I listened to that. There is such an obvious straight line from Lou Reed to Bob Dylan and in the opposite direction to the talking heads. That was magnificent, so familiar and unlike anything else. Brilliant.

If there was a 5+ rating this would get it!

Nice, the day after the almighty Generator gave me my first Lou Reed album, it gives me my first The Velvet Underground album. I liked this a lot! It's got that distorted and psychedelic feel that I'm really beginning to fall for. Not every song was a real hit for me but it was still very good, and it's amazing seeing what effect this album had - Featuring a lot of controversial subject matters and lyrics, and generally being very progressive and ahead of its time. I can absolutely see how The Velvet Underground was a real inspiration for many bands that came after them. I learned a lot about Andy Warhol from my research into this album too. This is a very interesting album for sure, as well as being a very good listen. Favouite: I'm Waiting For The Man

The first thing I noticed here was how much better this album is than the Nico "Chelsea Girls" album I got not that long ago. That was definitely one of those "I must not be cool enough to get this" album, but with VU, I genuinely enjoyed listening to this album. Some great songs. A bit overhyped and still "cool kid" but a legitimately solid album that was ahead of its time. Highlights for me are "Venus in Furs" and "Run Run Run." 5/5 Deserves to be on this list, has some great songs, a good album.

The most influential album ever, unlike some people, I love Nicos voice, I’ll be your Mirror and Femma Fetale are beautiful melancholy. Sunday morning is another example of a drug-fused melancholy that can only be described as pure bliss. However the hard rockers like Heroin are also amazing, this album is great.

Pleasant album with a nice vintage sound from the recording equipment of the time. Feels like something to listen to on a road trip and very nice vibes. Very upbeat stuff that just makes me feel good.

It’s on every list ever written and it deserves to be. Classic record.

I really liked most of this album. Good background working music

This Album is in my top ten, absolutely great.

- Sunday Morning - I'm Waiting for the Man - Femme Fatale - Run, Run, Run - Heroin - There She Goes Again

Áspero al principio, pero está en Dolby y suena de puta madre

A great albumJust so good,I wish there was more nico I actually really like her voice and signing style even if she says clown weird.Most of this album is straight bangers.I really love Sunday morning and femme fatale.Heroin is what I wish bob dylan songs were like,full of story and atmosphere with the pounding drum simulations a heartbeat quickening and quickening until slowly decreasing it’s just amazing I love it.

Have been meaning to listen to this album for awhile, I'm really enjoying this album so far. Love the Psychedelic sound of the late 60s early 70s so this is right up my alley.

Nice to have an album I'm already familiar with (and have the t-shirt!) Obviously a solid 5*.

Meistarastykki sem þau náðu aldrei að toppa. Hafði gaman af þá og hef gaman af nú, þrátt fyrir að vera annars lítið hrifinn af Lou Reed. Tabú textar, hrá production en merkilegt margt að gerast í tónum. Merkilegt samt hvernig European Son er miklu flottara disonance Black Angel Death Song.

This is the birth of "alternative/indie" aesthetics of rock music, or, more exactly, rock music as we know today. Tucker's no-bass-drum sounding, Cale's "avant-garde" arranging, Morrison's guitar-rocking, and of course, Reed's revolutionary Ostrich noise with decadent lyricisms, we have the rock music that totally abandon the "blues.", thus sets the musicians apart from the bluesy-rock-'n-roll fundamentality but still remains the music in rock context. Fav Track: Venus in Furs

Strong 9/10

C'est somptueux

Un méga classique

Le 5/5 le plus facile de ma vie PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN

Awesome álbum from the art-rock old school!

love it

• Re-listen • Nico is problematic (racist lol) but this is a classic • Venus in Furs and I’ll Be Your Mirror are my favourites • Reading about how this was a flop at release vs it’s perfect score now - I want to dive into the controversial lyricism and overall lore of the band

Banana album good. But really though, it's simple perfection. It seems almost too basic to be good, but that's where it really shines. I know this might sound stupid, but you don't have to work too hard with this album. It feels almost musically accessible to everyone, which is part of the reason it works. Maybe it's not for everyone, but at least it's ACCESSIBLE to everyone. That's in large part due to Lou Reed's poetic lyricism dealing with some mundane, some risqué, topics. I think the album grows as it goes along, with the first half being a lot more manageable than the second. Still fantastic, though.

I've known this album since the late eighties and listened to it many, many times. It still holds up and it's unquestionably a landmark in the alternative rock landscape. The extreme roughness in parts of the production detracts at least a little, but I think it manages a top rating for sheer audacity in its time.

ada very nice sound to this album. ye olde timey i guess? sounds soft and old and nice and yes

It will always amaze me that this record didn’t sell well. There’s a famous quote from Brian Eno I heard on a podcast recently that said something about how despite it only selling 20/30000 records in the first few years, everyone who bought one formed a band. As influential as anything we’ll come across on this list. I’ve loved Velvet Underground since a teenager (it was the old Hyundai advert that peaked my interest), and I still love them today. If anything that grew over the years. This record in particular is the quintessential VU record. If someone has heard of them, theyve listened to this, and if someone’s new to them they get recommended this. So experimental for its time, given the polished pop acts which were popular in the late 60s. It often gets cited as the record that kick started the whole ‘art rock’ sound, but there’s bits of rock, punk, pysch, the lot. It’s mint. One of the most important records of all time, and for me makes it’s peers in the day seem boring.

Really like Lou Reed's voice and writing. Very simple but emotive. I'm much more familiar with his solo work though. I don't really know who Nico is, but she has a really nice voice and it complements Lou Reed. This album is fantastic and clearly influential. My favourites are: I'm waiting for the man Heroin I'll be your mirror Run run run At tomorrow's parties There she goes again For me, I'll be your mirror and in waiting for the man are a cut above the rest

I really understand the Brian Eno quote when I listen to this (even though the album sold only only 30,000 copies in its first five years, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band!"). The music is loose and cool, very exciting, and perhaps because it is unpolished it makes you think "I could do that!" Of course, you probably can't do that, the band captures a magic that is elusive and only they could capture in the way that they did. But what is more amazing and powerful than something that makes others want to create something too?

Brian Eno quipped that while the album only sold approximately 30,000 copies in its first five years, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band". -Wikipedia

5.0 + I've listened to this album dozens of times and I'm still noticing new things. This time, having just heard Nick Cave's rendition of "All Tomorrow's Parties", I was especially curious about that song, which for me had been overshadowed by the more immediately gripping "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting For My Man." The lyrics, the jangly insistent piano, the spare marching band-like drumming, the meandering guitar line, Nico's androgynous voice - how could they knew these divergent elements would come together to create such a subtly spectacular song?

perfect. perfect. maybe the last song isn't that much, but anyways. perfect.

I think this banana is gonna get peeled until the end of human history. Is there anything that can be said about this masterpiece that hasn't been said a thousand times before? First, it's an incredibly influential record, whose ripple effects can still be felt on a lot of the music released today, more than 50 years after the fact (when it was indeed *underground*, and ignored by most music listeners). But most of all, it's an incredibly *versatile* record, that can adapt to settings and environments that are totally at odds with each other. You can play this legendary debut album on a "Sunday morning" as you drink a cup of hot chocolate and watch the rain fall outside from your living room--wearing a comfy old sweater and daydreaming until the album stops playing... And you can play this record on a Saturday night while "waiting for your man" in a drug-fuelled/booze-propelled party taking place in the flat rented by some of your wildest friends. And the craziest thing is that, as this album goes on, a bit of the "opposite" atmosphere will surreptitiously seep into the locale and circumstances of the place you are in. Odd feelings will disrupt your sunday routine. A sense of calm and peacefulness will be experienced as the rest of your friends keep on getting drunk or high. It's not so much that the record adapt to its settings. It's the *settings* that can adapt to the record. Such is the sheer genius of this LP, and one of the many reasons for its timeless appeal. 5/5, obviously. And a mandatory listen whenever you travel to NYC. When time, place, cultural history and music can be condensed into a single artefact, you know you're dealing with an "essential" work of art. Number of albums left to review: 588 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 198 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 92 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 122

Good stuff

One of the best records in my opinion. Highly influential regarding everything that is not mainstream.

Un poco lentillo, pero como es Lou, le pongo un 5.

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What can be said about this, one of the most important album released in rock history, that hasn't already been said before? The western music world was introduced to Reed and Cale and never looked back. That tuning (!) and that viola (!) on 'Venus in Furs' lives in perfect symbiosis with Reed's chanting vocals. The mix of psychedelic instrumentation and traditional folk melodies on 'All Tomorrow's Parties' is a perfect example of the album being extremely re-listenable - with every listen a new layer uncovers itself. Of course, the absolute centerpiece of the album is 'Heroin' which must be one of the most haunting musical creations ever. A stark contrast to McCartney singing about his retirement at age 64 or Ringo singing about his friends. Oh and 'Sunday Morning' is perfect.

Une atmosphère glauque mais pas lourde. Des textes curieux, des sons inusités. J'ai tellement écouté cet album. Je l'adore.

Head songs off this and was aware of this album and it’s impact in both the rock and room and art scenes, fist time listing to it cover to cover. Very beautiful album through and through, what was considered “controversial lyrics” at the time just paint such a good picture of everything Reed was dealing with and what was going on with the other unseen sides of life. Yet with these harsh topics Reed and Nico still make the album sound so beautiful and at times dreamlike. An album that helped open the door for more experimental sounds to flood the airwaves.

Great songs.

One of my favorite albums of all-time. Sunday Morning is just so gorgeous with its sweet playful melody. It gives no clue as to the mayhem to come. Waiting for my Man is simply the best song about scoring drugs EVER. Femme Fatale introduces the deep sultry voice of Nico and her unconventional voice fits the song perfectly Things take a turn for the macabre with Venus in Furs, showcasing John Cale's viola. Side one ends with my favourite vehicle for Nico's vocals; the utterly gorgeous All Tomorrow's Parties. Side 2 is just as provocative and ground-breaking. My only gripe, I wish the sound was better. Possibly my all time favourite album. 5 stars...DUH!

Memorable, impactful and unforgettable, a vital album for this list and everything that this inspired. Changed production, shook up music - feels like the first song of the seventies. Hard not to rate this five stars.

of course i love it, ive already listened. top 25 album oat

Easily a masterpiece and 5 stars. This album is so iconic and crucial to a sound that inspired so much after it and since. Listening to it today, it still sounds urgent and unique powerful. Just an excellent record.

Nästan i ens dna.

5/5. It’s hard not to praise this album for its originality and creativeness. Each song is great, although not all accessible at first. Anyone can find a different favorite song here.

Great album

o engraçado é que faz mais ou menos 1 ano q eu ouvi esse album pela primeira vez, e olha ele aqui. atualmente ele taria facilmente entre meus top albuns, mas na primeira vez ele me soou só ok, nada de mais. umas ouvidas mais atenciosas mudam mesmo tua perspectiva das coisas. ele começa normal com sunday morning, seguido de puro rock and roll de 2 acordes e mais uma baladinha, e ai do absoluto nada explode. venus in furs com a repetição irritante pra quem não conhece, run run run que te da vontade de fugir mesmo, all tomorrow parties que te assusta com aquele piano e a voz que não se sabe se é masculina ou feminina. heroin entra, a minha preferida, a maneira como tudo progride pra parecer uma overdose é perfeita, a barulheira violina do john cale junto com o "solo" do lou reed e a bateria de coração da tucker explodem em ti. depois disso um rock que eu me pergunto como não ficou no topo das paradas. uma baladinha e mais duas loucuras cacafonicas. simplesmente o album perfeito e que em segredo iniciou uma nova geração artistica na musica.

I've always been a bit reluctant to embrace this album as it fails to live up to all the hype. But, to be fair, nothing could live up to the amount of adulation that gets poured over it. On its own merits, it is a very good album that was decades ahead of its time.

All Nico all day please.

I LOVED IT! It was way better than I expected it to be. Reminded me of a little U2 or Rolling Stones.

This is one of the best albums of all time

I'm biased because this is one of my favourite albums so I believe that the Andy Warhol album is one of the most remarkable records in history.

"Peel slowly and see". Four words have never conjured up so much mystery, so much intrigue and so much mystique quite like those. When Andy Warhol stamped his name on an album cover that, belatedly, became one of the most iconic of the last half-century, it became both a blessing and a curse. For Lou, Moe, Sterling, John and Nico, it formed a whole world within forty-eight minutes; forty-eight minutes of which has served as the basis of a million other worlds that have turned on the world's axis ever since. And a world that, more or less, has come to define them for better or for worse. After this, Nico, Andy and John Cale would be gone and the VU painted themselves black, gray and bright colors that suggested organic and logical progressions that wouldn't have been possible had they stayed in The Factory. But, if they had, and this album never became known to the public, they might have been better off. Yet it'd be a travesty for us. European sons and femme fatales, may this be your mirror, your wife and your life; with your shiny shoes of leather, just run run run. Watch out, though, for the world is behind you and what costume shall you wear for all tomorrow's parties? Absolute classic.

ground breaking and fresh even now.

This remains amazing and Venus In Furs is a top 100 song

head this a million times. loved it a million times. can skip this one as the songs are tattooed on my mind

What an album. Messy and beautiful. Heroin is the stand out track for me, Lou Reed is an unpretentious yet profound lyricist. Nico’s odd vocals are some how hauntingly powerful. A dark and sexy album. What a year 1967 was for psychedelic music.

The proto-punk/rock album that should be among the best ever produced. Every human being on this earth should listen to this album, especially track “Heroin”.

9/11, 82%

Never heard the whole thing but it’s apparent that pretty much all rock after this was just trying to recreate this album

Probably top 5 most influential albums of all time

One of he greatest, most influential albums of all time! Everything about this album is iconic, its sound, its genre-mashing and innovative nature, Nico, The Velvet Underground's members, its bizarreness... All of this topped by having one of the most iconic album covers of all time, designed by no other than Andy Warhol himself.

one of my favorite albums

If Belle & Sebastian don't owe their existence to 'Sunday Morning' then I just don't know what to say.

All the makings of a classic. Fresh, subversive and catchy while still having some edge. Love this album.

An automatic 5, for sure, but I listened to it again twice because why not! Fave track - honestly, about two thirds of the tracks on here are contenders. Maybe more like three quarters. "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "Heroin" are just amazing, iconic. "Sunday Morning" and "I'll Be Your Mirror" are so lush. The freak out of "The Black Angel's Death Song!" Overall, though, I'm going to have to go with "Venus in Furs", which was probably the first song from the album to pierce my consciousness, due to that psychedelic Dunlop tires commercial! 😆

Enough ink has been spilled on this one. Just listen to it.

Absolutely incredible. The last two tracks are some of the best recorded Velvet Underground. I suggest reading the '1967 in music' wikipedia article while listening .

Heavenly voices and great song content, all around good album

Idk it kind of makes sense for the songs about drug abuse and sadomasochism to sound rough

Ibland det bästa albumet någonsin

The VU are one of my favorites. This is an amazing debut album. I tend to prefer a lot of what they did once they were able to work on their own without Nico, though she has a great and unique voice that works really well with their sound. Standout Tracks: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus In Furs, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow's Parties, Heroin, I'll Be Your Mirror, The Black Angel's Death Song, European Son

Probably the only VU album showcasing the potential of every member of the band. Impossible to overestimate the influence of this record, and thus, impossible to give less than a 5.

So cool. The coolest. 😎 The recording is crappy, the performances aren't super tight and Nico's voice is hard to listen to but does that really matter?

this is one of my favorite albums. i can't be impartial. all the songs are great. even all tomorrow's parties. which i should hate. i think is hauntingly beautiful. the black angel death song. incredible. venus in furs. amazing.