The Velvet Underground & Nico

My first Velvets love although probably the one I return to least now out of the pure Lou albums. Not really into Nicos baroque style, prefer the dissonance as employed on WLWH and it doesnt have the almost religious purity of the 3rd album. That said, some undeniable Classic songs on here.

A frustrating album, moments of pure brilliance such as Heroin and Sunday Morning, laced with the psychedelia of Venus in furs etc scream give me 5 stars, but then you also have to suffer through the vocals of Nico which feel totally out of place on a few tracks (I like her on femme fatale but the production leaves me angsty). Nice banana.

One of the greatest records I've ever heard. Having Andy Warhol as a patron backing the band allowed the members to experiment without boundaries, which had a significant impact on the trajectory of modern music. I didn't give it a 5-star rating only because some tracks don't resonate for me as strongly as they once did.

Classic album which although not perfect as Nico's vocal wastes a couple of songs, it still has some great moments. REM do a good cover of Pale Blue Eyes and Femme Fatale which is better than the original thanks to Stipes vocals.

A lot better than I remember it. My tastes may have matured over the years.

A classic.

I'd love to listen to this one again.

ну не знаю. это мой первый альбом из этого списка, оверолл могу поставить 6/10, вообще не мое на парочку треков можно отметить. эниуэй я понял смысл альбома и почему же его ценят его культурное наследие

4 stars. ATP lets it down

An all-time classic

preferred this project over self titled overall: 4/5 favourite tracks: sunday morning, i’ll be your mirror least favourite track: there she goes again

Ya can't be a good Samaritan if ya don't sing the praises to the Ripe Banana on a White Cover™. It influenced an entire culture for Christ's sake! You can't put that attribute to any other single album. Everything that this album is has already been discussed to the bone gristle. Simple in its nature, highly memorable, and any song in it can be used as a starting point for a plethora of different genres. And the songs still slap to this day, sometimes even being quite fresh, which is something not characteristic for '60s albums (other than jazz, but that's a whole different galaxy). As you can see from my Best songs portion, I'm more of a fan of the poppy side of the record, but truly, the entire album is worth your attention.

Okay so this influenced a LOT, loved it, didn't care for some of the tracks but overall super fun to listen to

This album inspires you to go out, do something, move. I like the quality of it, it’s nostalgic.

I was between 4 and 5 stars until halfway through Heroin. I liked the album as a whole, but it does get a bit grating. Maybe that’s the point, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

This album has so much of a loaded legacy as a product of this vibrant avant-garde movement out of NYC, a lot of it funded by Andy Warhol. It's cool to see that movement as one packed with visuals and sounds. As for the music itself, it was clear that Velvet Underground was doing its own thing. I love that one of the key members (John Cale) was a violist and had a hand in a lot of the experimental sounds, like the strings in "Venus in Furs". I also adore Nico's vocals. After the first listen, I had "Sunday Morning" stuck in my head, and I love the ethereal feel from the celeste and viola.

This album does not come out swinging like yesterday's. There are two paths to go down re: Velvet Underground. Either you accept that their down-tempo, often monotone sound is cool, or you accept that it is boring. I, being an avid fence rider, think it is a little of both. There are about 50 albums from the 60s I would choose to spin over this one, but it's a pleasant listen when I return to it. 4.

This album feels like the Nico show with Nico's contributions being the only things that make this album standout like it does.

A delightful mess.

I do very much like this album, and I think this is one my favorite album covers ever. I realized on this listen through that Nico begins on the album with Femme Fatale which is pretty cool like oooo watch out she’s coming!! I had to pause it a few times at the end because the noises were sooo loud I don’t really like that and I don’t really get it. But all in all, iconic album obviously

Had already heard this one. Classic, love it.

Might be my favorite so far, I really liked the 3rd song in the playlist it started with an “L” but I just really like that one. Overall one of the best

Favorite Track: Sunday Morning

This is an album whose cultural impact and significance, style and aura are unmatched. In many ways it was trailblazing and represents a bright line between the musical sensibilities that came before and after it. And, if I’m being honest, is a VERY challenging listen. It’s not “good” in the sense of a pop album of its day and that was purposeful. It’s still not “good” by today’s standards, but much more acceptable given how many carbon copy iterations have existed over the years (each one just a little bit less with each new version). So instead of giving this 5 based on its cultural context, or 1 based on how easily enjoyable the experience is, I am splitting the difference and rounding up: 3.5⭐️ (giving it a 4 rating)

Didn't know about it at all but I liked it and just discovered Nico with help of this album. Thank you!

:)

i know it’s a classic but i couldn’t stop thinking it sounded like if the beatles ate bob dylan

For Lou: ★★★★

Et album jeg har lyttet til flere ganger. Musikk som i 1967 var noe helt spesielt, og sannsynligvis la grunnlaget for mye av det som skulle komme i de påfølgende tiårene. Albumcoveret og produksjonen er tilskrevet kunstneren Andy Warhol, så kanskje ikke så rart at dette albumet faller under sjangrene art rock og experimental rock. Lou Reed og Nico har distinkte stemmer som samarbeider utmerket med instrumentene. Veldig bra. Top 3: Femme Fatale, Heroin, Venus In Furs

6/10

Should I go form a band now? Surprising me, I liked this. Definite influence on a lot of genres. Twee, Shoegaze, punk, and more.

очень даже прикольно интересно

So many of these songs have been covered by R.E.M. alone - never mind the Sisters of Mercy, Big Star, Duran Duran and countless others - that they have effectively become folk songs. Urban folk songs, admittedly: grounded in Reed’s corny fixations on drug dealing and BDSM, his stubbornly sub-literary provocations, which have never especially interested me. But, then, I would enjoy Hubert Selby more if sung by Nico with her beguiling, carynx of a voice. Still, the fact that Japan even covered European Son tells you something about the record’s reach. To recognise the first Velvets album as a template for the 1980s - for goth, for jangle pop, for New Romanticism - is unavoidable now. Whatever its lyrical limitations, it functioned less as a finished statement than as a set of permissions. And it still sounds pretty good. And this is only one of infinite fascinating things I can think of the Velvets’ debut before breakfast. 4 Here's an album much cooler than it is good and that is impressive because it is excellent. If the absorbing swirl of shifting timbres was entirely deliberate it is still hard to believe but, first, a fair chunk of pop music is happy accidents, and second John Cale. The guitars, not exactly well played, sound absolutely terrific, which is bound to mean they are well played. Nico, not exactly a good singer, is fascinating to listen to, which is bound to mean she's a good singer. Lou Reed announced himself with a couple of the absolute best lyrics he would ever write - Waiting for the Man and Heroin. The songs are simultaneously transgressive and inviting, harsh and perfectly pleasant; facetious and entirely serious. The banana is a superb fit. European Son is still a bit shit. 4/5

I like this but not as much as White Light / White Heat. Nico's voice is great, and I think she kinda peaked here.

Not the worst album - but not the best for me - I like a few songs the rest didn’t do anything for me

cause everybodyyy knowwwwsss

Very good vibes. Apocalypse now type atmosphere.

not bad at all

There is not a single bad song on this album. I had to go back and check the release date on this album because the lyrics and melody were so modern! I loved the lyrics, the storytelling, and the discordant nature of everything. Reminded me of David Bowie's music in a way.

Don’t think I’ve seen an album with so many alternating 5 and 1 star reviews. Obviously seen as a classic and the instantly recognisable cover and band. Never listened before so curious to see where I land on this polarisation! And only just discovered Lou Reed through this list so I’m hopeful.. I’m surprised by the 1*’s as I start to listen. It feels inoffensive, at worst and classic at best. Solid songs, groove and lyrics. Very enjoyable and in the feels. It’s a great mix of styles and songwriting throughout too. Think I prefer Reed on vocals, than Nico. Got quite excited by the first half and then felt it kind of descended into a bad trip as it came to a close through the second half :-/ just gets 4* because the end just killed it but enough classics and genius to keep the 4

Gegen Ende mochte ich das Album mehr. Vorallem „He’s Misstra Know-It-All”. War glaub mein favourite Track aber ich finde andere Alben besser.

favorite song: There She Goes Again reminds me of Bob Dylan, but that makes sense because it's the same time frame of music 4/5

liked

Veldig bra album

7,82

An album I am all too familiar with and have begun listening again recently after hearing "all tomorrows parties" again for the first time in a long time. An incredibly search of meaning through sex, drugs, fear, captialism lust and death. What a shame about Nico being a nazi xxx

You know, I had rock lobster saved in my library already and I have no idea why. Added 52 girls as well. I hadn’t really thought of them as new wave because I’ve mostly listened to British new wave, but I might’ve saved rock lobster off of a new wave playlist

This one really speaks of a time and a place. I really feel like I’m doing heroin with a bunch of sexual deviants in the toilets of a 1960s New York nightclub.

we’re getting better every day. i loved how melancholy this one was while also being dreamy

Classic. Hadn't listened in a while so I was glad to go back to it.

it’s an iconic album for a reason. trust

I enjoyed Velvet Sun for its strange sounds. Sunday morning was nostalgic. Overall very enjoyable!

4 out of 5. This album got much better over time. I always knew the importance/influence this album has but I maybe needed a little more time for it to grow on me.

Classic

me cagun la puta, havia escrit una review molt currada he sortit de l'app i ja no hi és total que mola, i sobretot molen els elements més experimentals i early noise. una carta damor odi a la heroina 💉 Top: Heroin, There she goes again, I'm waiting for the man

I really liked this. Lots of Lou Reed and The Underground with just a splash of Nico to keep it interesting.

it's the start of something new

Wonderfly weird and psychedelic but with some beautiful melodies sprinled throughout. I don't often put this on, but when I'm in the right mood it's such a cool and interesting sound that's uniquely them. Meditative and hypnotic in parts, light and poppy in others, a perfect juxtaposition of styles.

A lot of really cool songs, maybe if which I've heard covers of. Last song went on too long with outro distortion noise but at least it wasn't in the middle.

Venus in Furs - definitely enjoyed the Melvins version more. Overall, not a bad album.

One of the most influential albums and blah-blah-blah. I knew and liked a few songs for a long time, but never listened to the whole banana album. So finally it happened. Fuck, it sounds pretty fresh 58 years after release! It's a great piece of music. I added 5 of 11 songs to my playlist, but I enjoyed listening to all of them. 4/5 —————————————— Liked: — Sunday Morning — I'm Waiting For The Man — Femme Fatale — Heroin — I'll Be Your Mirror

A product of its times, with Dylan-like voicing hooking up with The Animals. Oh so extremely cool. The sounds are garage amateurish yet brilliant and timeless.

Some instruments are clear, some are lo-fi and rough; It's a tad bit distracting. Some of this album is beautiful, some is ugly. I think I will forever be torn about this album, which seems to be the point. It's influence can't be ignored and probably gives the album more of a voice than the music itself.

You can see why it's so influential but nico can't sing

Have always heard great things about this album but have never had just to sit down and listen to it all the way through. I thought this was a fantastic album and would definitely listen to it again.

I think it is a cool album. I think it is cool that everyone else thinks it is a cool album.

Can’t believe it took me til this point in my life to listen to this album. Would have been my first 5 of this challenge so far if it hadn’t been for European son

Beautiful. Brilliant. Classic.

I’d say I have a love hate relationship with Lou Reed. But this album is a classic - “Sunday Morning”, “Femme Fatale” and “I’ll be Your Mirror” are all such great songs. Maybe some of the imagery is a little played out and copied but I feel the sound, attitude, and production leaves the way for so much punk, grunge, noise, etc. Underneath all that scene-y stuff, there are still some really accessible songs, and I was happy to have the reminder to listen to it. Would go 4.5 but I’ll round down to be more in step with the group

one thing im noticing with a lot of old school rock albums is the lengthy instrumental outro. I can't say I am a big fan of it, and it spoiled my overall impression of the album

3.5

4.5

Excellent

Class on vinyl. A Sunday delight.

Is this the best debut album ever ? So many genres of music represented. Or should I say invented? Only docked a star because European Star is just a bit too experimental.

I honestly have never heard any of The Velvet Underground’s music before so I had no idea what to expect other than the fact that Lou Reed is in the band. I do know a few Lou Reed songs here and there. But anyways, I really enjoyed the opening of this album, the first three songs were the strongest. I do think it’s kind of ironic that the song called cooling it down is where the album starts to lose me. The rest of album isn’t a waste though cause the last three songs and “lonesome cowboy bill” are all great songs. The others didn’t really blow me away but that’s a healthy majority of the album that I enjoyed. Obviously I’d always like more variety of sound but it’s a super iconic album with an iconic cover. Totally holds up.

this for halloween? im expecting thriller. but anyway... ok, so this came out in 1966. and every single underground/indie musicians went bananas over this. why, i asked myself. people came to explain. before this, rock music isn't explicitly about sex and drugs and BDSM and stuff. and its relatively polished. nobody have ever thought to put a bunch of noise as a part of the music. why is many modern rock music so raw? go ask lou reed i guess. also i guess sunday morning sound somehow just like no surprises but just 30 years earlier. as a radiohead head i approve. lou reed's voice is ok since i have tolerated bob dylan not only once, but three fucking times before mr. reed arrived to me. the sinister drony soundscape fits venus in furs perfectly cause its... bdsm although the song could be a bit longer. guess ill just call all tomorrow's party as proto-goth cause many gothic rock artists have covered it. the sombre atmosphere is genius too. heroin is a bit overrated but actually its not it sound like the highs and lows of a drug addiction. i'll be your mirror is pretty sweet. European Son could be shorter. 4/5

One of the albums that started it all- going from Sunday AM to I’m waiting for my man…the French 60s sounds with Nico’s baritone German accent. Huge fan of Lou Reeds solo work but to see the amount of musical movements that came from this… Only issue…the heroin addicted John Cale/Lou Reed and their monotone trances - def a rougher listen.

This sucks so much on headphones, definitely of the era where they just made stereo like the Beatles Anyways I can see how this was influential for several subgenres and how this was the first art rock album.

Nothings special

This is undeniably a good album, but I never found myself loving it like many other people did. As far as Protopunk goes I found Patti Smith’s “Horses” a much better listen. Either way though this album is a great listen and is undeniably incredibly (if not the most) influential to the punk and art rock movements and is worthy of respect. I don’t think it’s aged like wine like many other listeners do, with it dragging at times in my opinion. Really a perfect example of a 4 star. Favorite Track: Heroin (had me levitating) Worst Track: I’ll be your Mirror

Un album que j'aime beaucoup, 4-5 chansons étaient déjà dans ma bibli. Certains morceaux m'emportent un peu moins que d'autres (I'm Wainting for The Man m'a sonné un peu fade et répétitif) - mais la plupart me touchent beaucoup. Je pense que c'est le côté balade / poétique sur le fond rock, avec quelque chose d'entraînant mais toujours en mineur, une voix posée parfois presque soufflée, de belles rythmiques avec des textures intéressantes aux percus. Parfois quelque chose de grinçant en même temps que berçant). Et une place pour des jolies mélodies au xylo ou à la guitare... et même des choeurs ou des cordes pour réhausser le tout, ça fait plaisir un rock alternatif avec autant d'épaisseur. Je mettrais un 3,8 que j'arrondis vers le haut pcq c'est subjectivement plutôt un grand oui.

good not great

Lou Reed is a name that I hear thrown around in music discourse pretty frequently, but I must admit that I’ve somehow gone my entire life without once hearing a song from him or the Velvet Underground until today. The only things I even knew about him were that he passed away several years ago, that he did a very polarizing collab album with Metallica and that people talk about him as if critics pretend to enjoy his music for clout. I didn’t even know what kind of music he made, though I assumed it was some kind of ear-splitting avant garde rock (based on context). That said, you can probably imagine my surprise when I put on The Velvet Underground & Nico and heard "Sunday Morning" for the first time – my very first thought was “oh, this is lovely” and then my mind started racing with questions about why people would have to fake enjoying music that could have just as easily been from the Beatles. I carried that sentiment through most of the album. Sure, there were some provocative lyrics here and there, but the music at large felt par for the time period – just good old ‘60s tunes. The first track that got truly weird was "Heroin," but even that came across as an appropriate balance of accessible/experimental. Admittedly, things did fly off the rails a bit toward the end of the LP (especially on the closing track "European Son"), but it never became so abrasive that it didn’t feel welcoming to my ears. I honestly struggled much more with Nick Cave and Marianne Faithfull earlier this year, so I’m actually hopeful for some other “fringe” albums to win me over. Am I enjoying this album enough to give it five stars? Nah. Not all of the songs hit for me, I wish the weirdness unraveled in a more linear way and I would have liked it if Nico had a bit more room to shine (maybe some duets with Lou Reed and more prominent background vocals) – the album is called “The Velvet Underground & Nico,” after all. All in all, this felt like the perfect introduction to the world of Lou Reed and I’m looking forward to hearing more! I’m tempted to give Lulu a spin, but I technically haven’t listened to a Metallica album from front to back yet, so maybe it’s best I wait. Highlights: Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, Heroin, The Black Angel’s Death Song, European Son

Great album, influential and still unique. Sunday Morning is one of my favourite songs and finds itself in my head once a week. 8/10

Ashamed it took me so long to get around to listening to this. Loses it's steam for me following Heroin, but a great first half warrants a 4 star rating. Favourite Songs: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Venus in Furs, Heroin Lease Favourite Songs - Everything that follows Heroin (except I'll Be Your Mirror) Rating 7/10

One of my favourite albums but nico

The Velvet Underground is yet another band where I would like to completely flesh out their discography and dig into all their work, but for now we have to start with the infamous banana album. This album is very unapologetically 60s and that is ok but does come with its own set of problems that I will talk about later. I have always been very polarized with how this album sounds, it is so grainy it feels like you are chewing on a granola bar just listening to this project. On the other hand though the song writing, experimentation, and chemistry between The Velvet Underground and well known racist/borderline nazi Nico. Even for as rough around the edges this release sounds I still think that charm when this album was originally being made still carries over all 57 years later. After listening to this project at least 5 times before I can finally confidently say that something has clicked for me, maybe it is the fun factor of this project that is hidden in plain sight or maybe I am in more of a 60s kick. What I can say is that even though Lou Reed cannot sing if his life depended on it, he can still make a damn good song that impresses you with how sharp it is without any sort of killer vocals. Yeah I get why people call this a classic, but I will never understand the hype around it being one of the best albums ever made. After this project I am stepping into unknown territory as I have never made it farther than this in their discography ever, and I can only hope it lives up to or surpasses this project.

God. I don't know. This album is hard to review. Femme Fatale would be a truly great track if it wasn't Nico singing it, but it IS Nico singing it. Heroin and All Tomorrow's Parties (a song to which Nico's vocals are much better suited, in my opinion) are astonishingly good, but European Son is unlistenable. The lows are pretty low... but to be fair, the highs are also pretty high. And I respect the influence it had on everything that came after. 3.5 stars, rounded up out of generosity

Squalid, damaged genius. Incredibly strong starting tracklist. Was probably heading for a five star review but the last couple of tracks are a real tough listen.

Unusual with a hazy, dreamlike quality. Unsettling at some points. Or maybe that’s the drugs. Favorite songs: Pale Blue Eyes, Sunday Morning

This is a good listen. It's both raw and balanced. I feel like it moves nicely through different moods without wearing anything out.

I’ve avoided this album for 20 years because everyone I’ve met who loves it is extremely pretentious but it turns out they’re right. Not at all masterpiece for me yet but it could definitely get there. European sun is holding it back for me right now.

This album marks the moment music slipped its leash, no longer the domain of the trained, the tidy, or the tuneful. The Velvet Underground is experimental for the sheer audacity of being so, an act of art-for-art’s-sake: pop art recast as sound, by the masses, for the masses. It follows no lineage but its own pulse, existing not from necessity but curiosity because someone, somewhere, might find truth in it. The best track, Heroin, aches like a confession whispered through static, while Femme Fatale shimmers in contrast. Nico’s voice is distant, glacial and turns detachment into beauty. The lo-fi grit of the production isn’t a flaw but a manifesto: art made from nothing, for everyone. By the final track, the album collapses into pure noise: an act of destruction that feels like creation, form melting into formlessness. It ends not with resolution, but with the revelation that art, like life, is truest when it refuses to behave.

was lekkere muziek

finally, 60s rock that isn't weird yodeling and sitars or the same 2 progressions being played over and over again. i love weird oddities, and this album certainly is one. this album absolutely broke boundaries when it was released, these guys weren't afraid to talk about despair, sex, and degeneracy. the droning, almost creepy sounding instrumentation only adds to the whiplash that people would absolutely feel when clicking on their record player. in a world where a lot of that stuff was kept behind curtains, these guys were probably the only guys making music about it. it's very significant in that sense, but the sound sometimes gives me a headache.

Inventive and cool--sometimes it fails, but always interestingly.

Not many actual songs I loved off it but it’s got a consistently good sound

πολύ καλό το ξαναακουω

One of those albums that is so foundational, it's hard to appraise it critically. There's parts of it I love, parts of it that get on my nerves, but it's a towering piece of art. Up until this album, bands were busy creating rock and pop music; this album found all the potential in the fringes of the music, the way a drum can sound like it's coming from underwater or a "femme fatale" can sound as detached as a bored waitress.

4 - great album but the shrieking guitars in a few songs was not needed

I have conflicting feelings about this album. At the bookstore I worked at in college, they’d play it multiple times a day. Listening to it now, I realize they were skipping the all the lengthy/self-indulgent/unlistenable/drug-fueled chaotic parts. There’s a vocal affectation of this era that I really can’t stand, that I can only describe as a vocal shrug 🤷‍♀️. It immediately turns me off when I hear it but for some reason I mostly forgive it for Lou Reed. Can’t say why. Nico’s distinctive vocals do a lot of heavy lifting. Overall I love the vibe of this album but at its worst moments it’s completely unlistenable. High highs and low lows. 3.5/5.

Musically this isn't my favorite Velvet album, though it does have some of my favorite songs from them, Sunday Morning, Devil in Fur, Waiting for the Man, and Heroin are all great songs. The album gets noisy and devolved on the second half which I don't love but it is interesting. The tracks with Nico in it are very good, she has a nice voice they complement her voice with the tracks and it comes together. The ending track, European Son is very challenging to listen to and I imagine many would stop short after a few minutes of it. While it isn't my favorite Velvets album, it might be my favorite noisy psychadelic art rock albums. I've listened to it a few times before and my take was generally wow. This is interesting and bold. It's influential and it's the type of album that used fly under the radar. Now everyone is expected to like old experimental influential stuff even if they don't have the ear for it. I'm glad to have this album and I'm glad it left a mark on a lot of people. 5 star legacy. I'm glad to live in a world after this kind of album.

The Nico songs pull this down some.

A lot of this sounded like it had jazzy inspiration, other parts sounded like they were more classic rock. I really couldn't put my finger on a lot of it. Though I can certainly say every song sounded like it was made by a different artist, which is a talent that I have not seen in many artists. All in all, despite my not really loving this album the artists behind it were truly gifted.

I can respect any album that starts off with a lullaby-esque song like ¨Sunday Morning, ¨ sung by a deep voiced German chanteuse, and then going immediately into the rollicking ¨I’m Waiting for the Man.¨ Isn’t this song about going to the ghetto to cop heroin? If that’s not pure shit-hot rock and roll I don’t know what is… It reflects anyone who’s ever had to wait for the little package of goodies they’ve been thinking about all day. I’ve admittedly never been a huge Lou Reed fan, but this song is one of the greatest rock songs ever, to say nothing of about the best example of proto-punk this side of ¨Personality Crisis.¨ ¨Femme Fatale¨ is a classic, icy and impersonal and grey. Nico almost had a trans quality about her, which is very 60s NYC. That + heroin + crime= a Scorsese movie but aural instead of visual. ¨Venus in Furs¨ is menacing, plodding, like the soundtrack to a death march going to a fashion show. ¨There She Goes¨ is Dylan if he had a smack problem and had listened to more blues. The centerpiece of the album is ¨Heroin,¨ a long, poetic dirge to Chinese rocks that is the half love letter, have warning (see also the DOC’s ¨Beautiful But Deadly¨ for the companion piece about cocaine). The song sounds sickly and sweet at the same time, and is extremely hard to listen to. Overall the album alternates between catchy and hard to listen to, both in subject matter and sometimes in the droning improvisation they throw in. It’s a definite junkie, 60’s New York masterpiece, the album version of ¨Taxi Driver.¨ Best songs: ¨I’m Waiting for the Man,¨ ¨Venus in Furs,¨ ¨There She Goes Again¨

What a nice album to revisit. The simplicity and the hooks grab me every time. Well done.

There are no weak links here. Lou Reed and Nico have two weird, great voices, and the music breaks new ground while somehow also seeming understated and modest.

this albums does not get old, love it

Femme Fatale - 10/10

While it feels a bit dated and lackluster at points now, the influential nature, especially its time, of it is clear. I think most of the appeal for me comes from Lou Reed’s voice, while I kind of strongly dislike the Nico songs. The first 30-seconds of each song is good and fun, but then it feels like they just keep going after that. “Heroin” is a classic though and an exception to the rule.

Great album. I don't necessarily like each song, im not a huge fan of the female singer, that might be Nico? But overall great sounds and a cool sound i like.

4/5

I've listened to this album in full before and would say it's my favourite Velvet Underground album. I really like Nico on some of the songs, and they haven't got too weird yet (mostly).

Incredibly influential on future artists? Yup. A spot in my regular listening rotation? Not so much.

Classic!

4.5

Some beautiful melodies and thought provoking lyrics in a sea of distortion. Classic

Good.

Definitely an influential album. The darker tracks stood out for their ambient, moody atmosphere. You can hear how much future music grew from these sounds, even if it’s not always an easy listen.

Great.

Not my style if music. Not bad though.

65/1001 :: The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico Heard before? ✅ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Fav Tracks: Venus in Furs, I’m Waiting for the Man, Sunday Morning Listen before you die: Yes. Most definitely. I’ve listened to this before but TBH not enough. This album is just cool AF. Lou Reed is on another level of cool. Also Andy Warhol produced this? What the hell does he know about producing? Sounds pretty good though… I much prefer the Lou songs over the Nico songs. For whatever reason the Nico songs sound a lot more 60s. Not in a bad way but a lot of the Lou Reed songs have a more timeless quality to them. This is another one I need on vinyl.

Ahh the Velvet Underground, art music. Now I'm not saying it's bad by any stretch, I very much enjoy it. I do prefer their later albums as they have a more mature sound even when they are experimenting. This album lays the groundwork for those later albums and you can hear it. They are the proto alternative/punk band, they influenced a bunch of other bands. You might not like their sound as it is more experimental but you can't deny their talent. It's a great start for the weirder music that comes out later. It's a great album to give a chance to.

It’s hard to review an album that has been so overhyped and overpraised over the years... The last time I listened to this album, I was much, much younger. I didn’t care for it back then (I really can’t remember why), but I enjoyed it far more this time around. Quite a lot of songs – most of all the mythical « Heroin » - sound very Doors-like, so it’s hard not to compare them ; but this album came out only 2 months after The Doors’ first album, so it may not be a direct influence. I think both bands just really managed to capture the spirit of their time, with a mix of sultry blues, psychedelic musings and vaguely disturbing vibes. The lyrics of Heroin must have been a shocker back then (and probably still are today). Overall a great album - thick and hazy as opium smoke, obviously influential, and still very modern by many aspects. I considered giving them a 5*, but it’s a tad too sweet for my taste (the Doors were definitely more unhinged IMHO), and Lou Reed’s voice somewhat still lacks in maturity.

Not my style overall but I enjoyed the final two tracks. Idk why I thought velvet underground were heavier. I'm probably being an idiot and getting them mixed with another band.

- talvez se não tivesse o andy warhol por trás não seria o álbum deles mais famoso - é um bom álbum de estreia com ideias bem modernas, relacionadas a minimalismo e música concreta - poderia ser melhor, mas o impacto e influência dele são muito grandes até hoje

Me gustó el concepto del álbum.

•4/5 • deceptively loose and unrefined, but the songs are great and they hold together so well • love the album even though my favorite version of each song isn’t the original

A secret about me: I've never listened to this album before, as iconic and influential as it is, especially in genres that I enjoy. I fully understand how this album influenced so many bands. It's psychedelic punk rock art. As a pure listener, though, whatever that means, I don't know if it holds up as well against the test of time. Heap praises onto it for being a founder of multiple genres, carving its way through the musical jungle with its heavy distortion and what Lou Reed would call singing. But know, it's really not that great. I do still think it's good! But it's definitely not as great as its reputation. It definitely does have its place on this list; it's 1001 albums to listen to before you die, which also necessarily includes albums whose influence is greater than its listening experience. Favorite Song(s): Sunday Morning, Heroin

oh yea, the backbone of modern punk. New York after the 60's. lou reed is one of those guys that doesn't really seem to be the best at anything, but he knows music and he knows this scene. Heroin is an amazing song, that sets up the next couple decades of experimentation mixed with the DGAF attitude about impressing critics are even fellow musicians. for this to be the first record with a Warhol original as a cover is about as cool as it gets. they were in the thick of it, and Lou would go on to basically be 2nd godfather to punk after Iggy. music conventionally follows a pattern, and this is so unsettling and raw that it destroys the line between reality and the actual songs. you either love it or hate it. for that alone its a 4/5. not super huge on Nico, but her involvement does enhance the eclectic feel to the album.

Great album.

Easily a 5 star album if not for a few tracks where Lou Reed is furiously channeling Bob Dylan in a way that makes a listener wonder if he hates Dylan and is satirizing him

Groundbreaking ⭐️heroin

Here is a legendary collective of aloof artists and cool cats. Their record is like a community mural where all are welcome to doodle, whether complementary or incongruous to a design. It's a droning-tone kraut-folk drum circle frame of mind. They take on some heavy topics, but without lingering in a joyless dark forest. What really gets to me is how Nico's flat, "coffins creaking" voice somehow makes a perfect match with Velvet Underground and swells in sweet affectation. Cool isn't necessarily cold.

Muy buen album, me encanta la incorporacion de nico. temazo tras temazo

Classic. Certified timeless effortless cool.

Føles 15 minutter kortere end den var. Den trækker ikke ud i for mange kroge af vanvid, men fungere bare rigtig godt.

really good sound. wasn't expecting it to sound so soulful, but the added female vocals from Nico really made it special.

Easy going happy vibes. Once again an album which is slightly too repetitive for my taste

Extremely influential, also amazing songwriting here, Heroin is an amazing song and I really like Venus in Gurs and Sunday Morning. One of the best out there.

Great album! Also one of the coolest album arts of all time with the peelable banana. But I guess that's what you get when you have Warhol producing it. A very good listen, now to go listen to Chelsea Girl since I got that one a few weeks after this one.

Great stuff

A good album which has clearly influenced a lot of other artists ( I've noticed that Coldplay lifted large parts of the album Viva la Vida from this album). Other than Nico's slightly distracting accent, an excellent record from start to finish.

Heroin is one of the most impressive songs ever written. There’s some other gems here too. A couple clunkers tho

you know what sucks? this album is really good. going into this i only knew sunday morning and femme fatale so i knew i was gonna like at least two songs but i really didn’t wanna like any more than that because c’mon nico is a pos and this album ive been told is severely overrated but i think the hype is valid. it is very good.

I liked This album was so much better than white light/white heat super impressed. Now I know the allure of the Velvet Underground. The song heroine is brilliant produced by Andy Warhol is a super plus. 7.0

Gutes Album, kenne ich schon lange.

Comforting. Sounds like breakfast coffee.

A classic and a sign of the times, except I could have done without the It girl of the moment Nico, her “singing” just takes me out of it.

Hacía años que no volvía a reescuchar este disco. Tiene un je ne sais quoi que me aleja: su propuesta no me resulta atractiva. Sin embargo, si hubiera que juzgar a este disco por su importancia habría que ponerle no cinco, sino 10 estrellas. Antes de votarlo y ponerle 3 estrellas decidí escucharlo otra vez. Y ahí vuelvo a entender lo importante y significativo que es este trabajo. Me resultan desagradables las últimas dos canciones, las más experimentales del proyecto. Y podría vivir sin Run Run Run y tal vez I'll Be Your Mirror. Pero las otras canciones son fantásticas. Mi favorita es, y no creo estar solo, Venus in Furs, oda al sadomasoquismo con la experimental viola de John Cale. Pero realmente la calidad de todo este trabajo es muy alta: cuando lo iba a reescuchar me había olvidado de algunas canciones: qué las canciones que canta Nico no son muy buenas, qué Waiting for the Man es medio repetitiva y tiene una melodía tonta, qué Heroin es una canción larga donde no pasa nada. Pero no, mi memoria probó no ser segura (otra vez más): la voz de Nico en canciones como All Tomorrow's Parties es perfecta (tal vez sí no me interese tanto como suena en Femme fatale), I'm Waiting for the Man tiene pequeñas sutilezas que la hacen interesante, además de describir a la New York gritty de una forma que cientas de canciones de Frank Sinatra y similares nunca habían hecho, y Heroin es una canción envolvente y atrapante que no me aburrió ni me dio sensaciones de déjà vu pese a sus 7 minutos de duración. Por todo esto voy a subir la calificación a 4 estrellitas, aunque sea probable que no vuelva a escuchar este disco por un largo periodo más. Lo disfruto, entiendo su importancia, pero también consigue saturar.

Oh man, time for a big boy. I've never heard this record or any song adjacent to the group, but I've heard that this album is very experimental, and with that in mind, I gave it my first listening. My inital experince was quite good, but I have to say that I expected it to be way more experimental than it actually felt. Fortunately, this opinion changes with the more listenings I gave it to. I'll start talking about the songs that suprised me the most: - 'Sunday Morning' is a wonderful start to the album. The little xylophone melody is beautiful. - 'Venus In Furs' uses a electric viola and it is very interesting. It gives the song an intense ambiance. It also reminded my a lot of Godspeed You Black Emperor's music. - 'Heroin' sees the returning of the viola, but now is more in the background, until it hits the last moments of the song, when it starts to sound very noisy and viol-a-ent (sorry, I have to do it) . Beside, one of the most remarkable aspect of this track is the use of crescendos and accelerating rhythms that always end in them returning to the initial pace. This allows the song to feel very dynamic and quite a bit energetic. - 'The Black Angel's Death Song' is another song which uses the viola. If I didn't make it clear, I loved how they used this instrument through the whole album. Adds a lot of personality. - 'European Son' is the closing track and also the longest one of the project, and it does an incredible job at ending the album, with pure noise madness. The rest of the songs, I found them to be more on the 'ordinary' side of psychedelic rock. Nonetheless, I still enjoy them very much, and with more and more listenings, I'm discovering a lot of details which make them feel more unique. My only complain about this LP would be the production, as it can feel a bit rough or crispy, but this had to be due to the technical limitations from that time. Overall, an incredible experimental record that I loved. As a side note, I want to express how good it feels to hear something that really feels psychedelic and experimental from this list. A lot of what I've being getting didn't feel as strange as I wanted to, or even felt bland and uninteresting.

Not a fan of Nico or the feedback but other than that, I’ll take it.

I love VU. This album is mostly good. There are some experimental, psychedelic moments that are just noise in my opinion, but overall it’s solid.

In some ways, having a ridiculous number of 60s psychedelic rock on this list does offer a good contrast to how different this album was from similar artists of the time.

Important then. Sorta important now.

When it's good it's incredible, I just don't like nico that much

Very odd but inspiring in its avant garde

I own this album. I know this album. I know how influential this album is. I also think it is full on drones. Ostrich guitar. Droning orchestral parts and droning voices. Nico's voice is haunting and the rest of the band sing well also. There are some gems in here and decent songs too. But, on my listen, I found myself annoyed by the droning and some of the more experimental parts. The guitar solos on 'Run, Run, Run's, and basically the end of the closing track. I can see why this album is some important, but also why critics are divided on it (when it was released). 'Sunday Morning', 'Femme Fatale' and 'Heroin' are favourites, and I discovered how much I liked 'There she goes again'. But, holding it back from five star status is the reusing of melodies, experimental parts and drones that at times can annoy me. 4 stars.

This album is like being a downtrodden young man, living in a grimy part of town. Your girlfriend is cheating on you and you hate your job. Even though you have minimal expendable income, the weather is nice outside so you’re gonna go for a walk. You’ll spend your last twenty dollars on a couple of bottles of cheap cider, and sit in the park finding beauty in this day, regardless of what else is going on.

Yeah, four stars. I don’t have a lot to add. It’s an extremely important album, and it’s extremely good!

Album 853 of 1089 The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) Rating : 4.5 / 5 It’s not packed with mainstream hits, memorable melodies, or even standout musicianship—and yet, somehow, it still feels like a great album. I’m not entirely sure why, but it worked for me. It’s a good listen, and one I feel I should revisit with the lyrics in front of me to get the full effect. I like Lou Reed, and that probably helps. There’s really no clear reason this should be a great album… and yet, here we are.

What an album. It can be a difficult listen at times, and not everybody wants or needs that in music, but it can also be slow, soft, poetic. Then its gritty and powerful again. It drags you in with atonal, sharp, dissonant sounds then before you know it I'll be Your Mirror is playing and you are back to those Sunday Morning vives. The Run Run Run soloing shouldnt work but it does and I love it. There are few songs in existence like Venus in Furs and Heroin is a legitimate masterpiece. Then take into account the time, place, personalities and circumstances surrounding the band and you begin to understand the weight this album holds. Its a shocking, absurd , mess of a record that allows the sun to shine through every so often, letting you breathe, get your bearings, before it goes again to those dark places that you don't really understand. Its a record that sounds different depending on when and where you listen. I unserstand why some might hate it but for me its powerful, beautiful and I love it. 9/10

I love and hate the music on this album in turns. I can't with Nico, at all. Heroin and I'm Waiting for the Man are all-time favorite songs, but there is a fair amount of experimental art-house stuff that is hard to listen to. extra points for inspiring artists to come?

The first listen, I was was a little disturbed by the lyrics. So I read about the album and the history, and then listened again. Musically, I love it. I still feel that the lyrics are a little disturbing, but I appreciate it more after learning about it.

Some of this is standard 60s fare, but so much of it isn’t. From the embrace of middle eastern tones, to the unapologetic heroin tribute. I loved “run run run” the most.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Classic. It’s singable and fraught/tonal at the same time. Nico’s vocals are kind of hard to take seriously though.

I det stora hela en samling bra popmelodier (lite som Belle & Sebastian 30 år senare). Den taskig ljudbilden är väl medveten men hade nog mått bättre av lite mer hi-fi. Var ett tag sen man lyssnade på albumet, men tycker det håller än.

The moody, brooding vibe of this album comforts me in more ways than I care to admit. If “sadly hopeful rock for misanthropes” were a genre, this would be the gold standard.

Great music to do heroin to!! I kid But this album + a stroll in prospect park was a great way to recover my sanity after an intense couple weeks on multiple jobs 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎 (well most of the songs, you noisy buggers know who you are)

Was listening while heading to the shops in a lot of pain. I liked the drugged out aspects, the chilled vibes to some songs, the torment, and it greatly complemented my day. I choo-choo-choose to listen to it again with my eyes on the song titles too next time.

This album was an acquired taste for me… I dug “Waiting for the Man” and “Heroin” right off the bat, but the rest of the album went over my head as a teen… now, I can recognize the genius!

Despite being somewhat appalled by Nico’s solo album, Femme Fatale is my fave on here. She works well with others. I don’t love every song, but overall it’s pretty damn cool, and it might even be a 5 if it didn’t sound like their instruments were broken half the time. And if the last song wasn’t annoying filler.

3 songs sucked so hard. The rest of the album was a solid 4 with interesting new music and good 1001 albums example.

My early music memories were country folk and The Beatles from my Dad. Later though, on my own, I discovered punk and early techno. This would be the musical food i would eat forever forward. The Velvet Underground is part of my inner music vibe. It is almost hard to explain but it goes beyond the sound, the music, and into a kind of spiritual zone. It is like a movie you like but know, in a way, that it is not well received or perfect, maybe even highly flawed but you don't care to even defend your choice. Although The Velvet Underground & Nico are not needing defending as the album IS pretty great on its own. But added with all my history and formative years, it makes me an unapologetic fangirl.

I know the famous songs so well its funny how experimental the rest of the album is. Random lyrics (poetics, slam poetry?), weird sounds, steam, sharp guitar.

it’s amazing obviously but i feel like it left a little bit to be desired. it’s such a highly regarded record that i thought i’d like it just a lil bit more. still fantastic

I love this band and I love this album. I also love Lou Reed, but I do think I prefer the songs where Nico is the lead singer. Some of the experimentalisms I find to be a little bit grating, but overall this album is great. Standout songs: Sunday Morning I’m Waiting on the Man All Tomorrow’s Parties I’ll Be Your Mirror

It's so interesting picking out where different artists I love got some of their influence from. Some tracks off this are timeless, and had I not known of TVU, might have trouble guessing when it was from. I love the quiet tracks "Sunday Morning" and "Femme Fatale", Nico's voice sounds like she could be a late 2010s bedroom pop artist lol

It's good. Hey, maybe it's even great. And it's wild that it came out in '67, but like so many of these albums, it mostly reminds me of later albums that I'd rather be listening to. The sound is there, the transgression is there, the just-so slightly out-of-place lyricism and vocals stand on their own as kind of a dare. But really I could be listening to Iggy Pop instead. Lou Reed has a knack for a hook as any Tribe Called Quest fan will tell you and that's really doing a lot of work here. Hated Nico's solo shit but like it here. Obviously ahead of its time, but if all the bands that came after had influenced this instead and it showed up in '77, it probably wouldn't be so heavily lauded. Maybe I'm just a dummy, but it doesn't attract me the way I feel something this formative should.

This is a really cool album. Every listen I like it more and more. Femme Fatale is my favourite song I think, even more than Sunday Morning. I’m glad I did one last listen before reviewing, because that definitely boosted my rating of this album. Really cool, I enjoyed it and will continue to enjoy it.

Very good 8

My jam!

Incredible record with good songs all throughout. The experimentation, the feel of the songs makes it very enjoyable.

I've tried to get into this so many times over the years, and it still feels like an album we're all being bullied into liking. I did enjoy it alot more this time around - Sunday Morning and Venus in Furs were my favorites. You can hear the building blocks and influence on bands like Wilco, but I guess I like the more polished, poppy version of this sound than the fully avant garde. Giving this an extra star for one I may try to come back to - again.

I went into this expecting something grandiose, something magical due to how critically acclaimed it is, and all that I've heard of it before actually listening to it, and honestly I was quite disappointed. By no means was it bad, but it just wasn't incredible, it didn't meet my expectations and overall it was just okay. I liked Sunday Morning tho.

Very chaotic last song

One of bees faves

60s sex drugs and rock and roll

Interesting album. Never listened to Velvet much but I like it.

Неплохо, но местами песни скучные

If it wasn’t for Nico this would be 5 stars

Excellent. 4.5 stars but rounding down.

Ahh, the banana album. I'd actually fairly recently revisited this prior to today's undertaking, so it has remained fresh in my mind. Fearless, unsettling, and weird yet strangely accessible in some respects, it would have been a travesty if this hadn't been an entry of the 1001. This was years ahead of its time, and it still sounds just as vital approaching 60 years later. Nico's contributions to the album only elevate the sense of eeriness and detachment evident throughout, still provoking debate to this day, although for my money they are just as crucial a component of its makeup as any of the unorthodox-of-the-time instrumentation. My Dad was a huge proponent of this album, released during his birth year of 1967, and it was one of the first records he ever purchased alongside the likes of Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk.

A classic album. One of the great ones in the history. And really great music for the most parts

Andy Warhol’s banana.

prefer the minions original

Starting a record with Sunday Morning is so brave. I don't think I have ever enjoyed the last 2 songs.

Classic simple grooves with personality and style

A good album, but I could really hear the production quality leaking through to be less enjoyable. There were some pretty solid songs on there, but I didn't find it hitting song after song

Sadly I'm not really into drugs and/or squalor, but there are definitely highlights on this flawed classic.

Cool, edgy, unique. Loved it. Feels like a five-star album, but the topics are difficult for everyday listening, so I'll go with a high 4.

-another incredible classic. i think i love Nico’s influence on this one more than anything else, she has an absolutely phenomenal voice and touch -so glad i gave this album another chance because it incites a feeling in me unlike pretty much any other i’ve heard -Favorites are Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Venus In Furs, and Heroin

While it's not really my thing I do appreciate what they did for music in the mid 60's.

I like it but don't get the overwhelming hype. I'd be 3.5 if I could

Historically significant. A good album but not quite a 5.

All time classic truly revolutionary

can’t really believe i’ve never listened to this whole thing

Starting to get their whole vibe. Really enjoyed this overall, dirty but often spare at the same time

Actually much better than I initially remembered! Nicos voice is still infuriating but you can hear why they influenced so many other artists!

classic. blew my mind in 1984 when i first heard it

I think if I didn't know this was supposed to be a perfect album, I'd give it 4 stars, so I'm trusting my gut

4.5 stars So many great, classic tracks on this album. Sunday Morning, I’m Waiting for The Man, Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow’s Parties, I’ll Be Your Mirror… There’s a lived-in quality about this album that sounds so right to my ears (and the other self-titled Velvet Underground album too). This came out 2 years before yesterday’s album, From Elvis in Memphis. Sounds like a different universe. The last couple songs kinda took me out of it but it didn’t bother me that much since they were at the end.

Amazing album, brought me so much joy when I saw it was my album for the day! Whilst loaded is definitely their best album, this is timeless

A classic! Love Andy Warhol and Lou Reed. Nico will pay for her crimes though. This album is so quintessential New York -- real beatnic Washington Square Park, West Village, hitchhiking from your small town in Ohio to get to the big city. Today's transplants will never know. You really do see its influences all over modern music -- from its contents to its cover. Venus in Furs is one of the best songs I can ever forget about; which makes for a real treat whenever I do remember it. Another standout on this listen is "All Tomorrow's Parties". It makes me want to throw a party at the Chelsea Hotel with all my it girl friends of the 70s that ends in someone jumping off the ledge (metaphorically of course). After this listen, I'll be revisiting the Patti Smith novel. This album reminds me how much I love New York. The New York that's always ephemeral and fleeting. The one that only exists in memories and stories in your mind.

Понравилось, но слушать сложно. Долгие треки полностью не смогла прослушать, звук давит на мозг.

Oh

Plenty of albums (and artists) have hype around them and I tend to be allergic for hype. This weirdness proves me absolutely wrong with this allergy and my prejudices. This album is packed with cool weirdness!

I know this album by it's visuals. I know this album by it's name and of "Nico's" tragic life. Many of the songs are familiar as covers, such as Venus in Furs by Electric Wizard. And finally I know it by the impact it has had in alternative music in general. Yet, I've not heard this album in full before. Feels weird man.

One of my favorite albums. Such a unique sound.

Som en svamptripp med hög diskant

a smooth and easy listen.

I prefer the Lou Reed Songs over the Nico fronted ones, but I really enjoyed this. Can understand why it blew people away in 1967, and with a few more listens it could go up in my estimations. 4 stars.

Perhaps scandalous at the time, but tame by today's standards. Pretty good album overall, and contains the song that lent the title to a book from one of my favorite authors (William Gibson): All Tomorrow's Parties

Favoriten Sunday Morning Femme fatal Heroin There she goes again Ill be your mirror Im Waiting for the man

4.4 iconic. faves: there she goes again, i'm waiting for the man, femme fatale

It's a masterpiece

“waiting for the man” and “heroin” are two of my favorites from this album. Broaching everything from drug addiction, sex, gender identity…all in 1967.

Pretty good but I wasn't a fan of the final track.

Drop de siste 2 låtene og det blir 5

Great album - can hear all kinds of influences in hear.

The context is important here- the roots of indie and emo are here.

This has a lot of good songs on it. I like the mixture of the female and male singers on the songs. Something very unique about the album but some songs just not for me and it's a bit too long

Whenever Nico does her thing this album hits. Also sunday morning is pretty good.

Lou Reed is one of a kind. Excellent album.

The screeching guitar perfectly dials into the drug use and era. Heroin makes me feel so uncomfortable, yet comfortable at the same time.

I'm more of a self titled VU guy. But this one has plenty to like - or at least consider. This album introduced so ideas into the culture. Most (many) good. We don't get here without it.

This was a trip. I realized as I started this album that even though I knew of the Velvet Underground and I knew of this album from the artwork, I'd never actually LISTENED to it. I enjoyed basically the whole thing! There were a few sections that went into noise rock more than I like, but there are definitely songs on this album I can see myself coming back to. My favorite was probably Venus in Furs.

heard this in the past already Sunday Morning - 5/5 I'm Waiting For The Man - 3/5 Femme Fatale - 5/5 Venus In Furs - 4/5 Run Run Run - 3/5 All Tomorrow's Parties - 4/5 Heroin - 4/5 There She Goes Again - 4/5 I'll Be Your Mirror - 5/5 The Black Angel's Death Song - 2/5 European Son - 2/5 Average score: 3.7/5 (rounding up) nico's singing improves the velvet underground's sound immensely, and i don't even really care for nico very much as i've mentioned in other reviews of TVU/Leonard Cohen albums, i cannot stand Leonard's vocals most of the time. however, i feel the group's performance overall was better on this album, or at least good enough for me to look past the weaker moments

Fantastic album!

Better stuff has been made by its legion of inspired followers, but still a classic.

Varies between dark and dirty, and heartfelt and seductive. And I like Nico's singing voice.

Æ har aldri hørt på det med vilje før, men det høres akkurat ut som forventa. Uten at det e til forkleinelse for noen, bare sjølbekreftanes.

First album, and I like where this is going. The variety of styles and their performance amazed me. Several songs are prime examples of peculiar and wonderful psychedelic rock subgenre. Mostly saved calm ones to my playlist. Love the album cover, very pretty and distinguishable. Songs saved: 5/11

Yeah Cool listen. Liked this one

I could have sworn that I’d heard the banana album by The Velvet Underground and Nico, but apparently not. There weren’t any tracks I found familiar here, although my partner seemed to know all of the words to Venus In Furs. I did like this album - it got a little trippy at times, but always stayed pleasant. The highlight for me is Nico’s voice. It’s unusual but still lovely, and so very identifiable.

I can see why people don't like this album. Nico has a terrible voice and can't hold a note. But somehow it works for me.

An album that is more important than enjoyable, but it does retain its ability to jar even after 50 years and you can hear a lot of the future of music in it.

Already listened to it, interesting and modern album for its time. New folk , but not rock.

I get it, and I think it’s great, but I don’t quite love it - a v high 4.

An album I'd heard of (the cover art is pretty famous) but not listened to. Really enjoyed it for the most part - especially "Femme Fatale" and "Heroin", two great tracks. This is a great and for good reason.

Not really for me

You know what! Hell Yeah!

This was cool. Nico's whole deal always makes me feel like I'm in an episode of SNL, but regardless, it was an interesting album and I'm glad it exists. Will I turn it on again? Probably not.

Loved. Perfect Sunday morning listening

Okay this 60s stuff I'm on board with. It's got a slightly haunting energy and it's just generally a bit darker and more interesting than most 60s stuff imo.

Surprisingly, I've only really 'got' this album recently. It's something I admire and appreciate more than actively love, but it is still an album who's world I very much like being inside. It's incredible how icy and imposing songs like 'Venus in Furs' still sound.

The band that permanently broke rock n roll, smashing windows with sonic bricks. The fact that whispery, serene “Sunday Morning” flows right into Lou Reed’s anthem to his dope dealer is one of the greatest 1-2 punches in music history. The tail end of the album kind of wanders off in a haze but they’re doing every genre and doing it with absolute disdain for all of it. Long live VU.

Yeah. Ok.

Despite having seen the artwork (what seems like) a million+ times in my life, I had never listened to this album in full. I had heard a couple songs in various contexts before, so I wasn't completely blind to it. Even so, I was caught a bit off guard from my expectations- in a good way. This one felt like a well thought out, complete album. All the pieces came together to make something impressive and impactful. What weak spots there were blended away into another solid, good song. The music composition wasn't particularly complex or intricate, but seemed perfectly fitting for what each song was. A great example of not overdoing it (which seems to plague a lot of music production). When there was something extra on top, it was complimentary (chaotic strings, for example) and added to the experience rather than distracting from it. Reed's vocals fit the content very well, even though I normally don't love his tone. I actually preferred his effort's to Nico's, for whatever reason. Importantly to me, the album held my attention all the way through. Songs that had long runtimes didn't get old. Songs that were short left me wanting them to go on a bit longer. There were a few negatives; it did seem repetitive at times, and certain songs definitely were weaker than others. It also trended almost too much toward simplicity, and some parts felt like they could use a bit more emphasis or complexity to bring it out. Even so, this is one that I would say is a great album as a whole. I will be coming back to it for another listen. Overall: 4.2/5

3.54

i liked it a lot, i enjoyed the variety of kinds of songs on the album and i feel like they were way ahead of their time. would definitely listen again

Ethereal. Reminds me of the beatles

ganz gut aber es ende nervt

Me gusta mucho, pero es de esos discos que a pesar de su universal adoración, yo me quedo un poquito atrás en ese amor. Sí, es un discazo, ¿pero el mejor disco de toda la historia? Cada vez que lo escucho lo disfruto, pero no entiendo por qué es amado a ese nivel. Pero bueno, discazo sí es.

kenn i

Lots of great tunes, rich production and shades of The Doors and Dylan's drawl.

There's a lot of variety on this album, you can tell that as a band the Velvet Underground hasn't fully captured their sound yet. Some of the songs on hear would sound right at home on a Stones album. Good stuff; would play again. 3.5/5

great songs, not just my cup of tea

funny banana anyways this album is fuckin great

This one is going to take more than one listen to absorb. I tended to prefer the ones where Nico took the lead on the vocals. Which are so sweet compared to the Lou Reed songs. It’s a fairly schizophrenic album. Sometimes the lyrics are so out there that it almost feels pretentious (The Black Angel’s Death Song, I’m looking at you). But then there’s I’m Waiting for the Man which is very immediate. And Heroin which doesn’t try to hide a thing. Lots to think about. Not boring. But not really anything that is something that would make me happy to listen to. I can only imagine going back to this if I’m in a pretty low mood and just want to sit in a little funk.

Very good

I think they could have left out the three songs featuring Nico; but the remaining songs have a sense of urgency about them that I liked.

Good stuff.

Honestly maybe it just hit at the right time, but this album was a real gateway for me into noisier, more experimental music. The first time I heard 'Venus in Furs' it was electrifying.

Some absolute classic, genre-bending folk tracks on this. It really feels like what the cool kids were listening to in the ‘60s without being too pretentious. The songwriting is great, the production is solid, and the performances are good for the most part. There’s not much to dislike about any of this. 9/10

Átta mig á því að þetta er gífurlega áhrifarík plata. Sunday morning er bjútí. Nico hefur alltaf pirrað mig. Svona plata sem hipster vinur þinn segir að sé best. Mitt huglæga mat er hins vegar að þetta hreyfir ekki mikið við mér. Hljóðblandan er pirrandi á köflum og þessi óhljóð í lokin fengu skip. Tek normie 60's soundið frekar. Normies unite.

already liked it, but this is definitely a great album. experimental without being unlistenable.

A seminal debut from one of the most important bands ever. And boy is this band really unlike any other. I always have conflicting feelings over this album though. On one hand, the experimental nature really does it a lot of favors when it works. But it doesn’t always work. And it mostly doesn’t work when Nico is front and center.

great song solection and vbabana

didn't like the Nico songs

Very good. Really enjoyed this

Classic album. Knew I liked it. Second side weaker.

Good, experimental music at the time it came out. Not a fan of all the vocals. Some great moments on this album.

The album and band that didn’t ever sell well originally but allegedly everyone who bought them back then went and off and formed a band. The music is a strange mix of gauche, almost whimsical, psychedelic pop (Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, I’ll Be Your Mirror) and rough rock and roll (I’m Waiting For The Man, Run, Run, Run) and dark claustrophobic experimental (All Tomorrows Parties, Heroin, Venus In Furs, Black Angel’s Death Song, European Son). Where it works it works really well - on some of the darker songs; but some of it hasn’t aged well like Run, Run, Run. Favourite songs Venus In Furs, All Tomorrows Parties, Waiting For The Man, Sunday Morning.

It's banana how good this is

Funky and experimental. Did not quite land for me

A classic but not a 5 star for me personally.

Would Sir care for a starter of some garlic bread perhaps? No, thank you. I will proceed directly to the intravenous injection of hard drugs, please. "Sunday Morning" is a light opening bop before you hit the harshness of "Venus In Furs" and "Heroin"

Nico sounds amazing on every song she’s on. The only thing preventing this album from being a 5/5 for me is European Son. I can see why it’s regarded as one of the best albums of all time by so many.

Some songs seemed like he can't really sing, but that doesn't stop him! I also want that confidence in life. Overall I liked this album.

Great album minus the last 2 songs

Varied mood and feel but something comforting all the way through.

Ya, it's a good album (a wee bit pretentious with Warhol and Nico involved though).

20/1001 Hard to imagine, but long before Spotify, before Napster, before Myspace and before Steve Wright In The Afternoon, music was still evolving, unaided, at a fair old pace. When The Velvet Underground & Nico was being recorded in throughout 1966 it was undoubtedly ground-breaking stuff, but does it really warrant the praise that has been heaped upon it over the years? The thing is, by the time the album was released, almost a year after the sessions began, EVERYONE who owned a guitar and a pair of sunglasses (and probably lots of people who didn't own either) had formed a band and recorded an album. Don't believe all the hype, there were other bands doing what The Velvet Underground were doing by March 1967. The important thing though, and how I'm approaching all of these albums, is that Velvet Underground & Nico do it well, and with style. Forget the legend, this is still a smart collection of songs which benefits from the contrast between Nico's wistful, torch song vocals and Lou Reed's trademark snarky drawl. Light and dark. Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale and All Tomorrow's Parties have an undercurrent of something sinister lurking just below a light and catchy surface. Elsewhere the deviance and drugs are right out in the open in I'm Waiting For My Man, Venus In Furs and Heroin. Sadly, the cacophony of noise which makes Venus so compelling early on becomes irritating as the album plays out, the final two tracks spiralling away from the canny melodies and irritable rhythms that held the interest in the album's earlier art-school experiments, resulting in - well - just unbearable noise by the final minutes. Is this album alone responsible for the birth of alternative music? Probably not, but it is still worthy of this list and demands a listen whatever your musical tastes. Side one of the original LP is pretty much perfect, while Heroin sets the more uncomfortable tone for the flip side before two more chart-friendly offerings hold off the eventual implosion at the denouement.

Good stuff

First listen to this album although I had heard of TVU as I'm fan of Lou Reed's Transformer. First impressions were really positive, a varied and interesting album that encourages repeat listening. Some vocals like Sunday morning sounded Dylanesque, then others with Reed's cool delivery. I listened blind then looked at the date and couldn't believe this was made in 1967. I can totally see how it has a reputation as being ahead of it's time. I can see myself getting into it even more after multiple listens. A win for this project from my perspective.

quite good, bit sleepy

“I think this LSD trip needs a soundtrack” “Say less”

Great album.