The Velvet Underground & Nico

Love.

02/21/22 I was always under the assumption that it was grungy punk-rock, so I never gave them a shot or even an attempt at listening, despite the constant praise. Wow, how wrong I was! Heroin's a great one, but got in trouble at work for the wild guitar strings at the end, lol. :-/

Claaaaassic

I am having a tough time with this one. There were moments of listening to this that were not entirely pleasant. But somehow they were unpleasant in an interesting way that made me want to listen to more. I can't figure out why that is, but due to the fact that I want to hear more, I am giving this 4 stars.

Classic

Love it

Годнота.

A great album with a chaotic energy, but that sometimes drifts to being a little too chaotic.

Pretty much the genesis of a lot of the music i listen to but it is by no means a stellar album. for starters you can write off the last ten minutes of it, i'm all for a jam out but its not very listenable. and then we get to nico and her fucking irritating voice. i can tolerate her singing on femme fatale, probably because its a huge tune and weirdly her retarded singing actually adds to it. I can only just manage to listen to ATP all the way through, which is a shame because its a great song beneath the caterwauling, thankfully there are decent cover versions out there. anything else where she does that weird anglo german accent just gets skipped. but the bottom line is the other tunes are such bangers that it would be madness to give it a mid score.

A classic. There were a couple of songs I recognized, but for the most part this album was new to me. This is right up my alley, and while some songs didn't quite "click" upon first listen, I enjoyed it overall.

Fabulous i guess

Jag tyckte det här var en av de bästa classy rock-albumen vi haft hittills! Kanske inte bara bangers, men Femme Fatale Heroin och All tomorrows parties går alla tre in på mina spellistor

Det var mycket bättre andra gången jag lyssnade på det än första. Förutom sista låten som är tråkig. zzz

Junkies band to together and make an album that no one buys. Cut to a few years later and it's now one of the most important albums ever. Nowhere near as out there as people claim. Solid tunes. They almost make heroin sound worth it. Best Tracks: I'm Waiting For My Man; Venus In Furs; Heroin

Great album to get into experimental rock. Love Lou Reed’s delivery and lyrics. I hear so many bands that have been influenced when I listen to this.

No todas las canciones son buenas pero tiene picos altos. Black angel death song de lo más raro que escuche, me gusto.

Nice late-60s rock

Sonically this is an outstanding album with plenty of treats for the listener. Lyrically it’s seedy, gritty and underground. I can only imagine how groundbreaking it was in the late 60’s. I loved the ending / time signature shifting in “all tomorrows parties” Fave tracks: “Heroin” “Run Run Run” “All Tomorrow’s Parties”

Casi un 5. Pero la última canción es muy pesada. Me gustan There She Goes Again y Femme Fatale

Very good! I don't think I consider it one of the best albums ever, but I understand why so many do. I loved "Sunday Morning" and "I'll Be Your Mirror". "Heroin" is incredibly brutal, harsh and difficult to listen to, but it absolutely should be that way. Overall, very good.

Quite pleasant. Some songs had some ear-hurting sounds, though.

Good album

Muy buen disco. Cultura general

I liked it, bit different but cool

Album interesante, el ultimo tema del album se me hizo realmente dificil..

It's run the gamut from cult classic to basically being the most overrated underrated album of all time. I for one am all in favor of songs that capture the excitement in searching for heroin (Waiting For The Man) and describe the experience of using heroin (Heroin). This album lets you have the entire heroin experience, including addiction and withdrawal, and you come away with no desire to try the drug. You feel like you've already gone through the entire experience. There's a sort of magic in that. Bands with female drummers are always among my favorites (The White Stripes, The Carpenters). Not especially hot take: I wish Nico sang every song except for Heroin and I'm Waiting For The Man.

The Velvet Underground's eponymous album (without Nico) was the first record that generated for me on this odyssey. I found that one to be a bit boring, but that could not be further from the case with this. Everything about this is cool, including the iconic album cover. The music is varied with interesting and unusual elements throughout. However, it remains very much of a piece, with a consistent lo-fi and arty vibe which ties together the range of styles. I personally prefer the more mellow moments, but each track from 1-9 contributes to its brilliance. However, the final two tracks are basically just noise, which is a shame. The first nine tracks of this are a 5 star record. Half a point has to come off for the final two, but in practice I'll just pretend they don't exist. 4.5/5.

groovy intro, understand why this is revered. have not had an ah-ha moment yet

3.5

Heel vet album voor die tijd, super progressief

good

9,5/10 (maravilhoso) Disco inesquecível, letras marcantes

I went into this not wanting to like it, because of all the wanky bearded overhyping of it. However I gave it a fair go and it is a decent album, better than the other velvet underground I've listened to. I'll be generous and give it a 4

So ahead of its time! Sunday Morning is one of the best songs ever.

The Velvet Underground; Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) !!! Все, написанное ниже, является личным мнением автора и не претендует на признание в качестве истины первой инстанции. Здесь только то, что в альбоме услышал я, и в той форме, в которой я это воспринял. Всем мир. ЧТО: Один из самых влиятельных альбомов в истории рока. Дебютник TVU, записанный при участии немецкой певицы Нико. Классическая культовая пластинка со всеми атрибутами: экспериментальное звучание, первоначальный коммерческий провал, критика, переходящая в признание культового статуса произведения. Альбом оказал огромное влияние на развитие рок-музыки (особенно альтернативы) и популярной культуры, в частности на историческое становление постпанка в 1970-х. КАКОЙ: Один сплошной эксперимент. В первую очередь внимание привлекает стандартное использование необычных инструментов и нестандартное использование обычных. Так на Sunday Morning появляется челеста (вообще уважаемая и любимая рок-музыкантами того времени), а Venus In Furs сыграна Ридом особой техникой, которую он назвал ostrich (все струны настроены на одну ноту). Причину, видимо, следует искать в сотрудничестве участника TVU Джона Кейла с экспериментальными композиторами (например, с Джоном Кейджем и его подготовленным фортепиано). Кроме того, сам Кейл использует электронный альт. На треке Heroin он издаёт одну ноту на протяжении всей песни, передавая ощущения наркотического трипа. Интересное использование темпоритма, который то ускоряется, то замедляется. Под конец Heroin вовсе срывается с цепи, заливаясь нойзом и делая прослушивание местами невыносимым, что также работает на атмосферу и стиль композиции. Напротив, Venus In Furs не отпускает слушателя до конца. Она нравится, она привлекает и затягивает своей вязкой, барочной, вальяжной атмосферой, олицетворяя тем самым человеческую страсть, нечто потаённое, скрытое (что пересекается с текстом). Встречаются здесь и, с позволения сказать, логичные поп-песни 60-х. Занятное сочетание даёт американская рок-музыка и европейское угловатое звучание вокала Нико. Альбом разнообразен настолько, насколько это возможно, и подчёркнуто экспериментален. Отдельно можно сказать про обложку авторства Энди Уорхолла, которая, с моей точки зрения, не только вновь иллюстрирует экспериментальность альбома, но и позволяет ощутить самобытность творческой среды, в которой он создавался. О ЧЕМ: Лирика альбома выдержана Лу Ридом в традиционных для него мрачных, прямых и провокационных тонах. Тексты затрагивают нетрадиционные для воздушных замков 60-х темы наркозависимости, человеческих пороков и влечений, сексуальности и сексуальных девиаций, садизма и мазохизма. Рид как всегда пишет смело и прямо, но не для намеренного провоцирование слушателя. Его вдохновляли книги и стихи, смысловые концепции которых он переносил в контекст музыки. Постоянная смена настроений, создающая уникальную атмосферу пластинки, явно достигается, в том числе, за счёт работы с текстами и достижения их совместимости с вокалом. ИТОГ: Альбом, влиянию которого нет предела. TVU & Nico учит быть более открытыми не только в музыке, но и в осознании себя как человека, имеющего пороки, несовершенного существа; забыть о страхе. Полный интересных музыкальных решений, этот альбом является точкой пересечения аудио-визуального таланта нескольких гениев, собравшихся, условно говоря, в одной комнате, чтобы изменить музыку навсегда. ЛУЧШИЕ ПЕСНИ: Sunday Morning, Venus In Furs, All Tomorrow’s Parties.

A totally different and hard hitting album. The songs here tell stories that resonate. Listening to this album is always an experience. Overall it’s really good. Some songs can get a little dull. 7.8/10

The proto-everything album. I certainly enjoyed it, but honestly Nico drags this down by a lot. I like the ripples it caused more than the album's splash itself, but the forward-thinking experimentation is pretty incredible in and of itself.

This is dope. From vocals, to experimentation, to the impact it had on music, all solid. However, and I mean this shit, Andy Warhol drags this down a point

Mucho mejor de lo que me esperaba dado el antecedente de Velvet Underground. Quizá de haberlos oído en el orden opuesto ambas opiniones serían muy distintas. Lo que es muy claro es que en este disco me es más evidente el lado musical y lírico y está alejado del casi dadaismo y noise que sentí en el otro. Si bien no son las rolas que traeré en el celular la próxima vez que no tenga otra cosa que oír, creo que puedo apreciar mucho más su valor como letras y como exploración de sonidos.

Leuk album en lekker experimenteel!

I enjoyed this album. Unlike the follow up, this was accessible without being to far our there.

John Cale and Lou Reed really go together so well. Welsh excellence!!

Pretty amazing psychedelic album. Definitely a lot of weird and melodic sounds here. Some tracks would hook a lot less than others but It's definitely something I'll listen to again.

Raw driving energy. Still not fond of Nico's voice but the songs seem cooler every time I hear this album.

was nice to listen to some more velvet underground, as I've only heard some songs. Will definitely play songs from this album more often

I don't have a hot take for this one. It's a classic.

the sound quality is what I'd expect from 1967, but the riffs and grooves are catchy, and the vocals are soothing.

Makes me want to do heroin. I know its not supposed too, but it does. This is my type of 60s music. Deep and dark

Great album, awful recording quality

Very experimental and edgy, love the vibes it gives off, the album is a complete experience. Stand outs: Heroin, Sunday Morning

1. Sunday Morning - 9/10 2. I'm Waiting For The Man - 8/10 3. Femme Fatale - 8/10 4. Venus In Furs -8/10 5. Run Run Run - 9/10 6. All Tomorrow's Parties - 7/10 7. Heroin - 9/10 8. There She Goes Again - 7/10 9. I'll Be Your Mirror - 6/10 10. The Black Angel's Death Song - uhh 11. European Son - so long jfc

I haven't even listened to this one with much attention before. Didn't realize how much flower child is in this one. I always thought it was a little more punk than that. Sort of a sweet folk album and a noise rock album smooshed into one.

Great late at night ease back album. Psychedelic 60s vibe

Yes I dug it. Have not really listened too much to it before and would certainly require more listens to mine its full depths, but there’s some early punk in there, right? Bags of tonal variety. I enjoyed it.

Хороший альбом. Сперва кажется довольно скучным и немного архаичным, особенно на непопсовых треках. При этом не подталкивает себя выключить, не душит. По мере переслушивания треки становятся приятными. Такими, что был бы не против слушать раз за разом. Но всё же не охуенными. Прям охуенным, кроме обложки, могу назвать самый попсовый трек, Sunday Morning. Он заходит сразу и не надоедает. Остальные – хорошие и отличные. Так, на самом деле даже бы ничего и не выкинул. Но по эмоциям отбиваются не сильно. Да и в целом альбом не похож на то, что я кому-то бы порекомендовал между делом. Так что твёрдая четвёрочка. Вот тут явно заметил, что моё восприятие порой сильно привязано к самочувствию и настроению. Альбом слушал несколько дней, сперва маленько душил, а однажды проснулся, включил и сказал: «Бля, хорошо же». И впрямь хорошо. Но не отлично.

Fav : venus in furs Beh c'est bien

Where cutting edge art and music met. This album encapsulates the era of Rock in NYC, while still being timeless enough to be appreciated all these years later.

classic. i think VU were coming up at this point. venus, sunday morning, waiting for the man, femme, heroin. all bangers

Really good album. It's easy to see it as one of the bridges between so many different genres. It's both all over the place and coherent.

blessed with 2 VU albums

I preferred side two. But overall I though it was lyrically and musically pretty average but I get it. At the time it would’ve seemed better

I liked this album! Different in a good way

4/5

Great album.Influenced many artists.

Surprised me!

An album I bought yonks ago without knowing much about the VU, and it hasn't disappointed. Some of these tracks are timeless - 'Venus In Furs' would be somewhere on the list of my favourite songs of all time. Nothing else quite sounds like it. The only fly in the ointment is Nico, I'm afraid. I don't buy the 'ice maiden' thing, and too often her contributions, whilst possessing a certain guileless charm, are simply clumsy

Esta guay

Really like Venus In Furs and Run Run Run and Heroin. Great art rock album with noise from Lou Reed. Strong 8/10, maybe 9

The Velvet Underground es de esas bandas que me gustan cuando las escucho (no tan seguido), pero que siento que ya no me pertenecen (?). Igual, revisitar este disco fue lindo y algo que siempre me impresiona de él es cómo con sonidos y tonos tan distintos entre canciones, lo pienso y sí me la creo como unidad. No que todos los discos deban serlo, pero aquí creo que funciona. Me gusta desde lo melódico y quizá hasta infantil de la música en "Sunday Morning" con todo y su letra en un punto medio entre la desesperación y la esperanza, hasta el final ruidoso, caótico de "European Son". Disfruto sobre todo "Femme Fatale" y "Heroin" y pus ya. 9/10

Definitely paved the way for punk, noise rock, alternative, and probably a thousand other mini genres. Must have been very provocative at release.

My parents were in their very early 20s when this came out. That blows my mind. I don’t think there’s a chance in hell that they listened to it then. Because I feel like if you hear “I’m Waiting for the Man” as a young person in 1968 then that’s pretty much game over. You’re not buying Steve Miller and John Denver records after that. And my dad definitely had THOSE records. Ah well… At any rate, I love how odd and imperfect it is but it will always need more Nico.

A classic but also a couple of songs I'm not so fond of. But on the whole, very enjoyable

Loved this album as a kid! Never noticed how bad the bass was off on Femme Fatale on my old cassette version. Still enjoyed it!

is this better than Loaded, no, but still was pretty and happy. each song I end up liking by the end. 🍌

Nico ruins a fantastic album

cool

A great album! Venus in Furs was a favourite and would gladly add to regular listening,

Cooler sound!

Each song has a pretty unique vibe

Great

Surprised how much i liked this

gut? Hab aber nicht so genau zugehört.

Venus in Furs has long been a favourite. It might even make my all-time top ten tunes, I get chills from it every time. There are some other good songs on this album, but Nico's voice drives me a bit nuts. Even the songs I don't like so much work well in the context of the entire album though. Highlights: The Black Angel's Death Song Venus in Furs

Awesome!!

Very good, very groovy... Velvety 😉

I gave this album my first listen back in high school, and I'll be honest, I didn't get it. The breadth of my musical knowledge wasn't as wide back then, and I couldn't appreciate the artsier sounds or the groundwork they laid for so many amazing bands and artists after. Now it's been a few years, and I hold some of those artists in my highest possible regard, artistically: Bowie, the Talking Heads, Joy Division/New Order, even more modern acts like LCD Soundsystem and the myriad post-punk outfits we have going today. So if I still don't fully "get it," I at least now totally appreciate this album as the source of inspiration for music I love that also happens to have more than a few great tracks on it as well. I'm not at the point yet where I can give it a perfect score (the second half is noticeably more hit or miss than the first imo), but this is an album I think I'll only appreciate more with age.

Where’s my mink?

I went through a real Lou Reed phase last lockdown. Love how honest and raw this album is.

Better than I remember. Not as boring.

It’s a bit avant garde but I always loved this album. My music teacher in college always used to say that only 1000 people bought this album but every one of them went on to start a successful band

Sure there are some great songs on this and sure everyone who heard it at the time wanted to start a band but it does go on a bit in places and sound a bit “of it’s age”. I would have given it 3.5 stars if I could, but I can’t and I’m feeling on the mean side

6/10

Nasty people making good music, a tale as old as time...

Some very cool moments, but unfortunately it just all seems a bit indulgent. I didn't hate it and I wanted to love it so that I could be a cool kid. Unfortunately I am still not cool and this album is a three for me dawg.

ummm

It seemed like a decent album but the last few songs are not worth listening to. 3 stars or C-.

It was interesting to hear the influence of bands like the Beach Boys and The Beatles. I found the first half of the album pleasent if forgetable. It got more interesting the further it got. I'll Be Your Mirror has special significance for me, and I really liked The Black Angel's Death Song.

Good album. One I’ve seen around a lot in record stores but never came around the listening to.

I’m sure the people at the time thought this was good, but mid for me in this present day

I don't hate The Velvet Underground, and I DO think they're culturally and historically significant. I also believe their lyrics are pure poetry. That said, I will never be a fan of Lou Reed's voice. He's got a voice that can never decide if singing or spoken word is more appropriate, and I wish he'd pick a lane and stick with it. But more than that, I'm just bored when I listen to The Velvet Underground. Now I will say this album is at least marginally more tolerable than their 1969 album.

Started stronger than it ended. Big "this is ok" vibes, but there isn't anything I can get excited about here.

One of the few albums whose cover bears neither the band's name nor the album's title, but instead features the signature of the well-known artist, who was also... Well, probably not the producer, but rather the band's artistic director. The record itself is considered influential on a huge number of guitar genres, but I didn't get it at all. Clearly, almost no one was making music like this at the time (or even any longer), but only about a third of the songs are truly impressive. Another third is unremarkable, monotonous rock with monotonous vocals (and equally monotonous in both Lou Reed and Nico), and the rest is downright cacophonous in places (I really wanted to turn off the final seven-minute track). Thanks for the musicians this album inspired to form their own bands, but a light three is enough for it.

A couple classics

Interesting first album.

Did a lot for Art Pop but Nico is a Nazi

The last song was very loud and experimental sounding.

Sometimes I didn't feel like I was listening to the same album. Nice album picture though. Fav song: I'll Be Your Mirror

(I'm sorry in advance for not giving this overwhelming praise) I thought this was mostly fine 60s music. Maybe doing a little bit better than most of their contemporaries, at least by not trying to blatantly sound like the Beatles, which I can't say for a lot of other bands around this time. I don't think they were doing anything super amazing that I want to ever go back and listen to, but I get how people's minds might have been slightly blown at the time. The songs with Nico were kinda weak, but they were ok. European Son is a stain on the album that almost made me drop it to a 2. Maybe a 2.5. They were essentially just showing off that the guitar can, in fact, make many noises. Discordant noisy nonsense. There was another song on here that was similar but I can't remember the name. Blah.

los primeros 30 segundos de Heroina de Sumo le pasan el trapo a todo lo que es este album hasta el tema Heroin. NO es bardeando del todo a the velvet underground, es un disco de los 60. Pero demuestra lo lejos que estamos en enfoques, de ese lado del hemisferio y de este. Un pelado, que nacio alla, se crio alla, y vino para el sur, hizo mas que esta banana inmunda. No es un desastre the velvet underground, pero es insipido hermano. LUCA NOT DEAD

Never could get into them, but I have full respect

Second Velvet Underground album I've encountered in this experience and what I would call *the* Velvet Underground album. While I fully understand the importance and influence this album had on music and musicians that I love, I thought it was just ok. I did enjoy the various styles showcased by the band, "Run, Run, Run" being my favorite cut, and ended up liking the album more than I thought but nothing more above a... 3/5

Favorite track - Venus In Furs

I had high hopes, but this was mostly boring. Not bad though.

Its ok, but not my thing.

Several good songs. 3.5 stars - round down for Nico and romanticizing heroin.

Extremely influential, caused explosion of new genres. Some songs felt very irksome. Heroin is the best song on the album. Such a real depiction of addiction. Not my typical music taste tho.

idk what i expected - expectations were certainly high because this seems to be a cult classic and an overall important album. there are some undeniable bangers but in-between those there are some more lackluster songs that failed to make much of an impression. but the highs are really really high, it's just that you really only wanna listen to the good ones. best songs: "Venus In Furs", "Heroin"

Very overrated, no highlights

no me gustó tanto, Femme Fatale muy buena

i actually listened to this maybe a week or so ago, i like nico’s voice it almost sounds like a church singer

Decent enough didn't set the world on fire but some tracks were good Dylan vocals nice guitar some decent production

I liked it, appreciated the easy flow, nothing grabbed me though! Liked the guitar solos

2.5

I know this is the iconic one, but I heard the two following albums first and fell in love with that version of the velvet underground. This is fine, but a bit boring at times. "Heroin", "I'm waiting for the man" and "European son" and "sunday morning" stand out, but not among my favorites songs by the band. The Nico songs drag it down for me though. At the end of it I listened through "White light / White heat" and realized that'll likely make my "You like more than most" list at some point.

ALMOST THERE I really liked Femme Fatale MMM 3

Good for background, enjoyed the first track but the rest a bit forgettable, didn’t enjoy the discordant tracks

Perfectly fine listen. Nothing special

i think this one is very overrated but i definitely enjoyed few songs like ''European Son'' and ''I'm Waiting For The Man''

This one's the one that's overrated, "Venus in furs" still is a banger though

pretty good! no initial standouts but i think if i do a re-listen i will find more songs i like.

I'm kind of disappointed in this album

Interesting but I never fully click with this album. I find the distortion tiring after awhile

3.5 always enjoyable. Gets into the weeds a bit on the latter half.

2,5 rounded to 3.

I really liked quite a few songs on here, Nico's voice is great and Lou's voice is... unique - but for the love of god please stop with the distortion and noises and screeching.

Didn't particularly enjoy this but hard not to hear some of the influences on generations of indie rock

This album is the sonic manifestation of psychosis. Some strokes of brilliance, but mostly incoherent chaos. Probably what it feels like to be addicted to hard drugs, which is very interesting conceptually and kind of genius in how that state of mind is captured in music. Ultimately not really my taste, but cool Warhol album cover and spacey/reverby vocal recording.

Grand album, beaucoup de musiques légendaires (Heroin, I'll be Your Mirror, Venus in Furs). Certaines chansons expérimentales me plaisent moins (European Son est inaudible) mais la majorité des autres, et des classiques pop avec Nico sont mémorables

I had really high hopes for this album and while I applaud the experimentation, mostly I found it boring.

Been meaning to listen to these guys. Ok. Interesting. Weird. I mean like yeah it's good but it's also kinda just noise. Nico's voice is kinda annoying. It's very German. This is weird. I understand why it was polarizing back in the day. Idk how to feel about this really. It's kinda funky. Long fuckin songs eh. Favourite: Heroin Least favourite: European Scene

Hmm I much prefer the songs with Nicos vocals. I dont like the Velvet Ungerground lead a couple songs The Black Angles Death and Heroin were hard to listen too. Understand they are telling a story but yea not my favourite. Even the last song Eruopean Son I didnt enjoy so much. I played poker whilst listening but yea so it was passive listening but I think its a 3 out of 5 for Nico only otherwise be a 2. 3 out of 5 more than 2.5 than 3

Nasty and raw, and sometimes, it's how I like it

Classic banana over white album cover. I've been eager for this one to pop up on the generator. I've been fed a lot of Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, and I finally get to the beginning, which feels like exactly that. It feels like it's got all the pieces that represent Reed's career, without the pretty hashed out bits I tend to appreciate. This is easily my favorite Velvet Underground record, which honestly doesn't mean much. Nico works pretty well on here, as an instrument, as a break from the Reed vocals to have a different sensation with the same awkward band. Of course this is a pioneer in art rock, but I think they do it better later on. The only thing that isn't blatantly commercial is the theme of the lyrics, which can feel tame by today's standards, and the last track. It's kind of like eating a very sweet banana, with the peel on. 3.1/5

The sound is definitely ahead of its time and I can see why it inspired a lot of bands just to try music as a group. Some of the songs in the back half lost me a bit; never have been a big fan of discordance. But others would definitely be growers on another listen.

I had an okay time. If there was more like Heroin (the song, NOT the drug. #StraightEdge4Lyfe) I would’ve felt it more but alas. Still good though

Is it possible I didn’t know Lou Reed was the velvet underground despite loving Lou Reed? I can’t tell. Wouldn’t put it past me. His voice seems different maybe? I think I need to relisten to this when I’m less melancholic and can read the lyrics. I want to understand why this is considered so impactful because it didn’t stand out to me on first (or second) listen. I already loved a few songs and they remained my faves (Femme Fatale, etc). Do they end sentences like Bob Dylan?

Bueno, vi que tenía mucho hate y tenía bajas expectativas, pero está bastante bien. La portada icónica. Seguramente lo vuelva a escuchar, pero no destaco ninguna canción, quizá “femme fatale”.

Sparked interest in places but don’t think it’s really for me.

Hard to separate it from all the bad singing “auteurs” that were inspired by it. Couple nice tunes.

It's okay! Had some head bop moments but overall not my favorite style.

Feels like leather

This album would be a lot better without: 1. Nico (boring) 2. The last track (noise). Otherwise solid.

Hörbar bis unhörbar

I was expecting to love this. I did not. Feels like Heroin carries not only the album, but its legacy.

2.5

listen, I get it, but it doesn't mean I love it

OK, I get it. Andy Warhol, avant garde, etc... but this is SUCH a difficult listen. I'm surprised it has such cult/classic status. Also, I this may be an unpopular opinion, but I find Nico's vocal sound to be obnoxious.

It's just like modern art, "art" rock I don't get. Sure there are a few good to very good tracks on here, but a lot of it is just noise. It seems overrated to me. I guess it's good that this exists to influence better artists and albums.

knew 1 song but the rest were.. fine. there were unnecessary parts but overall its okay

Name two velvet underground songs. Bet you can't. Listen to this album. You still can't. Do some drugs. Now try. Still can't? Ok, but now you're high and listening to the velvet underground, which is the correct way to listen to this.

Influential album from VU

Favorite song: Heroin

It was ok. Had a few vibe-y songs, but not really my speed

6/10. El primer tema es muy bueno. Por lo demás hasta ahora viene siendo bastante repetitivo. Igualmente todo lo relacionado a este disco me atrae, me interesa conocer más sobre la historia relacionado, ya que es un álbum muy reconocido y popular.

Andy Warhol created some truly iconic album covers - alongside “Sticky Fingers,” this one is probably the best known. I still find the idea of incorporating tactile elements - in this case, the banana peel - into the cover particularly striking (even though there have been many imitators since then, though none nearly as successful). Consequently, the Velvet Underground - already generating so much visual buzz - also enlisted a supermodel to accompany them in the studio and on stage. There’s music on the album, too, but in my view, it doesn’t even come close to matching the image I just described. Lou Reed’s outlandish ideas come through here pretty much unfiltered, which doesn’t sound nearly as good as that sentence does. Large sections are original, but by no means catchy. And Nico? Well, she certainly isn’t singing on the album because of her brilliant vocal technique... My recommendation: while listening to “Sunday Morning,” slowly peel the banana, drink an espresso, smoke something if you like, and then switch to a later Lou Reed album in good time!

Very old. Sounds like The Rolling Stones from the same era.

Listened to this album a few months back, enjoyed some of it, but wasn't a big fan of some other songs on it. Sunday morning is catchy but for some reason it pisses me off.

Eh this was a weak 3. Wasn’t life changing and wasn’t horrible. Won’t be revisiting

I was gonna say this sounds like some 60s shit and it is. Can we stop with the soft rock now plz

Very complex and deep album that touches on deep topics like drugs, death, and more. The lyrics to this album were very well written and complicating (“The Black Angel’s Death Song” had the most complicated lyrics in my opinion). Not usually my type of music but my favorites were “Heroin” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror”. The song I really don’t like is the song “Venus In Furs” because the song’s meaning was weird to listen to. I will give it a 3/5 but maybe when I get further in this challenge my music taste will be more diverse.

I like the Velvet Underground. I like Lou Reed's voice. I don't particularly like Nico's voice, but she isn't on this all that much. I know and love Sunday Morning. I also recognized Femme Fatale, Heroin, Venus in Furs, and I'm Waiting for the Man.

I Iiked Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow’s Parties, There She Goes Again, and I’ll Be Your Mirror. The last two tracks weren’t my cup of tea and they were really hard to listen to. I wouldn’t have expected myself to like 5 songs off this album. This is coming from someone trying to expand their music taste.

5/11 I love the front page, But the songs aren't as good as the cover in my books.

Wasn't really paying attention, but I feel like I understand the hype and what it evokes for people who are die-hard fans. I can see myself enjoying the album while driving on a back country road with the windows down or sitting by a lake and staring out into the horizon, but I'm at my desk, so the whole listening experience went by quickly.

its a classic but not that good

An interesting record. I wasn't sure at first, but it grew on me as I could start to understand the shift vs more traditional 60s folk. I feel like I have a glimpse of why this album was so different from the times, but I'll need to give it a few more listens.

Decent, all around. Wished it got a little bit more funky here and there.

Some of the reviews here are handing out five stars while excusing some of the major flaws in this work. Instruments are played poorly, guitar solo's sound phoned in with no punch, noise walls with no point, out of tempo drums, poor sound quality, singers missing the mark... I am not going to deny its cultural impact, but even in its own moment that wasn't great. All its importance was superimposed later, because art. Someone should do a sociological study on how that happens. Sunday morning, heroin and waiting for my man are good, the rest not so much.

Alright! I liked a couple songs. Very raw feeling with some of them, lots of interesting instrumentals- some of which shouldn’t be listened to with a headache. 3.5 out of 5? Fav songs were Sunday Morning and Run Run Run.

Okaish

leuk maar ook vaag

The quality of the recording and performance is often just a bit too low quality, but some songs are good.

не плохой, но не зацепил я услышала, почему этот альбом да и сама группа стала одним из переломных моментов в роке

Die nico songs sind alle echt nicht so gut, der rest der songs geht so von okay bis echt gut

3.3/5

3,5/5

Like the guitar riffs & solos. Very of its era and got that distinctive sound. Not a bad album, a few tracks seem slightly filler like. Would listen again.

started smooth but wtf was up with some of those tracks

better than i remember it to be but meh

gracias a adventureland es que escucho the velvet underground y lou reed. pero creo que también por eso mismo gravito más a los otros discos. este es bueno pero creo que si es un gusto adquirido.

Слушабельно

It’s okay, Sunday morning is good. I really wanted to like femme fatale but the distortion does not work for me.

Nico. Oof

This was ok. Songs were somewhat similar-sounding, but pretty mellow for the most part.

This album hits like a roller coaster. The highs (Heroin, Waiting For The Man, Sunday Morning) are brilliant but at times the album devolves into chaos which is pretty hard on the ears (European Sun). I definitely like the Nico bits less than the Lou Reed bits

I've heard this album before, and I think it's alright. I definitely liked it more this time around, but I still do not at all get why, it is so praised

its a bit good

I've listened to this album so many times trying to get myself to like it and I just don't. On paper I should love it. I don't know what it is - maybe I just don't like Nico? I'm a big fan of Velvet Underground's other albums without her. Other than Sunday Morning, the rest feels pretty mid.

Kinda overblown in my opinion. I think their association with Warhol and gang raised their status more so than their actual music. Not terrible though.

I had a hard time with this album. Some of these songs are amazing like "Sunday morning", "I'll be your mirror" and "Femme Fatal". ... But some other are just pretensious bullshit. "European son", "The Black Angel's Death Song" and, dare I say it, "Heroin" are just painfull to listen to. Doesnt help that the production is ABYSMAL. Yeah I know that this album is super influencial, a must hear, a classic, invented music, whatever idc, I think it aged like milk. If this album was released today, nobody would like it. But overall, I dont completely hate it and I can see why its so beloved by music nerds. In paper atleast. Banana/5

En trea men hade hoppas på mer. Det bästa med skivan är nog omslaget. Jäkla bra omslag dock!

Estuvo bien

Not bad for 1969. Couple songs too long

Meh a tad dreary for me but still ok. SUnday Morning....

Enjoyable, art-y.

Enjoyable but won't revisit

Big 3 star energy

Aye not bad. Enjoyed it overall but felt some of the songs went on a bit too long for me

This album is a classic that I don't fully connect with. I like the first half much more than the second. In my opinion, it loses steam. I appreciate the complex simplicity, which is an ongoing motif throughout the record. The songs aren't obsessed with being perfect. They feel gritty and natural. The lyrics are also on point, with strong vocal delivery to match. The raw songwriting, whose themes range from urban decay to prostitution, adds to the album’s identity. The instrumentals are also worth mentioning. I also need to acknowledge how influential this record is, as it pushed boundaries and inspired many artists. I feel that if I spend more time with it, my opinion might improve, but on first listen, the second half was hard to get through. The songs that stood out are "Sunday Morning", "Femme Fatale" and "Venus in Furs".

I did not love it, I did not hate it. It was ok and looks like it's really influential. I had to stop in the middle of the last song, my head was hurting already. Besides that, solid.

7/10

not as good as i expected as well

Just don’t understand the infatuation with this band. They are fine, but it is all pretty average.

Really thought this would blow me away but alas

A good experience - a band I always knew about, but never really listened to. +1 Fan.

I get why it's important but not as listenable as some of Lou's other work, to taking it from 4 to 3.

I don't really get it. The last song european son is interesting. I'm sure that in the context of when the album came out this was more edgy than it is today. Sounds like regular 60's rock to me, but it probably influenced a lot.

276/1089 i know of this one for the cover art and literally nothing else i think so let’s see what’s up sunday morning does sound a bit familiar the first 3 tracks were not really it for me but Venus in Furs hooked me, so i’m happy to have found at least 1 song that i find interesting and good-sounding. The strings in it give the song a lot more depth and intrigue to me okay, the album is solid if you discount the first 3 songs imo faves: Venus in Furs, Heroin 52/100

Good beats, but just okay.

Kind of like the doors and the birds…

Never heard this album before, was expecting more

Reminds me a lot of the songs from this era. Very "Rocky Horror just started showing + Some lou reid "Wild side" and it seems pretty chill? Kinda inspired by the stones of the time. Don't think I'll add this one to the rotation, but I'm not disappointed in the suggestion. Run Run Run was a huge shift from the previous. Wondering if this one is much more popular or not. This is the foundation of british rock/pop and I guess that makes sense.

This album has cult-classic status these days. I've never listened to the whole thing through before today, and I just don't get it. Well, ok, I get it a little more, but I'm still not all the way there. It's dissonant and cacophonous but still fuzzy and smooth and it works. The guitar often works against the droning rhythms of the songs but it's somehow fitting, and it's the sound that defines the band ("Heroin" being the most extreme example). I get kind of a feeling of dread and anticipation listening through the album. I can only imagine how it would sound if I was listening in the 60s and 70s and high as a kite. My dislikes are 1) Nico's vocal parts. She kind of kills any momentum the band had picked up between her appearances and 2) ending the album on "European Son" just sucked. Absolutely killed any vibes I got from the album. It was like bleaching your brain in a bad way to forget everything good you just heard and sending you off with a kick in the ass. Standout tracks on this listen were "Sunday Morning" "Venus In Furs" and "All Tomorrow's Parties" I'll have to sit with this one for a minute, but I think it's a 3/5 for me. It certainly doesn't deserve any less, but I don't know if I think it's that great. There were too many things that irked me.

You totally belonged if you had this banana album. Even then, it was clear that Lou Reed would become a global star.

I liked the Nico songs.

I couldn’t get into the Velvet Underground in high school when all my music nerd friends kept pitching it at me, and I still don’t get into it. I mean, it’s not that it’s altogether terrible (it does have its points that qualify though), it’s just never been all that interesting to me. Listening to it now, a couple of the songs are ok, but I really don’t feel like I’ve missed out having ignored this record for the past 30 years. Also, Nico is a sorry excuse of a singer, and I feel like I have a high tolerance for unorthodox approaches to vocals. 5.5/10

Some great melodies and easy listening at its best, but not as mind blowing as I expected. Abrasive at times. Favorite songs: Sunday Morning, I’ll Be Your Mirror

Ik kon geen 1ster geven, sorry Jonathan 😉

Buen álbum, rico en sonidos. Me gustó mucho I'll Be Your Mirror, European Son no me termina de cerrar musicalmente. Algunas canciones son difíciles de digerir, mientras otras fluyen con total facilidad. Tiene una vibra muy específica all in all.

Pretty chill album, I liked most of the song but only a few made them on my playlist, not really my style of music, for my taste I give a 7 out of 10

Weird, but not bad.

Never gotten into velvet underground so this was interesting. Some lovely songs and some strange ones.

Algunos temas estan buenos y escuchables, otros no tanto, esta bueno como experimental, pero no me parece tan ameno

Sunday Morning Femme Fatale Heroin-Interesting Mirror-Sweet

es un buen album en general, pero no me termina de cerrar, tiene momentos q buscan experimentar y no sale muy bien y mucho ruido raro, encima el final del último tema es malo y deja mala impresión

Until this album popped up for me, I never realized that The Velvet Underground started out as The Velvet Underground and Nico. Evidently, Nico was forced out of the group shortly after this record was released, and I have to say that after listening to the album, the songs she sang lead on just didn't seem to fit. The rest of the album had a sound that was way ahead of its time and I would have never guessed it was recorded in the 60s, whereas the songs she sang lead on had a 60s psychedelic sound to them. I knew a few of the songs on the album, but not super familiar with it. Definitely different than what I expected. Clearly a groundbreaking album for the time and deserves to be on all of the "greatest album" lists, but definitely not for everyone.

This is not my cup of tea. I respect the artistry and ambient feel of the album, but I am not the biggest fan of Lou Reed in general. It's a well made album, with great production value and great songwriting, but I don't like the artist.

Not an every day listen, but i appreciate it.

always seen this album being on many lists and recommended by many people and finally gave it a listen. it was good, not an everyday listen though. thought i would say this is definitely one of the most mainstream experimental-, art-, avant-garde rock album i've heard.

Haven't been propertly connecting with these albums for a few weeks while too busy to listen properly. Did sit and properly absorb this though. Outside 'Venus in Furs' that remains cool, despite it being everywhere , tonight I gravitated towards the more experimental tracks (Black Angel Death Songs, European Son). Not really keen on the tracks with Nico. Hard one to rate on the star rating. I will listen to this again. err, 3.5 stars.

very calm intro, very 60's, reminds me of beatles. this is supposed to be played on a car ride, like driving south to LA and its like in one of the hottest spring day. i only like nico's voice imho. 3/5

nothing special after sunday morning … sorry

Es un disco que no me enloqueció, pero me transmitió las vibes de la epoca.

Somebody explain this one to me because I don’t get it. I also don’t do drugs…so.

2026.03.25.

The cover is iconic, but the audio is mostly a tough listen

Chill oldy classic. Jaime mieux la voix de nico.

okay

So as one of the apparently influential albums ever, and such a recognisable cover, fair to say this album had a reputation before I listened to it. Having done this series though I have learned to temper my expectations, and I’m glad I have learned that as if I hadn’t I think I would have been very disappointed in this. This was fine. I’m beginning to think I’m not as impressed by this type of music as the general music listener, but I respect it for what it is. There is nothing absolutely awful about this, but I wouldn’t say there was anything that really really pulled me in. It to me was just super okay. I will relisten to see if anything changes, but as of now it’s cool.

Not entirely sure how to feel about this one. I've never had an album fluctuate so wildly between grating and interesting. Maybe there was a sound quality issue with the version I listened to, I'm unsure.

gave us weezer

ahh that's much better

Looks cool

It was good, I wanted it to be great.

Sobrevalorado

Always like VU.

5/10

love the banana album. im surprised that i got so annoyed at haunting violins. highs and lows that average out to pretty good. favorite song is I'm Waiting For The Man, but i do love Heroin

Feels like I've acquired ADHD halfway through this last song. Kind of a decent jam sesh and is almost charming in how strummy and scattered it is, but ultimately it's decent at best and not something I'm itching to go back and listen to again 4.7/10

Loses points for Nico's tone deaf drawling, which ruined some otherwise good music

I previously enjoyed one of Lou Reed's solo albums, Berlin, so I was excited to listen to my first Velvet Underground album. This album contains a mixture of noisy, experimental songs with songs that I can only describe as basic pop-rock. I was underwhelmed by most of the songs, which made me wonder what was considered so revolutionary about this album. I'm guessing it was the subject matters, ranging from BDSM to drug use. The darkest, dirtiest songs were the ones that I enjoyed the most, namely Venus In Furs and Heroin. 3.5/5

I think I'm more fascinated by the lore of Velvet Underground / Lou Reed than I am with their music. Sometimes it just sounds out of tune and offbeat to me which turns off my ears a little bit. However, this album is very reflective of its time in that it's distinctly 1960's and sounds like it could not have possibly come from any other decade.

Never actively listened to this record until now. It's good enough to listen to again.

An interesting piece of rock history.

A number of song I like, nothing I absolute love

Very 60's music, I'm surprised this was considered an experimental album. The only songs I find all that experimental are "Sunday Morning", which sounds VERY contemporary, "Heroin" for it's dissonance at the end, "The Black Angel's Death Song", and "European Son". None of these are experimental by today's standards I think, but I could see it being experimental back in the 60's. I don't hate this album by any means, but I don't love it.

Overall impression 3.5. Some great songs such as "There she goes again" but some harsh edges hold it back from being a n easy favorite.

this is how i find out lou reed was in the velvet underground. i was like wow this sounds like lou reed and what do you know

Not really my style at the moment, couple of nice songs (Sunday Morning, There she goes again) but some songs seeemed way too messy. Liked i'll be your mirror too

pretty good some songs were mid tho

I do like Femme Fatale.

Glad this album exists and for its time it made great shockwaves. At this point though I've heard these songs so much that I don't really get much out of them anymore and at worst start yawning before they're over.

Iconic record, and I love the music. I just can't handle Nico's vocals. They're like nails on a chalkboard. Favorite track: Waiting for the Man

I struggle with this one, mid 3? A couple classic tracks but doesn't really go anywhere or do much for me

Sitting in 2026, this feels... fine? I can definitely see how important it is in the history of rock and roll; that being said, it is a middle-of-the-road record to me. Funnily enough, the only song that really gave an impact was European Son, mostly because of the way it feels like the album is actively falling apart as it's being played.

Možda sam malo preterao sa hejtom, oprosti mi Ema..... Ne znam zašto baš je loše zvučalo kad sam slušao. Možda sam čuo samo loše delove jer se nisam nešto posvetio slušanju albuma. Poslušaću ponovo... Za sad svakako 2,75/5 Edit: vrv neću poslušati.....

Znam za ovo jako dugo skroz mi je okej ne znam čemu toliki hejt Milijane HAHAHA

Album- The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967) Favorite song from album- All Tomorrow's Parties Album Rating 6.5/10 Not my type of music tho. No songs added to playlist Listened to while playing Terraria and yapping till 5am Made me question what it means to be human Similar Niche to The Beatles (but better) Heroin gave me anxiety European son brings the album down a whole point

There were a fee songs I really enjoyed but I think on the whole it’s a little to prog in the wrong direction for me. Some of the songs like Heroin and European Son were really grating in my opinion, while others like Sunday Morning and Femme Fatale were great. 6/10.

Not terrible by any means but not my favorite? I think Femme Fatale is the best prolly

The Velvet Underground remains a band that I think is interesting (and obviously important) more than one I'd often like to actually listen to. The best part of the album is Nico's voice. Some good tracks for feeling relaxed and cool, like maybe if I wanted to walk around the East Village wearing sunglasses and smoking. Some of the more chaotic/experimental noise stuff feels a little like a precursor to Life Without Buildings, but then again, everything on this album is a precursor to like all of popular rock for the next several decades. Favorite tracks: Heroin, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror.

There's some all time classics on this album, but also some rather "mid" ones.

Craig: didn’t like it as much as I expected. Still some bangers though. Courtney: great until the last two tracks and they were both like a cheese grater on my brain.

Mixed feelings about this album, on one hand, I'm not a fan of Nico one bit, and that sound is really off-putting for me. Meanwhile, the stuff with Lou Reed is fairly interesting, and those first tracks (especially the opener of Sunday Morning) were an enjoyable listen. Never been the biggest fan of this style of psychedelic rock, but it is certainly influential on music from this point. Also, that last track really drags on. I'll keep this as a three for now, but if I relisten it might feel like a drag instead of appreciating it more.

Not my taste but it's decent.

I remember buying this when I was a teenager, listening to the opening track and thinking this will be up my street….. and some of it was, the more avant guard, art rock wig out stuff, whilst I am it sure was exciting in 1967, deducts points for me. I like it overall but feel it could have been a stone cold classic if it had less…. How do I put this…. art bollocks? 3.4

Similar to "Chelsea Girl" there is something to this album that pulls me in, even given it's not my typical style of music. Something mysteriously charming about a 60's minimalist record I guess.

venus in furs, that's all i have to say

Complete grower. Started to love it after a few listens.

some highlights for sure

The first few songs are great especially Waiting for a man but the album tails off soon after and the last few tracks are just noise. I can hear how this is considered so influential for it’s time but musically it’s a bit hit and miss

Fine I guess.. Känns väldigt overrated. EDIT: Lyssnade igen, var väl lite väl taskig med 2, höjer till 3

6.5/10

this is like a cult classic or something? it wasn't bad but certainly interesting. last song was a headache to listen to tho Would I listen again: nah, not my thing Deserves to be on this list: yeah for the cover art alone 3.2

Not too bad. Some songs I really enjoyed, while others not as much. Some songs were not my cup of tea, but I could still find them interesting.

This is different from the records being made at the same time. Darker and portraying a gritty life. Nico's voice is a bit of a drone but the bsnd is good. I prefer Lou Reed on his own.

Banco lo experimental y raro pero en European Son parece que invitaron a un afilacuchillos en su primer día de trabajo mientras abría un portón al que le faltaban 4 litros de aceite. En la foto de Spotify el cantante parece Esteban Lamothe. Ta bien, capaz que si lo escucho un par de veces más le doy 4 estrellas. Sape

Not bad, couple of familiar songs, some rambling songs. The guitar sound is a little on the irritating side for me

i struggle with some of the tracks - enjoy some of the others. another cover art jem of course.

Nice vibes. Just not exactly for me.