Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Slightly thought provoking but didn't age well. I like the heavy doses of distortion. I could do without the vocals.
Hard to listen to sober.
Alright, not something I would listen to more
I do like other albums from velvet underground l, but this one not so much. From the album’s description on apple music - “Lou Reed says the album’s engineer was so put off by the 18-minute “Sister Ray” that he left to get coffee, complaining that no amount of money was worth listening to that crap.” i can empathize with that engineer. 😀
Really don’t care for this sound.
I didn’t realise it was possible for Lou Reed or the Velvet Underground to make an album this bad.
I payed for an album not an audiobook. Okay, but seriously, the muddy production kind of stinks (even for 1968), and it's dreadfully boring. I get it's Velvet Underground, but what even is this. I really don't get how this is considered an essential. "You busy sucking on my ding-dong." -Lou Reed
Very grainy and distorted which did bring on and influence a whole new wave and genre for the kids in the 70’s -can’t say I got that excited about it listening to it today - very rough, & dull- Lou went on and did some much better stuff in my opinion
Tries to be art, but is pretentious and boring. 1.5/5
Too much "Underground" 😉
första låten är skitbra men sen händer nåt som jag inte fattar. andra låten med historien är också cool.
I'm now convinced I dislike most things that came out of Lou Reed's head. The album actually started strong with the chanting "White light/White heat" elements on the first song. The vignette described in The Gift was also very good. After that things got either forgettable or annoying. Sister Ray is a tedious trash song which the experimental aspects were improved upon by kraut rock bands of the 70s. All around a few moments of interest in another meh Reed album. 2/5
Pretentious garbage for idiots with their heads up their asses. The only thing keeping this from the bottom of the barrel is some of the themes sung about, which would have been shocking at the time.
Not a fan 2.5/5
Between 1 and 2 stars so I round up to 2
Ya des trucs intéressants mais sinon ça demande un peu trop d'héroïne dans le sang pour être apprécié à jeun.
я просто не люблю рок-н-ролл. вывод нарисовался
I have enjoyed stuff from Velvet Underground, Lou Reed and Cowboy Junkies, but this, with few tracks excepted, is one of the most annoying collections of crappola I have ever slogged through - in particular The Gift and I Heard Her Call My Name. There could be worse stuff on disk 2 - I didn't get that far. What's being passed off as "experimental" guitar "work" should have been left in the studio trash bin.
proto-noise, thank you for your contribution, I will never listen to this again. 1.5/5
You're all artists. I get it.
I like the vibe and the lyrics more than the actual music. A bit too improvisational for me, but I like noise and distortion as much as the next guy. I'm sure it's influential and "important" but I'm not going to be putting it on for basic enjoyment.
Moments I liked, surrounded by lots of noise I didn't.
It's like they crafted every song to annoy the listener. Couldn't finish a single song.
It's insane that an album this bad has a song as good as "Stephanie Says" on it, that song is the only reason I give this a 2 star rating. I had to skip some of the noisy, unpleasant songs because I just couldn't stand it, there is just no way I'm sitting through the 17.31 minutes long track called "Sister Ray". For the most part this is unenjoyable and noisy, however "Stephanie Says" is a fantastic song and some of the other songs were tolerable.
I generally love The Velvet Underground but eh, this album.
So when the first song started, my initial impression was that this could be a cool album. Sometimes first impressions are right, other times they are wrong. In this instance I was wrong. They tried so hard to be cool, they were not.
Sister Ray turns out to be pretty cool, but this album is just pretentious af. I like the self titled and +Nico enough, but I just do not get this one. 2.5/5
Not for me
Love the Velvet Underground, but I did not like this one at all outside the title track.
ass!
bad to listen to
After some Wikipedia research, I can understand why this album sounds like an important driver of what is known as punk rock today. But, that doesn't make it good.
I wasn’t a big fan unfortunately. Thought I would like it more because I like TVU
Listen to any other Velvet Underground album instead of this one. Loaded is great. Their self titled is awesome. The album with Nico is classic. But, this is them at their most annoying and pretentious. It doesn't belong anywhere near the list. I would give it a 1 if I didn't respect the band's other work
Was not in the mood for this.
Lou Reed's singing over badly recorded noise, fire alarms, engine sounds, etc. How wonderful. Stand-out: Lady Godiva's Operation
Strange decision to record an audiobook while they're playing rock music next to you, but go off.
Good materials for true Velvet lovers
I know this is a semi album for a lot of the musicians and music i love, and i can see why, but i just dont think its held up very well. Its pretty boring in a lot of ways and what is provides in barrier breaking it lacks in actual fun to listen to
I don't know. I didn't hate it but it certainly wasn't fantastic. 2/5.
Annoying af
December 5, 2024 HL: title track, “The Gift”, “Here She Comes Now” VU #3; Lou Reed #5. That’s plenty for now maybe I’m just burnt out of long, jammy songs
This just ain’t for me, dawg.
# Playlist track - Stephanie Says # Notes - Nah. Just a couple of OK-ish songs amongst a sea of noise. Not the cool kind of noise tho. - In all fairness, this is a bullshit Deluxe Edition with a bunch of different versions for each track, so I'm probably being unreasonable with my evaluation. - That's the only one available for me in Spotify tho. Fuck you Spotify!
It was okay
When the reviews mention the amount of distortion as a positive, you could be forgiven for thinking you're in for a tough listen, especially if you like your rock a little less on the fuzzy side. You were never going to get a "classic" set of tunes, following strictures like being in tune and discernable chord progressions, let's be honest. Come on, this is early VU. But if you like wailing guitars, loads of feedback, poetry recitals, and occasional interjections from Mr Reed and his attempts to... 'sing', are we calling it? Then this will be right up your strasse. And at least it's not Metal Machine Music.
I kind of hated this, but I enjoyed hating it
Ammen der her har trukket for meget ud... Jeg har forsøgt længe at finde en udgivelse som er kortere end 2 timer, men uden held. Albummet jeg har hørt var langt. Og træls at komme igennem. Nok især fordi jeg har forsøgt så længe, og fordi jeg burde kunne lide det...
Det er mere støj end melodi. Det har utvivlsomt været en vigtig udgivelse for eftertidens støjrockere. Men man kører jo heller ikke rundt i en Model T i dag
Probably between a 2 and a three
I REALLY wish there were 1/2 star ratings. This one's getting two stars from me. And here's why! Much too much noise in a lot of these songs. It's just irritating. I would like it if they were more talented musicians, too. Or maybe if Lou just wrote songs for other bands and singers. I appreciate their affect on later music, for sure. Their legacy, if you will. But damn, I just don't like listening to it.
ma boh
Don’t know how this can make anyone’s “best” list, unless it’s best for never hearing it again.
Interesting. Heavy metal. Not my style
Pre-listening thoughts: so I was pretty disappointed when I saw this album bc the Lou Reed solo album we got was really bad imo. But so often, a band and a solo artist that branches from it have pretty different sounds. So I’ll keep my hopes neutral. Post/during listening thoughts: 6 songs, 40 minutes. Whew boy. I liked the first song and then everything after was pretentious for pretentious sake. Ugh. Lou Reed ur officially an opp 3.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: hell no Fav tracks: White Light/White Heat, Here She Comes Now Least fav tracks: The Gift, Lady Godiva’s Operation, I Heard Her Call My Name, Sister Ray (STOP MAKING SONGS LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES I BEG)
coming from someone that would usually say this as a compliment: this is just a whole bunch of noise, however.... she do be busy sucking on my ding dong 🤷🏻
Meh, I listened to all 17 mins of Sister Ray.
Why is it I like their first album so much but find everything else insufferable
Sorry but most parts are just quite annoying.
Too long. And storytelling /talking songs are just overrated. Only thing that saved it from a 1 is that I occasionally enjoyed a guitar riff or two. 2/5
Overrated
yeah maybe firing Andy Warhol was a bad idea.
2/5. Nic szczególnego, ale też nie, żeby wyłączyć.
Look, I know Velvet Underground has a huge historical significance and huge cult following, but this album was on the wrong side of experimental rock...
That album is in the past and in the past it shall remain
I think I hate this. It’s repetitive, poorly recorded, and repetitive. I like VU but this is pushing the friendship. I can see how this would have been kind of cool/hip NY counterculture though.
Yeah, the skill is certainly there, but the rest of the music just isn't for me. I can tell they are having fun, so that's cool, but I don't think I "get it."
Full on disassociated while listening to sister ray
Love the Velvet Underground. Did not love this.
This was not good. I don’t love the Velvet Underground. Dont think I will ever now.
Unique sound not for me
I bet the reviews on this album were mixed.
Fav: Sister Ray Least Fav: Lady Godiva’s Operation Similar issue to the previous album but I like this one a little more
Over, let me introduce you to rated. The pretentious nature of this. Yes every one who watched formed a band but how many of those bands were any good? The solo work of Cale is good. There are people who love Lou Reed. Good on them. He wrote a couple of songs I enjoy. But, even if Vu were to be on the list, this isn’t the album.
Sometimes good but more often pretentious garbage.
Failed experiment! Pretty crap and drab, not very musical and difficult to listen to. The spoken word poem is a pointless addition
It's very experimental 60s stuff, often unlistenable. This is a study on how to not improvise. Pro tip: Find the original version, and you'll only have ti listen to 49 minutes of WL/WH, and that's more than enough!
wont seek this album out again
Mostly tedious. Some moments of brilliance
2.5
Meh
Yeah, not great. The Gift (the spoken word track that you all hated) was actually my favourite, it's not really music but it tells a story, and John Cale's Welsh accent is lovely. It's more noise than it it is music, really, it's really rough, production is bizarre. The title track is quite a gentle intro, but after that it's all noise, I Heard Her Call My Name occasionally threatens to be musical but shys away from it at the last minute. 2/5, just (saved by John Cale's lilting tones).
Many people heard something new and interesting here. Not me. It was groundbreaking at the time, I'm sure.
*sigh* Not really my thing.
Not great
There are fleeting moments in this album that are musically good. The rest sounds like some people got drunk and recorded an album in their garage on a tape recorder with one microphone. There is absolutely no reason for a 17 minute song on here about someone sucking on your "ding dong." Be aware, the actual album has 6 songs and a run time of 40 minutes. 1001 links you to a two disk 2 hour version.
There were a few interesting things happening here, but then in that final track they lost me. Congrats fellas, I get the impression you didn't want me to like this, and you succeeded.
I am admittedly not in a good mood while listening to this...but much of this just sounds like noise to me. It's early punk, and I can appreciate that it was transgressive and groundbreaking in 1968, but it does not hold up well to these ears. For me, this is another case where different != good. 2.0
Only okay
Did not care for this.
This was worse than their first one we listened to. The last song should have never been made. I see why the engineer on the song left to get coffee during the recording.
Honestly, I only listened to like 4 songs. Not for me. 2/5
This band is crap
PA Ponzi scheme at 33rpm. So many reputations are vested in this being good, it’s well on nigh impossible to say anything else. It isn’t.
hm i guess
Meh.
A few good tracks, but mostly a collection of the worst Velvet Underground songs
the poetry is good, but even the band said this record was trash and I have to agree with them.
Really unremarkable offering from a band I have quite enjoyed in the past. Not sure this one deserves its placement. 2.5/5
Spoken word is tough
Not their best
Velvet Underground is a unique band. I loved the avante garde-ness of the first album, VU&Nico. Though Andy Warhol was only a small influence, the album feels like a reflection of the dark underbelly of the 1960s NY culture. This album feels like Lou Reed was attempting to one-up their debut, but was on more drugs than the first time. The 12 stretch of The Gift and 17-min slog of Sister Ray move from being in-the-pocket jam band to elementary school band class where everyone is banging and clanging. I was left not “waiting for my man” and instead waiting for the end. The title Track and Here She Comes now are top tracks but the rest is meh. Good intention but the White Light has left the bottle and left me lukewarm.
And that's being generous
Raw, scratchy, unfiltered. Definitely unique and different. Not really my thing.
SHE BEEN SUCKING ON MY DING DONG SHE BEEN SUCKING ON MY BING BONG Same as the last VU album I listened to, I can appreciate this for being edgy back in the 60s, but it doesn't make for good listening today. 2.5/5
Not my style.
Nope, always a nope these guys. Where's the melody?
Kind of meh. Probably won’t finish listening to it.
Revolutionary for the time it was created, but very much still noise proto-punk. That really isn't my thing. I respect it, but I don't like it.
That's not my taste in Musik. Harsh Music.
I feel like this is one of those albums that you have to be in the right mood, atmosphere & situation to appreciate it or vibe to it. I simply was not in that mood, atmosphere or situation.
I love Lou Reed and especially John Cale, but they were both so much better without each other! Listen to their solo careers, or even the next Velvet Underground record after this one. WL/WH is too wild and horrible to be very enjoyable; nevertheless, it's not the worst noise I've heard.
Honestly just not for me. I would rate it a 2.5 if I could
Bet punters were disappointed when they found out a quarter of their LP was John Cale talking over a guitar jam.
last song dropped me to 2 stars
Album was like a fever dream at 3am. Spoken word, screaming jams, noise rock, and oddly dated tunes.
Too much chaos for me. I can appreciate some elements of it but it just annoys me that it never really comes together.
I think this album had a home in the art rock of the 60's, and that probably where it should stay.
Not too shabby until "I heard her call my name". Like a cheese grater on my eardrums.
Progresivos para la época, una suciedad en el sonido que le da una estética muy particular que esta buena, pero sinceramente bastante infumable de escuchar.
I get why this album would be on the list, underground indie rock with (IMO) strong punk leanings but vocally and lyrically …. Not my cup of tea … i’d describe it as discordant, experimental overly indulgent in reverb/new technology for the time … wound’ve been a lot of fun in concert but outside of the experience of them live …. Not so interested …. Gives me a vibe of what Elbow would’ve been playing in high school when they were trashed in a garage before they cut the lead singer/guitar player who was on an ego trip ….
Here she comes…here she comes. I feel like we have gotten a VU album before and I enjoyed it, but this just felt like a waste of time. Each song felt like it was the end of a song where the person is like scatting or messing around on the guitar before the song cuts.
it starts nice, but it drifts away into nonsensical, annoying noise
Listened to the two disc extended version. Broadly did not enjoy. Lots of repetitive tracks. Lots of dissonance noise.
Not for me
Too much Noise Rock. Not for me.
An overrated album from an overrated band. I thought I'd qualify the above with a statement along the lines of "With all due respect to the underground movement...", but I guess I only hold respect for the underground when it comes to public transport.
Last tracks are insufferable
I like some of the Velvet Underground but couldn't really get into this album weirdly. Could have just been the day, should give it another shot.
Nja, var väl någon låt som var okej.
Too much meandering for my taste.
Didn't care for this album. It's too bad because this band has some great stuff.
I was kind of excited for a Velvet Underground album. Sadly, this album was a complete miss for me.
Incoherent noise, not sure what all the fuss is about
Koukut käytetty - aika eksperimentoida! Pisteet rytmikkäästä avauksesta, tarinasta ja Sister Raysta sikäli kuin se on biisi. Anteeksi mutta ei minulla jää John Calea kauhea ikävä..
doesn't interest me much. especially not the talking with the gift. got through the first two songs but then had to give up. it's just not for me
These guys have to be among the most overrated bands of their era. All of their stuff is just average at best; never understood their appeal. This album was no different - sounds like they were just playing their instruments very poorly during portions of it or uttering nonsense into an open mic. The talent in this band is just laughable. 3/10.
This was disappointing and shitty
This was an interesting listen, but not one I think I’d revisit. Some fun spoken word bits, and track 1 was probably the highlight overall. Music felt a bit boring.
My brother said “this album turned me into a music snob in high school” so for that, fuck you.
Very experimental album but not to my tastes.
Wow I was not expecting THAT.
Not great.
A stark contrast to their legendary debut album, White Light / White Heat sounds as if it was produced by a deaf horse in a hurry. “Oh, but the sound was highly influential on noise rock and shoegaze. You like those, right?” Well, this still sounds horrible for a considerable part of the runtime.
dumb
2/5 nope
The main thing this album has going for it is no Nico. A reasonably interesting listen, but by o stretch enjoyable. Certainly belongs on this list.
One thing I noticed is how the left and right year = different sounds weird
Another development in this endeavor is that I've come to understand the Velvet Underground better than I once did. And for one hot minute, I thought maybe I'd even come to appreciate their art. That is to say, I was somewhere in the vicinity of a 3-star rating. And then... yeah. It went south from there. So, I still think I better understand what they were all about, but I'm not one to actually choose to listen to the sounds the group makes. I was going to write "musical output," but that might be taking it a step father than I'm willing to go.
Pas ouf, c'est bordélique un peu. Créatif mais anarchique.
Weird 60's drug music. I was kind of digging The Gift, but it drug on far too long. I much prefer their first album. A lot of just feels like noise.
lou reed suck my nards u friggin poopoo butt
2 stars.
I've never listen to this album, but i'm a big fan of their legendary first LP, so i have some expectation on this one. First we have roughly the same lyricals themes, like drugs use (white light/white heat is about injecting speed or methamphetamine), gender issus, sexuality and Lou Reed's trouble youth. We ear John Cale sing in 2 songs (The gift and Lady Godiva's operation), this album made the achivement of being more experimental than their first one, maybe a bit too much for my taste, but its the velvet undergound so we have to acknoledge their influence on punk and alternative music. The album is less psychedelic and more noise and art rock, with song like The gift wich is a 8 minutes spoken song, apparantly the album was make to recapture how they sounded live. We could also see early punk, new wave and even metal eleent in some song like Here she come now and sister ray. The song I heard her call by my name is inspired by Jimi Hendrix and its guitar work look a but like run Run Run from their first album. The album is much more experimental and noisy than their first LP, but i also think its less good, look sister ray a fucking 17 minutes long partyaly improvised song and its more messy and wierd than anything a bit like the rest of the album, but not in the same way than the first one. I still respect how much this band was a head of their time and again influencial for all their sucessor, but this is not really my kind.
i dont really care about this either
Usual squalling guitars. The Gift was ok, very obvious but gruesomely fun plot twist! Beginning of Sister Ray is good then it becomes the same noisy mess as European Sons's on ...And Nico.
Ik heb me eigenlijk nooit gerealiseerd dat al die Velvet Underground zo oud is. Uit de tijd van de Stones, de Beatles en de Kinks. Maar nog voordat Black Sabbath zogenaamd alle riffs uitvond. Tuurlijk, het klinkt wel oud, maar ik dacht dat het 70s was. De muziek (of mja, soms is het meer geluid) is vrij psychedelische rock met wazige spoken word in de eerste nummers. I Heard her call my name is een eentonig tromgeroffel, waar wild een gitaar aritmisch overheen loopt te janken. Sister Ray moet het sluitstuk zijn, de overweldigende climax. Maar het is een lange zit vol improvisatie. Kan me voorstellen dat dat live iedere keer anders is en de absolute fan die kickt daar op natuurlijk. Maar geef mij maar iets meer gepolijste liedjes. Meteen na het album start youtube toevallig een live uitvoering uit 1969 van Sister Ray, van maar liefst 36:52 minuten. Wat me gelijk opvalt is dat de geluidskwaliteit veel beter is, wie weet is het geremasterd. Maar dan komt naar voren dat het best wel richting bluesrock gaat. En dat klinkt dan een half uur erg lekker (zou daar zo een 4 voor kunnen geven). Maar ja, dit staat niet op het album zoals wij het voorgeschoteld krijgen, dus kunnen we het daar niet op beoordelen.
I enjoyed the compositions, but they soon became far too repetitive. Lyrically, awful.
Proto-punk, sounds weird. A worthwhile story, a mediocre experience. 2,5/5
I find the praise for this album baffling. Yeah it’s a contrast to the San Francisco flower power scene, but what was so revolutionary about it? This was 1968 not 1948 - surely people had heard distorted guitars before? And where are the tunes?? I’m sure their first album had some tunes on it… I did enjoy the storytelling on The Gift, but not much else.
2.75 stars If I'm going to listen to a velvet underground record it's usually and Nico. But I don't listen to much velvet underground.
Well, I hate this album
I never liked this band, the singles that I’ve heard, and listening fhe full albums doesn’t make it better. I can see the appeal, it’s just not for me. 3 out of 10
Other velvet underground albums were better
Pretty awful
Art rock with absolutely batshit crazy lyrical content. Lots of noisy guitar solos. Not my thing. Too weird. Debated giving a 1 star, but it is listenable. Some of the songs have normal-ish structure.
Disappointed here. "Loaded" is an all time album and the &Nico work is interesting and enjoyable. This misses The mark in my opinion
2.5/10. Didn't finish the album. Freeform, noisy, like jazz but rock. Wasn't for me.
Lou Reed plays a cantaloupe on this one. "The Gift" to be specific. That's real, you can Google it. IDK, I think this is their most boring album. It's noisy, but not in an exciting way. They play some regular 60s rock that's mixed so low you can barely make out the lyrics, and once in a while Lou Reed comes in with a very distorted guitar. Marvel at their genius. Eh, it was cool in 1968 at least.
I hadn't heard this band before, because I hate Lou Reed's solo work. It's not as bad as I expected. It's good for a while and then it's very repetitive. I understand why this record is important. I like some artists who were obviously influenced by it, like Sonic Youth and the Pixies. Favorite song: The Gift
This is a weird as what I thought a Velvet Underground album would be. I have listened to the previous one (with the banana) but not this one. The spoken word track was a bit over the top, but the last half of "Lady Godiva's Operation" took it to another level
This feels very experimental. The second track is poetry which for me personally is difficult to listen to. Id never heard velvet underground before. I understand the album is a gateway to later genres but you can really tell. I wouldn’t call it timeless. The best track for me was White Light
Still not really my thing, but yeah, Waldo was indeed a schmuck
It's a bit of a slog, ain't it? Ghostbusters!
I gotta really be in the mood to enjoy this much feedback and repetitive madness. Today was not that day. I still like "Stephanie Says," but Shawn says, "Not today, Lou."
Went into this one ready to like it and enjoy it and sadly it just wasn't the case. Sister Ray is easily the best song and I'd say its the only track i cared about, which isn't the worst thing considering its 17 and a half minutes long. There's so much layering and different instrumentation, it's cycling and repetitive and I was into it. I can easily see how this would inspire a lot of bands to come. The other tracks just didn't interest me much or flat out were annoying. The gift is mixed so stupidly shitty and you know where the story is going to go halfway through it. Some very silly choices were made with panning the vocals left to right and back again and it's just annoying. I'm sure they were shitting their pants back then but it's gimmicky now. I'd listen to sister ray again but none of the rest. An the album art sucks. Score: 40 Art: 20
Chaos
2.5
I’m conflicted. It’s weird and noisy and oddly irrelevant. This does not conform to anything, and I think some could argue whether or not this is even music. Hell we have story about a dude mailing himself to a girl and getting stabbed through the box, and we a 17 minute power jazz record about sucking on a ding dong. Meanwhile, there are synths and guitars whaling all over the place. I wouldn’t say I vehemently hate this record, but I would have a hard time telling someone that I like it. I would just say this shit is loud, sloppy and strange. I just don’t know what to do with myself.
An interesting album, especially with the poetry/story in the second track. I wouldn't really say I enjoyed this too much, though. Fave track(s): Lady Godiva's Operation
28th February 2023 Listened during the day while working from home. Took the floor up a bit and painted the living room. Peter softer, folkier Underground, parts of this (including the 17 minute central track) were not for me.
Nothing special. Would not suggest or recommend it.
A very solid 2, nothing very interesting though
This is a really challenging album... it's messy and plenty of eclectic parts that start to take some of the straightforward nature of the velvet underground sound and start to twist it. I can't find much here to appreciate. A pass.
Sort of good, probably influential, I want to like it, and most of it is navel gazing bullshit I don't want to listen to again
I appreciate the creativity for its time, but this is tough to listen to.
I get this is important. I can hear the influence it had on other stuff. But the stuff that came after is just.. better.
Rock experimental. Coñazo.
Lou Read and VU are awesome but this this one was kinda meh for me.
I want to like The Velvet Underground and there are elements of their music that I really enjoy. I can see how they inspired so many things to come. But it also drags for me and I can't wait for it to be over.
Heel erg chaotisch. Doet zelf af en toe pijn om aan te horen. Het heeft wel enige legacy, en dat is het enige pluspunt aan dit album
Not a fan
So I was accidentally listening to the extended version but didn't like anything on this and so much of it went on forever.
I do not get them and the quality of the sound really takes me out of it.
Not... great
Thought i liked the band but apparently not :(
as a lou reed fan, white light/white heat was a disappointment. it's made up of the kind of experimental music i don't enjoy and don't find a lot of interest in. there were periods that consisted only of discordant keyboard smashing. i can understand the significance and influence on punk music, and its release in '67 was much earlier than other punk music. but i just didn't enjoy this. one positive is the storytelling in "the gift." yes, it's weird but intriguing. i don't think i've heard a song like this before. the storytelling was performed dryly by john cale, and it isn't too surprising it was written by lou reed.
I barely enjoyed this. This is mostly just mumbling, rambling, noise. Even the experimentation just sounded like they let some wild animals slam on instruments for a bit. I can get a little bit down with noise rock, which is why I guess this isn't coming in at an absolute 1. But I really don't have much good to say about this. Another strike for me with the proto-punk genre. We get it, these bands helped establish punk...but it was not very good. We don't need this many examples.
I've heard this one several times and unfortunately I just don't get it. Probably my least favorite VU album...
I think I’m just not avant-garde enough
Sheesh what noise! The title track is the most accessible, which isn't saying much, but from there it goes downhill. The gift is the sort of thing that you want to listen to once - just to hear how it ends. The vocal contribution by Reed on Lady Godiva's Operation is grating and amateurish. Speaking of amateurish, Here she Comes Now sounds like it was improvised on the spot. The last two tracks are distorted and hard to listen to and I guess it's that don't-give-a-shit-attitude that made this popular with the punks a decade later.
White light is ok, the rest are just rambly bollocks.
Not really a fan of how the album is produced. So distorted and sounds like noise. Made it hard to appreciate the songs.
This one was just too obscure or weird
Another Velvet Underground album checked off, and I'm still not sure what to do with them. I didn't get much out of White Light / White Heat. The first track has on old 1950's rock and roll sound to start, before it transitions in to noise. Noise is a common feature to ¿all? of the tracks on this album. Between the noise and lyric content (including frequently spoken lyrics), I did not like this album.
Oldie but not so goldie
I get that the VU is very influential, and I like a ton of stuff that smarter listeners say were influenced by them, but calling this album good is like calling a bucket of cum a doctor.
Very strange. Seems to be mostly talking over improvised/disconnected music.
While I like The Velvet Underground's most famous record, I still think they are one of the most pretentious bands of all time. This album is fine, but I would not listen to it again. Best Songs: White Light/White Heat, Sister Ray Worst Songs: The Gift
Not really enjoyable for me. But some parts are interesting, which is the only reason why it gets 2 stars from me.
Not great, but at least no Nico! The best song was The Gift, a mad spoken word story about a guy who posts himself. Many of the others are sloppy and unfocused, and there are way too many outtakes and live versions as filler on the linked version of the album.
2+
I can see how it was edgy and novel at the time of release but it does nothing for me
VU is another one of those bands I can acknowledge was pioneering and led to other genres and styles of music, but I have trouble getting into them. "The Gift" for example just seems so pretentious.
Weirdly Tidal's link brought me to Social Distortion's White Light, White Heat, White Trash from 1996. I enjoyed that album. I can't say that I enjoyed this album. Lou Reed wrote some of the best tracks in rock and roll history, and I respect the Velvets and understand their massive importance in music history. I'm just not a fan of fuzzy noise jams, not a big Sonic Youth fan for the same reason. This album is kind of a mess, I know I won't be getting it for my vinyl collection!
gott að hafa klárað þessa. Ekkert endilega að fara í rotation
Not what I’m looking for.
Very long album, with nothing to prove for it. I think the music is alright but not good enough to listen again. There’s too much talking and not singing like just make it instrumental or don’t talk.
The notions dripping off these lads in this album.
I kinda dig it. The bad songs outweigh the good
Meh. Had its moments, but not many. And the 8-minute story time wasn't one of them. Although it sort of pains me to give this a 2, I can't justify a 3.
Only Here She Comes Now prevents this from getting a 1 star
This album is very strange. Especially "The Gift" at least the stereo mix that is, where the short story and music are panned hard left and hard right respectively. I don't think it is bad and it was certainly an influential and critically acclaimed album, but I don't think it is The Velvet Underground's best album. I feel bad about ranking this low, but I know that the other two albums I'll end up rating higher.
Pros: - First track - I love that experimental ending, with all of the instruments just gradually pulling apart rhythmically. Very cool sound! - Then the second track starts with some spoken word! I have to admit though as this track went on that I became a little bored by it. I've mentioned it before but I'm a big believer in albums starting with a song or having their second song be some kind of moderately uptempo / interesting sound regardless of the genre, and this one was really interesting to have the second song be a repetitive 8 minute long spoken word song. - The experimental-ness of the album and overall sound is really intriguing. Specifically experimenting with vocal deliveries is really cool. Cons: - Not every act needs things like choruses and hooks, but I think they could benefit from having some of them? Or more of them? I found myself bored at times with some of the songs. Ultimately I didn't love the album..
Loud noise but I get it
Here she comes mow was covered by nirvana so that's a star and I wanted to know how the gift would end so that's 2. Was a bit disappointed in this one. Expected better.
Most influential band of all time, blah, blah, blah. There’s less to like here than on the other records, as much as one admires the experimental bent and iconoclasm, which doesn’t fully come off anyway. “Sister Ray” is as gritty as art/noise rock got, but just because it was among the first of its type doesn’t make it a masterpiece. Anyone annoyed by Reed’s talky vocal style will be sent over the edge by “Lady Godiva’s Operation.” The muddy, submerged production is a big part of the issue – one wonders what this lot would have achieved with modern technology, including sampling (Cale’s later work suggests what might have been). The record’s commercial performance suggests sometimes bands get what they deserve, while its critical reception shows the power of revisionist history. 2.5 for 2.
Lost a fucking point because of the 17 minute song about a blow job. Sucking on my ding dong says Lou Reed. God I think deep down really fucking hate the Velvet Underground. I get it, they are super influential and all that. But I also fucking incredibly fucking pretentious man. Avant Garde heroine chic rock and roll bullshit.
Robert est au plus mal en ce moment et je vais vous expliquer pourquoi. Alors qu'en début de semaine, je lui avais déjà tenu tête en refusant catégoriquement de me plier à ses exigences, celui-ci vient d'être transféré à l'hôpital en soins intensifs pour la raison suivante : il aurait été tabassé par mon compère et rival de toujours eltrapeze (l'intéressé l'a confirmé à l'heure où je m'enregistre). Bien que je trouve l'album du jour très moyen (Lou Reed se moque de nous depuis les années 60), il n'aurait certainement pas mérité de créer un tel élan de haine. Je ne cautionne en aucun cas les agissements d'eltrapeze. Pour en revenir à l'album, et je crois que tout le monde sera d'accord avec mon analyse, le problème a deux sources : Lou Reed et le menuisier du dernier morceau. Inutile de rappeler comment le premier travaille ses chansons (il appelle ses parents, lance l'enregistrement, puis la conversation, et une fois le combiné raccroché, colle sa voix sur des instruments). En ce qui concerne ledit menuisier, son intervention est un énorme point d'interrogation. Il scie d'abord des planches de bois puis perce un énorme trou dans le mur du studio avant de creuser le sol au marteau-piqueur. « Que cela cesse » crieront nos oreilles jusqu'à la dernière seconde.
I’m not sure if this is a different band named Velvet Underground, But this is some of us disappointing music I’ve listened to. I had high expectations going into this and was extremely disappointed.
I always feel like I'm in an "Emperor's New Clothes" situation when I listen to The Velvet Underground. This is garbage but I have to listen to everyone tell me it's brilliant. Pretty sure I heard him say "busy sucking on a ding-dong" at some point?? There were one or two moments that prevent this from being one star but it really is complete trash.
Könnte gut sein wenn’s nicht so lärmig wäre
I get, in part, this is an experiment in what an audience will put up with under the guise of art and that pushing boundaries is necessary in the evolution of music but I really object to just how unlistenable the whole album is - the discordant guitars, the monotonous sound mix, the shouting - and presented in such a way that I am the problem if I don’t ‘get’ it. If I’m square then so be it. An extra star for being on this list, to educate others to avoid at all costs.
not in the mood at all for this
*hits blunt* Uh yeah I do happen to be a huge connaisseur of *looks at hand* expremented Rodc
Definitely not the same level as some of their other albums. This one felt a bit all over. The first song was pretty noisy then the second song was just talking. The other three songs weren’t too special and the album was pretty short. Overall pretty meh. 4.2/10
Veel te rommelig en arty. En de stem van Lou Reed trek ik echt niet.
The Velvet Underground hebben best aardig wat nummers die ik erg kan waarderen. Maar dit album....niet door te komen. Chaotische herrie. En het gaat maar door....
Meh
entiendo que es un disco realmente influyente e innovador para su época pero de lejos es mi favorito de la banda. tiene buenas canciones y otras en las que simplemente no puedo concentrarme, pero en general lo siento como un caos de sonidos que no logro conectar.
Not terrible. Just sooo long
I know, I know, they're iconic or something but...ehhhhh.
How do you rate an album that feels like an experiment gone bad, yet goes on to create and/or drive a genre by how it influences other artists? Ultimately I have to go with my own ears and emotions—how do I feel about the music? Would I listen again? I really struggled with this review; the best I can give it is a 2.
Ugh. I…. _HATE_ Lou Reed. So asking me to listen to VU is asking a lot. The song “White Light / White Heat” I know from Bowie. He performed it in concert a bunch of times. I can see where the foundation of punk came from from these songs, but some of them… people talk about prog rock bring pretentious, THIS stuff sounds pretentious to me. That 17-minute piece just meanders. God, it was bad. I’m adding one star for the song “White Light / White Heat” since I always liked it. So that’d be 1.5 stars, round up to…
The Velvet Underground are one of the most important band of all time, or so I keep hearing. Doesn't help that this album sounds like it was recorded on a boom box because Lou Reed spent all of the recording money on heroin. I actually like some of their material (mostly from their previous album with Nico but also some of Loaded). This album just kind of sucks though. It does get a bonus star because of the Gift though. The feedback cleared my sinuses. Actually the title track is okay.
The album started off ok - "White Light / White Heat" sounded like proto-glam and was promising. "The Gift" had a fun riff and story, with a good punchline. However, underneath both these tracks were hints of the noise that was going to annoy the crap out of me later in the album. "Lady Godiva's Operation" sounded like some decent 60s psychedelia until the doctor part where it got weird. "Here She Comes Now" also had that 60s vibe and wasn't bad. But then the last two tracks brought the noise rock front and center. "I Heard Her Call My Name" had a horrendous almost all-feedback guitar solo that sounded like garbage to me. The jam in the middle of "Sister Ray" was just sloppy and all noise. I wanted to shut off the squealing organ and feedback. The end of "Sister Ray" was even more obnoxious than the middle. I tried to give the album a fair shake - even listened a second time, and that's when I noticed that the noise was present throughout, just not as noticeable on early tracks. I like some Lou Reed solo stuff, but I'm definitely not a fan of this album. Giving it a 2 rather than a 1 solely because there were some redeeming moments.
Not a big VU fan.
Art rock bullshit. 2 stars for a couple catchy songs.
bleh
Might appreciate it more if I were on drugs.
Dude, this was not good. Even for them
Lacking any production value whatsoever and with little regard to singing in tune, this was the ultimate 'fuck the system' album of the time, doesn't make it any good though.
An Interesting album. With some good times and equally some shite. Literally had to turn some off because of the racket. Weird little story track about a bloke posting himself to the woman he loves and she ends up stabbing him in the head. Compelling.
Velvet Underground hieß unsere Studentenkneipe in Brügge. Das Album hat leider weniger Spaß gemacht, als die Abende da.
.
Wow, I did not care for this. 3/10
4/10. I will admit, it was better than the Wikipedia article made it sound. But you know, I really didn't need some guy talking into my left ear for 8 minutes straight about some hopeless romantic, and honestly it was a bit of a cop-out to just have him die at the end. Similarly with the 17 minute song at the end, except I couldn't even be bothered to follow the story of this one, though I did figure out that she was busy sucking on his ding dong, because the singer said so about every 30 seconds. I'd be inclined to say the album was fairly good if it weren't for these two songs, except that these two songs are 65% of the album.
Another gsrage band
Classic lou reed: half of the time is interesting, half of the time you can enjoy it. Hole time is just noise. I get it, is experimental, but why?
Not my favorite VU record, but still a vibe to listen to. A little too noisy & chattery to be enjoyable throughout.
Ne das war nicht ganz meins - 2
Some good tracks on here but the final product is ultimately too disjointed to read as a cohesive album. Comes across more as a set of B-sides and demos, a view reinforced by the garage-level production
Definitely not an album that I choose to be in a list of best albums, half of the songs are just random noise sounds. Maybe when they make the album have just a few songs and wanted to release something new and say, ey, we should load the rest of the album with random shit and wala!
Some stuff stood out- "The Gift" was experimental and interesting, as was "Sister Ray" and "Lady Godiva's Operation", but I can't see myself returning to it, and too much was plodding
Interesting, but not as much my speed. Somewhat grungy.
Got through disc 1 and the start of disc 2 but boy it wasn't easy. What a weird band.
They remind me of the Beatles and, crazily enough, I'm not a huge Beatles fan. I did really enjoy the second song but that's primarily because it was a spoken song. I thing the singer's singing was the biggest issue for me however the instrumentals were good. I'm giving it a 2 since I couldn't even finish the album.
interesting
It was aite, not super my style
Not great
Not amazing.
Better than the last VU album but not by much. Not my thing I’m afraid
terrible. awful.
I love Lou Reed, I like John Cale a lot, but I have something to say: a deep dark secret that has haunted me, a theatre/art history grad who has been described as a “pretentious wanker” more than once: I hate the Velvet Underground. I hate this album, I hate the production, it’s almost unlistenable.
06/17 Hippie druggie bullshit
Like an ice pick to the ear drum.
Now that you’ve listened to this album, go back and play The Gift. I’m 100% positive this is what the CIA plays at “11” for terrorists held at black op sites between their water boarding sessions. This is just bad music. Hard pass for me.
Trying way too had to be cool and edgy. Brutal sounds, just all around unpleasant. Except the Waldo story, that was dumb but at least it was weirdly interesting.
Сара опет слабо слушала, фокусирала се на јаковов албум марко 1
Naw
This is by far one of the most obnoxiously abhorrent albums that I've had the displeasure of listening to. It had the sensation of waiting in line for the electric chair, hearing nothing but the jarring sounds of the screams of the unfortunate before me. They should try making music sober instead of manufacturing this bs off whatever narcotics they were on.
That shit sucked for real
Это не альбом. Мужики просто пытались придумать новые песни. У них не получилось.
this actually physically hurt to listen to, in particular the screeching guitar. i used to looove the velvet underground but this has me really questioning my taste. almost gave it a 2 for the moments of solace in Here She Comes Now and parts of Sister Ray.
0.5 / 5 Best Song: Sister Ray Worst Song: I Heard Her Call My Name Weirdest Song: The Gift Honorable Mention: White Light/White Heat Thank god, it's over. I laughed hysterically, but out of bewilderment or torment, I do not know... By far the most abrasive, chaotic, and ear-shattering abomination I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Half a point awarded for Sister Ray, which made me laugh for quantity of ding dongs sucked.
#20 What a noisy mess of an album. It feels like they are trying to be as experimental as they can possibly be, while also making it deliberately off-putting.
At best it bored me (such as during the Gift), at worst aggravated me (such as the weird vocal cuts on Lady Godiva's Operation), but mostly it just confused me. It sounds like giving a small child access to any musical production gadget and telling them to go wild, while one or two actual musicians try to keep up. It works best as an album described to you than you actually giving it a listen. I'm really hoping either of the two eponymous albums live up to the Velvet Undergrounds' legend.
Pretty songs
Wow this is BAD.
Jesus was this recorded on a potato? What is this awful noise at the end of the first song? Cool and now song #2 is just someone telling a weird-ass story. Oh great the last song is 20 minutes of noise. No thank you.
wow no thank you.
Halva albumet är en intermission. Velvet underground måste vara det mest överskattade bandet någonsin, så hjälper inte att de släpper ett "album" som absolut inte kan räknas som ett album. Varför detta med i listan?
This was truly awful. Most of this isn’t “music” - just noise, or talking (over noise). The most music-like tracks are fuzzy-sounding and have terrible song lyrics.
Was very raw and kinda just sounded terrible. Their other albums are actually enjoyable this just seems terrible to be terrible.
Not a fan at all. Unfocused.
Gah. Terrible rock album. Too weird.
I take back every time I called something else pretentious bullshit, because this takes the absolute cake. What a self-absorbed waste of 40 minutes.
they lost me here
ehhh naur
The last song made everything else irredeemable by association.