Reviews (page 6 of 9)
Is this some kind of joke? If so, someone needs to explain it to me. Once again: The Velvet Underground (and now that I've heard this, Nico) are BAD. As in NOT GOOD. You are being pranked. Hit a note. Tune your guitar. Take a poetry class. WHO SAID YOU COULD DO THIS! Insultingly bad.
12/5/24. Obviously very Veltet Underground like, which is a great thing! Loved the instrumentation and Nico's voice quality. Definitely very different for its time.
Iconic!
A strange record for sure. Nico has a rather unique and - as many a reviewer has been eager to point out - not very traditionally pleasant voice. This makes all the ballads feel especially odd; they're very pretty, especially These Days, but not because of Nico. But you know which song DOES work because of Nico? It Was A Pleasure Then, arguably the best song on this album. This is where Nico really shines, she whispers and wails like a banshee and it's all so eerie and evocative. This is also just a taste of what's to come on her next few records, which in my opinion do a much better job at highlighting Nico's qualities.
It looks like I can tolerate Nico's voice a lot more than other, because I am indifferent on it. It's not great, but I think it is fine (it is definitely unique). The instruments are the real highlight here. Some of the most interesting instrumental parts out of all of the 60's. I really like the more artsy songs like It Was A Pleasure. I can hear the Velvet Underground in that song specifically. Low 4.
I don't understand the appeal of Nico's consistently flat delivery. I also thought that this album was poorly mixed. I would get drawn in by the guitar only to struggle to hear it buried underneath the loud string section and woodwinds. I don't think a better balance would have helped much. I didn't need to hear this and wouldn't want to hear it again.
++: The Fairest of the Seasons, It Was a Pleasure Then, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, Eulogy to Lenny Bruce +: These Days, Winter Song, Chelsea Girls, I'll Keep It with Mine, Somewhere There's a Feather +-: Little Feather 7,2/10
Not for me
This would have been an amazing Velvet Underground album. The music behind the vocals is so great. Nico’s singing really ruins this for me, just like the songs she sings on The Velvet Underground’s debut album. If Lou Reed sang on this album it would be an easy 4 possibly 5 star album for me. I’m giving it a reluctant 3 because the music is so good but I won’t probably return to it because of Nico. Also, I never knew there was a connection between The Velvet Underground and the Eagles, but Jackson Browne plays guitar on some of the songs on here, and most of The Velvet Underground play on the rest of the album.
As much as she is a cultural icon I can never shake the feeling that I don't quite enjoy her music as much as I'm meant to. She has a particular style of singing, which at times is beautiful, others slightly grating. Nico is said to have hated the flutes and strings on this record but I feel without them I'm not sure what would be left. Saying that it still should be here.
Parts of this were haunting and beautiful, other parts made my ears hurt. Not aged that well for me
This would be significantly better if Nico could actually sing in key.
Overall: 9/10 This album really surprised me. I only know of Nico from her collaboration with The Velvet Undeground but I haven't actually listened to that album so I didn't know what to expect. I'm glad I had no idea cause this is so cool. Nico's vocals are haunting and beautiful and I adore the sparse, minimal instrumentation. I didn't think it was perfect and a couple of tracks seemed to drag on, but I love this style overall and I'm so glad to have had it recommended to me! Fav Song: These Days Least Fav Song: It Was a Pleasure Then
Beautifully uneasy, not many artists could make an album like this
this was great, her voice is great and i enjoyed the album as a whole, was really engaging
This is proper chamber pop – with some knotty and odd bits, but mostly lovely and different. The vocals are offbeat and distinctive, not the sweetest or most melodious of singing styles but rather formal and structured and just the slightest bit stilted – which works very well between and across the string arrangements and looping-then-jabbing flutes. A few cuts are first rate – "These Days" and "Finest of Seasons" and "I'll Keep it With Mine."
Moody. Love her voice. Love the arrangements. Love the mood.
Atmospheric... I guess. Not much more I could say positively. High 1.
CATCH-UP: NOVEMBER 13 I graduated from the school of separating art from artist so it would be extremely hypocritical of me to levy Nico's alleged awful beliefs around how I evaluate this record. However, what I can do is admit I've never got the appeal of The Velvet Underground & Nico. It's not a "bad" record per se, and it's very influential, but maybe listening to so much music it's influenced has spoiled me in advance. Likewise, in Chelsea Girl, I can hear a thousand chamber folk and folk pop acts being birthed. In that respect it's highly engaging, but it's not an album I would feel compelled to come back to off influence alone...the German-ness of her voice is just too much for me. Despite all the above that I just wrote, I learned that Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan worked on this thing, which makes me destined to like it at least a bit. +0.5 points on my personal scale. 6/10
Well Nico hates this album and so do I! what a dull album.
all these nice songs and they really chose Nico to sing them
Hey its the second half of the hit album Nico & The Velvet Underground. She has a beautfil voice, really unique. I found it quite repetitive but still okay 6/10
There are isolated moments where I vibe to this. But an entire album is a bit much. 2/5
Great with Lou Reed, not great solo.
Mangler Lou reed
Nico has the kind of voice where if any modern star would be to imitate her style of singing and mimic the tone, they would fail miserably. All I took from this album was “This is an album only Nico could do”.
Ugh.
God. This was beautiful. So good to listen to on a cold morning in Copenhagen. These Days is of course a really lovely song and one that I’ve listened to for many years. The whole album worked for me. Glad to have heard it.
The original art album, inevitably from exploding plastic. I love the note that Nico's voice sounds like a cello as it cuts through the folk. It would have been much more stark without the addition of the flute and strings, but I'm happy they're there
Oh. Honey. No.
yes
Didn't much like this, despite my expectations. Her voice is actually hard to take. I enjoyed it on "The Velvet Undergound and Nico", but a full album is too much. She's not terribly tuneful.
Kind of cool for a few songs but all similar sounding.
Most of this was nice. There were some songs that sounded really nice. I didn’t really care for the avant-garde stuff. Most of the songs sound the same as well. And while that’s the case, I still think there’s some worthwhile stuff here. The strings and wind instruments are nicely done. Nico’s voice is nice for most of the time as well. This has its flaws, but I still think this is decent.
I usually like folk albums, but this just didn't click with me. Some songs like 'Chelsea girls', 'The fairest of the seasons' or 'Wrap your troubles in dreams' were okay for the genre. However, the rest of the album bordered between boring and unlistenable. It was nicely produced at times, but her voice was far too monotone to make it an enjoyable experience for me. 2/5 stars
Nicon ääni on unettava, etenkin kun biisit ovat näin vähäeleisiä. En syty. Oikeastaan päällimmäiseksi tunteeksi jäi ärtymys… en tiedä, olisiko pitänyt pystyä keskittymään enemmän, mut levy ei houkutellut siihen.
Sovituksen ja tulkinnan yksipuolisuus estää selvittämästä, jäikö ensimmäisellä kuuntelulla jotain huomaamatta. Toinen raita on lupaava. 1+
Take the i and c from the name and what is left is my review....
So the first thing I saw about this album was the artist doing an interview and saying did she can't listen to this album and that it's terrible. That it was destroyed in production with too many flutes. So here I am wondering before I even listen why an album would be on this list? If not even the artist likes it. And then I turned it on, and I realized there was still a lack of self-awareness on the artist's part, because she flat out can't sing. She can't hold a note. It is absolutely terrible and I have no understanding of what significance this could possibly have that it would be on the list.
Meh. Next.
She released an album which is more than most can ever say. She shouldn't have, but she did.
1001 albums to help you die. Crap.
.... So far the 60s records I've heard have had fantastic production. This sounds like it was recorded with tin cans and string, either that or my speakers have blown. Artsy doesn't mean good, who put this on the list? Nico is so monotone, no deviation. Some of the instrumentals would have been lovely if they weren't so muddy sounding. I hated it.
Luckily this album ended just as I was about to kick the stool away....
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR (vegan) Artwork: 👱♀️🥺⬛ Produktion: 🎧😐🆗 Musik: 🎙️🎻🥚 Wertung: 🥚🥚🥚(🥚)/5
Nice sounding background music
Really enjoyed this. Minimal and the strings were lovely
Meh. Not very good.
Dull and austere, very samey
Dogshit drawl over boring minimal piano instrumentation. She sounds like an elderly german teacher in elementary school trying to force the children to sing in a choir but they aren't having it.
Jesus fucking christ this has to be the worst album I've ever had the displeasure of violating my ears with
This has to be a joke, right ?!?
If she didn't like it, why would I?
Nico’s voice is special, so haunting and ethereal. Chelsea Girl is very baroque sounding. Loses points for not writing any of the songs 5.3/10
Her voice is low. I found it and the music boring.
These Days is a banger, though.
I've listened to the Velvet Underground and Nico for years and have my own thoughts on that album, but this was the first time I'd listened to Nico solo material. It was ok. The strings are lush, but the other instruments and Nico's vocals are fairly sparce. It was a good vibe while on, but other than that just fine. 3/5
Anyone who gave this a one has their ears literally busted. Don't review music anymore because you're physically not capable of listening to music properly. That's not a bad thing. Not everybody can do everything, but know your limits. You wouldn't be a food critic if you had no taste buds.
it sounds like she has a lot of ice cubes in her mouth and the words are pouring out between them
4/10
3/4 stelle, bellissima voce e flauto
An album with no drums or bass, and generally sparse instrumentation, which, after my first spin, I thought was a cool creative choice and definitely had a gentle vibe, contrasted by her deadpan vocals and heady surreal poetry. But then I read the Wikipedia article and came to know that Nico actually hated the album, as she wanted drums and more guitars. The flute and string arrangements, too, were added without her knowledge. That information changed my perspective. Sure, I loved the beautifully melancholic 'Fairest of The Seasons' and 'These Days.' But 'Winter Song' sounded too folky. The lack of drums in 'It Was A Pleasure Then' held back the sonic catharsis you usually experience in avant-garde noisy songs like that. And though the title track was a great tune with bittersweet flutes, I wondered how much better it would have sounded if it were rockier. The rest of the songs were just uninteresting. I feel that it would have been a solid 5-star album if Nico had been given full creative freedom.
Very meh
Enjoyed Chelsea Girls a lot but some songs too experimental.
Nothing as good as These Days, kind of has the Vashti Bunyan thing going but doesnt commit
It’s not my cup of tea per se but I can see the influence that this has, especially on later albums in this list like Björk and the Cure
First off, f**k the Velvet Underground. I never liked them. EVER. I always hated that rock critics thought they were so amazing. The garage DIY has to come with a bit of skill. They're sloppy, too sloppy, and a bunch of druggies. Then there's Lou Reed, who can't keep a tune if his gloves were covered with velcro. So now we come to this album. And quite frankly I couldn't help but wonder if the songs would have hit better if either the singer was in a higher pitch, or used some vibrato. As it is, it sounds like someone assembled a band and the producer brought in the girlfriend to sing. Maybe she would have been better with punkier songs. She doesn't fit the mood of the songs they're playing. NEXT.
Nico's voice is terrible. If it wasn't for her Andy Warhol or Velvet Underground connection would she even be on this list? Although that's probably the point. You need to hear this thing that was created by Warhol, and this odd songbird that was one of his things. The musical arrangements are ok, but maybe a bit overdone in their attempt to add elaborate strings to the other instrument simplicity. I always talk about the 80's as being a weird time, but man the swingin' 60's, they might take the cake. The 80's was a bunch of people with no clue doing weird things. But the 60's can be downright pretentious. That's what this album felt like.
Holy crap, she's a horrible singer. Note to Andy Warhol, Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, and Jackson Browne: you can't hear good looks. I might have given this a 2 because the underlying music was often pleasant enough but then I had to sit through "It Was a Pleasure Then" which reminds me why I dislike the Velvet Underground so vehemently. Feedback, awful guitar playing...yup, it's the Velvet Underground. This is one of the few albums that made me regret my commitment to listening to every album at least two times. Awful.
The first influencer, who thought being famous entitels to start a music career. Thanks to her we have Youtubers doing songs. Nico walked so BibisBeautyPalace could walk. (Point for not hiding the german accent behind a fake one)
Eh
This is an oddball little record that I liked a great deal.
So, I guess I don’t like Nico without Lou Reed and Velvet Underground. This just felt pretentious and well longer than its 40 minutes.
Big fan. Nico‘s voice used to bother me, but that seems to fade by the end of this album. Will definitely be revisiting.
Loved it, very good stuff.
This is extremely difficult to listen to. I think this is the first real album I've heard where I have thought \"given a day or two I could probably make something better myself\". I don't think there are any redeeming songs, and some of these songs go on for a very long time. The singing isn't good or enjoyable to listen to. The songs are not catchy or enjoyable to listen to (i.e. if a good singer were to sing them I don't think that would save them). The instruments sound bad and the arrangements are bad.
This album is great. Nico's voice is both beautiful and haunting at the same time. I know many of her collaborators wrote these songs for her to sing, and the arrangements are just beautiful. This is a singular work for a unique artist. Really great early morning listen.
Nico is a German folk singer and supermodel. Not sure why she was a supermodel... She looks like a scarecrow. She should have kept to modelling though, cause she can't sing her way out of a plastic bag. This album is fucking horrible. Apparently she sang on that Velvet Underground album with the big fucking banana on it. This is like fucking Dollar Store Joni Mitchell. It's like if a Renaissance Fair caught fire, and got launched into a garbage dump. Utter trash. Favourite songs: These Days Least favourite songs: Little Sister, Winter Song, It Was a Pleasure Then (whoever mixed this garbage deserves to be shot out of a cannon into a river of shit. This is great music to torture someone to). 1/5.....negative stars if I could
I just can’t seem to catch a break. Although I am fully aware of the massive influence that the debut album from The Velvet Underground record has had on dozens of artists and bands. But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed the record. I heard it very early on, so there is a chance if I went back, maybe I would like it more. But fans of the album really like to throw that influence thing around a lot. I’m convinced it’s because they have all had to force themselves into submission until they think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. I found it incredibly average. And my least favorite part of the whole ordeal was 100 percent Nico. I did not expect to be hearing from her again though. I had no idea she even maintained a career after her stint with Lou Reed & co. Except, similarly to the record from Holger Czukay that I spoke about earlier this week, this is not really much of a solo album. Most of the actual instrumental contributions come from members of The Velvet Underground. And all of the flute and string arrangements were added by the producer Tom Wilson. Supposedly against her will too. Which sort of highlights my issue with her as a whole. The woman had zero experience with any instruments. And was relying solely on her former band mates to create good music to back her. But thinks the arrangements are unnecessary? This would be 10 times more unbearable without them. They are one of the only consistently enjoyable things from song to song. I won’t make the claim that she couldn’t sing, because I don’t believe that’s true. And I don’t abhor her lyricism. I listen to a fair share of artists with pretty strange lyrics. But it feels like the ultimate music equivalent to a fake deep Facebook post. She tried really hard to make the lyrics sound like something they aren’t, and I do not connect with them at all. Nico truly is not the reason why this music is even remotely interesting. Not at all. The rest of the band is hard-carrying her on their backs. I just fail to see where the brilliance or genius is. It is beyond me. I wouldn’t give someone any scrutiny for listening to her music. But I have heard dozens of other records that are far more memorable or remarkable. Rating: 4/10
Some all-timers on this, but even Nico hated the flutes.
I was enjoying this until Winter Song, I wouldnt call it a tonal shift, but the identity of the album just switches here and there. If you've ever gone to an abstract art performance, it feels like that at times, just off putting and feeling too dumb to "get it" . Overall its okay.
Some beautiful musical arrangements (which she famously hated), the definitive version of “These Days”, and then like most Warhol related projects… some extremely off putting moments that sour the whole experience.
Y'all ain't twee? I mean, I can understand not liking her voice or the flute but it be what it be. You just gotta be cut from a certain cloth.
You can listen to this whole album and be like where do I know this voice from?? It doesn’t quite fit here but OH YES ITS THE SAME WOMAN FROM ILL BE YOUR MIRROR…. But it’s perfect on that track. Otherwise could honestly be forgotten… there’s some ok tracks on this but some of the strings are bizarre
Sorry, I just can't bear to listen to this. Interminable.
I don’t want to go to Chelsea.
like eating leaf litter, and not in a good way
Never knew these days was originally by Nico
Listened Before? N What.... even is this? I don't understand the appeal here at all. A droning, monotone, heavily-accented woman (who also sounds like she smokes 2 packs a day) makes a pop album? And it's super popular? Not for me, thanks. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: These Days
Horrible
I can hear its influence all over (for instance, the tribute to Lenny Bruce had me thinking about Stone Temple Pilots “Kitchenware and Candy Bars”) and I love “These Days,” but overall this just isn’t my jam.
Rubbish
Нееее эту дичь я даже слушать не буду Хороший альбом от мерзкого человека. Сказать мне больше нечего
This album is such a pleasant listen. Where I saw I’d been generated Nico, I initially didn’t know who she was until my partner questioned if she had sang with Velvet Underground, which it turns out she had. The music here reminded me a fair bit of Joni Mitchell, but the vocals are very different. Whereas Joni was known in her younger days for her high soprano voice, Nico has a voice that I’d question being as low as a tenor. I love the fingerpicking guitar playing found here, and the orchestration of the other instruments is like a Victoria sponge for the ears. This was simply very nice.
I have a lot of time for this. I’m so surprised the average rating is as low as it is?
Mood-music means you have to be in the right mood for it. I can see why this is here - it’s a proto-goth album, I’d argue, celebrated by Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, New Order, and Bjork. But, I’m not always in this mood.
She's got a deep voice and stilted vocal style – distinctive, unconventional, memorable – and one could listen to a few of these songs ("These Days," of course, but also "I'll Keep It With Mine" and "The Finest of Seasons") many times over. It's the overall mood and persistently lovely string accompaniment. On the other hand, "It Was a Pleasure Then" is inaptly titled and maybe this gets a touch repetitious toward the end and there's a sameyness of tone, for sure. Still, originality matters a great deal so rounding up to a perhaps overgenerous 4.
Sure, her voice is an acquired taste and yeah, this folky material isn't necessarily the best fit for her. She would immediately pivot away from this style on subsequent albums in favor of a stark, doomy, gothic, proto-slowcore sound, which is shocking and amazing. This album is still pretty good though and I think it has grown on me after multiple listens. There are no other records that are like this.
I lost all interest during It Was A Pleasure Then. The droning was too much
Nice. Weird. Ultimately not for me though.
Terrible., unable to listen to it
Oh god that was bad. Musically it was ok, but uninspired and meh. But her voice drags this down faster than a mob informant with concrete boots.
1.4/5 listened 1x
These days 🥹🫶 Thought I was gonna hate this but rlly enjoyed
This was a lovely record, but it was too melancholy for my taste - 2.5 Favourites: - The fairest of the seasons - These days - Winter Song (I feel bad enjoying any of this because I read that Nico hated this record because she didn’t have control over what was in it, and she especially hated the flutes - I really hope she got to make music she was happy with) Reviewed 15/08/2024
Ho er bedre med velvet
Songs and instrumental are cool but I couldn’t get past her voice. It was hard to listen to.
I actually thought this was kind of interesting, cool rrangementa and instrumentation. The guitar was cool with the strings. Like the pizz on wrap your troubles. She has an interesting voice but I don’t think I like it. Idk what to rate it.
I really don’t mind her voice
Not my speed.
Uhhhh
Nico has a super unique voice that I can see would be decisive, but I'm firmly in the camp of enjoyers. There's only a few songs on the album that are think are worthy of saving, but still this was decent.
Weird
I can tell right away this album was the influence for other artists to come. Artistic and honest, but sometimes includes the noisy shit that I hated about Velvet Underground.
Not spaced out enough to enjoy this one, kinda boring…
Don't know why people love her & velvet underground. They're just so dull to me. Strong German accent makes the one-dimensional singing voice even less appealing to me. Borderline on 1/2 but going to give it a 2.
Dit album is Velvet Underground in een folk-jasje, zoals we die band al een aantal keer hoorden op hun debuut. Nico's stem is mysterieus, de melodieën zijn onorthodox doch aandoenlijk, en de poëzie is kunstig. Er zijn wat momenten dat de avant-garde stijl een beetje te veel de overhand neemt (een omen voor de left turn in haar latere solo carrière), wat de flow van het album niet ten goede komt, maar de plaat is overall bezaaid met prachtige passages. Haar vertelwijze en toon is niet voor iedereen denk ik, maar ik ben het door de jaren heen gaan waarderen. Absolute hoogtepunt voor mij is de Lou Reed creatie en tevens titelsong 'Chelsea Girls', daar kun je echt in verdwalen. Daarnaast is het bekendere openingsduo een ultieme toonzetter. 8/10 Highlights: The Fairest of the Seasons These Days Chelsea Girls Somewhere There's a Feather
Nico is natuurlijk niet de beste zangeres. En er zitten wat rare uitspattingen op dit album. Zoals het 8 minuten durende It Was A Pleasure Then. Soms erg lelijk en dissonant, toch erg mysterieus en interessant Gek ook dat die mystieke dame niks van deze plaat zelf heeft geschreven. Alles is door mannen geschreven. Toch hoor je de kwaliteit. En ik vind These Days echt magisch. Prachtig mooi. 8/10 Highlights These Days Chelsea Days
All the best songs are at the beginning of the album and then it starts to drag. I honestly like her vocal style and I definitely like her work with The Velvet Underground but this album just isn't a start to finish classic.
Really solid classic pop album
Still trying to figure out if she can't or she doesn't want to sing. More a piece of art than a music album
I don't think Nico is talented, this is only decent because of jackson browne and lou reed which is why I'll give it two stars instead of one
Reading the wikipedia page before listening, and i have to agree a bit with Nico. I don't like the flute, and not much of a fan of the strings either
Warbly nonsense
Nope.
Pretty average
Ce n'était pas tellement mon genre, mais j'ai vraiment aimé comment ça capturait super bien l'époque à laquelle c'est sorti. Nico a une voix vraiment unique et intéressante. Ça c'est vraiment plus le genre d'albums que je m'attends à découvrir que plein d'albums electro mauvais du UK. 7.5/10
Her voice is beautiful and haunting. Honestly, started to bug me by about track 7. Still, an album with this level of composition, mood, & vibe seems like a lost relic. A beautiful effort by Nico.
Nah. That’s not it.
I can hear why people are so down on this one.
Ibland måste man bara sluta lyssna för att skydda sig själv. Så blev det här. Rösten är inte bra och tyvärr inte musiken heller.
Älskar "fairest of the the season" (filmmusik till en wes Anderson-film). Riktigt kul att få höra hela albumet. Hoppas det är lika bra som första låten! Det är bra, mycket bra. Älskar rösten och stråkarna. Svag för sånt. Ingen låt är riktigt lika bra som första, men alla är bra utom "it was a pleasure then".
Nja, jag gillar varken hennes röst eller kompositionerna överlag på den här skivan. Ett par låtar i början är okej men It was a pleasure then är ju bara högtravande trams som ska straffas betygsmässigt.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I thought the intro to the album would give way to a more profound emotional album that developed in a satisfying way. Instead we got 10 almost identical tracks with the same wishy washy slow vocal and 2 notes per minute played by the band. In the scope of other albums on this list so far I think this suprisingly holds up. Because of that I will consider it middle of the road to allign with my other reviews.
A good album, although I do think it can feel just a bit monotonous at times. I know she was quite unhappy with the instrumentation (especially the flutes), but frankly, I like it! And I like her voice
A unique voice, took me a while to appreciated it, but this is a fine album.
Nothing really grabbed me.
Is it weird that I don’t hate this? Maybe a found the perfect use case for this album: get yourself a crying, inconsolable baby. Don’t sleep a wink. Finally get the little one to fall asleep in his carrier, while out for a very early walk. Listen to the album as the sun comes up. Try it, I dare you!
I mean sure, the strings and flute are a bit much, but that doesn't make it a bad album. Far from it; so many beautiful songs on here.
I knew from the cover and year, but went in with an open mind. I was right.
Nice
My first introduction to Nico was with Velvet Underground and Nico, which is a legendary avante garde album. Her solo work is, well, um, like listening to my wife talk about our summer home improvement projects. I stopped listening after the fourth. Key song: These Days, because it was used on one of my favorite mixtapes/cd given to me years ago (Thanks again, BTW).
I'm familiar with the solo Nico stuff thanks to Wes Anderson's use of the first 2 songs on this album: "Fairest Of The Seasons" and "These Days". "These Days" is probably one of the better songs about getting older. Both are written by Jackson Browne, which is maybe why they are the best tracks. You can definitely hear Nico's old pals the Velvet Underground on several of the other tracks but VU did it better. I like "Chelsea Girls" even at 7+ minutes long. It was a bit of a chore to get through the rest of the album. Not necessarily bad but is definitely reserved for a specific type of mood, maybe a rainy/snowy morning.
Beautiful instrumentation and arrangements, great songwriting by a number of brilliant artists, but Nico's "singing" just sounds flat and dead on every damn song. While I am into this genre generally speaking, I just can't get over Nico's voice. These Days is a beautiful song, but you should go listen to The Black Keys cover of it instead.
Sounds like my uncle
Listening to Chelsea Girl is a strange trip. On one hand, you have a perfectly pleasant production from Tom Wilson, hot off of Bob Dylan's Bringing it All Back Home album, and Like a Rolling Stone single, and Simon & Garfunkel's career-making Sound of Silence single. You also have half of the album being written and performed by the Velvet Underground, several more songs written and performed by a young Jackson Browne. On the other hand, you have Nico, who, as a vocalist, leaves much to be desired. Her voice is husky; her pitch is shaky. And she sings in a very stiff German accent. It's a jarring juxtaposition. The album is haunting in its execution. The music sounds pretty, despite the downbeat tempos and moody atmospheres. The vocals are joyless and lacking in melody or soul. It's just a weird album. Maybe that's the point. But when the dust settles, it's not really that interesting. joyless vocals
I like it, some boring songs but overall, I think it's awesome
eulogy to lenny bruce😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Didn’t really do it for me
Such a unique vocal timbre - a mysteriously floaty delivery. Raw and elegant with solid arrangements and song writing.
Beautiful folk music mixed with biblically accurate animal noises. What a fun ride
meh
I kind of wish we could get a better explanation for why albums were chosen.
Prepared to overlook her suspect views on this one. Trying to separate the ‘art from the artist’ a bit more. Not that she was a total wrangun, but definitely had traits. Anyway, I’m a big fan of Nico, primarily through the Velvet Underground. For me, Nico is the 60s. If I think of 60s culture, I picture her. She is very much a huge icon. And this record screams the bohemian side of the 60s. Her vocals are instantly recognisable and almost always sound haunting. Has that sort of ‘I’m off my tits, heres some nice folky music’ vibes to it. I’m a big fan, even if she wasn’t. Apparently she hated it. Too much flute, not enough guitar according to her.
I'm not really sure about her voice, it's really unique but I'm not sure it suits this sort of music. I could see why someone might really like it though. After the first song I'd written it off a bit, then These Days was brilliant and I thought I'd been a bit hasty, then the rest of the album was a bit meh. It's a unique, different sound for a singer songwriter (though I think she got her cool mates to write a lot of it), I think it's worth a listen. But These Days aside I probably won't listen again.
She has an incredibly distinctive voice but this is a bit of a slog. It all sounds the same. Novel and interesting at first, but dreary and repetitive by the end.
Only know Nico from the velvet underground.... Very distinctive voice, which I think works really well on that album. I do quite like her voice, it's unique, but a whole album got a bit of a slog. Couple of really good tracks here though, these days and somewhere there's a feather I liked.
Musica medianamente bonita arruinada por la señora llamada Nico
I just can’t with her voice. From listening to a lot of Velvet Underground, I knew I would have a hard time with a whole album, and indeed I did. Not for me, but certainly a representation of the scene.
No 😐 I tried but.. No.
I'm going to feel a little bad if she's deaf, but not too bad, because this is awful. She shouldn't even sing in the shower. If this was some experiment where someone taught her English through song, I guess that's kind of neat, but I hope she learned to speak English and never did this again. The music is OK from what I heard, but I couldn't finish this. Zero stars should be an option.
nice
Nope
I was initially excited to see that this was basically a Velvet Underground album, then disappointed that it was kinda slow and boring. But - by the end - I was getting some real Fionna Apple vibes that I dug.
Interesting to hear this shortly after hearing the Velvet Underground banana album. While some might say her presence on that record provides a welcome counterpart to Lou Reed's craggy vocals, arguably her own voice is just as much of an acquired taste. There are a couple of tunes in the middle of this that are almost dirge-like and quite hard to listen to (I think, on balance, the decision to add strings and flutes was a wise one - a song like Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams would have much less about it without them). On the flip side, sometimes the austere vocals and simple arrangements work perfectly - like on These Days - and a kind of elegant beauty is achieved. Overall I'd say it's more good than bad and quite an engaging listen. 3.5
Nico thought of herself as a bit of a chanteuse, many others did too. Warhol liked her, she was a bit of a muse of sorts, so he insisted she sing for The Velvet Underground, but she'd still go solo and the Velvet Underground were along for the ride but this would not be anything like a follow up to that album. We're in for avant-garde shit here, that's to say we're in for some shit here. Shit production. Shit voice. Shit everything. Not 1 star level shit, but not far off...
Highlight: These Days. In a nutshell: melancholic and overrated. This would have been a different -and perhaps better- album if Nico was able to add other instruments. I would have loved to hear a “Nico’s Version” of Chelsea Girl. It could have been a completely wild avant-rock album. She stated that she wanted drums and guitars. Studio said no. She didn’t like the flute and strings. Studio wouldn’t budge. Great songwriters were on board (Jackson Browne, John Cale, etc) but I feel that recording it avant-folk was not the best fit. The flute in most songs create a harsh and cold atmosphere. Like Donald Fagen post Steely Dan in the 80s with The Nightfly, Nico's Chelsea Girl was too similar to her work with The Velvet Underground. Overall: 3/10
Some of the music is pretty interesting, but this is a really dated album. Ugh.
Neat to hear Nico's voice outside of the Velvet Underground album... i was pretty optimistic after the first two tracks which do well to deliver an introspective and melancholic vibe. Unfortunately it doesn't really seem to go anywhere else and gets a little boring by the end. Interesting.
Folk-rock. Muuuuuy cansina. Un 2.
Melancólico. Voz oscura.
Boring.
Finnst Nico æðisleg og mjög þægileg áhlustunar. Eitt og eitt lag þarna sem hafði mátt missa sín. 3,5
The first few songs were miles better than whatever was in the second half. Nico also has a really weird voice, which is rather eclectic if you're into that sort of thing.
Who told this woman she could sing? This was awful!
Very like marianne faithful!
Wow, lots of hate for this one in the reviews. Who'd've thunk it? I mean, personally I think Jackson Browne is a fantastic songwriter! And I mean you got Lou Reed making an appearance too?! I'm almost tempted to give this 5 stars just because of the personnel involved and those who provided the inspiration. But I won't because Nico kinda just fuckin sucks. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE?! YOUR DUMB FUCKIN SOUP CANS AREN'T THAT GOOD EITHER, ANDY!!!
Wonderfully wistful, whimsical little escapades of songs that put not a pep in your step but a glide in your stride.
It blows my mind that this album is from 1967, it could easily have been a new release it still sounds so fresh and relevant. Something about Nico just grabs my attention. From the first moments of The Fairest Of The Seasons I'm hooked. Other faves: These Dats, Chelsea Girls
I think Nico might be more effective in smaller doses, as when used by the Velvet Underground. Something about her precise enunciation and flat affect gives me an uncanny valley feeling, which isn't necessarily a bad thing - a whole album of it makes me go to numb to it, though, which is. Fave tracks - "These Days". If "Chelsea Girls" was like half the length I'd add that too. "Eulogy to Lenny Bruce" is nice too...
Some of the strings and wind instruments were nice. I became a little sensitive to the vocal stylings after a time though.
Fascist flute vibes. Too much for this weekend.
I really wanted to like this album, but unfortunately it just doesn't do it for me. There is a place for obvious dissonance in music, and I actually usually quite like the fringe avant-garde genre that this music belongs too. Sadly, instead of presenting itself as 'arty', it more or less just sounds plain bad. The production is horrendous and I agree with the assessment of Nico herself about the flute. It overpowers the mix and adds nothing. The strings can be a bit much too. I think this album had the potential to be really good if the instrumentation was more like The Velvet Underground style. There is charm to this album. Nico has a unique voice, one that I wouldn't say is bad but certainty not traditionally commercial. But this is not the album that it had the potential to be. 2/5
hyyyyyyyyyyhg paskaa musiikkia!! ja siis hyvällä tavalla... hirveetä kuunneltavaa, mutta silti pakko jatkaa kuuntelemista... selkäpiitä karmiii!! huumehörhö rasisti, perusjuttuja tälläsiltä art rock vittuilijoilta. taas kerran instrumentaaliset elementit vievät eteenpäin ja kusiset vokaalit tuo mitä arvoa artistisuudella oli aika paljon alaspäin... noh viemärilieju ei lopu, ei tule viemärin mukana aarteita, pelkkää kakkaa ja pissaa valuu viemäristä, odottelen suuaukossa, merenlähellä, ja kakkaa ja pissaa ja oksennusta valuu putkista, ei arvokkaita esim. jalokiviä tai koruja tule pelkkää kakkaa ja pissa.... winter song
Should have been "Desertshore" or "The Marble Index" instead. Nico's voice was made for weird avantgarde bullshit, so some of the pop songs they threw at her on this one are like giving Death Metal to Taylor Swift. You can tell she wasn't built for this. Her 1981 interview confirms that. Has a few alright songs, but overall an overlong mess. I feel bad giving this a low score because I love her later work, but this just ain't it. Listen to "Desertshore".
Liked! ! ! !
Nice, but a bit boring, songs were too similar
This was hard. I've loved These Days for a long time, but l admit I like the song more than I like her performance. Her accent is so distracting, it causes her to make really strange singing choices.
I love the way she drifts in and out of tune, especially on Little Sister and Eulogy to Lenny Bruce. Something hypnotic and tidal about it. The standout track is It Was A Pleasure Then.
3.75
The strings on this album are gorgeous. I really wish more rock and rock-esque artists used them to the extent Nico used them here. They're adapted to be smooth and lilting in the ballads, and a more foreboding staccato when the song calls for it. It also makes me feel fancy and superior. And Nico's singing... it might not be technically perfect, but it's pretty unique, with her distinctive accent and a signature deadpan delivery. There's a weird mixing error happening nearly every time she sings where a soft fuzz can be heard behind her vocal. It's a little distracting once you notice it, and it's prevalent in other un-remastered music from this era. (Clare Torry's vocal in Pink Floyd's The Great Gig In The Sky, 1973, comes to mind. Also very noticeable in The Velvet Underground's debut, which featured Nico's singing on three tracks.) It's not a bad thing, just an interesting little detail. Other than strings and vocals, there's not much in the way of instrumentation. Some very light drums and guitar here and there, and while they fit well with Nico's voice, I would've liked to see more textural variation and experimentation with how other instruments interplay with Nico's vocal. 4/5 Key tracks: These Days, It Was A Pleasure Then, Chelsea Girls, I'll Keep It With Mine
Nico's German accent is embarassingly strong, and it makes it a difficult to take the lyrics seriously - sometimes it sounds like a parody of a German singer. Perhaps she should have recorded the album in German or taken more English classes. The string arrangements are kind of cheesy, and the instrumentation and production in general feels weak and hollow, unwilling to take any chances. Nico is trying to do something experimental (as you can hear on "It Was A Pleasure Then", which somehow escaped the whims of the producer), but the producer has packed it in fluff that doesn't fit it at all. Overall, the album feels tedious and mismatched. It's not actively bad enough to warrant a 1, but I don't think I can give it more than a 2 either.
good albums by racists are so annoying
Ahh hell naw.
It was okay to listen to for a while. Couple of good old songs in there. I'll probably listen to it again
This one is a bit batshit. The lyrics are nuts and at times the instrumentation truly out there (thanks Lou), and interesting. But it’s also terrible.
It was good but it felt like the whole thing was one song so I couldn’t finish it tbh Liked the sound and her voice though
Not bad. I think the melodies don’t really live up to the rest of the songwriting
First few songs were something folksy, and then "It was a pleasure then..." went far off that... I do like the simpler backdrops to Eulogy.
I was unimpressed at first but this album grew on me massively as it went on. I'll definitely revisit.
Pretty surprised on how much I liked this album. I never gave Nico much credit, thing she was just an art student that joined a band but this album was alright. I wouldn’t say world beater but a pleasant album.
Medieval chic. Nico’s had a bad rap in these reviews, but I quite like it. Maybe a bit moany, but I like the folky undertones It’s a 3.5, but I’m going benefit of the doubt with a 4
ok
Not as good as "The Marble Index" but a good album nonetheless.
Works for me.
Her voice didn't do it for me. I like the tunes and instrumentals, but the Nico voice just spoils the milk in an otherwise good bowl of cereal.
Nico really made the velvet underground special.
I have no reason to like or dislike this album.
Boring and uninspiring. The singer lacks all ounces of emotion in every single song. She sounds bored, which in turn makes me want to sleep. The instrumentals were alright and had some interesting mixing that I thought was done well, but it's ruined by the singer's lack of effort and emotion.
Absolute slog to get through. Like listening to a whale sing over strings and flutes. I should like this because I like what she did with the Velvet Underground and I like many of the songwriters she worked with, but I don’t. This album would be 10 times better with any other person singing these songs.
Melancólico. Voz oscura.
Folk rock. Was good but it was very slow paced which was good but isn't my style.
A somewhat odd album musically. Nico has an interesting voice. Didn't resonate with me much, but it was different.
Heroin raga, this is an exercise in texture and pulse. No bass, no drums - the rhythm that there is comes from the trance-like vamping strings and droned guitars that disolve into frenzied feedback. Flat monotone vocals with all the enthusiasm of an exhausted au pair singing a lullaby, a great performance of alienated ennui, of a bored hipster affect aggresively unimpressed with everything that could possibly exist. I know the mood, but it's not exactly fount of creativity. Way too much irritating flute. These Days is very good though, the only song that comes close to her songs on the banana album.
Nico...her voice sounds familiar. The second track had 104 Million plays! I'll probably recognize that one. Nope I don't recognize it. MEh....I guess 2 stars
1. zeazonz - 1 2. dayz - 1 3. zizter - 1 4. uuinter - 1.5 5. pleazure - 1.5 6. chelzea girlz - 2 7. uuith mine - 1 8. feather - 1 9. dreamz - 1 10. lenny bruce - 1.5
4.5 - Loved this album, the music accompanied Nico's voice perfectly and I found it really unique. Only ever heard These Days and was happy that most of the album was more of that. Will definitely go into my rotation
I enjoyed this a lot at the start, but then found it a bit samey. Fave Tracks: The Fairest of the Seasons, It Was A Pleasure Then, I’ll Keep It With Mine 3.9/5
Nice instrumentals, and I can get behind a lady with a deeper voice, especially from this era. However, it was very samey after a while, 2*.
First few songs were pleasant, the rest were pretty boring, especially the two long ones, those were a slog to get through. Lot of “go girl give us nothing” moments for me. She seems pretty interesting as a person, but she is possibly a violent racist
Something about this makes it not speak to me. It’s very boring, maybe something ab the lack of excitingness of the instrumentals but also there’s not much going on w her voice, like it’s simple but it’s not good enough to be simple. But also I am disgustingly congested and my hearing is shot so maybe I’m missing something. There was that one song with noises I really just didn’t like. On a more positive note I’m back home and very excited to rate things at a reasonable hour of the night! 4.5/10
Wasn’t sure if Nico was a man or a woman till reading about the album afterwards. Sometimes it felt like she was throwing her voice at the melody and hoping it landed near the pitch, which it usually did but sometimes didn’t. That said, this was very unique and charming. 7.5/10
3.75- Her voice is so annoying. What the heck is going on in the background of it was a pleasure then. Its just like random scraping and high pitched, out of tune notes. Her voice is not the main idea in most of the pieces which is good since I do not like her voice but, the other parts of the music is also bad so it does not really solve the problem. The middle part of Chelsea Girls was pretty relaxing (when she is not singing). The flute works well. I want to say that the album got better as it went on but Wrap your troubles in dreams fell back into the same pitfalls as the first half. Overall not great.
I guess people with German accents singing in English just doesn’t sound nice, because at its best this made me laugh and at its worst it sounded like tank battles
Really, really atmospheric and beautiful songs. I love her voice.
Melancholic and beautiful to its core. I rarely cry to any song, but this whole album wells up my eyes between Nico's voice and the instrumentation. I really love the more experimental side of the instrumentation.
that was painful. 1 star
I wanted to like this. It felt 'off' but I came to realize it was because the singer's native language was not English, so it was missing the 'feel' for the words. Would listen to it again though
Meh it was ok but quite boring
Nice acoustic folk, but I’m just not a fan of the voice.
Forgettable? I listened to it and immediately forgot I listened to it.
The musical equivalent of drinking a Negroni. Almost overwhelmingly bitter and in no way conventionally tasty, but you can handle it if you take small sips and don't think much about it. During the "experience" you may feel very sophisticated and of distinguished and refined taste. Afterward, what you have left is a bitter tase in your mouth and slight nausea. An old school drink that looks tasty and has a dope name, but is terribly bitter - A girl singing songs somewhere between beautiful and avant-garde, but she's terribly German.
Just by looking at the album cover I could tell the sort of “music” it would be but after half a dozen tracks I could stand it no more ! Someone should tell Nico that she can’t sing !
When I stopped to listen to it I wasn't a fan but I did like the way it sort of washed over me when I wasn't paying attention.
Love her voice, so unique. Really enjoyed this.
Weird album.
At times her voice is a little hard to take, but most of the songs are good. (There's only one unlistenable one.) I think this is an album that will require more than listen before I know whether I like it or not.
Here we have another middle of the road folksy type album from someone in Germany, though maybe they are just German. Either way, not sure why this one is on here. We got this sound, and better, from Joni.
I've been properly obsessed with "These Days" since I first heard it in The Royal Tenenbaums years and years ago. Just remembered, too, that Drake (yes, that Drake) released a cover of "These Days," thought I dreamed that for a second. Anyway, I love Nico. I only know her for that track and her work with the Velvet Underground, but she's got this great spooky '60s voice that's just unmistakeable. She sounds like a ghost or something, she'd fit right in in Night Gallery (doesn't hurt that she looks a bit like frequent star Joanna Pettet). But I don't know what else to say, I'm totally on board with her frequency. I think some people hate her, I guess that comes with being singular. I had this explanation prepared about how it was just shy of five stars but maybe would grow on me more with time, but then I listened a second time and it was already growing on me, and that's from a place of loving it already. This one's a tenner. Favorite tracks: These Days, The Fairest of the Seasons, It Was a Pleasure Then, Chelsea Girls, I'll Keep It With Mine, Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams. Album art: Fits right in with my theory that she's a ghost. Huddled in the corner, haunted by her own visage. This is an iconic cover for sure. 5/5
MMM dai no, noioso
Thoughts before listening: I enjoyed Nico's contribution to the Velvet Underground's debut well enough but ultimately I don't think she's for me. I'm pretty sure I've never heard this album, and it's also nothing I've ever sought after either. I'm expecting sad music. Review: Nico has a very unique voice that I like, but it also always feels like its on the verge of being off key. I really like her cover of "These Days", but nothing else is really standing out to me. In general this is a pleasant listen (for the most part...a couple songs get a little out there), but not something I am likely to come back to. 2-stars
A German woman chanting tuneless poetry over minimal avant-garde clean electric guitar, strings, and aggressive flute. Not gonna lie, this was a pretty niche and odd album experience. Like many records on this list, the listening experience would have been greatly improved if the vocals were omitted; the instrumentation is really cool folk orchestral led by deftly picked electronic guitar. Nico herself seems to be an acquired taste, but she kinda sounds like a goofy Bond villain to me. Stand out tracks include “The Fairest of Seasons”, “These Days”, “Chelsea Girls”, and “Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams”.
Felt
Nicole without The Velvet Underground is dreadful
wow. Did this ever drone on and on. Her monotonous singing really started to get on my nerves. Every song sounded the same because of her vocal style.
I'm baffled as to why this album was chosen, since The Marble Index and Desertshore are far better albums. I'd agree with Nico that the flute isn't great, but I think the sparse sound (presumably due to the absence of the drums and guitars wanted by Nico) is really great. Probably my favourite track is 'It Was A Pleasure Then'.
A great big nope from me. I agree with others - Nico cannot sing, or at least she isn’t singing to the same tune as everyone else. I don’t understand anyone who likes this. Her style is the embodiment of a weak, vulnerable female who can barely open their eyes let alone say no. Awful.
I did not really vibe with this at all. Her voice is interesting but just the overall feeling is just jot there.
don't like the voice, and way to artsy
This is a strange album. I like Nico’s contributions to velvet underground, and actually really enjoy her dark and bizarre later albums. But this one seems not to know what it wants to be. The flute and soupy strings, feel at odds to the songs’ content. And more so than most of her other recordings, I have to wonder what the engineer was thinking when they agreed to go with that take on the vocal track. Nearly every song, she’s off key and off rhythm. Sure, I know that’s kind of a trademark, but I have to believe that they could’ve spent a little bit more time, so a few more takes for These Days and Fairest of the Season.
Didn’t resonate with me.
There is magic in the Velvet Underground and Nico album that I just cannot find here (or in the rest of the Velvet’s work to be fair)
This wears thin pretty quickly, the main problem being that Nico can’t sing. I’m no expert, but I feel being able to sing is a necessary prerequisite when making an album, especially one like this where the vocals take centre stage. And I quote, from the album entry and review for ‘Chelsea Girl’ in the 1001 albums book: “Her magical vocals are austere yet mesmerizing”. Austere, yes. Magical and mesmerizing? Definitely not.
I have no idea what she tried to do with the voice
It was ok but hard on the ears for some songs…
Yikes I didn't realise she was such a huge piece of trash (as a person). I'm going to stop trying so hard to like her then.
first listen folksy artsy and nice but not too much caught my attention
I acknowledge that her voice is an acquired taste. I acknowledge that most of the genius is in the instrumentation and songwriting. I also acknowledge that "These Days" is one of the greatest songs ever written.
The only Nico album I know (should still check out The Marble Index and Desertshore given their reputation) and I don't know any album that sounds more like a late 60s album than this one. Some great songs (These Days, Chelsea Girls) some less special. Vocals, an acquired taste.
Excellent collection of songs, only some of them slightly too long and Nico's vocals are not entirely satisfying. I had a strong association with Belle & Sebastian (e.g., These Days) and perhaps not surprisingly Spotify switched to B&S when the album was finished.
So long. So boring.
Can I get an ice pik?
Singer/songwriters need to be good at both, and Nico just ain’t. There is actually some nice melodies on this album. The producer made the right choice when he added the string and woodwinds, but none of that saves the album from Nico’s flat “singing” voice.
My heart sank when I saw this today, but it is way better than the reviews suggest. It in no way deserves to be on the list, but it's perfectly fine in a twee sixties pseudo folksy way. This album is better than anything by Steely Dan (except Dirty Work because that is a cracker), and loads of (American) people think they are great.
I wouldn't say this is my style of music. First song isn't impressing me.
Never heard of Nico. Found album interesting. Read her bio. Seems she was a constant presence in the music scene of the’60s and’70s. I’ll give the album 3 stars because of its historical interest.
Listened with Dad! This album is one I love, but have a hard time reconciling the person with the music. I love her voice, the simple and melancholic tone etc. Would be a 5. Docking her for her personality and actions.
I really like her voice and can so get into her crazy. This would at least be a 4 in my musical memory file cabinet, but for who she is as a person. Since I learned she is a Nazi racist I can't rate her that highly. And so a guilty 3. Should an artists music be derated for their personal character? We don't give bonus points for good Samaritan's making music. Discuss amongst yourselves.
A record of rich songs by multiple songwriters, elevated into the Nico genre by Nico, this is almost ruined by the overdubbed strings and flute, probably administered by a guy dressed like he’s in an extra in an am-dram production of Robin Hood, smeared all over otherwise sparse and delicate performances, but ultimately that voice and the quietly gorgeous guitar and organ work around it win out. It Was A Pleasure Then is predictably my favourite, a Velvets-direction I wish had been explored further. Still, that one song is sorcery.
By turns, both exquisite and exasperating. Rated highly for "These Days" and the other Jackson Browne-y contributions; rated 'interesting' for the VU-adjacent stuff, which have their moments. "Ugh, this is boring and she sings so badly off key" - actual quote from a teenager whose favorite artist is Doja Cat. I worry for the youth of today
Hm, das mag 1967 ja hipp gewesen sein... aber alleine das Englisch ist heftig. Ich mag es nicht
The music is nice. The vocals are unbearable.
As a big fan of VU, the old Bowery scene, old NYC lore and all things proto punk etc I’m kinda embarrassed to admit I haven’t done a full and proper listen to this one. I’ve never been a fan of her vocals but that’s just a personal thang. First few tracks are mostly just, for lack of a better term, easy listening. Very pleasant, chill as heck. Songs to sip tea to. It seems far less interesting than the tracks she played with VU but for a solo album it’s solid. Winter Song has a ren faire lilt to it which is a welcome change from the folky sound but then it goes back to its old form. Lyrically it’s all over the place but not terribly cliche. The mid-60’s sound production is obvious as well but done better than others from the same time. Interesting compositions too but for the most part it’s nothing groundbreaking although it is enjoyable.
Not a fan of the vocals. Love the instrumentation.
I had the very first Velvet Underground and Nico LP as a kid, purchasing it as my interests in punk were starting to develop, and I don't think I ever really came to appreciate it. A lot of similar sounds on this release, but I seem to have aged enough to understand it now. Much of the performance, writing and instrumentation on this is still the Velvet Underground, and it's uniquely wonderful. Thoughtful and interesting compositions pulling from a vast array of stringed instruments and beyond. Jackson Brown lends his writing to a couple of tracks, as well as performs. Even Bob Dylan has a writing credit on one song. And of course, Nico's contralto is the thread that weaves all this together, often providing a weight to the softness of the music, grounding it's ethereal nature and giving it relevance.
I know it’s Nico and the whole arty Warhol pedigree, and the influences on musicians I respect. But this was just awful. I don’t like her voice, nothing caught me in any of the songs, and reading she was likely incredibly racist. I don’t have anywhere to go with this.
Nico often gets some slack for not really being able to sing, which I think is unfair as Lou Reed couldn’t really sing either. Anyway, this is a pretty strong if repetitive collection of songs with amazing orchestration, with the solemnly longing These Days being a clear standout
I liked the acoustic guitar in this. I know Nico from the Velvet Underground but not her solo stuff. This was a decent album, and again, great guitar work.
have always loved Nico’s voice. Even though she was untrained and pushed in a particular musical direction early on, there is something completely unique about her tone. I think a lot of my affection for it comes from her work with The Velvet Underground. The opening two ballads, The Fairest of the Seasons and These Days, are stunning. Fragile, melancholic and beautifully understated. They set the bar incredibly high. After those first two tracks though, the album starts to feel repetitive. The arrangements become softer and more ornate, and for me it drifts into something that almost feels like a wistful film or Disney style soundtrack. It loses the edge and tension that made those opening songs so powerful. It feels like the album is missing something. Perhaps that darker, experimental backdrop she had with The Velvet Underground. There is beauty here, but not quite enough bite. Favourite songs: The Fairest of the Seasons and These Days Least favourite song: The later tracks blur together for me Album artwork: Very sixties and very cool. Effortlessly stylish and perfectly in keeping with the era
Just a really cool album overall. Nico's voice took a long time to grow on me. I used to hate her songs on the first Velvet Underground album. However, she really is a talented artist. The music pairs well here, often being sad and sweet, but descending into the experimental at times. Well worth the listen 4/5
i wish i could've enjoyed this album. alas, it is not for me. lots of famous names appear on this album! nico's singing did not come across as passionate at all. in fact, it comes across as flat and uninteresting. sure, i enjoy male artists who aren't good singers, but they have passion and their lyrics are intriguing (see: leonard cohen). the only aspect of this album i did enjoy were the string and flute arrangements, which were added by the producer and against nico's wishes. so i'm not considering that in her favor.
I am usually such a sucker for dark, morose, and slightly haunting music. Even more so if it all driven with some slightly orchestral sounds, such as what is found here. So I WANTED to like this. But Nico...girl. You made it really hard. She's not very good at singing and yet she chooses to stretch every note that she possibly can. As if that isn't enough, she seems to sing nearly the entire album in what sounds like a fake, deep "chest voice". She does occasionally go into some vague soprano moans and calls, too. Yeah, this definitely didn't land well with me.
No. Fran sez no too.
So much droning. Ugh.
Basic album, the songs are mid but they're just very similar and this just isn't my type of stuff.
At first i thought i was really going to like this. Then it went on and was just weird. And she doesn't even have a great singing voice. I can see why it was popular in the sixties. I can see a drug culture being into this. Gave up towards the end. Every song sounds the same.
Dark, brooding are perfect words to describe this album. However it is so much more than those words imply. It is also beautiful and suprisingly tuneful. The arangements are sparse and perfectly support the lyric and Nico's emotive voice. Some might describe her voice as emotionless but I think that misses the point. This is fulfilling, at times challenging music that reveals new subtleties with each listen. 4 stars
Very surprising. Great alto voice, the strings and flute were arranged so well. These songs are somber and thoughtful but move forward at a reasonable pace. I especially enjoyed the noisier elements of the songs. Discordant strings were a lot of fun.
What the crap did I just listen to? Awful.
Up front, still not the biggest Velvet Underground fan. However, after two songs, I found myself enjoying the sparse arrangements. I think Nico's voice is framed well with some lightly plucked guitar and strings. However, further into the record, I realized it doesn't get much further than that. The lyrics aren't bad, but I don't think they're anything special here. Also, most of these songs stick around a long time; I was enjoying "Chelsea Girls", until I zoned back in and realized I had another three minutes to go. Favorite tracks: "The Fairest Of Seasons", "These Days"
Interesting voice. The first song caught my ear, because her singing style is so different, but then all the songs after that sounded too similar. Meh.
I feel with Nico you're not just getting the singer, you're getting a whole story about the Velvets, the Factory, friendships with folks like Jim Morrison and Jackson Browne, and of course her pretty horrible politics and racism. This album really exhibits her talents and the particular NYC bohemian sound she and her circle produced. Haunting and poignant, it does warrant multiple listens while not really reaching the heights of her collaborations with the Velvet Underground.
Nope not for me. Sounds like a sad depressed hippie signing the same song over and over again. Might be more performance reciting than music to me
Turns out the solo vocalist who got outsung by Lou Reed on an album just isn't very good
Let's ignore her German accent, that made it a hard task for me to listen to this album. The production is bad, the dominance of her voice over the music is distracting, and the music is in shambles at times.
This album is so oddly familiar, like it's been used in movies or it influenced lots of stuff.
Jackson Brown wrote “These Days”and recorded a much better version 5 years after this album. Gonna so no to Nico.
I had GPT help me with this review: For the immediate task at hand, this album is going to get a 3, which is my "good, important, musically interesting but, wouldn't add it to my collection". The story of Nico, who I knew nothing about and initially mistook for a man after hearing the Velvet Underground album, is truly fascinating. For more in-depth insights, I highly recommend reading Brian Dillon's illuminating article in The New Yorker titled "The Misunderstood Voice of Nico". Nico, a stunning German actress, singer, and model, was once described as "half goddess, half icicle," with her voice likened to "a cello getting up in the morning." Despite Andy Warhol's admiration and efforts to foster collaboration between her and Lou Reed, there's a tragic narrative that sheds light on Reed's demeanor. Essentially, Nico faced ridicule for her voice from certain quarters. Her voice is classified as "contralto," encompassing a range similar to that of a male tenor, spanning from G2 to A5. It's exceptionally rare for a woman to master this lower range so seamlessly, and Nico accomplishes it with grace, all while exuding an otherworldly beauty and maintaining a distinctive German accent. She must have been an awe-inspiring presence to behold.
i did like the song for Lenny Bruce and Chelsea girl
Feels like a 3, but too good not to give 4.