The Velvet Underground

The Murder Mystery is one of the most terrible listening experiences I've ever had and it actually gave me a headache. The rest of the songs on here sound like half-baked demos. I don't know who this album was for, but I regret having listened to it.

I thought this album was fine until it got to The Murder Mystery. What an awful song. Like it made me really angry. And then the last song was bad too. I’ve never seen quite the nose dive at the end of an album than what happened here.

Velvet, smooth, bland.

Quite spookier than you would imagine

I’m not sure where people are hearing the 5-star album. But I’m not

Chill and mellow

Color me unimpressed! I don't get it. I hope the Andy Warhol Banana album is better than this. Alot of these are just somber songs that go on too long. Jesus is interesting song to hear from Reed based on his reputation. Murder Mystery is interesting to say the least. Just unimpressed. 2

Just an album full of rambling and talking with instrumentals.

I absolutely hated The Murder Mystery. Who wants to listen to that? The rest of the album honestly wasn’t that bad but holy shit murder mystery ruined this for me.

was a struggle to finish, didn't like voices ontop each other

this has never been my type of music unfortunately

How Beatles of them? But significantly less good. Only 2 listenable tracks on the album for me: What Goes On (which I enjoy) and After Hours. Murder Mystery Party had potential but quickly felt like “more of the same” and I lost interest.

If you like the Beatles, you MIGHT like this band… but just listen to the Beatles instead; they’re better than The Velvet Underground. The songs aren’t terrible or anything, they just sound… bland. Their slow songs are boooring. The upbeat ones are better, but regardless, every song has very repetitive instrumentation and uninspiring lyrics. Apparently this band’s most popular song of all time is Pale Blue Eyes, so I paid special attention to that one and ??? It’s not catchy, it’s not thought provoking, it’s not visceral or emotional. “Sometimes I feel so happy, sometimes I feel so sad, but mostly you just make me mad.” Riveting stuff. The song I’d be most likely to listen to again is After Hours, the last song on the album. I think it was just included as a little extra thing for fun; It has a completely different singer and a completely different style than the rest of the album. Ironically, it turns out to be better than everything else on the album, precisely because it’s nothing like it. I’m think the bar for a good album was just lower in the 60’s.

no es para mí (demasiado folk)

The album has an interesting sound. I imagine people felt this was kind of a new age vibe at the time. The vocals aren’t stellar in my opinion, but have an interesting quality (don’t have a better way to describe it). Slow and soft. Kinda just weird, but also maybe giving spoken word poem vibes? No clue what was happening in The Murder Mystery (not a fan). The music is easy enough listening because it’s gentle, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it again. (10 songs, 43 minutes) 2/23/26

aburrido asf

Liked the album with Niko, didn’t get this one.

127/1001 First listen. Garbage does a version of candy says. Didn’t know it was a cover till now. The rest of this album is okay. Better than the last two albums of theirs I’ve heard on this list. Just barely though. I still don’t get this band. 4/10

4/10

grande chialade type beat after hours is amazing

Not for me.

Yeah ok, never has got my blood running really & never will really. Sunday Morning a nice little ballad.

After listening to the dreadful White Light/White Heat recently, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the opening track was a lot calmer and slower. 'Oh this could be interesting' I thought. I was wrong. What a snoozefest of an album. It's gone from one extreme (WL/WH) to the other, and neither are any good. Highlight of the album was After Hours - mainly because it doesn't feature Lou Reeds depressing voice.

i just can’t with lou reed. from every interview i’ve read or seen, he seems like an insufferable douche. much of this album is either boring or unlistenable.

Started out okay but the last few songs are pretty weak. 2 stars or D+.

Just an overall really enjoyable album

Top Songs: Pale Blue Eyes After Hours

A pretty calm album. Songs get pretty repetitive sometimes. Im not a big fan of most old music like this, but i can still appreciate it most of the time. This album feels sort of empty a lot of the time and none of the songs feel unique except for "The Murder Mystery" which is probably my favourite track.

don't get the appeal beyond "fine"

It’s iconic. But, I just couldn’t get there with it. It can’t be them. It must be me…

That's it? This band has such a reputation, didn't really do much for me.

It's fine. I guess an album that was somehow more daring at the time?

Apparently this is an important album but for me it was a bit dull, a bit uninspiring. Nothing horrible but nothing to match some of Lou Reeds solo stuff

There was an episode of the Amazing Spider-Man where J. Jonah Jameson was invited to see this new rock and roll band, the Squawkers. Unfortunately the Fiddler wiped them out. The Velvet Underground remind me of the Squawkers. There were there to embody the rock and roll spirit, and to annoy squares, but if the Fiddler erased them I wouldn’t ever think about them.

I listened to this twice and I still can't remember anything about it

Nico had to leave the band shortly after this album to create her true persona, Nico Nico Nii

Ei toiminut omaan korvaan ollenkaan.

48. it was alright

I don’t know if I’m uncultured or not but this did not hit the mark It was just boring

Blues. Beatles Lite.

What are these guys famous for? I guess standards were lower in the 60s. Idk. Vocals were giving bob dylan at times. Some kinda love was my favorite. “Some kinds of love are mistaken for vision”. I’m giving a solid 4/10 here boys.

This is my favorite VU album by a mile, and y'know what? Still not the "legendary" record people make it out to be. It's good-ish. Some definite moments, but there just isn't a good hook here. VU: Not for me. Can't say I didn't try... 5/10

Contrary opinion about the Velvet underground they are not the revolutionary band some think they are . This is gods but nothing much more than average underground rock album from the '60s. There are some interesting instrumentation and generally they offer an interesting enough mixture of rock and avant garde things, but it never gets into plane so ends up very middle of the road to me. More meandering than experimental . I can appreciate murder mystery but 1/2 of it is shit and 1/2 interesting with out being great

I've tried... I just don't like this. 2/5

Thought this was mainly a bit dull and then that song second to last was just bonkers!

Very overated average.

Too many drugs.

sadly, despite liking other the velvet underground's works, this one didn't resonate with me. it just felt a little bit too monotonous and cohesive in a way that didn't allow me to form a strongly positive opinion. however, i reallyyyy liked "what goes on", "pale blue eyes" and "after hours". "murder mystery", on the other hand was very hard to listen, despite me understanding the creative choices made here. overall, the album as a whole didnt resonate with me much so that's why i give it a 2 (would give it a 2.5 if it was possible)

Top 10 albums to fall asleep to

2 STARS Only enjoyed two songs from the album. Pale Blue Eyes Candy Says

this gives me sufjan steven vibes within how quiet and peacefully beautiful it sounds. the overall vibe of this album so far feels very melancholic with a sense of humour. i appreciate the fact that this album only has 10 songs since long albums are typically filled with some generic songs, but these are all bangers.

A bit boring for my taste, most the songs in the album didn't left that much of an impression to me

зацепил только парочкой спокойных песен особенно первая прикольная а так ни о чем, но предпоследняя песня прям крейзи, очевидно, с каким-то гениальным смыслом, но мне лень

Well, this is at least a more cohesive effort than their others on this list.

I think u have to listen to this album on the right mood and if u are actively looking for this kind of slow and romantic music. For my it was not that interesting other than wanting to understand the lyrics, it was kinda boring and I wanted to skip most of the songs.

trop lent et une chanson carrément s'appelle jésus

Boring and pointless, just some goofy ass 60s bullshit

Not my style, too abstract

There were some songs I really liked that had the vibe of the music in Juliet, Naked, but then there were some songs that had really minimalist stuff going on where it was one chord (basically) the whole song and I couldn't listen to it, I had to skip it. The last song was my favorite - After Hours, and it's sung by someone not in the band. Hilarious.

Wallpaper. Boring wallpaper

Pale Blue Eyes ✅

This was okay. Some songs were okay (Candy Says, What Goes On) but others weren't great (The Murder Mystery, After Hours). I can see why Wes Anderson likes them; they have a twee, soft-spoken approach most of the time. Not really my speed, though.

Highlights: Candy Says, What Goes On, Pale Blue Eyes

This pretty much vanished into the background. Couldn’t say if it had a standout track to be honest. Don’t think it’s a bad album, just a bit innocuous.

Achei experimental demais. Pale Blue Eyes é a melhor do álbum.

Not my vibe so I didn't listen to all of it but I'll definitely have another listen one day

just isn't for me

achei repetitivo

I liked track #1 but every track afterwards hurt my ears bro

Too messy

Didn't really like it as the vocals are too drab.

I really like this band but this feels a little try hard. It’s borderline pretentious and it’s nowhere near as good as the Black Album.

4eme album avec Lou Reed =>2/5 Rien d'original dans ce disque qui présente un pop/rock très standard, sauf dans 'The Murder Mystery', morceau différent (structure) et intéressant. Par ailleurs les morceaux lents sont très ennuyeux, les plus dynamiques passent mieux. Certains présentent des plages instrumentales avec des chorus plutôt réussis. Un point positif : LR ne chante pas sur tous les morceaux, un vrai soulagement qui lui évite la note minimale ...

Not a fan

I remember literally nothing about this album - which at least means I didn’t hate it with an industrious fury, like I was expecting.

Meh

A snooze of an album. Only "Pale Blue Eye" is worth a listen and it's a really good song at that. Strong 2.

i thought this was like hard rock but it was chill. nothing stood out to me really

its alr! not my vibe tho but pale blue eyes and. after hours r lit

Boring.

different. all over. songs? original.

Boh, non mi ha detto nulla

Weird Christian twinge on this. It's fine but not much special.

Not bad but a little annoying at times.

Not a fan of Lou Reed, therefore, not a fan of Velvet , and they should stay Underground. 2

I think this was better than the other album but just barely

It was the 60's. There were drugs. The only highlight I got was Pale Blue Eyes .. and that's a stretch. Listened before: N Saved tracks: N Favorite track(s): Pale Blue Eyes 🤷🏼‍♀️ ⭐⭐ No like. No hate. No saves.

On the cover they look how I feel listening to this: bored and kind of sad. I definitely do not like The Murder Mystery. If the goal there was to make me deeply unsettled, good job. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Beginning To See The Light. ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.

The murder mystery is an incredible song. Everything else is unlistenable. Lou reed may have done some things first, but everyone else does those things better.

Places I don’t enjoy Velvet Underground: At the grocery astore. In my car. Perhaps I should listen to the next one in a box or with a fox.

Some ok songs mixed with some weird stuff. More neven for me than groundbreaking.

The Velvet Underground — третий альбом американской рок-группы The Velvet Underground. Выпущенный в марте 1969 года на MGM Records, он стал их первой записью с Дугом Юлом, который заменил предыдущего участника Джона Кейла. Записанный в 1968 году в TTG Studios в Лос-Анджелесе, альбом, состоящий в основном из баллад и простых рок-песен, заметно отличается по стилю от предыдущих записей группы. Вокалист Лу Рид намеренно сделал это в результате резкого предыдущего альбома White Light/White Heat. Рид хотел, чтобы в альбоме пели и другие участники группы; Юл исполнил вокальные партии в некоторых композициях, а заключительную композицию «After Hours» спела барабанщица Мо Такер. Тематически The Velvet Underground посвящён любви, что контрастирует с предыдущими релизами группы. Рид разработал порядок треков и основывал свои песни на отношениях и религии. Песня «Pale Blue Eyes» была названа одной из его лучших песен о любви, а «The Murder Mystery» была отмечена за эксперименты, как возвращение к White Light/White Heat. Билли Нэйм сделал фотографию альбома, на которой группа сидит на диване на «Фабрике Энди Уорхола». Процесс записи начался в кратчайшие сроки, и хотя у группы был высокий моральный дух, в конечном итоге они были разочарованы тем, что Рид создал свой собственный микс из финального варианта. Современные рецензии высоко оценили альбом, который стал поворотным моментом для группы. Тем не менее, The Velvet Underground не попал в чарты, опять же из-за недостатка продвижения со стороны звукозаписывающего лейбла группы. Рид играл доминирующую роль в процессе микширования, и был выпущен его собственный микс альбома, названный «closet mix», в то время как звукорежиссёр Вэл Валентайн создал более распространённый микс. Ретроспективные обзоры назвали его одним из величайших альбомов десятилетия 1960-х годов и всех времён, при этом многие критики отмечали его сдержанное производство и личные тексты. В 2020 году журнал Rolling Stone поставил его на 143 место в списке 500 величайших альбомов всех времён. 1. Candy Says - нежнятинка с самого начала. Очень успокаивающая. Гитара очень приятная. Слегка блюзовое? Из-за ду-воп мелодии. Мне очень нравится. 2. What Goes On - бодренькая. Ничего особенного выделить не могу 3. Some Kinda Love - достаточно простенькая. Приятная, но так же ничего особенного выделить не могу, на протяжении всей песни мелодия ровная. 4. Pale Blue Eyes - красиво. По настроению мне напоминает первый трек в альбоме. Не знаю, какой инструмент начинает играть в середине в правом наушнике, гитара? Хорошее дополнение. Эту песню как будто очень хорошо спеть под гитару в кругу семьи/друзей. 5. Jesus - очень нравятся небольшие акапельные вставки. 6. Beginning To See The Light - ничего особенного выделить не могу. 7. I'm Set Free - нравится инструментал в те моменты, когда затихает барабан. 8. That's The Story Of My Life - простенько и по тексту, и по музыке. Песня ещё и всего 2 минуты идёт. Как будто бы ничего в альбом не приносит. 9. The Murder Mystery - и внезапно песня на 9 минут. Уже интересненько, экспериментально. Очень выделяется среди других треков, вообще другое настроение. Читать текст даже не пыталась, что-то дико концептуальное, что я всё равно не пойму. У песни какое-то... тревожное настроение, что ли. Хаотичная, абсурдная. Это интересно на разбор и прослушивание раз в какое-то количество времени, а вот на постоянке слушать тяжеловато. Но и это имеет место быть, любопытно. Внезапно долбанули каким-то звуком в правое ухо. Дикая долбёжка по фортепиано в конце. Как я и говорила, тревожное настроение, надо бы почитать, о чём текст вообще. 10. After Hours - поёт барабанщица группы. Милый голос. Коротенькая песня, тоже на 2 минуты всего. Интересное настроение, почитала, что похоже на музыку времён "Великой депрессии", есть такое. У меня неоднозначные впечатления от этого альбома. Некоторые песни мне очень понравились, а некоторые не оставили вообще никакого впечатления. Если бы все треки были в духе первого и четвёртого, мне бы очень зашёл этот альбом. Возможно, некоторые песни зайдут лучше после ещё одного прослушивания. Девятый трек очень странный, я такое люблю чисто ради впечатлений, не представляю, как это слушать постоянно. В общем, я просто не понимаю этот альбом, наверное так будет лучше сказать. Добавила себе только Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus и с натяжкой добавила I'm Set Free. Но за эксперименты, некоторые приятные инструменталы и голоса поставлю 2 звёзды.

Not having it, like they took the Beatles idea of being n LSD when recording without the creative product. Boring, slow and just confusing. Not sure what elements of the album can even be described as influential. Murder Mystery is god awful and a right mess of 8 minutes. Won't be listening again. Gets a 2 purely on pale blue eyes and some kinda love which were just alright.

If they were part of the “British Invasion” (Beatles, Stones, Monkeys, etc), then they were the worst part. This album was milquetoast at best.

Kinda dull and lame? Nothing that I will remember.

Just got back from the gym, still buzzing - figured I’d cool down with The Velvet Underground. Honestly? Bit of a letdown. I was expecting raw edge or at least some punch, but this one's all soft tones and quiet introspection. I get that it’s more reflective than their earlier stuff, but it drifted by like a daydream I kept forgetting I was having. Some tracks are tender in a good way (“Pale Blue Eyes” is nice), but most of it just kind of floats - too hushed, too tame, and too samey by the end. After lifting heavy, I needed something with spine. This felt like a shrug.

Not much reaction to this until The Murder Mystery came on, which I found excessively irritating. I understand it's experimental, but I hated having to hear it. I don't think the Velvet Underground are for me.

I don't know how to feel about this one. It's not bad but I didn't really like it that much.

Good but not as memorable as the banana one.

*1967. Psychedelic rock. *I had trouble getting through this one - it was fine, just boring. *Decent background music. RATING - 6/10

Wasn't really a fan back in the day, and I'm still not. The music on "The Murder Mystery" reminded me of The Doors.

Mastering is pretty bad. Instruments bleed into each other and the bass is overdone in post editing. It sounds like everything has a low pass filter. Music itself was dull, made worse by the already bad mastering.

Interesting listen because I'd always listened to either Loaded or Velvet Underground with Nico (the banana Warhol album). This one was a lot more down tempo and didn't have the bangers. Glad I listened but not my favorite of theirs... yet.

It was ok. The good songs were very good but a few of them were annoying

Whats goen on é legalzinho até mas eu Concerteza nao sou o público alvo é bem paia

Yeah, this is not it for me. From what I have heard through the years, I was expecting a life changing music session, and a glimpse into Lou Reed and a VERY influencial band. I do not get it. It, for sure, captures the time and place it was recorded very well, and someone who lived through it can better contextualize this album. Not me, I do not feel anything. I sort of understand how some say this album "generated indie" and a ""lo fi rock"" sound, but I guess you REEEEALLY needed to be there ro understand. Did not like it at all, but my taste is taking over this review, not objective facts.

Kinda boring, honestly. John Cale is sorely missed here.

Listened to this twice and forgot about it twice

Boring Yank bootleg Beatles that don't know the meaning of brevity. Every song dragged on for hours. I was quite excited for this one too. What a let down.

But slow and uninteresting, not for me.

Well, put me in the 'this is slow and boring' camp, because this is slow and boring. The couple of jangly tunes and the proto-SOAD nonsense salad of The Murder Mystery keep if from being completely forgettable, but also blah. I just kept wanting to poke it with a stick. Do something!

Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this landed with a thud with me. The production and performances both felt amateurish, although the songs seem like they could be done very well. Maybe I'll see if I like I'll Be Your Mirror (tribute album) next.

Meh

Not very remarkable to me. Found the album fairly boring

Not a big fan this one isn't awful just not into Lou.

It’s kind of just background noise for me. I don’t see the hype.

Meh

Very relaxing and chilled, with mostly simple melodies. It was fine but nothing really stood out to me.

Okay album. Nothing remarkable.

Really not a fan of the production here. First song too low to understand. Second song piercing shrill sound pervasive throughout, obscuring an otherwise good song. Roller coaster ride the rest of the way, with lyrics drowned out by music. Then Murder Mystery - no.

Helt ok

Old music, liked murder mystery, otherwise pretty forgetable

Nothing exeptional but very chill

перший альбом, з яким я трішки знайома. музично вайбово, але в якийсь момент стає нудно. текстово повз мене, бо не маю досвіду male loneliness

has a club vibe, probably wouldn't listen to

Very good instrumentals but was not a big fan of the lead singers. The deeper in you go the blander it feels.

Only listened to two

Probably my least favourite velvet underground

Doesn't really sound like a VU album as it has more of a folk, even country vice at times. What Goes On and Beginning to See The Light sound more like it and are my fave tracks. The Murder Mystery is the token psychedelic cut but as a whole this isn't my fave VU album.

5/10

Album was alright, but very repetitive and bland

I did not like 2

For how often the Velvet Underground is cited as a source of inspiration by Bowie and others, I expected more. It is a really tame album with mostly quite straightforward music. I expected more alternative rythms and singing.

Everytime I listen to a Velvet Underground album I’m surprised by what The Velvet Underground sounds like. Weird lullaby rock.

Not great, pretty boring actually, wouldn’t listen again

Lou Reed just doesn't seem to do it for me. In any form

Did someone throw clothes in the sewer?

Una fiesta desbocada en una casa de ancianos.

Not for me

Pretentious.

I didn't care for this.

I just don’t get The Velvet Underground.

Büro, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Schon etwas öde.

This just doesn’t hold up. Can’t get excited about it

This is dumb

It’s ok

Er ikke så meget til den slags musik, men kan sagtens se, hvorfor det er et godt album, men lidt for kedeligt og ensartet for min smag 4/10

This is my second Velvet Underground album for this project and I’m afraid I’m just not a fan of this band. The Velvet Underground is a much more tolerable album than the one with Nico and the banana on the cover but it is still not something that grabbed my interest. Beginning To See The Light and Pale Blue Eyes are the songs I didn’t mind. But Pale went on a little too long. I just don’t dig this music. This is a 2 rating. 2/5

Real “it was okay” for me, first half felt a bit vacuous before Murder Mystery came in and really shook things up sonically. Interesting religious break with Jesus and Beginning to See The Light… felt out of place but maybe I was missing the album’s motif. The back half was all right as well, just wasn’t enough for me to really consider the album a winner. Not a painful listen just not one that’s particularly memorable or that I will end up putting on any playlists.

Boring. They're a band, I guess...

Not as attention-grabbing as their celebrated debut, nor as energetic as follow up White Light/White Heat, their 1969 offering is perhaps a but too laid back for it's own good. The arrangements and simplistic recordings often fail to do justice to the equally simple - but occasionally effective - songs here. After the irresistibly melodic opener Candy Says and the proto-indie of What Goes On, the Velvet's third album loses focus somewhat. Which is a shame, because there are more gems to come - Pale Blue Eyes - it just kind of goes off the rails and never really finds its way back on track through the murky and uninspired production.

not to my liking

Felt like a lot of noise, not a lot of song.

It’s ok. Never listened to one of their albums, just individual songs here and there. Not sure I would listen again.

The banana one was annoying, this one was boring. So far a highly overrated band in my opinion.

Nah

It was a bit meh, no tracks stood out to me that I would want to put in a playlist. I wouldn’t listen to the album again

Alright, but didn’t really grab me

ok. not as interesting as their debut

I didn't love it. The songs kind of melted into one another.

This is a bit lifeless. After hours stand out song. Only song i would listen to again

2.5 - Meh

I've always wanted to love The Velvet Underground. They're one of those bands critics and musicians endlessly praise, yet I’ve never fully grasped the hype. To my ears, their music feels... average. Sure, it’s a bit more daring and unconventional than a lot of what came out in the late '60s. At times, it’s even quite beautiful. There’s a certain charm in the way they blend rock, folk, and avant-garde textures. Some arrangements are genuinely lovely. But I can’t shake the sense that The Velvet Underground were more about aesthetic and attitude than real substance. And let’s be honest—they definitely leaned into the other kind of substance. This self-titled album doesn’t come close to the impact or intensity of The Velvet Underground & Nico. That debut had standout moments and a gritty edge that made it feel urgent. In contrast, this album is slower, softer, and more uniform in tone. It lacks dynamic range, and the songs—while polished—blur together. That said, there are a couple of bright spots. “Some Kinda Love” and “I’m Set Free” stand out as genuinely enjoyable tracks. They show a more refined side of the band that works. Those two songs alone lift the album to a 2/5 for me. Favorite track: “Some Kinda Love” / “I’m Set Free” Least favorite: Everything else feels pretty forgettable Album artwork: Cool cover—no complaints there.

Can see how it influences other bands, but other bands are better

Not for me, but obviously a huge influence on Belle and Sebastian

My favorite from a band I don’t care for much.

Dull hippie drivel. It was a total drag to get through this, I couldn’t wait for it to end.

it's fine 🤷‍♂️

Not really my thing. I felt like every song started pretty strong and quickly got repetitive and / or tedious. I felt like the album didn't flow as well as I usually look for. Not an overall poor listening experience, but not an album I will return to, so 2/5. Rating Scale: 1 - Didn't Finish / Won't Listen Again 2 - Didn't Enjoy / Won't Listen Again 3 - Average / Enjoyable moments but probably won't listen again 4 - Enjoyable Album / Will listen again 5 - Excellent Album / Will frequently listen again

I went in knowing this was an influential group from the 60's, but after listening I was left underwhelmed.

It was boring - same songs over and over again.

Well. I heard it before I died, that's for sure. It was mostly fine but The Murder Mystery was *terrible.*

entirely too long, pretty boring

This is not my favorite album of theirs, though it obviously has some of their best work, making it tough to rate. I could take or leave Nico, but I think they were better with Cale. "The Murder Mystery" is unlistenable drek. It would be three stars for me without that song.

Did not resonate with me

2.5

4/10

Maybe I was preoccupied but the music didn’t stand out to me.

5,6/10 meio fraco

Forgettable quiet rock

2/5

Ehhhhhh pretty naff

I always want to like them, but rarely do.

Meh. Pretty boring.

Favourite Track: Pale Blue Eyes Honourable Mentions: Candy Says Haven't listened to anything from TVU before, but their style is a lot more folky/country than I anticipated. In the era of peace'n'lovey-dovey pop during this time, I honestly can see why they were not a commercial success. It was truly a struggle to get through this album. The overall vibe is boring, slow, and mellow and most of the songs are forgettable. The only song that I'll revisit is "Pale Blue Eyes" - the tambourine makes the song very atmospheric. It's definitely not my taste, but I can see why others like it.

Noise

#519. With this third Velvet Underground album I've listened to on here, I've come to discover they're honestly not very good, and are overrated for some reason. This album does at least have 1½ good songs, which is more than their other albums, but those are just surrounded by mush. 2/5: don't.

Pretty boring. I might try it again in the future.

Songs that go nowhere then jeeeesss-us then boring songs

There are some familiar sounds throughout the album, so it is clear it and the band have been influential for a multitude of bands since it's release. That being said, it was fine, not really my thing.

I thought it was just a middle ground album but The Murder Mystery really knocked it down another star because of how long and annoying it was.

Better than the debut album. Song structure and design much improved. Didn't sound like some strung out, artsy farts just hanging around Warhol's basement. "What Goes On" was top track. "Murder Mystery" ventured into the unknown and was half cool, half annoying. Poetic and rambling. I guess this band was influential for just doing their own thing and vibing with the hippie nation but I'm not sold on the legend...1.88 stars.

This album was an unexpected slow and grounded approach from The Velvet Underground. It's hard for me to know if this was step in the right or wrong direction as any prior knowledge of Velvet Underground is for the weird, crass and overt nature of their career. In a vacuum this is a completely run of the mill album that I wouldn't expect belongs on this list. Maybe the alternate approach was such a shock that it made some impact. Regardless, it didn't do much for me and will be filed away. 1.66 stars

I must be missing something. This is a very highly regarded album and I just found it to be a bore. Their debut with Nico is a much more interesting listen.

A pretty bland listen for a band that was supposedly the epitome of cool. I came to the Velvets late, but Loaded is a much more exciting and interesting record.

I do enjoy a couple records from Velvet Underground and appreciate their influence on music; but I didn't really get down to this one in particular. I was just bored listening and really only enjoyed "After Hours". Which ironically was the unfortunate 2 minute ending to the album.

Fair score. Reed is an out of tune stoner poet of the 60’s, and now sits on that pedestal of east coast legends. New Yorkers probably think he invented the wheel too. Average, not Art.

Just overall meh

I expected to feel a strong sense of nostalgia listening to this, as VU was one of my favorite bands in high school. Now though, hearing this fills me with something like self-loathing, as I really don't hear what I ever thought was so great about them, and can only assume I was just being pretentious. Simplicity can be a virtue in rock music obviously, but here it strikes me as affected and, at times, a little mawkish. Now that I'm older, the edginess in Lou's lyrics sounds like it's coming from a middle class Long Island teenager imagining 'gritty' city life (yeahhh dude, transvestites prostitutes everywhere wow crazy). On other albums, the experimental and innovative aspects of VU, brought mostly by Cale, help overcomes alot of Lou's deficiencies on other albums. But here that is mostly absent (Cale had left the band, probably because Lou was a legendarily huge prick), and the one time they try it (Murder Mystery) feels kind of tacked on and uninspired. I still like Pale blue eyes, and the organ on What Goes On, but all in all, this is pretty weak.

This doesn't need to be on the list. There's 2 more VU records on the list. They're both better and this doesn't add anything new. Plus it's boring for the most part. One of the few highlights is my favorite song: murder mystery.

Definitely not for me. I found it boring, but listenable.

I end up just feeling really disappointed by this album. And sure, part of that is on me for having certain expectations before actually listening to the album, but it's just so bland. Murder Mystery is by far the best song on the album, and it's the second to last track, and you have to wade through 40 minutes of bland ballads before you get to it. I want to like Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, I just don't think I do though. Favorite Song(s): The Murder Mystery

Classic album but I wasn’t really feeling it

Booooooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiggggggg.

A little too understated next to some of their other albums, I just didn't get much enjoyment from this one.

I do not really like this album because I feel like the singer is mumbling. I also feel like all of the songs sound the same.

I did not really like it because the beat and lyrics did not match up

I don't like it because it is too calm and boring . I didn't like it because i cant hear it

0 it's depressing 0 I don't like it 5 I like Jesus .

the first song in a 1 it sounds sad I don't like it at all. the second song 0 I don't like it either it sounds like he's sad I don't like it.

it sounds okay It's just really slow. the background music sounds kinda weird.

Pre: I've listened to some Velvet Underground before but that's mostly been from their debut with Nico and some from Loaded. It just occurred to me that I'm familiar with both Nico's solo work and Lou Reed's but not John Cale (I'll confess I did have to Google that). I do at least know Pale Blue Eyes well but I have been meaning into more VU anyway. Post: Okay I forgot about After Hours. On the whole this album is decent but to me it rarely goes far enough off the path to become that interesting. The Murder Mystery feels like the track oddity that tries enough to pique interest at least, not that it really seemed to work. On the whole it does seem like a transitional record between avant garde beginnings to traditional rock of later. Highlight: After Hours (even though Pale Blue Eyes may be the overall better song)

In honor of Severance season 2 releasing tonight I will be playing "The Murder Mystery" on loop until I officially have brain damage

Helt chill 60 tals underground rock, har sina moments Bästa låten: I'm Set Free Stark 2

2,4

Really felt nothing towards this album, feels like there isn't all much there. I understand the significance of this band but it doesn't do anything for me Best Song: Pale Blue Eyes Rating: 4.0/10 2 Stars

Yeah, think this is one of those that is a bit over my head, not for me.

Nice album

It was ok but didn't excited me

Better than I expected at the start but turned into a cacophony at the end and Nico still can’t sing ! 2/3*

Not really my type of music.

Not my favourite velvet underground album!

What's really funny is that I was listening to my previous generated album by the Kinks (also '69) and I jumped straight into this one and for a moment I swear I thought it's the same band. It's like this whole decade melded into one huge band. Everyone sounds the same. I thought I enjoyed 60s/70s rock. This website made me realise I don't. I'm quite done with those decades.

2.5, just not my thing

I liked half of the songs, but the rest of the album wasn't for me. My favorite was Pale Blue Eyes💙

It's kinda meh, only a couple standouts for me

So incredibly boring that I just don't have anything else to say about it

This was not an enjoyable listen.

Only song I've ever heard before is Pale Blue Eyes, which I absolutely love. So I was excited to hear the rest of this. Starts out nice. Then goes to Pale Blue Eyes. Then it just tanks. The rest of the album is just eh. And then you reach Murder Mystery which is an utter mess. No, music producers, playing two vocal tracks at the exact same time is not interesting and quirky. It's incomprehensible. Best Song: Pale Blue Eyes

This was fine.

quedó viejo

meh

Pretty frickin dull in my opinion. Felt myself falling asleep to this. The whole thing felt very twee.

I was on board with the this album until the last song, the Murder Mystery, which is very jarring and odd. Overall, a very mellow album.

Yeah, well...

Maybe I’m the problem, but I can’t seem to get along with this band.

Just too out there

Maybe you had to be there but this didn't really do it for me.

I just can't understand the hype around this band. I've been led to believe they were some sort of trailblazing act but this is a relatively boring and standard 60s album.

Jag gillar generellt sett Velvet Underground men det här albumet var rätt trist och långsamt för att vara helt ärlig. Favoriten på albumet är "after hours" som jag redan tidigare brukade lyssna på.

Generic album. Can easily skip

Awful. An album made on drugs for people who are also very much on drugs.

Nein. Ist nichts für mich.

Kinda meh for me. Like a boring version of the Beatles.

Not really my speed

Interesting, though a little boring

Oooooh A good listen but hardly an album I needed to hear

I had never even heard of this band, so I am going in completely blind. It is very chill, and reminds me of times of the Beatles. I find the lyrics hard to follow sometimes, since it is so relaxing. My mind drifts off and I'm not hearing the words anymore unless Im actually looking at the lyrics on Spotify. The Murder Mystery song is a rough listen, dont like that one at all. Except the line \"oboe-ing for me\" is rather funny. As for a song I like...Some Kinda Love had a stronger start. But honestly I didn´t really vibe with any of these songs.

I don’t get it. I couldn’t get into the music at all.

this was a total snoozefest. just nothing going on to hold any interest. not sure how this band is held in such high regard... i've not been impressed by their music. the banana one was better, if only just. favorites: pale blue eyes, after hours

A bit slow. Popular for the time.

Fuck, this one was a slog. Not gonna knock the (seemingly vast majority of) people who really dig this album, but it's def not my cup of tea. Most of the tracks felt boring and meandering, some bordering on full-on obnoxious (looking at you "The Murder Mystery"). The instrumentation is simple, which is not a knock in and of itself - simple instrumentation can often times be a massive strength. But it didn't add anything for the vast majority of the album, only helped highlight the droning, crooning nature of the songwriting. The lyrics on the opening and closing tracks are undeniably great, though.

Turns out I like Lou Reed more than the Velvet Underground. Really thought I was going to love this album (and thought I used to?). Was just meh. Lots of psychedelic 60s sound but nothing really stand out.

Aikamoista räminää

I was going to give it a 3, as most of it is just meh, but then I heard “Murder Mystery” and physically laughed at the absurdity of the song. On Bright side it got me to listen to The Velvet Underground and Nico, and hear what a good album sounded like

I will never understand the hype around The Velvet Underground. It's not bad, but it's not very interesting either.

I like a few songs from TVU but this album is bit too plucky/wiry sounding for me. (Obvious beautiful exception being Pale Blue Eyes)

Didn't really like this one.

This album was going pretty decently until the penultimate track 'The Murder Mystery' which I would struggle to even call a song. It's reminiscient of their first album, self-indulgent and more noise than tuneful. This, sadly, brings the score down because such a slight upon the ears cannot go unpunished.

Certainly not the best VU album. Was slightly disappointed. 2.5/5

I found this boring and just not very good.

I really had to force myself to keep paying attention except one track which slapped. Favourite track: The Murder Mystery.

OK so this is a "more straightforward" album after their first 2? Then don't include it in this list, since the other 2 are also in here. Sure, "The Murder Mystery" is 9m of experimental nonsense w/ overlapping spoken word & literal banging on a piano, and the last track is a quirky introvert's ditty (complete w/ a silly Wes Anderson-esque video), but other than that this album doesn't particularly stand out in any way.

Eh, this was ok

Я слышал про Лу Рида претенциозные речи, но здесь ничем таким и не пахнет. А пахнет скукой какой то

- pale blue eyes

I don't think '60s rock is for me.

It´s OK. Prefer the Super Deluxe album

Not sure who likes this music but I’m not included in that group. 3/10

Almost fell asleep while listening to this one.

Thought I would like this album a lot. It was just kind of meh.

Yeah I’m good to never hear this band again in my life.

Too much talk about Jesus and god n shit.

Correcto.

meh.

An ok album

Good music but not my style, didn't really enjoy it

Maybe this wasn't a total snoozefest 50 years ago - but it is now. As someone who has no nostalgia for the band I fail to see The Velvet Underground hype - or maybe I'm just sick of this genre and the love affair the list creators have with it. There is nothing wrong with the music, it just elicited no excitement or joy from me. (The Murder Mystery got a skip about half way through for being too long, and tedious)

So much better than your first album, probably because they learn to play their instruments. Eight minute murder mystery song was absolutely to listen to. There is zero songs on this album. I would never want to hear.

slow

The murderer mystery was so uniquely grating that I can't honestly rate this above a 2

Lou Reed is just bland, and the rest of the band doesnt do enough to make up for this.

rather boring

Boring

Im not sure why they have such a cult following

Dreary

Overrated

Very slow songs so far. The Murder Mystery is the first song I've actually quite liked so far.

Was never a big fan of them.

Not really for me. Too mellow

- Entspannt und zumeist moody - Murder Mystery ist mir als extrem nervig im Kopf geblieben

murder mystery is very cool

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

bof

It's a bit dull isn't it?

Not a fan. There's a lot of other bands from the 60s I prefer more.

This is an album of its time and if it’s scene. It’s an album of a particular present moment. And it’s a notable album in the VU catalog because it represents a break with their sound documented on the first two albums. But is this really an album I need to hear before I die? I appreciate that 1001 is a large number but I have other things to do before I die. If this was your scene and your time I bet this album is deeply memory inducing and meaningful. However I would much rather listen to Ethiopian jazz or Braziakkian pop music if the time made by much better musicians who were rooted in something other than a journey of self-discovery that has reached a dead end and from which one needs to turn around and reset.

Ok. I mean...it's ok.

Boring. Fine to listen to and I feel like it’s somewhat timeless, but I’m not super interested in listening to any of it again.

Eh, nothing special