The Velvet Underground

A real joy to hear this album for the first time. I had the sensation that I already knew both "I'm Beginning To See The Light" and "Pale Blue Eyes", but I think I only knew them by reputation - since they are part of the template of what became indie rock. There's no Belle and Sebastian without this band. Interesting how even the titles predate the Smiths ("that's the story of my life") and echo the Beatles ("what goes on in your mind?"). In a sense it's a rejection of the motoric experimentation of first couple of albums in favour of the poppier sensibilities of "Loaded". Having lost John Cale they were freer to go for a more commercial angle. And "What Goes On" is a light funk groove - you could imagine this would fit on the radio in 1969. Experimentation isn't totally suppressed, however - "The Murder Mystery" is a sprawling collage of hypnotic doors-y organ mantras, stereophonic spoken word paranoia, proto-Reichian minimalism, and smashed piano fists. The mood shifts finally in the cutesy closer "After Hours" featuring Moe Tucker's naif-jazz vocal, and order is restored. Maybe it's not as packed with classics as Loaded, but still great.

This is nowhere near as experimental or influential as the banana album (like even "The Murder Mystery" is tame compared to "Heroin" or "European Son"), but it still has some extremely good songs on here! My personal favorites are probably "What Goes On" and "I'm Set Free". This is a mid 4

Whew. I'm really in a pickle on this one. VU is incredibly influential and this (more) mainstream album is a great example of why. Their downstream effects are so clearly visible on this. The last track "After Hours", for example, could be found on any current indie band's tracklist and you'd just assume it was an original by them. Nope. Lou Reed beat them to it.. 40+ years ago. I'm stuck between a '4' and a '5' mainly because of their experimental, "The Murder Mystery" which this list/project has taught me (and this song reinforced) I don't have much patience for -- especially at an almost 9 min runtime. To balance out my feelings on them, as a whole -- and knowing we haven't been given their first album with Nico on it yet -- I think this one will get the (5/5) mainly because I don't believe that some of Nico's tracks will stand the test of time for me. I listened through a lot of their stuff in HS and college and even then I had limited patience for her razor sharp (not in a good way) voice.. Her absence and the more mainstream aesthetic elevates this for me.

The Velvet Underground has been a great discovery from this project for me. I was familiar with Lou Reed because of his collaboration with Metallica, but I had never taken the time to go back and explore VU’s music. The first album we had “White Light/White Heat” was a bolt of lightning with how ahead of its time it sounded. This one is more accessible, full of straight rock and roll traditions, but still seemed to predict and influence for years. The stretch of songs from “What Goes On” to “Beginning to See the Light” was beautiful and melodic. The rest of the album is good but didn’t reach a full 5 for me. Still, I’ve already added a few of these tracks to some playlists so I’ll be sure to return to it. 4/5

Much, MUCH more palpable than "The Velvet Underground & Nico" which was my first forced exposure to this over-loved band. I actually didn't hate the entire album this time which is a huge improvement. Dare I say that this album was actually.. Good. Standout songs that I would not push back against if someone played them: "Candy Says", "What Goes On", "Pale Blue Eyes", and "After Hours" The song "Murder Mystery" can fuck all the way off. What a deeply inserted thorny rod Lou used when writing that song. Just when I was starting to enjoy the album, The Velvet Underground had to remind me why I fucking hate them. What a pretentious counter-culture gorefest of a song. I bet all the self-proclaimed "critics" think this is some kind of revelatory breakthrough that symbolizes a mental health crisis in song form. Into the toilet with my digested tuna sandwich it goes. 1/10, an otherwise decent album ruined by a 9 minute dive into Lou's heroin-stained gray matter.

buh buh buh based

Rough, whiny start but it got better. I wanted to like it a lot more than I actually did. Some songs were ok - good chill vibes and melodies/guitar - and others were whiny and annoying. (3)

A bit too heavy for me. Don’t have the brain capacity for this

I got bored midway

Was good actually

Painfully average rock album

Underwhelmed. I was a bit bored until Murder Mystery, which was.. odd. In my opinion, not Lous finest work.

the Joni Mitchell’s Blue of pale blue

After hours was chill, de rest niksig

I really liked it

It's alright. I never felt the need to skip tracks but it also didn't really do much for be.

Is it just me or did Murder Mystery have Duck Stab vibes...

Was excited for this one because I like the velvet underground so I was somewhat surprised to find that most of the album kind of felt like I was in a car going nowhere. Could use more nico. Still good and I love pale blue eyes very very much it reminds me of living in wisconsin when I first heard that song.. Likelihood that the members of this band lezzed out: hmmmmmmmm!!! I don't know too much about these guys personal lives they seem a bit macho but also I have styled my hair based off of them in the past so I'm giving them a solid 3/5

not my favorite velvet underground album for sure, didn't hit me quite like the banana album and white light white heat do. i think most of the songs just aren't weird enough. still a 4 though, what goes on was my fav

Man, I wish I could articulate why I love whatever album by TVU and Lou Reed i get on here so much. I cannot explain it, there is just this effortless coolness paired with brutal honesty in these songs that works like catnip for me. This is definitely a more polished version of TVU than on their debut with Nico - which makes this a more pleasant listening experience but also makes me miss the chaos and strümpfig-ness of that album. Thankfully The Murder Mystery brings back some of that chaos. At the end of the day, there are many great songs on here. Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus and The Murder Mystery are my personal favorites.

Okay album. Didn’t do a lot for me. I liked the last song though. I am sorry to say the rest was quite mediocre. 2,75/5

Fun, I didn't know they'd ever done anything so quiet

"Pale Blue Eyes" and "After Hours" are classics, and it was nice to discover the rest of this album as well. I respect the experimentalism of "The Murder Mystery" but it went on for much too long. (Reminds me of Dada-ist "simultaneous poems," but enacted in a specifically rock-music way, which is cool!)

(5/7) some good stuff, some weird stuff

I’ve always wanted to like these guys more than I do. Pale Blue Eyes is a great song but a whole album of their sound drones on.

just not for me i don't think, but there can be good songs on a bad album, i'm sure i'll return to a few of these

Upon this listen, I found this album to be slightly weaker than on my original listen. Obviously, 'Candy Says', 'Pale Blue Eyes', 'The Murder Mystery' and 'After Hours; are all phenomenal, but I found that between 'Jesus' and 'That's The Story Of My Life' that there was a solid amount of tracks that I'd consider to just be decent, most notably 'Beginning To See The Light', which I didn't enjoy that much. I think that the amount of brilliant songs outweighs the weaker tracks, and that makes for a REALLY enjoyable album experience, but I think that it could have done with some polishing in the middle.

Like VU, but this is not their best effort

I thought this would be gothier than it was

Pretty boring. Weird mix where everything is super flat and kinda muffled. A couple moments of goodness, but nothing to make it worth listening.

I’ve criminally under-listened to this album and have criminally over-listened to the album with Nico. I’ll spend my life making up to the ghost of Lou by righting the wrong. Pale Blue Eyes might be the best song I’ve heard among the 770 or so albums I’ve listened through so far. Perfect five and beyond.

Not my thing

I feel like I'm supposed to like them, but I just don't. At least not this album. There are some songs here, when listened to on their own, that sound alright to borderline genius. But as a collection of songs making a whole album....? Nope, just nope.

Sure this is fine but what is everyone’s obsession with the velvet underground? What am I missing?

A little bit too pleasant for my liking.

#257 - I thought I knew this album better than I did. I guess I was wrong. There was a lot I remember about this one but others that I completely forgot about. This one is less experimental, quieter overall. I understand John Cale's exit from the band was part of that. Either way, there is something for everyone. Overall, I like this album, and I'd listen to this one again easily. Pale Blue eyes is one of those songs that is good but unlocks once you understand and have felt its lyrics, then it becomes one of the most beautiful songs. Biggest Hit - Pale Blue Eyes Biggest Miss (if I had to choose ) - The Murder Mystery Hidden Gem - I'm Set Free ; it should be noted that After Hours was a strong consideration here

Yes very nice rainy day album. Oscillating between 4.5/5 might be too pitchy for me

Fuckin yes man. Belter for a Sunday walk. Too hope: Candy says What goes on Pale blue eyes Jesus Beginning to see the light I’m set free The story of my life After hours

Une bonne occasion de découvrir un groupe connu dont je ne connaissais presque aucune chanson. Un album rock plutôt mélancolique mais pas que, avec comme highlights "Candy Says", "Pale Blue Eyes" et "I'm Set Free". 3.5/5

Back room underground stuff- Sweet Jane is Lou’s apex.

Just a painfully average rock album

Mediocre album but still pretty good

Ahimè, non mi ha preso molto.

The first 2 VU albums are my favorite, but I've probably listened to this one the most. I got this record for 5 bucks at the Bop Shop when I was in high school and later I discovered it was one of the Lou Reed "closet mix" copies. This really is a perfect album. It's like a call back to Lou Reed's days as a novelty songwriter, but filtered through the Warhol experience. Also (for better or worse), this album basically birthed indie rock.

I’ve listened to The Velvet Underground before. For whatever reason, it never really stands out to me. However, weird stuff like The Murder Mystery track—that’s my jam! Added to my liked list: The Murder Mystery

Nico may have put them on the map and inspired 1,000 bands, but I found this one to be much more interesting and just better overall.

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I really enjoyed it and it clearly super influential but it didn't click for me in the way other albums have.

This is the Velvet Underground’s third album. I am quite familiar with it. It is a good album. Lou Reed’s songwriting is very good on this album. He wrote all the songs. He is a fine pop songwriter. Hi singing is good too. There are quite a few somber songs on this album: Candy says, Pale Blue Eyes and Jesus. They have sparse instrumentation. Also, there are upbeat songs such as What goes on and Beginning to see the light. There is a song that doesn’t fit in: Murder Mystery. It is like their experimental second album. This is a very fine album. Five stars.

3.5

Every indie band you've ever loved wishes they could've made this album.

Rather sleepy album.

It sometimes sounded like Bob Dylan with less complex lyrics. It sometimes sounded like The Dead with less musicianship. And Lou Reed was definitely going through something.

An unusual or perhaps better unexpected Velvet Underground album. It’s all pretty normal and quite folksy. I rather enjoyed the whole thing really, but as always I with this one I was expecting more artful odd.

There's more to say about this than I've had time to write. Review TBC

Cool but i hope the type of the musice u give me be different

I don't really get The Velvet Underground. I feel like I should be blown away by their coolness and inventiveness. But I'm not really.

I enjoyed this one. But is this their best album in my opinion? Not at all. They have far better albums. So: 3/5

The chill velvet underground album. Candy Says is such a weird opening track feels like it starts in the middle. Murder Mystery is appropriately unlistenable so the album gets some VU cred. Pale Blue Eyes great. I guess John Cale was bringing all the darkness?

yes i love this one

a classic, "candy says" is one of my favs

Top 10, top 15 albums all time

One of the top top albums

Boring. Bob Dylan meets the who but the songs suck. Bet it’s great if you’re on smack. liked The Murder Mystery. Would not listen again.

It's alright. A couple of good tracks, plenty not so good. Not sure I get the hype

A classic album—thank God, finally some decent music again! It is the first album without John Cale, featuring Doug Yule instead. The album is heavy on ballads; Lou Reed sings in a warm, soft style, and both Yule and drummer Maureen Tucker take the lead on a song each. Only the track "The Murder Mystery" is somewhat experimental, harking back to earlier Velvet recordings. The album marked a turning point for the band in several respects. For me, it is an album that deserved greater recognition. Beautiful folk-rock in the classic sense.

Già conoscevo

Very experimental, most likely a lot of drugs were consumed during its production. Some lovely songs like "Pale Blue Eyes" or "Beginning to See the Light". Overall a bit of a downer, but maybe it's better to take some LSD and blast it. Side note: I still can't believe Lou Reed did this, and then went on to make the abomination known as Lulu. Uuuugh.

i prefer the banana one

"Self-Titled" is not as good as The Velvet Underground's album with Nico. However, it still has some good songs. The ones with Reed singing are the best. "Self-Titled" feels very modern for a 60s album. In fact, the track "After Hours" could pass as a 2010s song. 3 stars for "Self-Titled".

My least favorite of their albums, unless you count Squeeze, which no one does, but this is still a 5. The opening to What Goes On was my ringtone for years and it still makes me jump whenever it comes on.

Simplistic yet brilliant. Lou Reed wasn’t the best musician but his approach made his work interesting.

Nothing interesting here, much prefer Andy Warhol. REM do a cover of Pale Blue Eyes and After Hours.

No as good as their first two albums

Enjoyable enough if not ground breaking

It’s fine. But pretty boring.

Feels like friends playing music in a cozy room together.

I miss John Cale. But hey, at least Nico's also gone.

Mostly a bore, but I did really like The Murder Mystery and After Hours. Might just need a few more listens.

Great album, good to listen to.

can’t believe this came out in 1969

solid

Like with other Velvet Underground albums, I appreciate the significance of this, but I’ve never enjoyed it.

The Heroin to Jesus pipeline is crazy

Getting Nick Drake vibes from Pale Blue Eyes. Murder Mystery sounds like something from their earlier albums but most of the rest seems a lot more mild/pop focused. It's not bad but it doesn't feel as groundbreaking.

Cool sound. Felt more modern than it really was

8/10… pre punk / art rock / *1969

Having already completed White Light/White Heat, I found this to be a much more mellow and groovy offering than I'd anticipated, featuring more traditional song structures and progressions and eschewing tracks of a "Sister Ray" runtime. Occasionally Dylanesque, sometimes even Simon & Garfunkelly (especially the first side), it displayed a wholly different and more melodic (and approachable) side that I wasn't familiar with. Then there's "Murder Mystery," which I found reminiscent of my favorite track from the previous album, "The Gift," and which was a subsequent standout here. Altogether it's a 4.5/5 that I won't quite round up, but that I may return later to update if I find myself drifting back here a few times.

215. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969) 9.24.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 5 = 4.8 rounded up to a 5 We've only had one Velvet Underground so far - White Light/ White Heat, which I liked quite a bit, but which is not my favorite. This one I've only listened to a couple of times, but I remember it being much more my speed, and being a much more lowkey affair. I'm pretty surprised Loaded did not appear on the list given its reassessment of the last few decades, but understandable I guess given the space requirements. I mean, it's not like there are way more underserving acts that have more albums than that, right ( seriously? four Morrissey albums?). The band was more or less falling apart by that point I guess. This is the first one without John Cale, who provided quite a bit of the avant-garde vibes ( though reed is no slouch in that department) and the first with Doug Yale, who seems like the Cousin Oliver of the band ( to make a really dated reference) and who would eventually be the last man standing for the forgettable and forgotten last album, which uses the name, but lacks any of the original band members. I don't know much about the man other than he provides some great vocals for a coupe of my favorite tracks off of Loaded, so I can't confidently lay any of the blame at the man's feet. Assuming maybe everyone just got bored, or tired of Reed's supposed epic bullshittery. Anyways, I'm sure this one will hit a lot of sweet spots for me as it's chock full of Lou reed's softer side, and I've got the sweet tooth. It'll also be curious to try and chart the influences from this one. I know of at least one subgenre that is heavily indebted to one track in particular. Though I would argue there are swaths of bands from the late 80s on through the 2010s who owe their whole vibe and sound to INIDIVIDIAL tracks off of this album, so it's surprising that I don't see it mentioned nearly as much as their debut when it comes to influence. I guess getting there first matters some. THE TRACKS Side one "Candy Says" - We start off on a good foot with one of the band's prettiest numbers ( they have a LOT ). Gentle and beautiful and touchingly biographical. Reed is one of those rare talents in the rock world who can alternate between nonsense and literate, with stops in between that are funny, menacing, sleezy, charming, cute, and most of all empathetic. Who else in the world was writing about gender dysphoria in 1968? He's up there with Dylan in that respect for me, and above someone like Cohen who doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor, being the ironic. Yule does a great job on vocals here, even though it's weird realizing that this is not Reed, like I thought when I originally listened to it. And I still think they have very similar voices, at least when Reed goes into his sweeter mode. By the way, there's a full album made up almost entirely of unreleased songs ( some would eventually come out n a changed form on some Reed solo albums) from a session just after this one that is well worth your time if you liked this stuff, and which was not released until 1985 called VU. Of particular note is the below song which I think is one of their best ( and which Reed does sing on)and would have been a great addition to this album: * "Stephanie Says": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4tS67TDo6Y&list=PLxQpHEbxKcsic66eIYUVHFQfKhORxMBsO&index=3 "What Goes On" - We get Reed's generic "rock" voice on this one, with some awesome driving, droning instrumentation underneath from the rhythm section, and some nice crunchy, feedback goodness from Sterling Morrison's guitar. There's an organ in the background here as well ( uncredited as far as I can tell), which add some real earthy undertones to things. This is an absolute jam, and I would happily listen to a 10 minute cut. "Some Kinda Love" - A little less rocking, but still a headnodder and wonderful piece of drone rock. They already would have had their minds blown by the debut, but all those early Krautrock bands' ears would have definitely perked up at the repetitive beats on display here. Another one that was over far too soon for me. "Pale Blue Eyes" - One of their best. And belongs up there in the all-timers club. Reed has several of these under his belt, and this is one of the prettiest, and most sadly romantic songs I can think of off the top of my head. There's a level of sincerity here that I think can't be overstated, as Reed I think is often viewed in light of his later grump persona, and one could very well think he was being ironic in so many of these. But I think he's genuinely putting real emotion into songs like this, and his delivery is built for it. Much as I love their other stuff, the drone rock, the doo-wop, the weirdo stuff - it's the gentle, emotionally vulnerable stuff that I love most of all. I also think this is another prime candidate for a funeral. memorial service and would have a good portion of the attendees in tears. By the time this list is done, I'll have a good funeral playlist, as we've had some good ones so far. In no particular order, so far we have, the below, so this song is in good company: "In My Life" by the Beatles "Blackbird" by the Beatles "People Get Ready" by Aretha Franklin "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd "Brokedown Palace" by the Grateful Dead "The Big Ship" by Brian Eno "Jesus" - This is one I had completely forgotten about, and which is a lot more modern sounding than I remembered. The slightly off kilter harmonies, the warm and pretty ringing single note guitar bits all remind me of something that Yo La Tengo would do ( I checked and could not find them covering this, but they did cover another song - see below:). There's a pretty good Glen Campbell cover though which is a lot brighter, and has country overtones of course. This is very pretty stuff, and a song that I think probably gets left off a lot of playlists, which is unfortunate. Glen Campbell cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswsY37a1iA&list=RDpswsY37a1iA&start_radio=1 Side two "Beginning to See the Light" - Side two opens with something that I think most people would find much more in the pocket of what they imagine a Velvet Underground song is. It's a solid, bouncy drone rock number that suffers a bit from some muddy production that might be on purpose as things seem to clear up during the refrains? Not sure, either way this is fine stuff if not to the level of amazing. There's a little bit of a messier sounding kind of Byrds-ish harmony going on that I really dig. "I'm Set Free" - Much more my speed with a strong vocal melody, and some real energy. This is another one I think would sound not out of place at all if found on say, a Beat Happening pr Magnetic Fields, ooooor... perhaps a Yo La Tengo album some 25 years later or more, with just slight changes to the production. I can even hear some Pavement in this. When the dream pop Santo and Johnny guitar comes it, I'm completely sold. This could very well be my favorite track on the album. Stone cold classic that deserves to be better known. Yo La Tengo cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VygmZachvM8&list=RDVygmZachvM8&start_radio=1 "That's the Story of My Life" - This one gallops along at a a nice clip and has an almost country-rock feel to it. I could easily imagine this one popping up on a Grateful Dead album. Short and sweet. "The Murder Mystery" - Man, I'm torn on this one. The guitar and drums that open this sound modern as hell, and could have come off any number of cool ass indie rock albums TODAY. It keeps getting repeated, and works underneath the voices when they come in and balance it really well. When Tucker's charmingly off kilter singing comes in with the male vocals ( not sure who it is as everyone is credited) the song kicks into high gear and as much as I hate this sort of thing normally, the fact that all the voices are overlapped and more or less unintelligible works without grating on me at all. There's even a rad, Doors-ish psychedelic organ line that weaves in and around like some big snake that's trying to hypnotize you. This should not work for me, but it 100% does. I even enjoyed the protracted piano loop/ poetry slam. "After Hours" - This track is SOOOOO good. This is like Twee ground zero, and I guarantee it you can hop on Youtube right now and find a zillion ukulele cover versions from women wearing weird hats. And I love that. This has a very vaudeville feel to it, and sits well alongside stuff like "He Needs Me" that Shelly Duvall performs as Olive Oyl in the 80s Popeye movie. Penned by Harry Nilsson, who did no small amount of lifting to influence the genre. This song makes me want to listen to a bunch of that stuff. As good as "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Candy Says" are, push come to shove this might be the track I'd save from a burning house. Maybe I'll make a playlist and include some Paul McCartney stuff as well. But this one is infectiously catchy and Moe Tucker kills it with the almost naive, cute as hell persona she puts on here. * Cover version by the White Stripes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKeFLZYzYok * "I'm Sticking With You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PreKtsgoUM&list=RD1PreKtsgoUM&start_radio=1 HIGHLIGHTS - "Candy Says" - "What Goes On" - "What Goes On" - "Pale Blue Eyes" - "Jesus" - "I'm Set Free" - "That's the Story of My Life" - "The Murder Mystery" - "After Hours" MIDLIGHTS - "Beginning to See the Light" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS If you just swapped out Reed's super distinctive vocals on these songs, and replaced them with any respectable indie rock dude from today and released this again - I strongly doubt anyone not in the know about the original would bat an eye. That's how enduringly evergreen these tracks are. Its been many many years since I've listened to this whole thing in one go, but it's very apparent that it should be heralded as possibly JUST as influential as the original. Though the range of influences is a much narrower band, I think the soft, naive, and heavily melodic weirdo pop featured on here has maybe had more of an impact on the last couple of decades worth of music than the debut's overall influence on alternative rock in general. There's a lot less experimentation on this, though it's not completely gone, and where it does exist, it's very well integrated to the overarching subdued, and pretty sound. Even at its weirdest - "The Murder Mystery" - there's still a very solid base of melody and carefully attuned poppiness that comes through. This album is gentle and flowing, and full of an eagerness to show you a good time, where the debut is arrestingly off book, and ties you in with its melodies DESPITE every impulse telling you this is somehow wrong, or not what music should be, all the way down to the untraditional vocals and the experimental arrangements. I think it being so plain and sparse compared to the debut goes a long way toward explaining this. Now, that's not to be said that hundreds of wannabe Pitchfork writers haven't spilled a ton of ink on this one because I'm sure they have. I'd wager I probably haven't uttered an original thought in this whole review, but my point really is that while the debut has now been minted and certified even in the mainstream public eye ( more or less) since the 90s, I think this one is underrated and underappreciated still. As someone who absolutely can't get enough of that sickly sweet Twee pop sound, this album really hits for me. When it comes time, I think I might still have to give it up for the orginal as it's just so completely full of bangers, but this EASILY is a quiet 2nd place, and right up there for me. Possible turn-Offs might include: - droning, repetitive rhythms - Lou Reed's voice - a very mellow vibe - twee and sugary, sincere vibes You Might enjoy this if you: - have the ability to appreciate emotionally effecting music delivered without a trace of irony - really dig pretty, melodic and gentle music - like the softer side of the band glimpsed on other albums - like Lou Reed's more subdued solo work PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Nope. FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Berry Is on Top by Chuck Berry - The Complete Recordings by the Harptones - 12 × 5 by the Rolling Stones - Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds - Revolver by the Beatles Contemporaries: - Mothermania by the Mothers of Invention - Easter Everywhere by the 13th Floor Elevators - The Stooges by The Stooges - Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel Descendants: - The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers - Send Me a Lullaby by the Go Betweens - Brave Words by the Chills - Vehicle by the Clean - Backwash by Talulah Gosh - Mobile Safari by the Pastels - You Turn Me On by Beat Happening - Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic by the Sundays - The Way of The Vaselines: A Complete History by the Vaselines - Tigermilk by Belle and Sebastian - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One by Yo La Tengo - 69 Love Songs by the Magnetic Fields - The Moldy Peaches by The Moldy Peaches - Remember That I Love You by Kimya Dawson - Pinkerton by Weezer - Return of the Rentals by the Rentals - White Blood Cells by the White Stripes - Adventure Time soundtrack by Various

Leider ziemlich langweilig... obwohl: ein paar schöne Songs sind schon drauf...

Amazing album! It was very psychedelic and had this really unique sound to it. Such a shame that Ride Into The Sun didn't make it into the actual album, but it can be found on the Super Deluxe Edition. Lou Reed is one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Truly amazing!

I love pale blue eyes!

its good and i liked how the songs were different vibes and i really could vibe with them

Some of my favourite velvet underground songs but some very mid songs

I really thought I liked Lou Reed, but I'm starting to second-guess it after numerous Reed-related albums in this project. I've found myself enjoying each one less and less, and this album just didn't resonate with me as a whole. There are a few slightly upbeat songs that almost remind me of CCR (is that a mortal sin to say in reference to VU? Did they hate each other?), but then there's bullshit like "The Murder Mystery", which is the experimental nonsense that makes other folks like The Velvet Underground and makes me despise them. Any good will that this album had garnered up to that point was immediately taken away by that track. Anyway, I liked the CCR-esque songs, so this album is getting a 2 and IT CAN THANK ME FOR IT!!!

Reed had fired John Cale because his ideas were "too out there" and he wanted to make the band more accessible. And here we are making a record mostly full of love songs. It worked, but it really didn't work. It IS more accessible, but it didn't do well commercially, failing to make the Billboard 200 at all. Reed's US mix didn't go over well, called a "mysterious mix" Yet, it grew in stature over time and has been reassessed very positively. What do I think? It's no Velvet Underground & Nico (1967), but it shows a maturity and complexity in both writing and execution. Reed encouraged his bandmates to take the lead and to participate more fully in realizing his art. He still failed to make the commercial impact, but he did make a lasting artistic one. It's a good album... I enjoyed some of the songs a lot and I recognize the artistic expression he was aiming at. Some hit and some miss... "The Murder Mystery" in particular, I could do completely without while "Pale Blue Eyes" is a great song. I've said this a bunch... it's just not really my wheelhouse, but I do appreciate it.

Your favorite band’s favorite band’s favorite band. Godfather’s of DIY music. The album is very beautiful and peaceful, almost like a lullaby at times

Not sure why but I didn't expect to like this. I didn't totally love it but I did like it overall.

Much more melodic and calm than the first album.

I really liked this...and im not a huge fan of the first two albums. Its noticeably different and more conventional which is maybe not surprising given the lineup change. Im guessing they lost some fans after this release (and gained some others)