Reviews (page 10 of 14)
An ok album without being anything overly memorable. I enjoyed it but I’m unlikely to ever revisit it
I know nothing about the Velvet Underground, so I was excited for this to pop up in my assignment since I knew this was a blindspot in my music knowledge. Sadly, this was not at all what I had in mind. Slow-to-midtempo songs with repetitive choruses. Nothing entirely memorable while some tracks are just downright bizarre (The Murder Mystery). I'm not surprised at all this band doesn't get ANY radio airplay and never makes it to mix tapes. It's all so middling. Why does their reputation precede them?! Hopefully, I'll find out if I get another assignment for The Velvet Underground.
I love the intimate feel. I'm a big Elliot Smith fan and a moderate Alex G fan, and candy girl was a strong start for me. Everything else, while meaningful, was just too sloppy to keep me engaged.
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 16/1001 If released today, the album could pass for a modern day indie release. It's a testament to the timeless nature of this album with its subdued sound and experimental sprinkles. It's quite warm in its exploration of the concept of love, but with lulls that feel less inviting and pushed me away. I had moments of intrigue, and moments of sheer confusion, and one moment of both. The various vocals and ebbing sound work really well conceptually and bring about the most unique aspect of the collection. Experimental flairs add life to the album, though the resonance varies for me. The versatility of the album helps set the tone for each track. While I think the album would struggle to stand out against a broader array of music more finetuned, for the 60s this is a masterclass that no doubt can stand on its own even today. Podium: 1. What Goes On 2. Pale Blue Eyes 3. After Hours Honorable Mention: The Murder Mystery & After Hours Overall, there are songs on the album that I could live without, others I'm glad I heard but won't be returning to, some that challenged my ears and stood out, and some overall keepers. It's definitely worthy of a listen, but not a full experience I could see craving on my own again, as the more lackluster and repetitive tracks lose me. My engagement level fluctuated tremendously throughout this album, and for these reasons I give The Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground 3.5/5 stars P.S. Other than Chop Suey, what other songs does The Murder Mystery remind you of? It's been driving me crazy trying to place the spoken, overlapping vocals.
Heared VU&N and WL/WH before, liked some of it, hated some of it. But it puzzled me. VU doing (mostly) soft pop rock album? I don't know how to feel about it. Songs are nice, but only What Goes On and Murder Mystery really caught my attention. In places it's more accessible than stuff from the first two albums, but in return, it's less rewarding
A pleasant listen with some interesting songs, like the second to last one. Listened to it two times and it grew on me. During the first listening I thought it was a bit bland, but with the second time I thought it became more exciting. The bland rock became well thought through tracks that worked well together.
I clearly spent a lot of time listening to this in college if I was remembering the words to Murder Mystery. The first half felt like it was flirting with getting a 2 rating, but the end of the album really picked it up
Not as difficult of a listen as some of their other albums even if I spent too much time listening to Pale Blue Eyes as a teenager and kind of got sick of it.
The hype surrounding the Velvet Underground used to put me off, so I never gave them a fair try in the past - a mistake that is now fixed. Their eponym album is a very decent folk-rock offering with a few twists. I expected something trippier and more experimental, but I still dig the overall vibe. To my own surprise, I enjoyed the ballads more than the rock tracks. Some hypnotic moments here an there. Nothing life-changing, but a pleasant listen.
I really enjoyed listening to this Velvet Underground album I had never heard before. The subtlety in both the soft songs and the more rock ones is surprising, and Lou Reed almost has a voice
Fun!
Kinda cool vibe
I have learned I really don't like Lou Reed going through this list, but this was better than many of his other works. It was more refined and subtle than his other works. 3/5
This list has too much Lou Reed
Definitely good songs on here, but many just went on way longer than necessary. It loses at least 1 star just for "The Murder Mystery... beatnick-style nonsense read over noise. That's nine minutes of my life I'll never get back. 😄
Was finding this incredibly bland until the last two tracks. I really don't get the hype with the Velvet Underground. 2.9/5
Enjoyed it , was a good listen
Ok at times but not super interesting after all these years. I am a fan of Lou Reed but I don’t see myself coming back to this. I think it is a step down from the magic of their debut. Not bad but not memorable
норм, но миксинг подвел, низ слишком гудит даже в наушника, не оч приятно было слушать...
Ganska bra ändå. Gillar sång, bra låthantverk. Rätt varierat. Har mer personlighet än plain-rocken som brukar dyka upp. Blir ibland väl flummigt. Hade funkat ännu bättre i bil. Kommer lyssna igen: ja kanske Bästa spår: d- pale blue eyes Dw- after hours Betyg: D- 5 av 10 ( 3 av 5) Dw- 5 av 10 (3 av 5)
This is a strange one. It sounds more like a collection of B-sides than like a regular album. Some individual tracks sound quite good and there's nothing horrendous on here. But it doesn't really work as an album.
Late '60s prog rock. Very laid-back and easy to listen to. Nico's voice is an acquired taste. Folk rock.
Really hit or miss for me. I really liked some of the songs (Pale Blue Eyes), and others just felt very busy. Overall good, but wouldn't listen straight through the album again.
22/1001 The Velvet Underground - s/t Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I've tried to get into the Velvet Underground before with listens to both the album with Nico and Loaded and the music has always held me at a distance. It's the same with this album unfortunately. Not that there's anything I actively dislike here, it just never grabbed my attention, bar a couple of songs. A shame really.
This is the best the velvet underground album imo but it’s still not my favorite
This list loves Lou Reed. I like this more than the previous Lou Reed we have encountered, but I'm unlikely to revisit it.
Loved a few songs. Not so much others. Ultimately okay, I appreciate the roots it set it place for future experimental rock.
this was fine, i wouldnt have called this rock, it was pretty soft
This was a relaxing listen and arguably ahead of its time for ‘69. Better than a run of the mill 3 but not quite a 4 for me. 3.5/4
It’s pretty amazing to think that this album is from 1969. The sounds, production and overall feel could have it being easily mistaken for an indie band of the last few decades. Pale Blue Eyes continues to be a top track (check out REM’s version on their 1986 b-side and outtake compilation Dead Letter Office). But there were other chill surprises too. That being said, an automatic downgrade due to the 9-minute attempted artsy drivel Murder Mystery track.
God I hate giving 3s but that’s where I am on this. Decent. Didn’t really pull me one way or the other.
I’m not familiar with earlier Velvet Underground so the radical departure is lost on me, but this a fairly enjoyable 60’s/70’s light but still introspective album. I especially love After Hours Abs I’m Set Free.
Didn't expect this album to be this gentle. It was mostly soft and comforting, and even the relatively more energetic tracks had a chill vibe to them. I don't think I'll revisit this album soon, except for a couple of songs. fav tracks: "Candy Says", "Pale Blue Eyes", "After Hours" "Jesus" has a nice, pleasant melody. "The Murder Mystery" is a bit too long, but I love the experimentation, especially in the vocals. I have never heard a song that has two different lead vocals on the left and right headphones. 3/5
I liked it! Not normally the kind of stuff I'd listen to but it was pretty cool. 'Candy Says' and 'What goes on' were my favourites. 'The Murder Mystery' was an odd but fun song, even found myself going back to listen to that a few times.
This is the first Velvet Underground album without John Cale, and for better or worse (depending on who you ask) his absence is felt. Without his shrieking weaponization of the cello, The Velvet Underground's sound feels a little less "punky proto noise rock" and a little more "art pop/rock classic", and this has resulted in this album being one of The Velvet Underground's most accessible, with noteworthy results. This self-titled is kind of a perennial favorite, mostly for those who (understandably) couldn't get into White Light / White Heat. And, while they did dial it back here a little, a lot of the best songs here still show some echoes of their avant-garde roots. On What Goes On, Jesus, Some Kinda Love, and I'm Set Free, a lot of the drone-y minimalism of the band's older stuff still appears in a more tamed form. And, while I don't know if it's one of the band's more successful avant pieces, The Murder Mystery is pretty cool, if slightly long winded. But there are also moments here that very successfully capture more conventional songwriting. Pale Blue Eyes is a wildly successful, very tender love song. After Hours is vulnerable and sparse. And, say what you will about Lou Reed's personality, with its ups and downs, but Candy Says is an incredibly empathetic, very sweet song aiming to capture the experience of transness in a way that I truly appreciate. Unfortunately, there are some songs that don't fully sell me here. I think side 2 is generally the weaker one here. I don't really like Beginning To See The Light, That's The Story Of My Life's kind of country feel doesn't really fully sell me, and as interesting as it is, The Murder Mystery is an overlong mixed bag. Ultimately, there's a lot of good here, and while the second half is a little spotty, I think The Velvet Underground's first venture into more accessible music was very successful. This is justifiable as an essential, and I am glad I heard it.
xulo xulo la meua cançó fav ha sigut la de beginning to see the light super bon rollera molt guay tot i la veu del q canta és perfecta
3.5
Very Bob Dylan by someone else. Another album where I liked everything on it (except murder party) but nothing sticks out to come back to or listen to again. I was definitely expecting a more rockin album but I liked the vibe.
Don't quite understand this? What appears to be a fair to middling, some decent tunes some filler, end of the 60s album that is just what was then mainstream mainly acoustic fare with the odd excursion into neverland. It doesn’t exactly stand out, and not surprisingly it didn’t it appear to sell well, it’s not Abbey road, let it bleed or the Band. So why is it here. The subsequent idolising of the VU name I'm supposing. A level of mythologising personally don’t quite understand. If I hear this and didn't tell know who it was wouldn’t guess expect for his vocals.me I don’t get Reeds supposed Artistic aim to elevate rnr through darker and more experimental, apart from 1 track it could be anyone. It’s like ok if you like the period which I do, but nothing special 3 Star.
It's real stripped and simple. Not sure it's my thing constantly but really good. Sort of a quiet catchiness. Suddenly Murder Mystery shows some of the strangeness that's possible here.
Early alternative music - has its moments, but generally not for me
It really is the blueprint. Dream pop, garage rock, psychedelic rock… It’s all there.
It was pretty good but what the hell was that murder mystery song?? 10 minutes of what i would describe as "proto system of a down"
Velvet Underground is one of those bands that was highly influential to a generation… just not MY generation. Musically, it’s fine. And I’m sure it was a breath of fresh air when it was new. To my GenX ears, though, it’s not particularly outstanding.
Good 70s rock album
strong start, weaker finish
A couple great songs but overrated
The Velvet Underground only had one great album and it wasn't this one.
When I think of "rock bands" this isn't what I was thinking of or really desiring. I prefer faster stuff. But I'm not saying this was bad. If I was just chilling and hanging out with friends, this would be a good background to our activities.
It's ok. Something like 3/5
"Sometimes I feel so happy Sometimes I feel so sad" Eu também, Lou, eu também...
I was really not enjoying it, but the last two songs brought me back around a bit. Probably my least favourite 3/5
A strong album from a legendary act. There are pockets of real charm throughout: Pale Blue Eyes is the clear standout, and the playful After Hours is such a refreshing palate cleanser after the experimental onslaught of Murder Mystery. I really enjoyed my time with this one, and have a few favourites that I’ll be revisiting. However: I question what Reed was thinking with Jesus. In general, I find pseudo religious soul searching music tedious and rarely worth paying attention. “Oh I’m so lost, and need to fill my spirit up with love and god, etc.” There’s nothing special in such messages. We’re all in the same boat, and a lot of us don’t need God to feel fulfilled. Reed explicitly stated that this was not a particularly Christian song; however, belting out “I am beginning to see the light” at the start of the next track only extends the tedium of one the record’s key themes. Which is frustrating because both songs in question are performed exceedingly well and sound great! So it gets a 3 for me for a couple of missteps, but I still absolutely love what I’m hearing for the most part.
I enjoyed this album more than the previous Velvet Underground. But it's still pretty underwhelming and it hasn't aged great. 6,5/10 fav song : Beginning to see the light & What Goes on
I was underwhelmed.
This was OK, but I think I liked the debut album with Nico a bit better.
Wanted to like it more than I actually did.
Just average music. Kinda good at times, kinda boring at times. Like a shittier version of the Beatles.
Pretty crazy this was released in 1969. Dude was into something, sounds like it could have been recorded 5 years ago. That said, there are lots of snoozers in this album.
Pale Blue Eyes is really nice. The rest is dull
Enjoyed enough. Will revisit again
Not my fave VU album but got some highlights too
Lower 7/10, not a bad album but not as great as the fabled banana album. Much prefer other projects that do it better such as most Yo La Tengo albums.
Fine enough, influential for its time, but i feel the passage of time has not been kind to it.
European Son knocked down the score
This album feels polarizing for me. Actually that's not true, it's more a tolerable spectrum. Some songs are ok some are very annoying. And I think it has everything to do with authenticity for me. Some songs feel like real songs from real artists, and others feel like art school shit that's trying too hard to be cool.
I can't stand the banana record, but this one is much better.
Op zich best leuk en rustig en mooi, maar wat saai.
Eh, it didn’t do much for me. It was a lot slower than I was expecting.
I enjoyed my first pass of this album but feel like there's depth beneath the surface that should be explored to fully appreciate this work. I've never really listened to the Velvet Underground before this, so I look forward to hearing more of their other albums as well. Standout tracks: Candy Says, The Murder Mystery
Mukava, että pysyy rauhallisena eikä säikyttele kuin ihan hitusen Murder mysteryn tosi ärsyttävillä päällekkäisillä puheraidoilla. Tahtoisin silti tarttuvammat melodiat rauhallisiin biiseihin.
Rock and roll -bändi. Monella tapaa harvinaisen oivaltava sellainen, ja tällä LP:llä parhaimmillaan vähän vähemmän rockina (Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes). Erityismaininta: Jeesus-biisi, joka jää soimaan päähän.
Among the two Lou Reed solo albums I've heard on this list--Berlin and Transformer, this is far super and much more listenable. Transformer was the worst, and Berlin was just kind of OK. It seems like the Velvet Underground somehow managed to rein in Reed's goofier and more "experimental" urges for the most part and just made low key soft rock that mostly works. The only song I'd heard before here was Pale Blue Eyes, but most of the rest is pretty even. I'm Set Free is a good track. Murder Mystery is a pretty good song, and something, randomly, that sounds like it would be a great System of the Down cover. 3/5
Relaxing
Ihan ok
Mainly very good instrumentals and def a good album to play on the background. Yet it still has some identity and creative songmaking.
Not really my style of music, getting pretty bored
I’m a sucker for 60s music so couldnt not like this, though not s fan of the band. But apart from that iconic 60s psychedelic soft rock sound, the tracks weren't memorable. 3
Sounds like The Beatles but much less British
Generally like The Velvet Underground and Lue Reeds voice is a dream. Murder Mystery is an interesting noise rock song that was unexpected.
best song: the murder mystery best chill song: pale blue eyes
Meh
It’s a decent album, but it’s nothing really to get over excited about. VU have made better albums, but it was pleasant enough listening. Not keen on The Murder Mystery and hated it after near 9 minutes. It doesn’t seem to fit on this album, it’s got more White Light/White Heat vibes. Huge fan of Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes. And the Moe Tucker closer is an underrated classic. It’s a pleasant enough effort, and although I have a copy it’s rarely in my rotation selection.
Not quote as good as their debut 3/5
I understand WHY this is here. It’s cool, it’s interesting. It’s not boring. But the vocals are god awful. While they certainly add to the “cool” factor, they make for a more difficult listen.
i wish they were all like sunday morning but alas
Lori- 6.5 Mike- 7.5 Michael- 7 Miles- 5.5 Cole- 7
Not their best album, but it was good. Made me want to check out more of their stuff
Här snackar vi kontraster (eller troligen mer drognykterhet) jämfört med White light/White heat. Den här är ju nämligen väldigt mycket bättre, undantaget Murder mystery som är mer i linje med föregående skiva. Tyvärr är det låten också irriterande lång. Pale blue eyes är en riktig höjdare, men jag skulle vilja ha åtminstone en eller ett par till av den klassen för ett högre betyg. Stark trea.
I didn't know this album but knew the band of course. I expected more but of course it is ok.
It's okay
It was ok. Maybe not what I was in the mood for. Not familiar so it might take me another listen.
Good but not as good as other VU. 3/5
No really bad songs no really good songs decent but hardly essential
3.5 It’s crazy how modern “After Hours” sounds. Like, the tone and the instrumentation and the voice and the lyrics; it could be an indie pop hit from 2010. A song totally out of time
meh - I liked the non-Lou Reed songs the best. still need to figure out the hype with VU
Heard of the band, and of the lead singer Lou Reed, but don't think I know any specifics. Pleasant, kind of chill vibe, but I don't think I'd listen to most of the album again, it didn't really speak to me. The only exception was the song Murder Mystery, which tickled my brain in the same way as Glass' Einstein on the Beach or Berio's Sinphonia, with two overlapping vocal tracks at different speeds - I'd relisten to that sometime.
We love Pale Blue Eyes
Probably my favorite Velvet Underground album. The run from Pale Blue Eyes > Jesus > Beginning to See the Light is excellent. The Murder Mystery is very annoying (and by far the longest song), dragging this down from 4 to 3.
Decent but not great
Might need a few more listens to appreciate it, but I'd have to remind myself "This is The Velvet Underground, it's supposed to be legendary". There is something charming about Pale Blue Eyes, Candy Says, and some others on the album, but kind've only because I know it's The Velvet Underground.
Highlights: - Some kinda love - Pale Blue Eyes - That’s the story of my life - After Hours
I’m sure this was revolutionary at the time but it doesn’t do much for me today. 3/5 because I saved 2 songs, but I won’t be revisiting this one often. It’s technically very sound, just not my jam.
Ein paar spannende Stücke wie "The Murder Mystery". Sonst typischer 60/70er Rock. 3/5
I really like some VU stuff. I really don't care for others. This has some of each.
Bit gody in places which I wasn't expecting, but I liked the last two songs
This was pretty good but I found some parts a little boring. My favorite was “Pale Blue Eyes”. 3.5/5
I think I enjoyed this album overall more compared to the others I listened to so far. There was no specific one song I thought stood out though which was the main downfall for me (I didn't massively enjoy pale blue eyes). The sounds feels quite similar to the Beatles though which is why I mostly enjoyed it
Cool. Velvet is best for me in small doses. Well, small doses of Lou Reed. Honestly my favorite album of theirs is VU, which is so playful and divergent from their typical, well, drone. There’s some killer music on here, of course.
Not really my thing, but fine enough.
it was okay, pale blue eyes was the highlight for me and that ending track was good. overall it's an okay album
Some surprisingly good tracks mixed with some creative, but unmelodious and boring numbers. At least, if you’re not dropping acid, I imagine.
Mostly mellow rock. Almost hard to believe that this is the same group from their previous two albums when you compare the sound. Not to say that this is utterly unenjoyable, just different than what I was expecting going into this blind. Tracks like "Pale Blue Eyes" and "After Hours" were pleasant to listen to thanks to their more melodic-focused nature. "The Murder Mystery", on the other hand, was interesting for many reasons. I can't even imagine what went into the inspiration for that track.
Don't really understand the hype
Its alright good music but not a special album at all.
Had to listen to this After Hours, but That’s the Story of My Life.
316/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Beat, 1969 -> 3
calming, introspective collection with some touching ballads like “pale blue eyes”
Heroine.chic
The music is pretty stripped down. The expected rock instruments are all there, but they are subtle and not always pronounced.The lyrics are mostly simple and not as subversive and I was led to believe they might be based on the description of the band on YouTube Music. The Murder Mystery stands out to me because WTF IS GOING ON on this track. Two different sets of lyrics happening on the same track, one in each ear. Wild.
I can see how this album was influential, but it didnt do much for me. Its was a little light for me, and the songs seemed to blend together. Not bad for sure, but nothing really captivating. Overall- 2.5/5
Ok, I know it's gonna look biased. But this one is a bit better, almost deserving being on that list. But what do I know, 1001 is a large number of albums, perhaps they can't all be perfect - I guess it's not what it's about. Anyway, I went into this album expecting to another reminiscent entry, cuz they're "THE" Velvet Underground, so their first album *must* be on this list, it's a CLASSIC! But I discovered an album with something of a merit. Not mostly bullshit like I had expected. There are some nice tunes, some sweet tunes, and most importantly some imagination. But ok, I must admit that some tunes were somewhat familiar to me since I think my sister used to listen to this album when we lived together at our family home. So there might very well be some bias indeed. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could cuz 4 stars, I decided, is saved for really, REALLY good imperfect albums, and this one is just good. 3 it is.
I enjoyed this album a lot more than The Velvet Underground & Nico. It's not quite a four-star offering, so I'll give it three.
Nothing really stood out to me on this album. The vocals weren't very interesting and the instrumental arrangements were a bit tame to be truly interesting. All in all, didn't hate it, but didn't really like it. Pale Blue Eyes probably best track on album.
Some pleasant but largely unmemorable folky-rock tunes, and also The Murder Mystery, which is insane.
I once wrote a 12 page paper in college about the cultural impact of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. I, however, will not be doing that again. We’re going to keep it short this time. Still a solid album, but it has always felt like something is missing compared to previous records and that is more than likely attributed to John Cale leaving. There are great tracks like What Goes On and tracks where the band is obviously enjoying themselves like Murder Mystery, but more than anything this record feels like there’s forced vocal collaboration with less worthy vocalists and is probably what pushed Lou to do solo work.
6.5/10
interesting, I think it'd 'get better' with more listenings
This ranges between pleasant and boring. “The Murder Mystery” is an interesting track.
liked this more than expected considering how much i hated the Lou Reed album we had
The first Velvet Underground album following John Cale's departure presents a notably quieter and more minimalist sound. This transition marks a departure from the infused chaos of "White Light/White Heat," yet the band retains a degree of their signature grit and rawness. "Pale Blue Eyes" has been my favorite track from this album, and perhaps my favorite overall from the Velvet Underground. Other notable songs include "Candy Says," "What Goes On," and "Beginning to See The Light." However, the album falters with the experimental piece "The Murder Mystery." While I can appreciate the artistic intent behind it, the result is an incoherent mess that is difficult to listen to. It raises the question of how many listeners tuned out at this point, missing the final track "After Hours," which is another gem. Overall, I find the album to be uneven, but worth completely listening to at least once. The best tracks are extremely enjoyable, some of the greatest from the Velvet Underground, which makes them (at least) worth listening to on repeat.
This seemed so restrained, pleasant even until the penultimate track when normal VU appeared restored.
It was okay, and I’m sure for its time it was great, but it’s hard not to listen to it with 2025 ears.
Could've sworn that last song was Kimya Dawson.
Comfy to listen to, this almost sounds like something that could release in the early 2000s.
I feel like if every song was like song 1, this would be a solid 4 for me. "The Murder Mystery" was pretty long, odd, and boring, but songs like "Candy Says" and "After Hours" were amazing. Those 2 just fit the vibe I wanted for the album, and at times i felt like I got it, but others, I didnt. Overall, it was a solid album. Liked Songs and Least Favorite: Listed Above^
Pleasant enough (probably a 3.5, really) though I prefer the banana album to this one.
Didn’t like this as much as the last Velvet Underground album I had here, maybe I got this on the wrong day or am too worn out to listen with full attention. Or maybe other VU albums hit on a good day.
Não é pra mim, muito modorrento.
Lou is a fun character. I always assumed a lot of these phychedlic art rock bands were actually on to something and were enlightened in someway. Looking back now it's clear they were just fucked up. It's still fun to listen to though! This album in particular reminds me of summer/having a good time. Not the worst images to conjure.
I've always wanted to like Velvet Underground bc it seems like a cool band to like. Now that I've listened to an album, my overall take is that they're a little too arty for my taste -Pale Blue Eyes was a fun playful contrast between lyrics and music -The Murder Mystery was a real trip, man. I didn't like it but it was distinctive - Overall just doesn't do it for me. I rate on vibes, and the vibes were MID
Respect it, but not my thing
Vind het tweede album een stuk beter
Not the best of their albums. I did like the fact that they all wrote songs.
One of those “I didn’t know they made music like this back then” albums. You can hear a lot of small indie, acoustic-ish bands in this record. If I knew more about The Velvet Undergound, maybe I would appreciate the change up even more.
Glad I noticed there are 2 mixes of this album, because I prefer the Closet mix. I feel like one's appreciation of this album will largely depend on how much you like their musical output. For me, The Velvet Underground has always been a band whose music and influence I respect, but it never fully connects with me. This album only reinforces that. The songs are good, but I feel like other artists who heard it built better music from it in the years that followed. Granted, we also got a lot of poor imitations, compared to which this sounds brilliant. Judging it on its own merits isn't easy over 50 years later, unless it's somehow the first music you ever heard. But I did listen to both mixes, and it's a good collection of songs. I don't love it, but that's OK.
okay
Not bad. I have heard this one before and it was a nice refresher. Just don't go looking for White Light/White Heat.
Great!
I have heard the name of the band throughout my life in various media but I have never listened to the velvet underground and its not at all what I expected. For some reason I thought they would be a lot more punk-ish. That being said this is a really nice album with some good songs and some I didn't really like. Not my cup of tea for everyday listening but not bad at all.
Song: pale blue eyes i like this song because it is quiet and calming Song: Murder mystery i dont like this song because it sounds like they're saying random words and it's kind of crazy sounding Song: Jesus I like this song because i love Jesus and it talks about him.
it seems very classy and calming song but its not something i would pick if i was looking for songs it seem very quiet also.the second song the person singing was diffent then the first song the 3rd song seem calm like the first one
I don't really like this album because I don't really like this type of music.
I like the song "Pale Blue Eyes" because it's gentle and sweet. I don't like "Murder Mystery" because it sounds messy and strange. I think "Jesus" is not the greatest but not the worst because I don't like the organs but the singing sounds nice.
Most of this has been fine, the Murder Mystery was just noise at points though.
Not a bad album. I do listen to VU once in a while but i’d get bored of the sound quickly if i were to ever listen to them as much as i listen to other bands. Funny thing is some of those bands are said to be inspired by VU and Lou Reed which makes me believe they are a bit overrated because i don’t see how can they be put unto them same level of inspiration as The Beatles or Pink Floyd. Maybe i’m being judgemental because of the Warhol scene they were a part of. Anyway even though i may sound harsh by my previous words, i enjoy 60’s rock music so this wasn’t a bad time. Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes are constant songs on my playlists but The Murder Mystery was hard to get through.
Candy Says - 5/5 What Goes On - 3/5 Some Kinda Love - 3/5 Pale Blue Eyes - 5/5 Jesus - 2/5 Beginning To See The Light - 4/5 I'm Set Free - 3/5 That's The Story Of My Life - 3/5 The Murder Mystery - 2/5 After Hours - 4/5 Average score: 3.4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first half of the album is brutally boring, but after you hit Beginning to See the Light, interesting things start happening. Not sure if it's enough to make up for the miserable beginning.
It’s OK
Pale Blue Eyes, beginning to see the light and murder mystery standout tracks. Enjoyed the album but not a classic
Not as good as I was expecting which surprised me, some solid tunes
Overall, the sounds, the vibe on this album is moody and melancholic. Musically, it's pretty impressive. The fact that this was released back in 1969, it makes it quite before its time. Classed as alternative and experimental underground sound, it would have been ahead of its time. This album was released when Lou Reed was in his 3rd line phase (HD detail). "What Goes On" is probably my favourite off this album. Great guitar riffs, beats and catchy lyrics.
It starts off a little slow but I'm not sure that's a bad thing. Kind of easing you in maybe? But for the most part it is a pretty subdued record. Sound-wise anyway. It seems to be a super personal album, the lyrics are fantastic as they are with most Velvet Underground. I think what sets this apart from similar albums from the same time period is just that this seems more experimental. I mean it may not be avant-garde, with the exception of The Murder Mystery, but you can definitely see them leaning in that direction and inspiring New Wave to follow. All in all I like this album but not as much as some others from Velvet Underground or Lou Reed. I think this one would rate a 3.5/5 for me and I'll round down because it's just not quite there to give it a 4.
Side one isn't great, mostly sounded like demos (I liked Pale Blue Eyes though). Side two rocks. Murder Mystery is a notable song, although not sure how I feel about it to be totally honest. Incredibly unique regardless.
Better with Nico
Not my cup of tea xd roquillo de chil
It’s fine. The Velvets did better in their time.
Ondergewaardeerd album met echt goede nummers. Niet hun beste, maar wel echt de moeite. 3.4
Meh
Har potential att bli bra. Måste lyssna lite mer bara.
Favorite Track: What Goes On
Nice relaxing tunes, didn’t enjoy the murder mystery as it was chaotic having 2 songs at once. But no real complaints just nice chill music :)
Not something I would usually listen to, but a good album, especially modern considering when it came out.
They gave us Lou Reed, so I love them for that, but there were only a couple of songs that I thought stood above their peers. I recall that they inspired a lot of bands. Maybe they’re a victim of their own success?
This isn't a bad record, especially not for when it was released. However, it does pale compared to their other output (and Lou Reed and Nico's solo outputs). Pale Blue Eyes is a classic, though
Feels wrong to give this the same rating as the Kiss album I had yesterday, but that just narrowly avoided being a 2, and this just narrowly missed being a 4
Decent album. Enjoyable laid back ballads and rock tracks.
I quite liked this I think
Not quite to the iconic sound that made up their greatest hits here.
3/5
Great tunes and vibe. The psych influences and retro rock are so easy on the ears.
Enjoyed this. May have even gone higher if I was at home.
Some interesting stuff but some stuff that sounded boring too. I think it needs a few listens.
Groovy. Some great vibes but a few weirdos.
I wish I liked this more, I get that it's technically very good but none of the songs stood out to me
Better than the last VU I had.
The Velvets without John Cale certainly have a different sound. Much more straightforward -- the psychedelica less subtle. It's still good -- Uncle Lou's songwriting is solid as always -- but it doesn't quite hang together as well as some of the other entries from the VU. Unexpected bangers: Some Kinda Love, After Hours, I'm Set Free
Solid album. Didn’t click with me, but i would for sure enjoy later.
一開始聽起來是很舒服的專輯，溫暖民謠的感覺。但是「The Murder Mystery」這首歌真的很特別，交替的方式呈現一組男女合唱，像是講故事，另一組像是旁白或是兇手，快速唱著像是rap一樣。另外一首「Jesus」的旋律很喜歡。
Clearly a revolutionary band. But aside from a few songs, I never really got too much into them. This album was okay, but not my favorite.
A little too raw for me.
had some very interesting tracks, not necessarily what i expected but not bad. prob not in the rotation but nice to work to, 3.5?
This is great. There are some real gems on here - especially Pale Blue Eyes. But I do think that the record is front loaded. The closing song, though, is wonderful
# Album Name: The Velvet Underground # Artist: The Velvet Underground # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Ive never listened to a full VU album until yesterday. Then i get this the day after making it 2 VU albums in two days! Nice vocals on Candy Says. Its very chilled and mellow. I like it. Pale blue eyes is a banger. A truly lovely song. Overall this was a pretty average album. I enjoyed candy and blue eyes but the rest past me by. Shame, because the VU and nico album was real quality. # Top Tunes: Blue eyes / Candy eyes # Would I listen to it again? Unlikely.
Average 2.5/5
I had no idea Lou Reed could sing like this, even though most of the tunes are too mellow for my liking.
My least favorite of the first four VU records. That said, Lou Reed's choice to have additional singers was a nice choice. This is a more straightforward Velvet Underground.
76% Best: What Goes On; Some Kinda Love; Beginning To See The Light; After Hours Must-Hear? Not quite
Thought provoking
It's fine. That's it. It isn't mind blowing or anything but fine.
Skasowała mi się prawie całkowicie napisana recenzja, fml... Nie podszedł mi ten album za bardzo. Przesłuchałem go kilkakrotnie, bo chciałem go polubić, ale jakoś tak nie trafia do mnie i przelatuje przeze mnie. Kiedy jakiś czas temu przypadkiem trafiłem na ich wcześniejszy album o tej samej nazwie to zainteresował mnie dużo bardziej. Nie dosłuchałem go wtedy do końca, ale często na niego zerkałem. Czekam na okazję, kiedy pojawi się na tej liście. Z utworów, które zapadły mi w pamięć - na pewno "The Murder Mystery". To jest genialne akurat, mega ciekawe, eksperymentalne dzieło. Te nakładające się ścieżki i dwugłos są niesamowite. Zabawny efekt uzyskałem próbując ekstrahować pojedynczo raz jeden, raz drugi głos. Bardzo ciekawe, jak bardzo synergia zwiększyła moc. W pojedynkę brzmią po prostu słabo. A w dwugłosie dosłownie podnoszą tętno. "Pale Blue Eyes" też ze mną zostało, ale w mniejszym stopniu. Reszta była dla mnie (muzycznie) jakaś taka beatlesowa, nie podchodzi mi takie granie do końca. Nie jestem w stanie do końca powiedzieć, dlaczego się odbiłem, bo bardzo chciałbym lubić ten zespół. Ale jakoś tego nie czuję.
This album was a lot better than I thought it would be. I listened to "The Velvet Underground & Nico" a few years ago (the album with the banana peel) and didn't like it so either my music interest changed, this album was a lot better, or both lol. "The Murder Mystery" REALLY lost my interest tho lol. I had this album as a 4 and this song dropped me to a 3/3.5. Overall this album had some really calming and intricate parts and some up-beat rock parts. Liked Songs: "Beginning To See The Light" , "I'm Set Free" , "Some Kinda Love" , "What Goes On" , "Pale Blue Eyes" , "Jesus" , "After Hours"
4/10 but overall quite nice and interesting 40%
Eine sehr einflußreiche Band auf die sich viele Musiker beziehen. Dazu spannende Themen wie Drogenmissbrauch und Sado-Maso. Und ich hab wieder nix davon mitbekommen. Na toll. Ok, dieses Album habe ich jetzt gehört (kommen da noch mehr?) und das fand ich abwechslungsreich, unkonventionell, manchmal schräg. Schön.
Better than the previous one.
3☆/5 11.04.2024
Mixing so good at one point the guys voice scared me because I thought someone was talking behind me. Lyricism and songwriting are both really interesting and well-done, but overall it isn't really for me. I liked What Goes On and After Hours
I really didn’t know what to expect out of this one, but I really didn’t expect to like it. I was a bit surprised, I enjoyed the simplicity of it. Certainly have heard of the velvet underground, but actually it never heard them before. I loved the song Jesus, but hated The Murder Mystery. Overall, I would give it a 3.5, so I’m going to give it 3 stars.
It's too slow. That said there are two or three songs that were just amazing. Pale Blue Eyes is an amazing song.
It was okay. I'm not the right person to make the call on how influential it was, or whatever. I'm not sure I really needed to listen to this before I died.
I’m excited to listen to this album. I don’t know any of the songs. So far I like “candy”. Ok so I’m not sure when it started. But from pale blue eyes into the next song, the songs sound the same with different words. Could explain why I thought “pale blue eyes” was so long. 😂ok, beginning to see the light is clearly different. 😁 I really like the beginning to murder mystery.
Pre-listening thoughts: 😕 Post/during listening thoughts: this is… not bad? Velvet underground is listenable??? Lou Reed isn’t completely insufferable??? It’s still just okay but I was so prepped for terribleness today so hallelujah. Maybe I’m just sad but this is kind of hitting on the low 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: oh definitely not Fav tracks: Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes Least fav tracks: The Murder Mystery
This is my second Velvet Underground album to review. I really enjoyed their album with Nico, so I have some pretty high hopes for this album. I’ll get to review all of the Velvet Underground albums on this list in reverse chronological order, and I wonder if that will have any impact on how I feel about their albums. I thought this effort from The Velvet Underground was fine. With the exception of “The Murder Mystery,” it was a pretty straightforward rock album from the sixties, but it was still well executed. Most of the instrumentation was pretty simplistic, but the guitar playing was crisp and clean, and I enjoy Lou Reed’s unique vocals. Even though this album was well made, I found a good portion of it to be fairly boring. However, I thought “I’m Set Free” was really great. I loved the booming drums, the guitar playing was great, and I really enjoyed the backing vocals. “The Murder Mystery” was great too. I really enjoyed the ‘dueling’ lead vocals, Maureen Tucker’s vocals were great (they reminded me of Stereolab), and the guitar and piano playing gave this album a great psychedelic sound. Other those two songs, I didn’t find anything particularly noteworthy about this album, but it certainly wasn’t bad, just not really my cup of tea.
This was an okay album, nothing too exciting but I had it in the background and it was alright. It is a pretty outdated album, so the tunes are quite old-school but not too bad.
Good album overall. Standout songs What goes on I'm set free
What a classic - except for some of the experimental stuff! 3.5
I'm not sure if I'd give this one another listen, but it was enjoyable while I was listening to it
Good for sleeping on the highway.
Es un buen disco, no es el mejor de la Velvet pero tiene (me pongo de pie) pale blue eyes
Pleasant experience.
Not their best
eh. not my vibe
Another band I never took much notice of at the time. I knew of the banana album with Nico but nothing more than that but decided recently that as a collector I should have the banana album in my collection due to its iconic status. So i wasn’t has dismissive if this album as I might have been a few years ago. All in all a good collection of songs which I am sorry to have missed first time around. So another thumbs up to an album I would have had no knowledge of if it wasn’t for this list. 3/5 11/10/24
never been my thing, but their style is undeniable. last song is a real heartstring-ripper.
Pretty decent, with some of the more experimental stuff lacking. Top track: What goes on
Ich verstehe schon warum das ein wichtiges Album für die Musikgeschichte ist. Erinnerte mich ein wenig an Johnny cash nur als Boyband. Bester Song: The murder mystery Skipped Song: Jesus
It’s a cool album of slow psychedelic rock tunes, and I enjoy most of the tracks. Reed’s singing is great. Pale Blue Eyes is my favorite song on this album. Murder Mystery is too spoken word for me. Overall a 3/5!
The most normal VU album up to this date. I like the crazier Lou Reed songs in the previous albums so I’m slightly disappointed despite having good songwriting here. I find this slightly boring in spots and I don’t care for the last two songs but good stuff especially in the first half helps. Highlight: “What Goes On”. 3.5 stars.
Partial classic. Partial sham. There are some sweet, tender melodies like on the first track and the stripped back, lo-fi production and stylisms still sound very cool and modern but many of the songs are actually too minimal and humdrum and plod on forever. The Slinty sound collage piece The Murder Mystery is also just repetitive and annoying. The Ain’t Misbehavin’ style jazz number at the end with Moe the drummer singing is almost cute.
Still sounds good.
An okay album, but simply just that.
Only gave it one listen. A few alright songs in there but can't imagine it challenging my preferred Velvet Underground albums (the debut w/ Nico, and loaded).
Lou Reed was always a great lyricist but I am a self-confessed fan of strong vocals and for me his vocals lack dynamics i.e. they are all on one level. I do feel this is a relaxing album with good vibes aplenty. The opening track, Candy Says is memorable and haunting. I found myself drawing comparisons to Mr. Sandman with its sleepy bass line. I liked the up-tempo jump to 'What Goes On' which took me by surprise. Spotify shows the highest play count attributed to 'Pale Blue Eyes'. I have just listened to it for the first time and while I would describe it as a 'nice' song, though, to my tastes I found it quite nondescript and unmemorable. 'Beginning to see the light' rocks pretty hard and Lou sings a bit more characterfully. It is musically quite Doors-esque. Another Doors-esque number (owing to the late sixties synth sound) 'Murder Mystery' was a super-intriguing track which features frantic stereo ranting from Lou and other members of the band. This was a surprising tonal shift and I expect I will return to this track and its' epic 8+ minutes much more in future. I'd rate this as my favourite overall. The closing track, 'After Hours' was a welcome break from Lou. It was great to hear another voice take lead vocals. I really enjoyed this one.
strong 3
I loved some parts of this album, but then there were also songs that really disappointed me. The slower tunes are their strongest point in my opinion. 3.5 stars
I've always heard how hugely influential this band is, but I'm not sure why. I think you had to be there. Because I don't hear a ton of sounds that I can identify from bands that came later. Actually, I just googled "what bands were influenced by The Velvet Underground" and most places reference older acts like Bowie, Eno, and Iggy Pop, and almost everyone says they are the godfathers of shoegaze. I don't really listen to much of any of that, so that's probably why it's hard for me to notice the influence. Overall, it's fine. The last couple of songs get weird, but I don't dislike it. I'm not sure I like it either, but 2 stars seems awfully harsh. 2.5 stars if I could.
cool but it wasn't super memorable to me. would check out the other albums
Definitely better by the velvet, but it was pretty good
I've never heard The Velvet Underground's album before. I liked it a lot. It probably doesn't fit into my daily playlist, but it would be a candidate for it. 3/5
I like the book-end tracks: Candy Says and After Hours. The latter is the only track I recognized. Everything in the middle is kind of "meh", including Pale Blue Eyes, which I guess was the big track from this album. Murder Mystery is an interesting track. It has parts that are great and parts that are annoying.
Not their best album. Some interesting songs in there, but didn’t really do enough to elevate itself from background noise to something I was actively listening to.
A bit boring. 3/5
Overall a good album. Lacking on some stand out songs, but the album works. 3.5/5 Probably will listen again
Comfortably better than the iconic but underwhelming Velvet Underground & Nico, this one is rockier and has some actual tunes. What Goes On and Some Kinda Love are both great and even it’s token weird, avant-y epic, The Murder Mystery is superior to anything on their debut. It’s only getting one star more for me but if I could give half marks it would be 3.5 (vs 1.5).
The calm after the storm
I didn't hate it, but ultimately I just couldn't understand for the life of me what the album was all about. Even after having listened to it a few times it leaves me feeling confused more than anything. Best - Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, and After Hours Worst - no bad songs? 2.75-3.25/5
Fine album. Needs another listen.
3.5
Without John Cale, they took a new direction with Lou Reed in charge
the banana album is way better 🍌
-Velvet Underground is decent for me, I’ve heard their album with Nico and I think I like it better than this one. This one took me a little while to warm up to I like the b-side a lot -Favorites are Beginning To See The Light, That’s The Story Of My Life, and The Murder Mystery
6/9/24 It was dated, but that is to be expected. It didn't really capture me or my attention.
Ok.
pale blue eyes goes off but otherwise zzzzzzz
First listen Saved 5/10 Top track: Pale Blue Eyes
Purdy. Most of it is nice but standard pop rock songs. Kind of sounds like a less melodically captivating Big Star. I've found the Velvets at their best when they had relied on energy and or added elements like drone or improvisation- basically none of that here. But it does sound real purdy. Oh- "Murder Mystery", I actually really like the counterpoint between the two voices with separate rhythms and the ending part where they keep changing the piano arrangement to make different chord progressions, but the ABA structure gets old pretty fast.
Oh so THIS is the guy Metallica made Lou Lou with :joy: This was an AMAZING album. I’m not familiar with Velvet Underground at all except that “Pale Blue Eyes” is considered a legendary love song. I can't say I loved how understated every song was. Nothing ever really came to life. But the songs are there and I feel like if another artist covered these songs they would start to soar. Folks have called this the father of bedroom pop, and that’s the truth. Wouldn’t be surprised if I learned Billie Eilish loves this record.
I remember liking The Murder Mystery. Will I listen to again: 50%
It's okay. Defintely stands the test of time. I would have never guessed that it was released in 1969.
It never felt like it got going, if you know what I mean. It wasn't bad. Bland is probably the best word to describe it.
I expected this to be interesting, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Only a 3 because I doubt I'll go back to it as an album.
Because this is mellow, I'm enjoying it way more than prior VU albums on here. 3* The murder mystery made me anxious
I didn’t like it but Leo the cat thought it was ok
Soft, quite psychedelic
Bastante trippy, creo que me gustó más que el disco de la banana con nico
Song 1 is dull. Then What Goes on kicks in. What a song. Pale Blue Eyes is slow, but engaging. Some Jesus song bored me. Then I started to see the light. Then ... This is an up and down album. Great in parts, less so in others.
August 13, 2024 HL: “Murder Mystery”, “Jesus”, “Pale Blue Eyes” Held off rating for a day to collect my thoughts, & I still don’t know wot I think of this Not as strong as the Banana one, but definitely a gentler listen. “Murder Mystery” is straight up a Sonic Youth song
Overrated band in my opinion. The music wasn't that interesting, but I guess for the end of the 60s they had a good mix of sounds that fit the time. I can see how this could be innovative for the time, but I find it pretty underwhelming when comparing it to other bands of the time such as Pink Floyd.
For some reason I was expecting some rock n roll songs with heavy guitar. That didn't happen. Instead, this album was a collection of the most calm, clean songs i have ever heard.
I hadn't heard this one all the way through, and only knew Pale Blue Eyes, which is a beautiful song. It's got quite a different vibe from the previous 2. I didn't get quite as on board with this one. Maybe it'll grow on me with more listens, the other VU / Lou Read I'm more familiar with certainly did. I'd say I found this more interesting than enjoyable though so 3*
Pleasant mood, nothing too memorable, but it's nice to listen to
Start the the 70s, enjoyable variety of songs on this light and airy album
Good listen
I was surprised how normal sounding this album was, last track was a bit strange, but this was standard music for the year, I expected something different and I can’t tell if what I got was better or worse than expected, I’m going to say this is average.
Much better than their last album, but still not much that grabbed me. Felt a bit tame even.
The Velvet Underground did such an about face for their self-titled album! I knew Lou Reed was capable of way more than the discordant nonsense of an album that is White Light/White Heat. While still early in his career, his lyrics are powerful here. His soulful voice, paired with his lyrics, in "Pale Blue Eyes"? Wonderful. I acknowledge I'm biased in favor of Reed, so I am aware I would prefer the songs with his lead vocals. For the most part, I didn't care for the songs that didn't have his vocals--or even lead vocals at all (except for "Candy Says"). This album by itself isn't super special but its release in 1969 was a stepping stone for folk, rock, and VU's later work. It was an interesting listen in the history of music and Velvet Underground and offered a very easy, relaxed listen in comparison to their prior album (for which I am eternally grateful).
You know, The Velvet Underground gets hyped a LOT by today's standards, but in listening to them, I feel like they're just your average rock band of the time. I can appreciate, though, how they're kind of folk adjacent without being too folky; it makes for a chill listen but keeps things interesting. In any case, nothing bad here, but also nothing too great. It was interesting enough, but not too exciting.
Норм
Enjoyed this, lots of cool experimental moment. However I could have done with some more consistency. 6.5/10
Not unpleasant, but nothing stood out other than Pale Blue Eyes, which was pretty good.
This just didn't leave much of an impression on me. That being said I really liked Pale Blue Eyes, pure banger.
For the most part it's a chill velvety vibe. For the most part for me it fades into the background - until The Murder Mystery plays. It's unusual, and I could see it being really powerful if there wasn't so much lyrical nonsense. That said, Moe's voice is... innocently bad. I don't see myself revisiting this.
Although I enjoyed the more noise rock and abrasive side of The Velvet Underground the most, this was a pretty cool, chill album. The primary focus is definitely on the lyrics and vocals, which are mostly about love, longing, and everyday life – basically the same themes as many other albums. The music is stripped down to simplicity, giving the album a warm, cozy feel.
Meget dreamy! Gode numre! Undervurderer måske det her fordi det er første gang jeg hører det?
Pale blue eyes var mega fed! Resten var ok.
I enjoyed this much more than the banana album.
Decent stuff, particularly given how old it is. I liked it more than most 60's/70's stuff. 3.3
IDK
This is one where I can see why some people love it, I just don't care for it much. Favorite track on this listen: "Beginning to See the Light."
Þetta var skrítin plata. Bæði ljúf en líka furðuleg. Til dæmis var skrítið og erfitt að reyna að hlusta á morðgátulagið þar sem var verið að syngja (eða tala) tvo mismunandi texta á sama tíma. Þetta hefur verið framúrstefnulegt og tilraunakennt á sínum tíma en ég ætla bara að smella henni í miðjuna fyrir ljúfmetið á plötunni.
I just flat out dislike this band but this album was less annoying than the others.
i like this one a LOT better than the other velvet underground album i got from the generator (white light/white heat)
Basic, essential, but also, overplayed to death... 3 stars
ottimo album, nessuna canzone eccelsa ma tutte carine
Great stuff.
3.4 I can understand why people enjoy this. It’s just not my thing.
It's okey. Pale blue eyes is a classic but the rest is mostly record filling. Some avantgarde wierd and some just forgetable
decent enough but i prefer reed's solo stuff