The Velvet Underground

You would think The Velvet Underground were the second coming of Jesus or something with the way people hype them up, but the reality is they actually had little commercial success during their time. Honestly, I can see why. This is just your average underground rock album from the '60s. There is some interesting instrumentation and are an interesting enough mixture of rock and avant garde things, but it's very middle of the road to me. I wonder if the "myth" of the band is greater than the sum of its parts. The standout song is "Candy Says" which was actually surprisingly progressive and sensitive for its time. Excellent song. Other than that, meh.

However flawed he may be, I am a Lou Reed fan. This is the first VU album after John Cale left the band so the experimental weirdness that came from him and Reed together is lacking here. This makes for a more widely palatable VU sound, which is not a bad thing. I love this album! There are lots of standouts for me, the biggest being "Pale Blue Eyes," which is one of my favorite love songs/songs in general. I think this record is also a testament to albums as a cohesive piece of art as opposed to a handful of singles and supporting tracks. The pacing is fantastic. It goes from serene to rollicking and back again throughout, which creates this wonderful feeling of tension and release. This is especially apparent as the wacky, intense "The Murder Mystery" plays into the cute little ditty "After Hours." I also love that track as a closer because it feels like I'm being tucked in and sung to sleep as a night of partying, and the album, concludes. A classic.

The Velvet Underground albums with black covers are better than the Velvet Underground records with white covers. …and this is the best one.

I really liked this. Actually, reflecting on it, I really, really liked it. Every song had something that caught my ear by way of darkness, tenderness, beauty, despair - usually all of the above in some transfixing you constellation. Then came the one-two of Murder Mystery and After Hours, which really sealed the deal. Murder Mystery staggered me - so many of the (emo) songs of my youth lifted wholesale the double-voices murmuring gnomic, dark lyrics - it was truly surprising to hear this approach on a record 45 years older than those songs. Then After Hours acts as a gorgeous counterpoint to all that fevered intensity, and sealed the deal - the deal being that I really, really liked this.

Mellow, bland, dull, boring. I guess I'm just not hearing what everyone else is hearing. But reading the reviews, and the book entry, I still haven't found anyone who was able to articulate exactly what makes this essential listening. One confused shoulder shrug. 🤷‍♂️

'The Murder Mystery' is easily the best and craziest song on this album. Two verses at the same time by different people hard-panned to each channel, with strong instrumental backing. 8/10, want more like this song, but the banana album is better overall.

Interesting but can’t get me excited.

This album is boring and is not interesting. I don't know why this album has 4.10 on rym

What the fuck is this? It's fucking brilliant that's what it is. Why have I never heard this. That's on me really.

During a heroin zonk-out on their previous album, Lou says, “and I know that I just don’t know”. He probably says it a few times. Heroin is like that. Here, considerably less heroin’d, and aided by melodies and vocals so affectless they’re almost childlike (just joking—you ever heard a kid make music? it’s shit) he shows us in exquisite detail just how much he doesn’t know. “What do you think I'd see if I could walk away from me?" “Between thought and expression, lies a lifetime.” “Here comes two of you. Which one will you choose?” “That's the difference between wrong and right. But Billy said, ‘Both those words are dead.’” They’re the questions, thoughts and feelings the great unwashed have every day. They just can’t put them in such a way that they retain their allusive, liminal quality, yet feel entirely accessible. Happily, Lou shows us he can brain-fart, too. The whole of Murder Mystery, for example, or the one where he says, “I wore my teeth in my hands, so I could mess the hair of the night.” Sure you did, pal. Elsewhere, After Hours may be the most unassumingly beautiful song ever recorded.

This is terrible. Lou Reed has just never clicked for me. This does nothing to change that. It’s just boring, meandering, and pointless.

More late 60s, hooray. Lou Reed sucks, his band sucks too. 2/5.

The Velvet Underground should stay buried. Sounds like the soundtrack to some bad romcom movie. I couldn't sleep at all lest night but this album almost cured my insomnia.

8/10

Songs were a little hit or miss but overall a nice chill album that felt relaxing and easy to get through

Fell asleep briefly in the middle of the day listening to this. When I awoke it was to a cacophony of babbling. Then Mo Tucker sang a song. Most unsatisfying.

Quite liked about half of this, although largely fairly forgettable. A few songs bored me a bit. Might benefit from a deeper understanding of the band/context. Not really what I expected from TVU. Much more folky (almost country?) than I imagined. Quite like the sad/relaxed vibe to some of the songs. REALLY like After Hours - probably the only song I'd return to. Faves: After Hours Pale Blue Eyes Least faves: Jesus I'm Set Free Track-by-track: 1) Candy Says - Striking lyrical start. Chilled. Sad. Like it. 2) What Goes On - more upbeat. Jangley! Like it a lot. Good organ. 3) Some Kinda Love - yee ha - country. Less keen. 4) Pale bule eyes - pleasant. Relaxing. Not sure its supposed to be. Sad vibe. Like it. 5) Jesus - bit dull 6) Beginning to See the Light - like the harmonies bits. Bit Bob Dylan otherwise. Meh. 7) I'm Set Free - nah, not keen on this. Dull and also a bit irritating. Folky at the end. 8) That's the Story of My Life - Jaunty. Fun. Nice little interlude after a bit of a drudge. 9) The Murder Mystery - System of a Down! Organ! Weird vocals. Some spooky and some talking. A bit odd. Don't mind it, but doubt I'll listen again. Liking it less the longer it goes on (which is long). 10) After Hours - Nice. What does this remind me of? Mr Rodgers? Really like the happy tune and sad lyrics. Soudns like Mouldy Peaches. Which is a good thing. Maybe my fave on the album (sorry Lou).

Phew I was worried yesterday's gem was a happy blip on an otherwise trashcan radar. If yesterday's album got me imagining ripping a giant bong and sinking into a couch while jerking it to Zooey Deschanel, this album makes me imagine dressing in all black, injecting just the tiniest amount of heroin, and squeezing lemons on Nico's cheek bones. I don't know if I've ever fallen in love with a voice quite as hard as Moe Tucker's in "After Hours". She was also their drummer—Matt, maybe this is an opportunity for you to lilt a tune while drumming during our next jam. Who knows what bulges will emerge. It's hard to not feel cooool, maaaan, while vibing to the Velvet Underground. Lou Reed will swallow you whole and shit you out into Andy Warhol's Factory.

Masterpiece! Wondering if song - the murder mystery was taken as an inspiration for chop suey. Tried googling it, didn't find any info saying it was, but I'll live my life further believing that it's true. Overall I really think this album is a piece of precious art and should forever be cherished!!! Listened to the 45th anniversary deluxe edition, really appriciated the live versions of their songs from other albums, very nice. What can I say, I really like the velvet underground.

I want to start this review with the one complaint that I have about it. I did not enjoy listening to "The Murder Mystery." I have... respect for the song, but it just give me too much of a sensory overload that I feel like if I ever listened to this album again, I would probably skip this song. But would I ever listen to this album again? Yeah, probably. Aside from the one skippable song, this is basically a perfect album. Going back to when I listened to Lou Reed's "Transformer" a while back, my one complaint with that album was that I didn't like Reed's singing. Fortunately, his singing in this album is a million times better. The singing from the other members is great too. The songs have interesting writing that makes you really think about these songs. The instrumentation and tone are expertly crafted as well. Overall, this is a (mostly) phenomenal album, and I'm willing to excuse the one song that freaks my brain out and give this album a 5/5.

The machine has started the week kindly. I won't try to write something new about a record that's been dissected, scrutinised, extolled and rolled between many a sticky hand. My experience of listening to this today was marred by some randomizer I couldn't switch off in the car that kept jumbling the record, usually to play 'After Hours', one of the two songs on this record that I find a little irritating - the other is 'Murder Mystery' - though I'm glad they exist. The randomizer also threw 'Foggy Notion' at me, which is not on the record, but should have been, and is one of my favourite rockers in their repertoire, so irritated me in a different way. So I'm knocking one star off their six as punishment.

Love all of this ("The Murder Mystery" included), probably the VU album I listen to most (sorry, John and/or Mark). I could play "What Goes On" on repeat ad infinitum, love that proto-Motorik drone groove (see also "Foggy Notion" elsewhere). Just so good

Mellow and reflective with the aggression dialled down from their other efforts. A sobering soundtrack for that inevitable moment when all tomorrow’s parties turn to morning-after, makeup-smeared, self-loathing introspection.

I’ve heard this album a lot over the years, but I’m really enjoying it more now today for some reason. It’s nicely cohesive for a VU album, and far more musically accessible. The absence of John Cale gave the band an opportunity to be a little more restrained, moving into fresh territory while still retaining some of their trademark grit. The album also feels like more of an all-band affair, and frankly just sounds like they’re just having fun. The lyrics are more contemplative and emotionally earnest, with less of the cool cynicism you might expect from VU. The band really nailed a certain moody, melancholy vibe, one that other artists have been chasing unsuccessfully ever since. I really like the collaborative aspect of the vocals that the band took this time around. Lou Reed had a strong pop sensibility, which I don’t think a lot of people give him credit for. He didn’t want to do the vocal on every song, and the other band members were brought in to do lead or harmony depending on who he felt was most effective for each song. Doug Yule probably doesn’t get enough acknowledgement for the quality of his vocals, but his work on “Candy Says” is really lovely. Also, Moe Tucker on “After Hours” at the end is such a bright blossom of a song. When the band ventures into more energetic fare, the commingling guitars of Reed and Sterling Morrison are riveting, the sonic equivalent of a sneer. I tend to favor tensely melancholy songs like “Candy Says” and “I’m Set Free,” but the punchier little rockers like “What Goes On” and “Beginning to See the Light” are great fun, full of the old VU jangle and burn. “The Murder Mystery” is some kind of wackadoo madness that you’re only going to find on a VU album. It’s noisy and outlandish and so very 1969, but weirdly fascinating. The album would have been better without it, but you just know they couldn’t help themselves. And I can’t help but love them more for it. Fave Songs (all songs, in order from most to least favorite): What Goes On, Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light, I’m Set Free, Jesus, Some Kinda Love, After Hours, That’s the Story of My Life, The Murder Mystery

Feels like a bridge between the more experimental early VU and the later Loaded era. After hours feels like it was written yesterday.

This album is very cozy and enjoyable. Liked songs: Candy Says, What Goes On, I'm Set Free, The Murder Mystery Favourite songs: Pale Blue Eyes & After Hours

Solid jams! 4/5 just reminds me of oldies

Overall, I did like this album. No songs really stood out to me, but it was a good vibe all the way through. Some of the lyrics were really nice and I liked the sound.

Overall, I enjoyed it but some songs were still a bit trippy for me.

More mellow than I was expecting which was a good thing. Interesting, I'll have to revisit sometime.

Really good. One's always thought VU to have got overrated after years of being underrated. Their massive influence is legit of course, as is quite hearable here, easily their best record because the least pretentious and most earnest. Understatement worked well for them, particularly LR. "Pale Blue Eyes," "Some Kinda Love" and "After Hours" are all great, and other cuts are interesting, and the whole thing feels like a nicely integrated whole, and a product of them not trying too hard. Aside: It's weird to do an eponymous title on a third record, especially given the "w/ Nico"the debut.

I had never listened to this one from the Velvet Underground. This is a really good record, somewhere between the sneer and agression of their first one and the sunny disenchantment in Loaded. Though John Cale has left at this point and been replaced by Doug Yule, the tension and dissonance he was bringing to the whole is still haunting some of the songs, like with the organ in What goes on. Lou Reed is maturing as a writer really in his own league, but this feels like a transition: where the tension between Cale and Reed was driving the early Velvets' music, the center is visibly moving on this one. Love the doo-wop accents on Candy Says, a nice wink from Lou Reed to the music he grew up listening to in the 50s. And the nod to early R'n'roll on Beginning to see the light. And I love the closing song, with Moe Tucker singing, bringing to the foreground the child-like innocence and simplicity that drives most of their music, even at its most furious. Though it does not reach me as viscerally as their first record, this album is a great listen, with some amazing moments: Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes are easily among the best songs Lou Reed has written. There is a kind of purity that he reaches at these peak moments. These songs feel like quiet creeks that invite reflection (the mirror is a theme in the Velvets music that reappears here and there here): moments of peace in the chaos. I don't know many bands who can capture this sense that beauty and chaos are merged at the hip, that there cannot be one without the other. The beautiful, the quiet, the still carries the memories of the grit and the filth it emerges from. And the oceans of noise carry the seeds of grace. It is playful and dark, graceful and filthy, honest and sarcastic, full of paradoxes. Just like life, and just like humans.

Listening to The Murder Mystery while at Atlanta International Airport has to be one of the most surreal experiences with music I've ever had! Overall, the vocalist balances traits of both anxiety and tranquility efficiently.

Surprisingly gentle and charming. This had a lot of sweetness to it backed by strong songwriting. And while we lost John Cale and subsequently a lot of the bite that I loved in the debut, we also got rid of Nico. So, you know, trade offs.

Aside from the iffy experiment "Murder Mystery", this album is tight from top to bottom and shows a lot of craft. Reed's vocals and lyrics are their characteristic mix of enthusiasm and apathy and ruminate on love and morality.

I really enjoyed this one. The songwriting is intriguingly subtle (especially for The Velvet Underground), the performances have an enchanting energy, and the production is appropriately raw. "What Goes On," "Pale Blue Eyes," and "Beginning to See the Light" are absolutely fantastic examples of alternative songwriting. It's a power album for The Velvets where they flex and show their depth. My guess is that most detractors get stuck at "Murder Mystery" which is admittedly extremely avant garde. But it's not enough to tank the whole album and, if you take the time to dig into what's being said, it's actually a really great piece of poetry about existential identity confusion brought on by an onslaught of popular culture. It's often considered to be a great example of the power of modern poetry.

Why have I never listened to this album in full. Simply outstanding from music to lyrics to overall vibe. Going in the keeper pile.

'Down for you is up' is maybe my favourite lyrics of all time not because it is difficult or clever but it's performed with such beautiful simplicity that I want to die a little bit every time I hear it. Does anyone else think I look a little like Lou Reed on this album cover? Just similar energy. He's got good posture though.

This list has definitely made me a Velvet Underground fan. I love this stuff. Nothing really sounds like them, even in the decades since, everything they do is interesting because it's unique. If nothing else good comes from the 1001 albums, opening my eyes to these guys will be worth the time spent. I feel so at home with this music.

I think this album is really gorgeous. It's deceptively simple, but the chord structure is nearly always flawless. Reminds me of a bit grittier version of the Beatles. Banana album will always be my favorite, but this rocked.

Never been a huge VU fan because my only point of entry was Lou Reed's solo stuff, and my one coworker who only played their live stuff. I like this quite a bit. "The Murder Mystery" is an absolute mess, but I really enjoyed the rest of it. Lackadaisical, subdued, easy listening. Favorite tracks: "Candy Says", "What Goes On", "Beginning to See the Light"

i love them but a lot of the songs sounded like they didn't have energy in them

I don't care for this album at all, but I just want to shout out the final song - After Hours - which is amazing and was doing the modern indie bedroom pop thing 4 decades before that became common. I'm glad I had the opportunity to listen to this album for that song alone.

# Playlist track - After Hours # Notes - Not particularly interesting. - Found "Murder Mystery" to be way too gimmicky and the rest of the album to meander between "oh, that's really nice" and "can't this track just end already?"

Abysmal, barely a single coherent thought in the whole shebang. Absolutely rubbish, but still better than the Nico album! 0.00000001 🌟

Super boring. One long section of chord vamping made it sound like the mixer forgot to layer in the guitar solo. Least interesting 60's album thus far.

I can see why many of the artists I love cited this group as an influence.

very good i didn’t like the eight minute song thougu

Maybe my favourite Velvet Underground album. It has so many hits but is still noisy and forward thinking.

Chill

It just gets better and better

Wonderfully weird, varied, fuzzy and a bit inaccurate. All of that adds up to an album that is right in my wheelhouse.

Fantastyczny album. Dużo mniej agresywny i wyciszony w porównaniu do poprzednich albumów Velvetów od których totalnie się odbiłem. Godly songwriting i produkcja. Parę przemyśleń to niektórych trackach (pierwotnie napisałem "top tracki", ale to cały album, lol) Pale Blue Eyes to przepiękny heartbreak song, oczy mokre. Jesus - desperacja, która doprowadziła Żyda do szukanie sensu w Jezusie? geniuszzz Beginning to see the light - ta piosenka przypomina mi moje tripy na kwasie, duchowość i połączenie ze światem. I'm set free - damn, heroin sucks. Ale mając ADHD i skłonności do uzależnień ta piosenka uderza w mordę mocno. The Murder Mystery - błagam, przesłuchajcie to na słuchawkach. Niesamowity eksperymentalny kawałek. Nie do końca jeszcze go rozumiem, najbardziej wymagający kawałek na płycie(?). Muzycznie miazga. Piękny krążek, 5/5, laur konsumenta i emmy.

By coincidence last week, I reviewed the Velvet Underground's album, "White Light, White Heat" the album released before the self-titled, third album, "The Velvet Underground". These two albums couldn't sound any different as White Light was abrasive and noisy, "The Velvet Underground" was a mellow, soothing record with slower songs, ballads and some rockers. This just might be my favourite Velvet Underground album, a toss-up with Loaded, but for different reasons. There are some great songs on here, Candy Says, What Goes On, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning To See The Light and one of the best ever closer tracks, After Hours sung by drummer, Maureen Tucker. Aside from maybe, The Murder Mystery this is a near perfect album that I've always felt was a bit under the radar and underrated. Since I gave WL/WH 4 stars, this has to be 5 stars! A classic!

Perfect album.

For me this is from top to bottom the Velvet underground's best most consistent album. A quieter affair than the 2 previous albums but that doesn't mean that it doesn't rock out, case in point, Beginning to See the Light and What Goes On both showing off Sterling Morrison's rhythm guitar chops which are substantial. Of course John Cale's absence is felt but Doug Yule's bass playing is massively supportive of the song which helps make this Mo Tucker's best performance on record. Just to listen to the dramatic I'm Set Free for all the proof you'll need. This record has 2 of Reed's most achingly beautiful ballads in Jesus and Pale blue Eyes. Throw in Candy Says and you have the foundation for the Velvets greatest achievement and, perhaps, my favorite album period. If I could I'd give it 6 stars

I love this album. It really helped shift my mood on a bad day.

thank god i have actually been waiting for this one while i don’t believe this is a perfect album, i personally am giving this one a 5 because i love every song on this album and this album and i wish all of velvet underground/ lou reed sounded like this but that, as we’ve seen so far, is not the case but this. is. gas.

Love love love love love love

Me like it

One of the best albums of all time.

I only knew of The Velvet Underground by reputation, so I went into this thinking: “Okay, show me what’s so great about his”. After listening, I fully get it.

Incredible. I thing my fav VU album. The songwriting and production is gorgeous

God these mfers are too influential it’s insane. The Murder Mystery (while probably my least favorite song on the album) is just like a sonic youth album that came out 20 years before they released music like what.

Great great record.

Amazing

Loved it. I had only listened to it once before and was great to revisit it again.

Arrancamos segunda semana de octubre con éste bellísimo disco, que marida muy bien con el día nublado y fresco que tocó hoy por San Juan. Álbum que contrasta con la obra de The Velvet Underground y que es lo que seguramente hace que sea más bello. Gracias y hasta mañana.

A timeless treat.

I love

Incredible record! Love it from start to finish!

Beautiful album. One of the best of the late 60s. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, What Goes On, Jesus --- some of Lou's best songs. 5 stars.

Proud Dad Moment: After Hours comes on my kid’s Spotify. Me: You know this song? Her: Yeah! You played it for me. Me: I didn’t think you were paying attention! 🥰

I mean come on

Honestly, this may be my new favorite Velvet Underground album. The paired down lyrics and psychedelia make this highly listenable repeatedly. Maybe it’s just I’m getting older but this album vibes vibes. I liked the contrasts between uptempo beats like Beginning to See the Light and softer melodies of songs like Candy Says. Some Kinda love also throuws in a little bit of that Heroine vibe that made VU famous to begin with. I’m going to find this one on vinyl!

Perfect

Start here. This album is amazing. I can't believe this was released in 1969. Critics have said that it isn't as good as their previous work, but to me, it is their definitive, most accessible, and timeless masterpiece. Bravo... relistening.

Iconic and fantastic.

Genius. Pure, pure genius

Pale Blue Eyes has got to be one of the best songs of all time. This album is amazing from top to bottom. Even better on a lonely, dark night.

Huge VU fan, and particularly a fan of this record, and their official live output.

That was beautiful will probably be on of my repeat listen albums like nick one is. 9-10/10

What more do you want? Probably the album where it's clear Lou Reed is a quite exceptional songwriter. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes and Beginning To See The Light (a candidate for inventing the motorik beat) and evergreens you can imagine covered by anyone from Johnny Cash to The Clash. Every song is fully formed, and they benefit from more straightforward arrangements with more space to breather than on the first two albums. Yes The Murder Mystery is one of those long experimental tracks. But it all works, even and perhaps especially giving Mo Tucker the throwback closer After Hours.

No John Cale, no problem. It's not quite as noisy as the previous VU albums (The Murder Mystery must be acknowledged of course) but this album still has one great song after another. The Velvet Underground surely had one of the best 4 album runs in history. I did say 4, once Lou left...well if you know, you know. If you don't know I wouldn't look into it.

Honestly one of the greatest albums I've ever heard, might be my favorite. 10/10

I love Lou Reed so goddamn much. He is one of my personal favorite artists. I'm such a huge fan, to the point that I don't only tolerate Lulu, I actively enjoy it, solid 8/10 album. So you'd think that I'd just be absolutely in love with the Velvet Underground....right? And yeah of course that is the case. All of their albums* are masterclasses in proto-punk and experimental rock. Super great listens and genuinely the most influential band of all time besides like the Beatles. On this album they strip back their sound and go for a more folk rock approach, and I fell in love with it upon first listen. The songwriting is fantastic, Lou's vocals are the very strongest here than on any of his past and future work, and the band feels incredibly cohesive here. Everything stitches together in just the right way. This is my personal pick for the best album by the Velvet Underground, and is easily one of the best albums of all time.

Didn't get through it all but very good

Stunningly simple, gentle and at time chaotic, discordant. One of my favorite albums of all time.

fantastic

As good as the first one imo

When the party is almost completely wound down and you're knitted to the sofa, all the wine is gone and the last joint is going around and it's what? two in the morning? and you're all just enjoying the end of the night spent with friends very quietly, this is the album to put on to close out the night. Absolutely perfect.

100% hot take men det her er vist mit yndlings VU album. Ikke så eksperimenterende som deres andre, med undtagelse af det enkelte nummer, men lyden er bare sygt gennemført og Pale Blue Eyes er meget muligt deres bedste nummer

I am not quite the pedantic analyst of details that can pinpoint the minutemost microscopic aspect of this album that makes it good. All I can really do is say it do be good.

9/10

this is only my third favorite velvet underground album but since theyre my favorite band of all time that doesnt mean much. candy says is the best song here but everything is pretty amazing. 9/10

Probably my favorite Velvet Underground album. Classic.

Para mí de los mejores discos del siglo XX

Wow really enjoyed this one!! What a nice surprise 5 ⭐️

Best MOR album ever

I mean, it's the end of the beginning of what would become punk, new wave, and alt rock. I could go on about how great Pale Blue Eyes is or how Candy Says could be a Beatles song if the Beatles sang about aging drug addicts and such. None of that would matter. It's not the best Velvet Underground album but the one that best presages the 70s in its entirety - the doom and gloom, angst, and sorrow.