White Light / White Heat

My friend Dave and I spent a heady weekend back in 1969 tripping to this colossal record on some ridiculously strong hallucinogen. It was pure liquid acid, dripped onto centimetre cubes of plaster of paris, which you had to keep in the freezer to prevent the drug evaporating. Having chewed and swallowed a cube apiece, we listened to “Sister Ray” at huge volume, pinioned in our chairs. It was my first and only true synaesthetic experience: I could actually see this music, a turbulent, roiling maelstrom in which, though merely mono, the various constituent elements were clearly visible as a three-dimensional sculpture of visual sound. Dave died.

These boys either need to get laid or take a break from fucking. I can't tell which.

This album had a 17 minute electric jazz song about a blowjob.

pretty fucking horrible

To say I'm baffled is an understatement. I had to triple check that I was listening to the right album, especially after reading some of the reviews. There's about 3 half-songs on this record and the rest is noise. And those half-songs are OKAY, not great. In what universe does someone sit down and listen to "sister ray" - 17 and a half minutes of fuzzy garbage - and enjoy the experience? I had to lower the volume down, it was literally hurting my ears. Same with "I heard her call my name". Wtf am I missing...?

Poor Waldo ...

this album kinda OWNAGE maybe??????????????????????????????? fucking weird ass lo-fi sloppy as hell noise rock, especially for 1968. the last track is especially insane. like weird improvisational bullshit wasnt unprecedented (Jazz Music) but im pretty sure this is one of the first times a rock album sounded like this ? the hard panning on The Gift is annoying at first but i think it fits the songs fucked up vibe. honestly this album as a whole just has a super fucky vibe, feels completely out of touch with reality at times. majorly respect this for proceeding all the fucked up lofi nonsense i love 9/10

Oh fuck off

VU at its best

This list has made me realise I can't do the Velvet Underground. It's experimental for experimental-sake. It's like getting some sixth form students together studying art with ok-ish musical ability and telling them they have 4 weeks to come up with something outside the box. This is literally that album. Waffle. Sister Ray the only bearable song, for about 7 minutes. Then it just descends into yet more shite.

Another band that have this mythical reputation yet sound like absolute dog pants. Awful, 0 good songs.

literally terrible there were such random screeching noises and i cannot think of any way this is influential i literally hate this album no offense

I am once again upset with myself for not owning this album. In fact, I don’t have any of the John Cale VU’s on vinyl, and I don’t know why. Oh yeah, this album inspired pretty much every band I’ve ever liked, ever. 5 stars

I can feel it influencing me

Probably the most open and boundary pushing VU album. John Cale's influence is felt the most here, both on tracks like The Gift and in the instrumentation. Each VU album has it's own special place in my heart, and while I don't know if I could choose a favorite, this is always a fun one to put on because it's very much not the "greatest hits" but still makes a very compelling argument for what a great band they were.

epic, a near perfect record! a must own

crazy

Nr. 102/1001 White Light /White Heat 3/5 The Gift 1/5 Lady Godiva's Operation 2/5 Here She Comes Now 3/5 I Heard Her Call My Name 2/5 Sister Ray 1/5 (2x) Average: 1,86 At times pretty unlistenable. Just doing something that isn't mainstream or sounds new doesn't automatically make it good.

It hurts my ears!!!!! It's so good!!!!!

White Boy/ White Boy

so ahead of its time. i love how noisy this album is. it is to noise rock, punk, and no wave (among other genres) what helter skelter was to heavy metal. sister ray is one of my fav 10+ minute songs ever

I was hoping to get a good album for my birthday, and here it is. I actually just listened to this album yesterday. I'm on a big Lou Reed/VU kick because I just finished reading a biography of Lou Reed. I think all four of the "real" VU albums (the 5th one is basically a Doug Yule solo album) are 5 star albums. This one is the noisiest and the ugliest in a way, but out of ugliness comes great beauty. This is also the last VU album with John Cale, which makes it even more special. His keyboard playing on the Sister Ray jam is epic. 5 stars.

I love The Velvet Underground. Every album of theirs is distinct and different. This one - their second - is their strangest. The music is mostly fuzzed out, low-fi rock and the production is unpolished and sloppy in a way that feels confrontational towards the listener. The songs are an odd batch. The title track is simple enough (before deteriorating into noise right at the end) but is quickly followed by "The Gift," a weird little short story about a man who mails himself to his girlfriend and gets a knife to the head when she cuts the box open. The background music simmers underneath, keeping a steady beat while the guitar riffs on some psychedelic vibes. "Lady Godiva's Operation" continues the psychedelic music while telling the story of a botched sex change operation. I love how Lou Reed jumps in to emphasize certain words in a monotone voice. It's a crude, jarring effect that I think is really funny. The first half ends with "Here She Comes Now," a beautiful gem of a song and a generous track to include on an otherwise abrasive album. (Nirvana does some really good covers of this song.) But then the real chaos starts. "I Heard Her Call My Name" is a blast of noise and feedback that turns out to just be a warm-up for the 17-minute "Sister Ray," a truly insane assault on the ears. You can really get lost in it. Lou Reed's vocals are wild too as he shouts about drugs and sex. "Too busy sucking on a ding-dong!" must have been a controversial thing to include on an album in 1968 but it's also hilarious. It's nice to know that even as the band was upending what rock music could be and inventing new styles, they had a sense of humor about it all. It's aggressive for sure but you can hear them having fun too.

Absolut hilarious und wunderbar grotesk die Geschichte vom armen Waldo, unschlagbar sweet und leicht unbeholfen mit walisischem Zungenschlag vorgelesen von John Cale - der mir überhaupt sehr gut gefällt, auch als Sänger von Lady Godiva. Man möchte baden in dieser Platte, und man kann. In der wohligen, flauschigen Wärme genauso wie in der überall wogenden Salzsäure sich auflösen und transzendent werden - als heißweiße Hitze, kaltweißes Licht. Sister Ray halt - wie schön das genau NICHT auf den Punkt bringt, was sich ausstrecken will, einsaugen lässt. Verstärker, Verstärker.

Liked it a lot.

First off, listening to this sober is the wrong move. Also, looking for traditional song structure? Look else where. This one is for the druggies by the druggies. I honestly think this one is SO ahead of its time. Like, Yo La Tengo and Dinosaur Jr. were trying to sound like this 20-30 years on. If you dig early 90s indie noise rock you'll probably find something here to appreciate. I fucking dig it, not for everyone though obviously.

buen disco

Experimental and interesting

What the everlasting fuck?

Claramente no es un disco que a la mayoría le guste. En su tiempo fue recibido con muchas reservas aunque después los críticos han exaltado su influencia en la música. Entiendo el mérito que tiene por proponer cosas disruptivas y que es un volado que puede impresionar a la gente o parecer repulsivo. Pero el mérito no lo es todo. Las letras me parecen muy interesantes y supongo estas letras que hoy parecieran normales eran escandalosas en su tiempo. El tema de las distorsiones me parece muy interesante, los cambios de voces también y si el punto era experimentar en crear un disco feo, disonante e incómodo para probar algún punto o llevar la contraria, vaya que lo lograron. Pero reconocer el mérito no equivale a gustar o disfrutar. Creo que es importante haberlo escuchado pero no es algo que me interese volver a escuchar.

Don’t like the album Music instruments sound harsh on the ears and lyrics are not appealing 1.5/5

Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Pixies - Wave of Mutilation Wire - Champs Minutemen - #1 Hit Song Talking Heads - Thank you for sending me Yo La Tengo - Stockholm Syndrome

Garbage. Maybe a 1.5???????? Prob not I shouldn't give it any credit

Fire

En cette matinée du 9 mars 2022, Robert a donc décidé de nous enchaîner la gueule de deux albums de rock experimental. Les deux albums sont evidemment cataclysmiques, le premier nous présentant differents primates hurlant sur un fond de tam tam, tandis que le second passe en revue tout l'assortiment du rayon quincaillerie de Bricot Depot. Ceci a generé non pas un album mais une haine phénoménale en moi. Je me suis donc dirigé directement chez Robert, suis rentré dans son domicile sans frapper, et me suis rué sur ce dernier dans un élan de fureur. Je l'ai attrapé par le col, et rué de coups, afin qu'il retienne bien la leçon. Une fois son quart d'heure terminé, il m'a certifié qu'il tenterait de faire mieux sur les prochains albums.

Ovaj album je strava, a tek Sister Ray stvar? Uf.

Tits on a stick.

Crimely over looked in favour of the debut album. This is the Velvets at their difficult, anti-flower power best. I can only assume that a lot of the wilder elements of the Velvets originated from John Cale as the John Cale-less third album is positively bland in comparison.

What a downright dirty album. I remember here this about 20 years ago and wondering what the hell was going on kind of expecting VU&Nico part 2 but with every listen it gives more and more and more. I think it took the rest of the music world to catch up too. The alt-rock scene owes so much to this record. As much jazz using feedback as a sax, to punk, to alt-rock to psycadelia to brain melting noise this is a pure 5*

A prophetic blast of feedback and grimy noise.

Love this band, so many great and weird sounds.

music 2

I can never say enough good things about The Velvet Underground, bunch of geniuses that made some of the most creative music of all time. Also Sister Ray is probably the greatest song ever made, I honestly can't think what else would take it's place.

Lowkey I dug the shit out of this

Velvets get an instant 5. This one is probably my third favorite of theirs. I’m more of a Reed fan than Cale but Cale still absolutely crushes it on this one. It’s tough to think of anything to say that hasn’t been said. So far ahead of the curve it’s hard to comprehend. Like they turn the fuzziness of the Who all the way up into noise rock territory 15-20 years before most everyone else. Lou’s guitar on the Gift is some of my favorite too Rating: 4.8

Este LP es esencial para la invención del Punk. Crudo, intenso, repetitivo, grosero, y perfecto. En mi opinión, este esfuerzo de Cale y Reed supera con creces a su debut, sorprendiendo con paisajes sonoros realmente innovadores para la época en que fue concebido y lanzado. Si no lo has escuchado, te has perdido una parte esencial del ethos de la música alternativa. Sumamente recomendable y un disco que realmente se gana su lugar en esta lista.

10/10

The Velvet Underground at their noisiest, wildest, and most experimental. The first time I listened to this album, I didn't vibe with it at ALL, but by the next day I loved it. Love this band and just about all their work, and this album is no exception - a true classic I'm glad to revisit.

White Light / White Heat is a fantastic foray into very early punk rock. The Velvet Underground were lyrically transgressive, and likely one of the first bands to demonstrate to the audience, through their lyrics, that they were the embodiment of Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Best: Whole Album Worst: N/A Note: the Link to the album above on Spotify is the deluxe version. I only listened to the original album.

There's the iconic debut LP featuring Nico. And then, there's this sophomore album that is the best representation of what the Velvet Underground sounded like *live*. And it's wild, man. Wild. Countless modern genres find their origin in this record (punk, noise-rock, no wave, indie rock...). The shorter tracks go from messy, animated rockers (the title track, "I Heard Her Call My Name") to abrasive-yet-stellar ballads ("Here She Comes Now", " Lady Godiva's Operation") in the vein of the band's debut. Yet it's in the two longer, fully experimental dirges ("The Gift", and the absolutely insane "Sister Ray") that Lou Reed's mad genius shines the most. After this album, John Cale would leave that freaky circus and be replaced by Doug Yule, who would help the VU record two more jewels (*The Velvet Underground* and *Loaded*). But I guess that's a story for another time, kiddies. Number of albums left to review: 184 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 355 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 204 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 259

Just one of the best alternative albums ever made (-: The Gift: who can think of such a song comes from different planet, one I like to live in. Left the sad story, right the grungy music. Sister Ray took some time to appreciate when I first heard it long ago, but no longer now. Made me appreciate 'Noise', 'Industrial' and all music that was at least inspired by these giants,

Absolutely stunned to see people are all bottom-Drake meme with the banana album but somehow top-Drake meme with WL/WH.

This album is raunchy, dirty, ugly, and smelly. 5/5

When it comes to 60s album runs that I deem to be both influential and visceral to this day, I think of the 4 (yes only 4) The Velvet Underground albums first. "White Light/White Heat" stands as easily the most challenging of their albums though, with instrumentals, ideas, and concepts to challenge listeners even to this day. It's easily their most experimental and is one of the best examples of albums commonly deemed "Proto-punk" or "early noise". God the opening title track. I love the way it sounds, it feels like the band's submerged many fathoms under the Pacific surface the entire time with these muffled instruments. It's like all the instruments blend into one large sub-bassy blob before devolving into utter chaos in the song's final seconds as the track keeps skipping. I think it says a lot about this album when I call it one of this album's most poppy, considering Lou Reed's vocals are about smoking meth. The second track is the most controversial, not because of its subject matter per se, but more because of how utterly self-indulgent it is. In the stereo version, you have this hypnotic, huffing piece of instrumentation that's insanely grainy and unsettling trucking along for 8 minutes in one ear. I love Moe Tucker's drumming on this album, it's so primal and drives these noisy grooves so naturally. Panned on the other ear though, is co-vocalist John Cale reciting a short story. In short, the story is about a dude mailing himself to his girlfriend to surprise her and then getting stabbed when she tries to open the package. It's unsettling and so beautifully complements this song's music. Grainy, hypnotic, dizzying, and noisy are all perfect adjectives to describe all the sounds on this album. But it all feels unintentional which is the best part, I'm not saying it was unintentional, it just sounds like it. Thousands of artists and musicians have tried to purposefully capture uncanny aesthetics in their music, but the naturally analog and lo-fi feel of this album's recording context plays out naturally and as a result, it amplifies this effect to unrivaled levels. The sub is so fat here it's nuts. "Lady Godiva's Operation" may be the best example of all of this. It may be my favorite song here. Not only is the riff and vocal melody here gorgeous, but the entire story is quite spine-chilling. It's about a lobotomy purposefully gone wrong (speculated to be about a transgender) with all the sound effects and gore included. I know it's probably talked about to death, but I just love Lou's interjections here, they're mixed so loudly and they so harshly clash with John's smooth and soothing singing, I love it. "Here She Comes Now" may be the most easy to digest song here. It's very serene and a nice rest from the utter chaos this album has had you (and will continue to have you) endure. It sounds like something off their debut (or their follow-up to this album). "I Heard Her Call My Name" may be the best example of proto-punk on this album. I love the call and response aspects that make this song sound almost like a garage rock song off a "The Sonics" record. Easily the best thing about this song is THAT DAMN GUITAR, it's so distorted and is composed mostly of feedback and pure noise. It's the type of shit thousands of bands try to emulate but in the mix here, it sounds impeccable. It's so disgusting and ear-shattering, I love it to death. And then there's "Sister Ray". Right when the groove kicks in, you're taken aback by the fact that it's louder than everything here. There's a subtle organ with the groove initially that only becomes more defined and prominent as the song huffs on. I love those opening seconds with the guitar. The sound, throughout the entire song, is clipping through the mix, it's blurry, it's hazy, it's utterly distorted, and disgusting. And Lou Reed's not even trying to be coherent, vocally or lyrically. He's describing an orgy that gets busted by some police, with a whole slew of colorful characters. And the best thing? This mess trudges on for 17 whole minutes and gets even messier near the end. Any semblance of a coherent groove or direction completely vanishes by the end. My favorite part about it is the synth, it's so blaring and sounds like a cheap and run-down modulated organ. This is noise music at its best, this is experimentation, and it was all done back in 1968, and I find it hard to believe. This is high art, with lyrics like "Too busy sucking on my ding dong", you can't help but gawk at its utter ridiculousness. I think this is my favorite VU album, but when I relisten to their other ones when they (inevitably) appear here, I might reassess, they're all just so incredible. This one though, is the peak of their experimentation, and I wouldn't hesitate to call it the peak of experimentation of the 60s in general.

Not even sure how to categorize this, but each song is amazing in its own way.

Just go listen to it I can’t do it justice with my bird brain words

From the opening of the first song, I’m struck by how New York they sound. His accent is thicker, the doo-wop sound sits at the core of the song. And then it spins out enough at the end to lead into the soft psychedelica of The Gift. Still the sounds of the city are reflected in the grinding, squealing guitars, the driving beat. It feels like you’re overhearing a conversation on the subway, while tripping the fuck out on heroin. And yet it feels years ahead of first song. It’s like the first song time warps you from the old sound, to the new sound. It’s kind of impossible to review something this perfect. This is a for-real work of art. It sounds chaotic at times, but everything is exactly where it’s supposed to be. Kinda like the city. The scope of all the artists that influenced this record, plus all the artists that this album influenced, would encompass all of music.

honestly i had a lot of fun with this album. it's really noisey and definitely rough around the edges, but i love the way it sounds. it's a bit avant-garde, but not offputtingly so. really, it mostly feels like you took "black angel's death song" from their first album and made it an entire album. as with every velvet underground album, it just oozes cool to me. great stuff!

Very good record! In my opinion the second best velvet underground album.

Not for audiophiles or the squeamish.

I really liked this. Its so out there and it's art in music . Love Lou Reed, love the band. Brilliant

Absolutely love this, though I am willing to admit if this was my first time listen, I would have absolutely hated it, as there is quite a lot about this album which takes getting used to. Definitely an album one should listen to multiple times.

This is a cacophony in the greatest way. Somehow (maybe in help to) how distorted and janky the entire album is it works to be a greater sum than its parts. I’d love to know what the recording members thought while this happened. Definitely encapsulates the subject matter. It’s a mandatory jam going into overtime, especially with Sister Ray. What a template. I hadn’t heard this album in full and it was good to dive into it. I could see a lot of folks absolutely hating it, but the avante-garde nature somehow transcends itself into something more cohesive… somehow? I do like the recorded album versions over the extras though. Although if the actual takes sound like the extras, well done to the producers!

Yeah, I like this. I think it is probably a low 5, but it still makes the cut for me.

Velvet Underground one of the most influential bands of all time. This album is one reason why since it really challenged what rock music at the time. Sure it's noisy, strange and weird and not something you can listen to all the time but it really pushed music to a new dimension. Many people took these elements, polished them and made them more accessible. It's not my fav or most listen to Velvet Underground album but it does make sense to be on the list. It's a 4.5 for me, so once again I'll round up.

Oh, Waldo... I don't ever get the urge to listen to Sister Ray, but no doubting it's existence.

5/5. One of the greatest 😎🤙🤘

Just an absolutely genius album. What is there to say about it at this point? It’s ugly and beautiful at the same time. Amateurish and intricate all at once.

Pure genius

Part of the soundtrack of my childhood! I was obsessed with The Gift - which I just called Waldo for years. I played it over and over revelling in the story with music, the different viewpoints and John Cale’s insouciant tone. It was just amazing to me - moreover I love all the other tracks - I didn’t realise then how huge an influence this would be on styles to come but I knew it was different and fabulous. It may have been in the folks’ record collection but I adopted it as my own and as far as I know their original vinyl is still in a cupboard infused with love and memories.

cool

Title track - sounds messy and muddy production wise, but the melody and interplay with the backing vocals gets stuck in my head once a week at least. The gift - the instrumental jam is good, I dig the story line, and I like John Cale’s Welsh accent. Lady Godiva - see above comment regarding John Cale’s accent. This is one of two VU albums to include him, so it’s a rarity I enjoy every time. Here She Comes Now - the soft spot on the record yet still a little dark, brooding and messy. I Heard Her Call My Name - I thought this would be the reason I gave it 4 stars, but I ended up enjoying it more than I expected Sister Ray - good groove, maybe doesn’t need 17 min but a great finishing track. A very coarse album, impossible to digest on first listen, but I can’t turn it off once I start listening to it. Definitely a good one to try out after the Banana album.

Brilliant drug fueled bummer music. It documents a scene and inspired a million bands.

I thought this was great. It’s got a 60s Happenings vibe to it, part beatnik party, part performance art. The white noise and distortion add to the atmosphere, sounding like the hubbub of a crowd or a poorly recorded bootleg. Favourite track: Sister Ray.

Great but it's got nothing on their previous album. I like most of these songs better on the 1993 live album.

This album is an early noise rock masterpiece. This record by the Velvet Underground is polarizing as it is not as accessible their other albums. Lyrically, it covers familiar and transgressive material revolving around sex, gender, and the self. Musically, it contains the roots of everything from punk, to shoegaze, to pure experimental noise rock. The final 17 minutes track is its centerpiece, and while challenging, is a definitive statement on the Velvet Underground's musical orientation.

Loose and dark

The only thing left to say about the brilliance of this album is that the deluxe version is both better and unnecessary as perfection cannot be added to.

I remember the first time I heard The Gift, in the early 1980s, drinking cups of tea and listening to every Velvet Underground album back to back. It's the sort of track you should only listen to every decade or so in my opinion. Having said that, this album is a definite and strong five stars, way ahead of its time. Sister Ray is the obvious standout, but there's other strong songs here as well.

I can't say why but I find this album very comforting. It just works for me.

Man blir kanske lite trött på The Gift efter en stund men annars kan man ha detta album på repeat förevigt och det skulle vara en helt bra användning av tid

Big album from a big band. In what it lacks in memorability from its predecessor, it makes up for in audacity and avant garde tendencies

What a lovely hot mess this is. Rambling story telling, protopunk thrashing, darkness and dirt. It plays less like an album and more like a slice of life.

I really, really love that album. Where VU & Nico was more pop, this one is all about explorative, drony, strident sounds. A big, experimental piece of work that everyone won't love, but that I cherish.

Delightfully dirty and trashy and sleazy; an oily puddle in a back alley. Must have been nothing short of revolutionary at the time.

9/10 maybe I need to give this one another chance some other time it’s obviously an incredible album, but I didn’t find it as good as their first or third albums it’s just the slightly awkward in-between album still amazing tho, just not as good I guess

Not a very good album in a way. WLWH is poor, Sister Ray not as good as the JD cover, etc But a great artistic statement.

Gritty, dark and chaotic. Gleefully, sometimes piercingly noisy. Lyrically vivid and provocative with dashes of whimsy. Pushes all the buttons VU liked to push, but stripped bare of the melodic touches that were on their first album. It can be a hard listen for some but it's pretty brilliant. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): White Light/White Heat, Here She Comes Now, The Gift, Lady Godiva's Operation, Sister Ray, I Heard Her Call My Name

White Light/White is an unflinching and at times brutal album which in many ways surpasses Velvet Underground & Nico. Gone is the softness added by the chanteuse Nico, replaced by John Cale's sardonic spoken singing. Sister Ray is the stand out with it's assault of noise becoming and influence on kraut rock, Joy Division and the whole no-wave scene. This is another one of those albums soaked in turmoil. You can hear the turmoil between Lou Reed and John Cale bubbling over and in this case leads to a couple of the less amazing parts of this album Often overlooked when compared to the Velvets first album.

nicely nice, love it but little bit looong

The pop sensibility of six-in-forty is truly demented. Headphoned, at least two tracks - and novel ones - cross the unbearable boundary. Yet the transgression retains the New York precision that can drive a rock music staple firmly into the historical fabric.

This is classic. I love me some VU. This is probably my #2 album from them behind the album with Nico. My only gripe is The Gift. I hate the way John Cale reads it and I usually just skip it, but the story itself is fairly amusing. It still gets a 5 for the other songs, particularly Sister Ray, which I would certainly understand if some people hate it.

My favorite VU album

5/5

A harbinger of what was to come in the chaotic year that was 1968, White Light/White Heat remains not only the antithesis of the Summer of Love but a crucial turning point in the world of The Velvet Underground. With John Cale one foot out the door and Nico and Andy Warhol completely gone, Lou, Sterling and Moe paint a wholly bleak picture of grisly proportions; death via good intentions, botched entries into a more comfortable being and a seventeen minute romp whose most memorable refrain refers to fellatio. Sgt. Pepper's, Majesty's Request and whatever The Monkees' latest was this was not. The punk movement had arrived early and White Light/White Heat was the first of the few flag bearers.

4.5

The gift is a wtf story Very daring album for the time, "filthy, rough" guitar work 4 stars

this was fucking weird.

The first half (5 songs): clearly 5*. Had not listened to the second half for years: Sister Ray is alright but still too long. (5+3)/2 = 4.

Classic