The Velvet Underground & Nico

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

Still can’t get myself to like this, 2/5

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

Wow. The algorithm has not been disappointing lately.

I can see that it was very influential, and I liked it in places. "Sunday Morning", the opening track, probably my favorite. Some of it though, unlistenable. 2/5.

From a certain perspective, I am not the sort of person who should be enamored with this album. I'm drug-free and have never tried heroin. I'm not into S&M. I don't pay for...any of the things being bought or sold on this album. I'm not preoccupied with clowns like Reed apparently is (seriously - check the lyric sheet). So why do I love this album so much? Because it encapsulates *freedom* in the purest artistic sense, because every note of it - the reclaimed Sixties girl-group ones, the folky ones, even the off-tune ones from Nico and the dissonant ones from Cage - testifies to the fundamental truth that *you can do whatever you want*, as long as you do it with your whole chest. And that truth has saved my life, over and over again.

It's okay, but far from a masterpiece

Instrumental finde ich das teilweise gut. Die Vocals gehen für mich gar nicht. Nico finde ich stellenweise passabel, aber mit dem Gesang von Lou Red kann ich wirklich nichts anfangen.

Must have been a very influential album and some great material. Some of it I found a bit ‘ dirgey’ and less melodic than later albums on first listen. On second listen though I’m sold!

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

3/10

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.

Not a fan

I've never actually sat down and listened to this entire album, because I thought I wouldn't like it. Turns out I don't mind it so much, although some of the sounds are a little out there.

I did really enjoy the guitar on this album, and the vocals did work pretty well. I'd say this was a great middle of the road album. The vibe all fit, and the songs were good, but I wasn't like "Zamn! Banger alert!!". So that's cool ig. Favorite track was there she goes again, it has some really cool backing vocals and the guitar hits.

Every other 60s rock band (except the Stooges) sound like total squares after you hear this album.

Stone cold classic.

Classic and beyond critical appraisal.

I really didn't get this. On paper the lyrical matters and vibes should be something I'm down with. Started out strong with the first view tracks but lost it's legs and got very boring. Not a fan of either Lou Reed or Nicos vocals. Sometimes the influence can be blown out by what comes after and think this may be the case here.

4/10 I would skip it if it came on

Not sure what more needs to be said about this album. It's not the best album ever, and there are several points that don't sound exactly....good? But that's kind of the whole point. It's dirty, gritty, and maybe the most influential album of all time.

Very very mid. Interesting and enjoyable at times, but grating and too experimental at others. Went a bit too avant-garde with the screeching and broken glass as motifs in certain songs. I'll respect it for what it is and give it 3/5. It was just okay.

Good album. Quite the story trip.

Weird, but good weird. More Revolver or early Dr John than stupid Captain Beefheart or Frank Zappa at their most annoying. It's crazy that this albums holds up well 60 years later.

9/10 Iconic album. Becomes a bit of a chore as the cello screeching kicks in, but this album feels like it defined something that still shapes great music to this day.

Some great tracks and some very questionable ones

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.

Favorite tracks: Run Run Run, Sunday Morning, Venus In Furs Nico has one of the most annoying voices I've heard in a long time, and she definitely brought this album down quite a bit for me.

Not huge on this one. Kind of annoying

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

No notes, I love this one and always have.

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

I always want to love this album, then I listen to it and check out throughout a lot of it. Maybe I’m a heathen, but I like Velvet Underground at their most accessible and poppy, and don’t like the dirges and experiments. I don’t want to call it overrated, because it is valid and important, but I don’t like it all that much.

Obviously.

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.

I think this one will grow on me more. It is kind of like if Bob Dylan played over Beatles songs. I don’t like the female singer (I think Nico) but besides that I love the first 2 songs and heroin a lot

Interesting style & themes, but a little too amelodic and all over the place for it to really be enjoyable for me.

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

This album was not as bad as I remember, but it still wasn't amazing. I just don't like their monotone voices. The guitar licks are fun tho. This isn't terrible. I just don't think it is AS good as everyone thinks. "Heroin" is not a good song. Liked Songs: "Sunday Morning" , "I'm Waiting For The Man" , "Run Run Run" , "There She Goes Again" , "I'll Be Your Mirror"

Listened to this before and I didn't like it. I still don't like it. 2

I don't really care for "Sunday Morning," nor, actually, any of the other songs with Nico vocals. The Lou Reed ones are generally excellent though. I loved European Son.

Love this record.

I really did not like the droning noises over most tracks. Should have called the album "Tinnitus"

Everyone knows this album cover (probably because every knows the Warhol painting but still). The album itself is interesting. I enjoy Lou Reed’s vocals but it the album tapers off the further you go

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.

A bleak, wonderful, new dawn

Yall like this crap?

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

Lovee nico. Great album from growing up

Some of it is good. But 48 mins is far too much of this.

It's a classic, but I don't love it, it doesn't speak to me. I don't want to listen to Nico or Lou Reed. Has its moments, the dissonances in Venus In Furs. Heroin. Not going to turn it off, but not going to seek it out.

Pretty good. My wife wasn't diggin it as much. Made me like it more

C’est l’autre côté pour ouvrir la banane loser

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

Interesting

Well, Lou Reed starts to sound the same all the time...

Reminds me of college. Lovely album only brought down by Nico, but a solid 9/10.

The album that launched a thousand bands. Mostly classic tracks with a couple of skippable ones

An absolute classic. No words needed, just listen.

Beautiful. Brilliant. Classic.

What can I add that hasn't already been said. This inspired so many great bands, obviously a classic.

Loved this album since I was a teenager. Venus in Furs in particular is very pleasing to my ear.

Overrated. Undercooked. God it’s overrated. John cale is the star player. Lou reed is like Neil young. Not untalented but not a generational talent. It is a must hear album because a coterie of critics and fans was told it was important. That arch fraud andy warhols involvement gave it prominence but I’m not convinced it’ll last another edition of this. Pretentious and underdone. 1 star.

My 3rd listen this week. Each was different, depending how much attention I give it. There is space in this album to insert yourself - like a Demo tape. So listenably lugubrious, blasé rebellion. Oh the Languorous Indolence of mildly anaesthetised artists, questioning and striving against society so damn hard, which is why the late 60s is so interesting for new and influential music. Listening now it holds up well as alternative, arthouse, atmospheric, and at times propulsive (ironically on Heroin, which rises and falls like something quite different, it might instead be a story arc, or an erotic arc). Lou Reeds voice works for me. And yes, with the distortion and low fi , the whole album has the freshness of a first draft, a demo tape. Its not over-polished. I like sketches & drafts in visual art - the imperfect and yet fully formed lets you project yourself into the artworks and finish it ... Maybe that's why its still sounds approachable 50 years later. And its rating very highly on this list I see, It makes me think of a bunch of films. The 2013 film “Venus in furs” and “Velvet Buzzsaw” (the art world and its inhabitants), the Big Lebowski, and probably there are better examples. A great album of its era. I don't care if its influential or not (some very influential albums are hard to hear ) but it works for me. And if a recognisable cover matters, they hit gold with the banana (which i had no idea actually peeled off. And the quote about everyone who heard the album (in its early days) going out and starting a band - well this unpolished but good album sure makes it sound achievable for nay garage band to put something together and call it on album, so they did something but showing us authentic imperfect and raw is ‘good enough’ and you don't need to be on Elvis and Beach Boys polished act to do really good stuff people enjoy and that stands alone . Bravery in art and allowing imperfection. Maybe that's the lasting influence here. And definitely go see the film Venus in Furs.

I mean Nico, Jesus wept. Dead Dimery inflicted one of her records on this process earlier, I was so disoriented I forgot my own name and was found rummaging in the bins behind Aldi. And now this. The record that launched a thousand drug addled wankers. I'll bet The Libertines loved this. I put it on and just stared out the window, the dog whimpered at my feet, feeling my pain. And then a memory slowly moved towards the frontal lobe and I put on Rock and Roll Animal, where Dick Wagner, Steve Hunter and Prakash John gave Reed what he needed: really good hard edged bass and guitar and some of those Velvets songs actually came alive, probably Reed's best moment. But this...

When I was in first year uni, a girl I had a crush on (unrequited, sadly) introduced me to the banana album. What a revelation that was! As a result, I played this first VU album constantly -- the noise, the power, the abrasiveness, the lyrics that explored the edges of society. It was properly dangerous rock and roll. I am nearly at the end of this project; this is review 1061, and this is one of the albums I have most been looking forward to reviewing. A quick search shows that I have mentioned the Velvet Underground more than 50 times in my reviews so far. As noted in Lou Reed's obituary in the NY Times, the Velvet Underground "wrought gradual but profound impact on the high-I.Q., low-virtuosity stratum of punk, alternative and underground rock around the world." As Eno said "everyone who bought one [banana album]... started a band". This album is the blueprint for multiple branches of alternative rock. Almost every song here could be seen as the starting point for different sub-genres of rock. They really were patient zero for much of alternative rock. The Velvet Underground, especially this first record, were the ur-text for so much of the music that I loved. I hear something surprising and compelling every time I listen to this record. This record is on my All Time Top Five Albums Ever! list and has been there for 35 years. I still can't quite understand why this album isn't universally acclaimed (I know critics love it, but realistically, most real listeners don't. I'll bet that, even as part of this project, there are plenty of "what is this shit" reviews ) Fifty bazillion stars

The best album ever by a band who can barely play, fronted by a singer who can barely sing. European Son I can leave. Tracks 1-8 sets out the template for every subsequent band who has worn black and sunglasses. Like Bob, other people may actually play these songs better, but these are the originals.

I like how it is art first and not music. It’s designed to make you feel something sonically and it may be disgust at what you’re hearing. The songs go on too long and lose their shock value or overall power. An important record even if I don’t turn to it.

Groundbreaking LP. Took a while but I have appreciation for this music and the influence it had on many artists.

Not first time listening. 5 One of my favorite albums that I can come back to pretty much any time to listen. This album merges the lo-fi and avant garde with pop elements in the songs. This is what separates from the other garage rock in the 60s. The songwriting is also very evocative - you can almost feel the griminess of the scenes depicted in tracks like "I'm Waiting For The Man," and the frenetic whiplash of "Heroin" is affecting. I can see how this album is said to have spawned and influenced countless other bands. It's limited technical musical demonstration and recording quality gives the impression anyone can do this. At the same time, it's clear that the songwriting and attitude are what helps to set the album apart.

interesting <3 Lou

Probably the best debut of all time. Proto-everything, it covers a lot of ground. It has songs that are very calm and comforting and other songs that are scary and horrendous in atmosphere. I don’t think it’s absolutely perfect, but especially for the time it’s still pretty dang groundbreaking. It would’ve been 4.5 Stars if I could, but 5 will be okay :)

Loved!!!

A classic

While I can see how this album could have been absolutely life-changing hearing it for the first time in the 60s, to my modern ears I found it to be a small handful of amazing tracks interspersed between a lot of very forgettable ones. I find Venus in Furs and Heroin brilliant tracks that still hold up very well. I thought European Son was a unique and ambitious closing track as well. I otherwise found the album to be fairly dull and forgettable, and I've never really been able to get too into Lou Reed or Nico's vocals. 3/5.

I have a feeling that the Velvets will join Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac under my "controversial artists" because this album is a 5 star classic and I've never really ever connected with the rest of their stuff. We'll see.

Lou Reeds voice is no bueno and you can just tell these guys were the worst to hang out with

Not worthy of the hype it gets, the songwriting itself on most songs isn't terrible, but lou reed is kind of a douche and Nico does not have a good voice at all.

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

I see the artistic merit in this but it’s not my favorite. More performance art than purely music, which is ok!

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

Great songwriting combined with uncompromising experimentalism make one of the greatest albums of all time

Feels like its recorded in like a junkie apartment, yet many iconic songs in there. I mean some of the drums are totally off beat but like hippie jam circle. I guess thats good everything is a bit human and real. Seems like he kind of speaks his mind a lot, which is great, more brain flow. The totally over the top distortion noise is great as well with the guitar on heroin. It sounds like they are doing nos in the background of one song.

One of those albums that is undeniably a classic, hugely influential, but for my money only has a few tracks I enjoy. Venus In Furs is fantastic though.

Wow What a classic. This album is ridiculously good. And once you get it, you can't go back. It's just another world. From the stunning beauty of Sunday Morning, to the addictive blues of My Man. Nico's enchanted voice on femme fatal and the black magic of Venus in Furs. Love Lou's singing on it, with John's viola. Wow. Run run run features some of the nastiest guitars on tape. A massive garage sound. All Tomorrow's Parties with Nico singing again, is majestic and otherworldly with the piano vamp and eastern guitar. One of the best songs ever. Another one quit incredible comes next- Heroin. Man, just listen to it. I think this is the birth of the Lou Reed we know and love. The lyrics, the attitude, the band dinemics, and the viola that kills my soul. In the best way possible. There she goes lightens the mood in a breezy super cool tune the backing vocals and guitar tone sounds like a crappy version of the beach boys, you gotta love it. Like all Nico's songs here, I'll be your mirror is incredible and dreamy. This album is unbelievable. The Black Angel's Death Song is heartwarming. Kind of Dylanesque but unique. The closing European Son captures the jammy and free essence of The Velvet Underground. It's a 7 minute long trans and it's beautiful. I think you get it It's a 5 A 10/10 And I'm so happy I had the experience of listening to it as a teenager

3.5

4.5

Exceptional album.

The rating went down as the album went on

The perfect balance of light and dark. Just a beautifully curated album in the strangest of times.

Excellent

Aina kun Sunday Morning käynnistyy tulee aurinkoisen nostalginen olo. Minulle tämä levy on 90 luvun nostalgiaa siitä kun silloin nostalgisoitiin 60-lukua. I'm Waiting for the Man tuo mieleen vanhan Radio Cityn. Ei tätä voi kuunnella musiikillisessa mielessä, kun merkitykset ovat niin paljon suurempia. Sävellyksestihän tämä on köykäistä ja soitannollisesti mielikuvituksetonta ja junnaavaa, mutta se ei ole nyt oleellista. Femme Fatalekin tuo muistoja; värejä, samettia, kitaransoittoa

Class on vinyl. A Sunday delight.

Was waiting for something good to happen on this one. It didn’t. Heroine and European Son were particular low lights

Is this the best debut album ever ? So many genres of music represented. Or should I say invented? Only docked a star because European Son 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.

SEX

18/1001 So I finally listened to the album with the iconic banana on the cover. I probably need to be in a different state to get why this is highly regarded by many.

Whilst it may have been influential at the time, other than a couple of numbers it hasn’t aged well.

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

Usually find this era of music not quite to my taste, but this one isn't half bad, or at least better than their other albums I've reviewed. Still only a 3 though.

It took me a long time to come around to how I really feel about The Velvet Underground's debut. I've always enjoyed it, but I never really questioned to what degree. As it turns out, I really, really like The Velvet Underground, and while I prefer White Light/White Heat, & Nico still holds a very special place in my heart that only grows with time. Front to back bangers. The anti-Beatles. The quintessential American band and godparents of alternative music. Have you thanked Lou Reed or John Cale today?

Classic

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.

Amazing

This album is so charming that even when it descends into noise or clumsiness it’s great. Beautiful, weird, profane. Influential? Sure but it’s not great because it started an art rock movement, it’s just great. I could spend a lot of time complaining about its flaws like the unnecessary distortion and pointless jams but I get more delight from listening to this album than just about any other I’ve ever heard.

This is an album with diverse flavors and textures. And although you can guess the decade when it was recorded just by how it sounds, it also sounds pretty timeless. I listened to it many times, back-to-back, and it feels like a shame to listen to only a song at a time.

People talk about Lou Reed like he's the second coming of Jesus and I just don't see it. This is a perfectly average rock album. Am I missing something?

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.

Was groundbreaking at the time, but now just sounds standard. Cool to go back into music history

Nothings special

The Factory house band made an amazing LP under the direction of Warhol. The pulse of the 60’s NYC underground is alive and well on this classic, which has continued to influence burgeoning artists and musicians alike.

Sounded like a lot of noise to me, though after reading about this album, I understand that that was kind of the point and I respect its influence on many rock sub-genres

sunday morning is so peak

Warhol’s visual art is much more compelling than this

Interesting structure but would not listen to it again.

no need to hear this masterpiece again

It doesn’t mind when it is that the thought occurred. It doesn’t care how many times you’ve sneered at it. It doesn’t preoccupy itself with worrying how much making up for lost time you can do. This album waits for you; it’s the tracks, not the train. Put briefly: nothing that’s worth waking up for today would have come into being without this record existing first.

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

I think I'm starting to realize I hate this genre

Not totally my favorite, but very happy for an excuse to listen to it.

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.

un bon album à mettre pendant un roadtrip, vraiment un travail intéressant sur l'edginess de certains sons (qui rappelle des mélodies folkloriques dans Venus in Furs ou limite country dans Run Run Run que j'ai bien aimé). petite mention pour la pochette d'album, qui fit bien avec la thématique générale. un bon 3.3 parce que j'ai pas non plus été transcendée.

no me encantan

good not great

lite besviken, kändes inte så inspirerat, men inte rent ut dåligt

Experimentellt, sure. Banbrytande för sin tid, sure. Fett ass dock! :D

Easy 5 star!!

would be a 3.5 but 3 seems too low

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

A lovely 4. Because of Lou Reed. Perhaps a 5. Because of There She Goes Again.

5/10

A groundbreaking blend of art rock, proto-punk, and experimental noise that paved the way for countless alternative and politically charged artists. The Velvet Underground & Nico reshaped what rock music could be raw, confrontational, and unapologetically weird. The iconic Andy Warhol banana cover is as legendary as the music itself. I can’t give it a perfect score because of tracks like “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” which just grates on me. Still, it’s an undeniable classic. 9/10.

In every sense of the word, this album is a complete masterpiece. It's what made people take underground avant garde music seriously, and its influence can still be felt in what's being released today.

Did not like this one. Maybe I don't have enough trauma to enjoy this.. or drugs in my system, maybe?

One of my favourite albums but nico

j’ai pas trop accroché

One of the greatest albums ever made

Interesting album, though I didn’t really connect to it. Some very dark, poetic lyrics with an unexpectedly upbeat tempo. Not that I dislike it, but it’s definitely not something I’m gonna be seeking out.

Fine

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.

ok. the long songs tend to go off the rails

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

While not my favorite VU album, it is still one of the best of a generation. So many songs on this recording that inspired so many artists that followed. A dark but lively album.

I love this album so much. Lou reed and Nico’s voices compliment each other so well. There is not a single song on this album that I don’t thoroughly enjoy or find interesting. I love the bass on a ton of these, especially I’m waiting for the man and European son. I also loveee the general atmosphere on Venus in furs and heroin. Fav songs: Sunday morning, femme fatale, heroin, I’ll be your mirror (couldn’t really choose lol).

It’s okay, but I’ll never really understand why this album is considered to be really groundbreaking and influential. It’s really just a mix of “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” and that’s it. It really just is the barrier of listenable to mid to really weird. I don’t really like much psychedelic rock because its structure is a little weird and noisy. While I think that the album cover by Andy Warhol is pretty cool thinking about, this album can be creative to some but to me, it sounds pretty uninspiring and distorted. Favorite Tracks: Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Heroine, I’ll Be Your Mirror Rating: 3/5

This is my second offering of Lou Reed (the first being Berlin). I think it’s safe to say I’m just not a Lou Reed fan. This album is the kind of jangly, discordant garage rock that I simply cannot stand. Both Reed’s and Nico’s vocals are just there for me, neither offensive nor outstanding. Some of the melodies are decent, but either jump the shark quickly to disharmony or sound too much like they’re coming from the inside of a tin can. I found the album felt longer than it was, which is never a good thing. I’m glad I listened to it as I’d heard of The Velvet Underground, but never had a sound to put behind them as a frame of reference. Now, I do and know I’m definitely not a fan.

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.

undeniably cool but i honestly didn’t connect too much with the music. feel like i might’ve enjoyed it more if i listened when it came out

Original album is a 2. Deluxe tracks are a 3. A historical cultural experience at the time I'm sure, but all hype and no lasting value. Like Warhol, it is emblematic of other things that were also going on so you could happily take this out of the cannon without the progression of culture being affected. It's legacy casts a shadow on pop music where people insist on rehashing this nonsense in order to attract attention and fade away, just like VU. Being critical, It's the sound of being a vain, over educated, unskilled, privileged NY moron with too much time on your hands. Young, dumb and full of smack...

Pourri, so désagréable sauf quelques bouts

This album is the reason for this list! Almost 60 years old, and one can see how it influenced many other bands. Best album I've heard so far!

I'd believe that this was Iggy Pop if I encountered this in the wild

Noise

Okay.

Good stuff.

Yuckie, this album was a difficult listen. I couldn't get through it without stopping. Hate.

Some very good tunes mixed with some clunkers. Nico can’t sing, which makes some tunes hard to listen to. A 2.

Classic and brings up memories of high school Sunday Morning - one of my all time VU songs Waiting for my man - classic Femme fatale - Nico’s voice is just beautiful Venus in Furs - shiny boots of leather!!! Run run run - never one of my favorites All Tomorrows parties - another VU fave Heroin - such a ride, every time There she goes - mostly forgettable IMO Trails off after this…

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

A palatable listen - I can see why people like this but I don't think it's necessarily for me. I like the droning in the background that seems to be omnipresent. And I like how the voice seems intentionally unpolished. Loses points because it lacks musical complexity, and a lot of the songs sound similar. Best song: Heroin

Not my type of music.

3/5

Listening to The Velvet Underground & Nico for the first time in college made me feel cool. Sadly, that feeling has worn off. However, this is neck and neck with Loaded as my favorite album by The Velvet Underground.

I used to work with a guy whose mom was Mo Tucker's childhood friend. I once went to the coworker's mom's house and had a fan girl-by-association moment, so and she showed me her collection of all the things she saved from her years hanging out with Mo. Meanwhile, my coworker just kept complaining about how much he hated the Velvet Underground while the mom and I rocked out to this album.

I don’t see how influential this album could be, boring as bat shit!

C+

Eh. Not even remotely what I was expecting based off of what I had previously heard about this album elsewhere. I think I hyped it up when I rolled this one too much and was just left fairly disappointed overall. Sure, it’s fine. But it just kinda exists. All songs on this album rank anywhere from mediocre to just ok. There’s some songs that are pretty boring, and others are fine. But that’s about it. Classic album art, passable album at best. Nothing really stood out here. I heard Funk with more memorable riffs than this the other day. I didn’t even particularly care about Lou Reed’s singing here, which may be blasphemous to some. Maybe you had to be there for this one. I’m sure it’s influential and an all time classic album, but unfortunately it was just barely passable enough to scrape by with a 3 for me. Sorry banana album. I wanted to like you so much, but I’ll likely forget about this album by tomorrow. Just don’t really get this one man. It happens. I think I liked “Venus In Furs” the best. It had some fun things going on with it.

10/10

-----------------------------------------

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

Some of it was alright, some was annoying

I don't even know why I like this. This album feels like it should be so not up my alley, but it somehow works incredibly well. The production is extremely overblown and sounds dated, but I think it also works somehow? It’s primarily a vocal-focused record, and although I don’t usually care about lyrics and vocals, it’s one of the biggest things that make this album great. I don’t know how they made the writing so satisfying—and consistently too. I can’t remember a single example of another album outside rap achieving something like this. I believe I’d only listened to this record once before, but I still remembered every song well. Every song is a banger, uniquely and memorable. This goes completely against everything that makes me enjoy an album, yet it is so incredibly engaging. 9/10

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.

I mean, this is the album of all albums, right? Like, this is what kicked off most things that I truly enjoy about modern rock music. I can listen to this endlessly.

Такое себе… Начало вроде ничего, но чем дальше, тем музыка бредовее. 5 из 10.

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.

Still not a fan.

was lekkere muziek

Yeah. Another The Velvet Underground album, and the feeling stays the same: I did not understand it, and it is not my style. "I guess you'd have to be there" in album form. It was the catalyst for a lot of other bands and genres, but still feels too raw for me. And the lyrics and topics of the songs are not for me, I cannot relate in any way. Gets minus one star for being so overhyped, idk...

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.

An influential classic. I haven't listened to this in many years and only really remembered Heroin, but as an album the whole thing is still pretty compelling.

I was expecting something more life altering based on what has been said about the velvet underground

Just great.

Highly influential to most alternative music. Way ahead of its time.

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

Sometimes groundbreaking albums that influenced so many bands can be mostly crap.

A unique and standout musical relic for so many incredible reasons. Every time I see this album art I’m cast back to the awe I experienced when I first listened to the album. It made me realise all that time ago that music didn’t have to be pristine and perfect in order to be worth all of your attention. And this albums means a hell of a lot to me now as a result.

Can't say I get it, whatever "it" is supposed to be.

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

I don’t know, I get there’s something there, but having a hard time finding it in just one day. this album really feels like something I’ve heard before but I can’t place where. Will file this one away and relisten on a dud album day

Masterpiece

πολύ καλό το ξαναακουω

Easy 5 lol, but in all seriousness I don't even need to think hard about this, an album which kept growing on me over the years and acted as a catalyst to seek out more similar alternative and experimental music. A timeless classic and super influential one at that.

I love this album so much. Its really something special to me and I dont even know why. Its truly one of a kind.

Meh. A little Bob Dylan-esque. Not terrible but not something I would play again.

yeah i guess this is a classic for a reason lol

Iconic and maybe most accessible, but by no means my favorite VU.

I think I got this from Columbia House in the early 90s? Because I was cool, I had heard about this album and when I finally heard it, it did not disappoint.

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

Oh man, I thought i generally liked the Velvet Underground. But I guess I never gave this as close a listen as I should have. Comes off pretentious, melodramatic, and kinda lazy. There are some nice melodies and smooth vocals, but there’s a sense of desperation that comes off as… immature.

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.

I genuinely fucking hate this, really dissapointing

4.5/10

What is there to say about this record that hasn't been said already. It's truly a masterpiece in both music and pop culture

I don't know, some of this is ok but some of it is really fucking annoying.

Pre listen: I don't think I will like , have avoided due to vocal so far Post listen: Vocal was OK, like Rodriguez and see it's influnce on contemporary acts like foxxygen. I think at the time it would have been more exciting/ground breaking but to me it's a little dull. I gather they liked heroine from the lyrics

Definitely revolutionary for the time. Not my vibe though

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.

I didn't particularly love this but I dont' think it deserves the hate some reviewers are giving it. It's basically a newer version of a post LSD journey Beatles album. It's definitely a bit drug addled and it's certainly "artsy" but I don't find that it's all just random noise or mumbling. I think the best example of what I'm talking about is "All Tomorrow's Parties" which is a cross between slower 70's rock and the stoned hippie aesthetic of the 60's. I don't love it, but it's a song that could fit on any number albums from earlier and would be considered perfectly acceptable there. Unfortunately it does devolve in to unlistenable at some points. The end of "Heroin" is terrible, that part is just noise and continuously sped up drums until the 10 second reprieve at the end. "The Black Angels Death Song" is backed by a horribly (intentionally?) played violin that ruins the rest of it, and the rest of it isn't very compelling either. Some of it is just boring; lots of the songs sound very similar to each other, and not in a "this is a unique sound" way. I dont' think they're very creative at all, the opposite in fact. If you think the stuff that came after this and is clearly inspired by it is great, then you'll love this. I find it all pretty dull.

I didn't care for this. Sounded a little too much like Bob Dylan.

This was fine?

The Nico songs pull this down some.

So I must be on enough drugs to actually like it, the Lou Reed songs in particular. I had never heard anything by them going into this, so had no expectations. They reminded me of some other bands of the time that I enjoy, but they definitely made some interesting choices with the arrangements. A couple of the songs were unlistenable - looking at you Venus in Furs - but there were 4 or 5 tracks I thought were great. I’d give it a 3.5 if I could, but going with the 3.

Let’s get the good qualities of this album out of the way first. Much respect to a band that actually plays instruments and can give you a real Rock & Roll sound. It’s refreshing to listen to music being “made” and not just synthesized, as a lot of music is presented today. Despite being almost 60 years old, the rock sound still comes through strong and true and I can see how this band/album may have influenced others that followed it. So I’ll recognize that there is talent hiding within this band. Now that I’ve said that, the album is like an open mic night in a beatnik neighborhood. Most tracks are just Lou Reed talking at you with music playing in the background more than any real singing happening. Not my cup of tea for sure. It was worth a listen, but it’s a one-and-done for me.

Anyone who says they love this album is lying. It was made to be hated. It’s noise rock, anti-music, built to be destroyed. It’s music about people on drugs searching for more drugs and Lou Reed and I … we don’t do the same drugs. I’ll never be high enough to get this album. But I like bananas, so there you go.

Iconic album cover, was excited to actually listen to the record and glad I did. I enjoyed the Lou Reed songs, old school gritty New York City vibe. Very cool, enjoyed it. The other songs were a bit rough for me. Felt like they listened to hippie era Beatles and decided to give it a go after taking way too many drugs. Pretty terrible. Iconic Warhol cover and Lou Reed carry the record and bring this to a 3.

I'm sure this album is hugely influential, and my tastes are too boring to understand this album. Whatever. Nico sucks. This album isn't great.

Self titled and unloaded are a million times better

A bit too many guitar screeches for my taste

Not my cup of tea but a couple of cool songs on there

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.

Seen the album cover a billion times but haven’t listened to it. It was hit or miss for me. Likes some songs but was ready for others to be over.

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¨

It was alright.

Ugly and pretty pop meets narcotic drone art. Well crafted hooks meet unhinged noise. So easy to forget just how weird this record is, given that it is canonized to high hell, and I have listened to it a million times. Astounding.

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.

Makeita saundeja tässä, jousia joita on käytetty oikein!

All tomorrow’s parties was my favorite! That one I could listen to again more than once. But somehow did not feel the same about most of the songs. Many of them made me just wish it was over sooner.

10/10 My favorite albums of all time. Every track is timeless. No notes

9/10 Favorites: Sunday Morning Femme Fatale I’ll Be Your Mirror

There are better Velvet Underground albums than this, and better Nico albums than this. Its influence cannot be denied, and as a project backed by Warhol it is the epitome of a ‘cool’ album. Trouble for me is, these are some of the VU’s weakest songs. There’s flashes of brilliance throughout (All Tomorrow’s Parties remains a favourite) but the songs here feel very basic compared to anything on Loaded or White Light / White Heat. Was nice to revisit this though, I probably haven’t listened to it in full for about ten years.

this albums does not get old, love it

As good as heroin!

Oh, geez. What do I say that hasn’t been said? How many copies have I owned? How many bands did it launch? Probably a top 10 record.

Femme Fatale - 10/10

Already listened to it, arguably one of the most important rock albums of its time, with a very prominent message within about drug addiction. Almost psychedelic in sound and nature, and very ahead of its time, a 10/10 in my eyes.

like i think i have to give this a 10/10?? because 1: i think all the songs sound good and some of these songs are genuinely like amazing and 2: how they fuck were they doing that in 1967!!!!! bro what the fuck!!!!!! some of these parts are insane, like if heroin or european son came out today it would still be experimental and the fact that they were doing this in 1967 is wild

- Gefällt mir besser als White Light/White Heat - Spezieller rockiger Vibe - würde ich vielleicht nochmal hören, aber wahrscheinlich nicht alle Songs Topssong: Run Run Run

I enjoyed it but probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it

Have listened to this album a few times and I'm convinced I'll never really 'get' it. I assume that in 1967 this was blowing people's socks off. Must be a 'me' problem since I believe the people who say it's so good.

Not my thing

Not for me. Felt like being sober in a room full of stoned people jamming on instruments. A lot of moments where it was really harsh and noisy in the earphones which had me wanting to quit. A couple of enjoyable moments maybe. Lou Reed was also partly responsible for Metallica's worst album which is difficult to forget.

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.

A garbled mess. Sounds like inexperience to me. Lack of consistent rhythm, several songs dragged on far too long with super repetitive verses. Very boring and repetitive. Not enjoyable. 3/10.

4/5

One of the best albums of the 60s, perfectly encapsulates psychedelic rock.

I liked it better than I thought I might…uneven still but the good stuff is really good!!

So very seminal. Again, the Savage book is great context.

Some cool songs but mostly forgettable.

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.

pretty good generic rock 3/5

Classic!

I liked this for exactly 3 stars

I find the back half more enjoyable to listen to, but the album overall still feels like a revelation almost 40 years after it's debut

Fun vibes but ultimately not a memorable album.

Mid, just noise. Really loved two songs though

First full listen. I was afraid of this album as a kid. Love it as a 60 year old adult. So smart, honest, daring. And good!

4.5

Algumas músicas legais, e outras insuportáveis.

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

Good but also some bad songs

One of the finest examples of an album that changed music. This challenges the assumption that you need to be a musician to make music. Through their short existence they became musicians though, but this shows raw, unfiltered Songwriting experimentation at its best

Good.

as revolutionary as this was it has been obliterated by albums inspired by it

More interesting than 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.

Rating: 10/10 One of the greatest albums of all time. So experimental, creative, and groundbreaking, this sounds like nothing that came before or after it. A truly unique album that is perfect besides the last two songs. A timeless classic.

When I've first listened to the album somewhere in the early 00s, it blew my mind. It starts with Sunday Morning and my first thought when I've heard it was "you're telling me this is the music people were making during the Beatles era"? I felt it sounded like a modern song, not one from almost 40 years ago. And it's not just Sunday Morning, there's All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll Be Your Mirror, Heroin - I could list the entire album that way. One of my favorite albums of all time.

Overall weird genre amalgamation that I just couldn't get along with. 2 stars is a generous rating, but there are a few songs of value. I have a feeling it's going to rate well on this site for some reason though... - Lovely opening song. Very gentle and sweet - 2nd song is a weird Bob Dylan Punk mix. 2 chords and dense lyrics. Annoying

langweilig

Okay, admittedly I'm not the biggest fan of Lou Reed prior to this, but I also don't know much about him and his music. I'm more than willing to dive deeper here on a band I don't know much about but seems to have had a massive influence on artists I love. First listen, I love the early melodies! The opening tune Sunny Morning very reminiscent and foreshadowy of the hit to come, Femme Fatale. Having previously heard the REM cover of this song, and the later song on the album, There She Goes Again, it feels important to circle the square and listen to the originals. Certainly makes me want to revisit Dead Letter Office and relisten after this. Later night listen, this truly is one of the top 10 albums of all time. Had a great talk with a friend about this. Listened again tonight. It's astounding. Indescribable. Listened to the album in entirety about 15 times this weekend. What a discovery for me, my first big one through this project. Very thankful.

It's that good

en ciertos momentos me han recordado a los rolling me gusta el rollo experimental de algunas canciones, en general me ha gustado el álbum, aunque algunas canciones son un poco largas y repetitivas pero otras me han parecido originales canciones favs: sunday morning, i’m waiting for the man, there she goes

There are many people who claim they bought or listened to this album when it first came out, which of course is untrue. The Velvet Underground was nowhere to be found on the radio when these early records came out, but it was the release of Waiting for the Man and Heroin along with Walk on the Wild side on mainstream radio in the early 70’s that brought the band or Lou Reed to people’s attention. This is a landmark album of which so much has been said that I have nothing to offer. Classic.

personally. they are ok, must be missing something, sound ok but wouldn't seek this out

Great.

Not my style if music. Not bad though.

5 stars.

I can see why so many people find this album compelling. Lyrically it’s saying things that no one was talking about. Unfortunately the music just doesn’t grab me. Trying to be cooler than cool.

Started off ok, but the second half was tedious and self indulgent.

I always thought I really loved this but maybe I just thought I should?? Or not the day for it??

amo

Mellow, kind of underground feeling pop rock

Hovering between a 2 and a 3 here, need to come up with a way to decide... Found one: it's Lou Reed, so it's a...

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.

Nice

1. Sunday Morning - 5 Not a great sound vocally and instrumentally there's not a lot to it to critique to begin with. It's not a bad track. 2. I'm Waiting for the Man - 6 Good sound. Bit too melodic in the lyrics but the track moseys along well enough. 3. Femme Fatale - 6 Lyrically very very strong. It has too much of that early 60s/late 50s rock and roll doo-wop sound. The barbershop quartet type of track. Other than that it's enjoyable. 4. Venus In Furs - 9 Lyrically great but the wailing of the guitars and violins are excellent. Instrumentally the track is absolutely fantastic. The tone change into the chorus is superb. Great track. 5. Run Run Run - 6 Guitars sound good but the track has not stood the test of time. Lyrically it's not anything more than average in the verses. Choruses are significantly better. Third verse is also quite enjoyable. 6. All Tomorrow's Parties - 4 Lyrically it's not a good track but the piano and the guitars do very here to recover some enjoyment out of the track. Percussions sound solid as well and the constant unwavering drum beat also adds good flavour to the track. 7. Heroin - 10 Artistically brilliant. Everything about this track feeds into the theme: the wailing of the guitars into their classic riffs, the lyrics starting start forward before exploding into a diatribe of topics, the octave of the collective sound rising and falling. Excellent track. 8. There She Goes Again - 7 Lyrically good until the outro. Instrumentally very good too. It's an enjoyable track overall and one of the better ones on the album. 9. I'll Be Your Mirror - 2 It's just too slow and melodic. Lyrically uninspiring, the track will put you to sleep more than anything. 10. The Black Angel's Death Song - 0 Instrumentally horrible. The violins and guitars screech unpleasantly throughout the entire song and vocally it's more of a preaching track rather than singing. Awful sound. 11. European Son - 4 More a jam track to end the album which is not really an ideal way for it to end. The guitars going from riffs to screeching isn't hugely enjoyable. The track also goes on for too long without the jam changing barely at all. Average Rating: 5.36 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.68 Rounded Up: 3 Stars

Mmmmhhh excepto All Tomorrows Parties, no tuve mucha felicidad. Aunque por la época seguro se le voló la tapa del seso a más de uno. Nota: 3.4

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.