The Velvet Underground

A classic, simple as that.

Well this was a rare treat after a run of duds. Not my favourite album by the Velvet Underground, but it's still a solid 5-stars. Even though this is one of the more straightforward albums with only really Murder Mystery being experimental, there's still so much to take in here. Never dull, there's a mixture of ballads, straight-up rock songs, and everything in between. Each song is perfectly placed in terms of structure and pace, absolute perfection! It's staggering to think how much of an influence the Velvet Underground were on the music scene and how an album from the 1960s sounds so fresh that it could have been recorded yesterday. There's nothing flashy or clever here, just people singing with guitars and backing. But this is exactly what is so revolutionary about the Velvets, showing the world what could be done and inspiring generations of musicians who came after them.

A far cry from previous Velvet Underground albums I have listened to thus far on my 1001 Albums journey. A marked change in styling and sound make it feel like a different band. Not sure if I quite enjoyed their third outing as much as the previous two, much of the album feels very preachy and, an allegory for finding and becoming a part of the Christian denomination church. Best: What Goes On Worst: Jesus

The indie influence is strong. Mostly soft and melodical. I can always hear the likes of The Vines, The Strokes, etc… To me it just lacks anything that I would be keen on rehearing.

Favourite tracks: what goes on; some kind of love; pale blue eyes; beginning to see the light; I'm set free; after hours

I enjoyed this a lot actually. It did kinda feel one note, but it was good music all the way through

Wasn’t as good as I remember honestly but I think that had something to do with setting. It’s a great album on a chill rainy day but you gotta be in the mood for it. I also think it’s a little top which may be why I remember it to be better than it was cuz pale blue eyes is one of my favorites songs ever. I also respect the total change in direction they made. It’s a little similar to the clash’s third album with how both bands started as very rough and punk and rather than trying to keep pushing the limits on that style they go for a softer sound leaning more on songwriting. They keeps the first two album as more groundbreaking and important for their sound and also makes the band less one dimensional.

Naaaa

I do like the VU and this is a pretty good album. I can hear harmonies similar to the Grateful Dead and some of the organ work is reminiscent of The Doors but it is still a good album.

not banana

Strong opening half. Murder mystery is awful.

Nice vibes, very chill. I’ve never listened to them before, but I might start now! 4/5

4.5

So so album of some of their lesser known songs

classic but not for me

I really liked this album. It's like smith mixed with Frank Sinatra. It's hard to describe. My favorite songs on it were The Murder Mystery and Candy Says I loved the bass lines, the drums, the little guitar riffs and the vocals were really good. Overall a solid 8.2/10 It was really good just not like change my life exceptional. But I definitely will be listening to it in the future

Very chill, almost minimalist rock. A couple very weird tracks, but I enjoyed them all. Nothing earth shattering though.

Prima rustig album

It's alright at the start. It's kinda boring, then Murder mystery comes in and bloviates for 9 fucking minutes and really left a bad taste in my mouth

Easily their best record as it's their most earnest, and least self-important. Every cut has something to offer and the overall feel is very well balanced and integrated. "Pale Blue Eyes" is an all-timer. "Some Kinda Love" and "After Hours" are only slightly less cool, though much lesser known.

Not quite what I was expecting

6.5/10

It’s the velvets

probably not a great introduction to the underground. i see the vision and was partial to passages textually but wasn’t caught melodically anywhere.

27th June 2023 Listened a day late on the drive to and from Birmingham. Worked from home and pulled the kitchen out with dad. Whimsical and idiosyncratic but always sincere

Candy Says, Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning To See The Light, That’s the Story Of My Life, The Murder Mystery 4.5/5

Got better 2nd time

the vibe for me is “your older brothers music”

Not my favorite from the velvet underground, but still a good album, thanks to their fascinating experiments with folk and vocal harmonies. Favorites: Candy Says and After Hours.

If the organ part on What Goes On doesn't give you chills then you need to seek professional help. The choice of songs and their order on this album is so hopeful it is a joy to listen to as a complete record.

Another one of Lou reeds led velvet underground album that was really well done. This one is a bit less experimental and dark as their self titled album. I feel this one has some of their best songs though. Pale blue eyes is so simple and yet so good. Sometimes music that is simple is easier to enjoy the instrumentals and lyrics. Velvet underground is a solid band and this album may be my favorite of theirs. 7.9/10

This was extremely lush (I almost said velvet-y god DAMN IT). Lovely in almost every way.

This is very dour stuff. Haunting stuff. Pop music if the people making it were too depressed to function.

Hankala välillä kun näitä parhaita albumeja kuuneltana...Ymmärtää mitkä albumit olivat aikaansa edellä... Tämä ei paskalta kuullosta..

Strong album of what I would call gentle rock. I listened to it twice through. I don't think I'd put it in regular rotation but I'm hard-pressed to give this anything less than a perfect score. I'd never listened to The Velvet Underground before so I'm glad I finally did, and liked it!

Already heard

Tame compared to earlier works, didn't really grab my attention. Still not bad though

8/10

Would have loved to have been around when Velvet Underground were releasing music, must have sounded groundbreaking and unreal at the time. The last 55 years has been relatively kind to it, with it not sounding overly dated, but I still can't deny if it was released today I wouldn't be particularly bothered by it. 3.5*, let down by one or two tracks (Jesus was crap)

Already one of my favorites

Cat: This is really beautiful and fun! Love the vocal harmonies and the stripped down folk rock sound. AJ: ripper of an opener. Christ. What Goes On… instant love. Some of it is very cool. Hip if you will. Hoping you won’t. Some of it stupid art poop. What Goes on, great tune, though. Cool It Down.

It is man years ago, and I dont tune in on this album, sorry.....

Great - very varied.

BL: after being incredibly Dissapointed by the velvet underground & nico, I’ll have to see how this one makes me feel. I’ll approach it as if I’ve never heard VU before AL: I liked this a lot more than VU&N but this still wasn’t massively my thing. I can tell they refined their sound and developed their ideas. Shedding Nico was smart too, I think she’s an awful singer. I loved the opener and closer. And the rest of it was pretty good. Can’t say I’d go back to it anytime soon though. FT: “candy says” “after hours” 3/5

Beautiful, beautiful album. Definitely one I’m going to need to hear a lot more since I can just feel like I’ll love this more with every listen. I’m a huge fan of their other self titled album, and this is just as good—I find myself gravitating toward the tracks that are reminiscent of that aesthetic such as Sunday Morning, but I’m sure that I will come to appreciate the others just as much with time. Four stars for now with the definite ability to go to five.

Kinda boring

Heeeel nice! Sommige nummers beter dan op banaan album. Avant garde stukjes op het einde vond ik ook cool. 8/10

Interesting. Pretty cool sound but I have to say that Lou Reed has a voice like Bob Dylan without the depth of language.

Wow, this is one of those moments where you listen to an album and are just immediately infatuated with it. I see this being a regular spin for me.

Good

Good shit!!!! Kinda gets redundant sadly within 9 songs, but can definitely see how this album is influential to many

Only liked pale blue eyes and after hours. Murder mystery is cool at the end and the rest of the album I found bland. Rating: 3.1

Cool album, lekker ruig bij vlagen en je hoort de inspiratie voor andere bands.

Aivan ihana! Herkkä ja vahva kokonaisuus joka kestää kuuntelua pitkään. 5/5

Jos banskulevy on jättänyt minut aina vähän kylmäksi, niin tää onkin aika timangia alusta loppuun. Kukapa indiestä tykkäävä ei tälle lämpenisi. Kaunista, 4.5/5 ja pyöristynee ylös.

Erinomainen levy tämäkin! 4/5

Very beatles-y. First song was pretty good, got a bit weird with the Jesus song lol. The last few tracks were interesting as well, got funky.

Not something I'd seek out but ok.

This was great!

Really love this

I love the Velvet Underground, but this not their best work.

VU is a national treasure. Everything they did before 1980 was amazing.

Really surprised by this. For some reason I had never been interested in the Velvet Underground, but this album slaps. Something to add to my rotation for sure. I can also really hear this album's influence on more modern bands.

Listened Before? N An album truly ahead of its time. 60s music that sounds like 90s indie rock... amazing. Good stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Pale Blue Eyes

Heard this one before. For a band that started out as Andy Warhol's controversial, challenging art-rock weirdos, this is a shockingly intimate and comfortable album. Soft and gentle without being mushy or forgettable. Even The Murder Mystery, while not exactly an easy listen, is a lot quainter and friendlier than their earlier long experimental stuff. Overall a really pleasant album with some gorgeous ballads. Best song: Candy Says

Sounds like shit and needs a remaster lol Love the folk almost swamp rock sound. But run run run was grating on the right side, and I don’t like nicos voice. But it’s easy listening and they do neat things with the left right balance. I do understand why it’s a cult classic tho. Really surprised non of it charted.

Quite nice

The first album on this list that I already knew inside and out. One of my absolute favorites.

Decent. Wished it rocked out a little more. Take away the lead and closing tracks and it's pretty much a Lou Reed solo album. I prefer Transformer but again, this was OK.

I'd never heard this and didn't know of this kind of Velvet Underground. Reading around it, the exit of John Cale allowed Lou Reed to perform songs without the desire to make it knowingly arty. I really enjoyed this, a very nice set of songs. I'll listen to this again.

It was okay

Sublime

Not their best work, in my opinion, but a pretty good album nonetheless. The lo-fi touch is also pretty interesting for the era.

Many beautiful songs and important in music history/pop culture.

There are wonderful tracks in this album, like Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes or The Murder Mystery. It's an obviously influencial band that went lofi when everything was going more and more refined. However, most of the album is boring and uninteresting. I know it's cool to make lofi stuff, but strumming a badly toned guitar without any sense of melody might be not enough.

They have better albums

I've only listened to their debut, which I really don't care for, and never thought fondly of this band. But I kind of like this. Not sure I would listen to it again though.

A 9/10, nearly perfect. The velvet Underground has me at the Banana album but even though that’s a 10/10, they still continue their unique amazing sound and lyrics

Este disco es una locura. Un temazo atras de otro, aguante la Velvet.

Bored

Very good album. No frills, just good tracks.

this album is the first of the softer, gentler velvet underground and marked the major shift in tone after john cale left the group. while i do miss the discordant violin, and this is a clear third in my VU ranking, i’m still happy to have an excuse to revisit it. after hours remains one of my favorite songs ever, it’s just so perfectly sweet.

Eh. Was putting me to sleep.

this kinda sounded like bob dylan

Nearly as brilliant as first 2 (Cale) VU albums. Any album with Jesus, After Hours, Pale Blue Eyes, Candy Says and the weird Murder Mystery is a 5*.

"The fact that you are married / only proves you're my best friend / but it's truly, truly a sin" Boy, do I love this album. 4.5/5, rounded up to 5/5.

Good in parts. Can see why it's a classic. Relisten,

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

J'ai beaucoup écouté l'album avec Nico, mais j'avais vraiment celui-ci. Pourtant, on y reconnaît immédiatement le son. Je suis heureuse de l'avoir découvert.

Very cool album, with some beautiful compositions. Perhaps one of the best performances of lou reed on record! 7,5 out of 10

Released in 1969, this album is a collection of eleven songs that explore themes of drug use, sexuality, and urban life. The band's sound is a fusion of rock, experimental music, and avant-garde elements, creating a unique listening experience. The album features many memorable tracks. "Sunday Morning," is a dreamy and melodic tune. "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a gritty and raw song that portrays the seedy underbelly of New York City. "Heroin" is a haunting and intense track that vividly describes the experience of shooting up. "Pale Blue Eyes" is a beautiful ballad about love and regret that showcases Lou Reed's songwriting prowess. One of the most notable aspects of the album is the use of unconventional instrumentation. John Cale's viola adds an eerie and experimental element to the songs, while Reed's guitar work is both gritty and melodic. The rhythm section of Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison provides a solid foundation for the music, while also adding their own unique touches. The Velvet Underground's self-titled album is a gem of rock and roll.

Very artsy fartsy, I liked it

No! Did not age well.

I like it.

It was ok. No hits that I had known, but great voices.

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

Very easy listening but nothing that truly stands out. I prefer their debut album.

Very chilled and relaxing - which is really nice if you’re in need of this vibe. I thought I couldn’t stand Lou Reed - but it turns out that’s just certain songs I’ve heard too many times over. Overall I enjoyed this one.

Cool psych work

우와 첫 앨범이 The Velvet Underground라니!!!

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

I mean…

Not a bad moment 5/5

I spent an embarrassingly long amount of my late teens and early twenties thinking that Velvet Underground was that band with Slash and Scott Weiland. I even used to proudly tell people that my band covered Slither by Velvet Underground. Nothing more needs saying about that though. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: What Goes On, Pale Blue Eye, Jesus There is a hard to define feeling that I get from some albums. It is like the cosy feeling of sitting by a fire on a cold winter’s night with an oversized mug of hot chocolate. Interestingly, those albums that stir this feeling tend to be from 60’s-70’s, which this falls into the bracket of as well. I hadn’t heard any of these songs today, and yet the album still caused this happy, relaxed feeling. The music is interesting throughout, and I love the vocals. The lyrics can sometimes get a little zany (“Put jelly on your shoulder, let us do what you fear most”) but generally tend to make sense and make for good listening. Definitely give this a listen.

This review should open with some articulate words on Velvet Underground's importance in the history of late 20th century Western popular music, here they are: blah, blah, blah. Chances are just too good that if you've followed Western music culture in the last 50 years you've been exposed to some description of their importance so I'll leave it at that. What about this, their third, record? This album is really very nice, it's mostly mellow and even the uptempo tracks demonstrate restraint. It's a mostly quiet and small affair. Though not without the occasional rambunctious moment i.e. Murder Mystery is a bit crowded sonically and yet is a blueprint used by Hüsker Dü, Pavement, and more. You could almost use the adjective quaint to describe the album overall.

Pale Blue Eyes <33333

Didn't expect to enjoy this as much based on the book. Some very nice songs here.

The Velvet Underground are at their best when they’re doing weird, subversive shite. This is very orthodox and a bit anemic. By the time anything interesting starts happening in the last 10 minutes I’d already lost interest

I don’t know how to feel about this. I don’t think it deserves all the praise buts it’s def a different sound from other music at the time

I’ve heard the main four VU albums now, and I think that this might be my favorite. There’s not a bad song; from pretty songs like ‘Candy Says’ and ‘After Hours’ to the sadness of ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ to ‘The Murder Mystery’, my favorite of their experiments.

Glorious

Brilliant! Standouts: Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus, After Hours Others: What Goes On, Some Kinda Love, Beginning to See the Light, I'm Set Free, That's the Story of My Life, The Murder Mystery,

It was really good. Just wish I hadn’t chosen to listen to it while working. A little to distracting for that but a very fun experimental album especially for the time

Klassisk, win hvis man kan lide det, men igen det lidt kedeligt, stoner druggie agtigt.

Extremely mellow. Almost forget that something is in the background. Really enjoy it.

Other than Murder Mystery, which is a bit of a challenging listen, the album is pretty easy to approach, entertaining and interesting. It captures an intelligent artsiness that is appealing. A great listen.

Loved it

Quite boring.

I like ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ and ‘The Murder Mystery’ (but what the hell is it doing on this album?) but the rest of the album is a chore.

I find this a bit boring

Didn't feel this album and would have given this a "2 star boring" review if it wasn't for murder mystery which I couldn't stop playing.

Ist ok aber overrated

The Velvet Underground takes a massive sonic departure from their previous album, White Light/White Heat, by making a softer, more psychedelic project. This venture into different sonic territory makes for some of the band’s most creative and experimental work yet. Best Track: After Hours Rating: 7.5/10

Very much enjoyed this. Good vibes, man.

Decent. Looking forward to the follow-up albums.

I think the funnest thing about listening to albums from the 60s is trying to figure out how baked they were when they made it. I liked this one, instrumentals are easy listening and the singers got a good voice. Some songs were a Lil boring with meh lyrics. Fav song was Murder Mystery. I can definitely hear some Hendrick influence in Some Kinda Love.

Extremely unexpected direction for a Velvet Underground album, but it was quite enjoyable. This is also by far the best Lou Reed's singing voice has ever sounded to me. It is apparent to see why this band was so influential. Favorite track: I'm Set Free

Fairly interesting album with a few cracking songs (Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes) and a really quirky tune in The Murder Mystery. Some songs felt like filler but good album overall. Fav song: After Hours

This feels a lot more accessible than the one with the banana. It was ok, chilled out and decent. Still probably would listen again though…

A decent album. But still, just say ‘no’, kids...

Meh

Hehe, banana. I like the album cover, and now I finally know where this iconic banana comes from! Sunday morning: It is a sunday morning! Femme fatale: Is this woman a part of the band? I have heard her voice before. Venus In Furs: This start of the song is a bit weird. Heroin: This is a good build up! OK it is a long build up. Still a good song though! At the end it gets a bit weird with that guitar. European Son: There is a balance between music and noise. This is noise. Overall ok album, but too much noise. This is not an album I want on a vinyl. The rating is between 2.5-3.

This was after Cale was fired and it shows. This is smooth music to chill to and is a lot like later Reed stuff (which I like). A lot less rocky and experimental (ie: unlistenable) than the previous albums of theirs but I still think the Nico album is one of the greatest albums ever made. This is still good though don't fret. All very strange. That was the 60's though. I like it.

I love the 1st VU album with Nico I love Transformer by Lou Reed And yet this just did not hold me at all. Hard to say why

I didn’t even listen to this yesterday but I have so many times already - the second i saw it i knew i was giving it a five

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

I've been waiting for the Velvet Underground to appear in this project, but I guess I was always assuming I'd see the "banana" album. This was a new one to me. I was quite taken with it. I would like to spend a bit more time with it and just absorb it a bit more.

The Velvet Underground, sure, I know about them, right? Well, maybe…but is their typical sound…I have no clue. Regardless, I was sitting right in the pocket of this groove. It hit me just right. Diggable rock from the 60s!

Creates a groovy atmosphere. Simple and nice.

The Velvet Underground seems ubiquitous, yet before this I couldn’t name a single song from them. I wasn’t even sure what they sounded like even though I’m sure I’ve listened to something from them somewhere along the way… This is great! I’m a sucker for good 60s organ, and there was plenty of that. The songs were varied and groovy! Lots to enjoy here.

Had no idea TVU could sound like this. Intimate, subtle and subdued, Reed's stops sounding overindulgent as he did on their debut, bringing the best out of him, and every other member follows suit. And their records finally sound decent. Thank god. A great record.

Honestly wasn't paying much attention while listening to this, I liked the last two songs a lot but I definitely need to relisten as well as listen to the entire Velvet Underground catalogue. From the first listen I give this an 8/10

4.25

Chill, einige Dud Tracks. Anfang des Albums besser

3.5

Lou Reed takes over the band with a melancholic dreamy folk record. Peaceful, quite, and beautiful, there's plenty to like here with a few essential standouts, particularly "Pale Blue Eyes." We even get an cool avant-garde track "The Murder Mystery."

I love how quiet this is in places.

It still sounds hip and fresh

not for me

It's an OK album, but it's an easy listening romantic album, so something for when your in a loved up mood, but still wouldn't be my go-to album for the mood vibe.

Not my thing really

A good album. I like The Velvet Underground. The Murder Mystery is a bit too experimental to be listenable but the rest of the album is easy listening!

Not bad but not for me

A bit dull really

I really enjoyed this album it has some real good songs

What a wild ride to listen to this album for the first time. It was such an experience to listen to their experiment in what is music and how can it be upended to support the artistic expression. The poetry on some of the songs was magnificent. I can see why it wasn’t a commercial hit - just too avant garde. I’d love to know specific example of this album’s influence, because I can’t identify it at this time.

This album threw me for a trip. I had the expected The Velvet Underground was in the realms of Bowie and The Rolling Stones but then 2/3 of this album was "I wanna be the Beatles" type stuff. BUT, get to the last three songs and it's like a completely different group. Wow. The Murder Mystery totally saved this album from the grand level Meh experience it had been providing.

Very different from their 2 previous album 👍

I'm probably being too harsh but I'll never revisit this

Very cool album. Loved that this was less experimental than some of the other VU albums, making it feel a bit more accessible. What Goes On is a jam. Murder Mystery is absolutely crazy.

Chill and weird in all the best ways

Just a perfect little album of songs. Love how they switched it up from the experimental avant/grade edge of White Light/White Heat and came back with such a soft and delicate collection of bedroom pop that brings in vocals from some of the other members at just the right times. A building block of many great bands to come.

1/19/23: Hadn’t heard this album before but I really enjoyed it. Also cool to see how Lou Reed/Velvet Revolver evolved from this debut. 4.5/5 for me

Damn this shit good!

I really liked this, it was chill and calming, a really nice listen

Astonishing piece of art.

Chill rock. Except for The Murder Mystery, that one felt like all the voices in my head came together to sing a very confusing song.

Very enjoyable

Familiar with some Lou Reed songs, but have never took the time to listen to any full album all the way through. First listen, I thought this was just OK. 2nd time through, it clicked! Liked Waiting for the Man, What goes on and After Hours. Really liked Pale Blue Eyes, but my favorites were Heroin and Sweet Jane. I enjoyed enough, I'm listening to the live portions of this album while I type my review. I can see me playing this album while I'm binging on Mario Kart. The live portions of the album are so much better than the studio versions. But I found it funny/strange that is sounded like there were only a few people in the crowd. Maybe the day, maybe the mood, but I really enjoyed a good portion of this album. Can't quite get to a 4 for me. A very good 3.5, but will score a 4. I will download a few songs and I will play again. Hell, I may seek out more Velvet albums once I get caught up. My surprise album of the last couple weeks!

3 One of the few albums that’s gotten on my nerves so much that I couldn’t finish it was Velvet Underground + Nico. It was noisy and generally annoying. It can be iconic, idgaf. So I went into this a little cynical but I think that may have helped in the long run. I didn’t care fire most if this album but there are definitely moments that I liked. I think the album gets more compelling near the end where the tempo picks up a bit. I found the 9 minute track really interesting which surprised me. The Velvet Underground are for sure not for me but I can honestly see why people like them so much. Favorites: What Goes On, Beginning to See The Light, I’m Set Free, The Murder Mystery, After Hours, Jesus

3.5 Soooo confession time, I’ve never listened to a Velvet Underground album. I know how acclaimed both the band and Lou Reed is, but it’s just never been something I’ve gotten around to checking out. Now, I’m not really sure if this album in particular is the best jumping in point for the band, but it was a lot softer than I expected? I know they’re famous for influencing alternative rock, and I can definitely hear that, but I can also very much hear how they fit in with the era. Like, if I didn’t know any better, I could believe Candy Says is a Beatles song. From there, things kicked in with What Goes On, and I was starting to see what all the fuss was about, but then it mellowed right back out again. Not much of the middle was particularly interesting for me on my first play, but I found the song Pale Blue Eyes sticking with me afterwards. After giving a re-listen (or two), I gotta admit it’s an absolutely beautiful tune that has really grown on me, and I can definitely see why it’s their most played song on Spotify. The album ends strongly with The Murder Mystery and After Hours, both of which I thought were two of the more unique tracks and did a good job of creating a sense of finale. While it didn’t blow my mind, there’s nothing bad on the album, and when it has its highs they’re pretty high. If the few songs I really liked weren’t enough to make me want to check out more of their work, my dad calling me after a day of binging their discography to express his regret over not rating this higher definitely did. And yes Dad, Heroin is a great tune :)

it’s just ok. The bigger songs from this album are famous for a reason but also the murder mystery fucking sucks and the track list as a whole is not the most consistent. best tracks: candy says, pale blue eyes, Jesus

I almost didn’t need to play this album. It’s part of the musical wallpaper of my childhood. Ever-present! I’m pretty sure I have my fathers vinyl copy tucked away in a cupboard. I will often quote ‘After Hours’ as my favourite song ever. Depends on the day. But I do remember even as a little girl discussing the meaning of it with my father. I quite often sing it just off-the-cuff trying to mimic Moe Tucker tones. The album is a catalyst of memories for me and the songs are ingrained in my soul. It may be the Velvets without John Cale but still essentially Them. It’s poetic and introspective and melodic and pervaded by a feeling of painful loss. Glorious!

I like the bass and guitar tones and interplay. The first half of the record is very sleepy and I thought I was listening to a collection of lullabies. Lou Reed's voice is very identifiable but not my favorite. I prefer their drummer Maureen's voice as heard on the last two tracks. Nothing stuck out as a must hear and share with the world but I could see this being played as background music. I'm between 3 and 4. I'll probably revisit this album since I've only ever listened to it this one time in my life but I should give it another chance on another day.

I have no strong feelings about this album except the long weird Murder Mystery. I am not a fan of that song.

Here's one I came into with a negative bias. Marianne's a VU devotee, but I was (am) not. I've always thought Lou Reed was a cool character, we even have a story of not quite meeting him but being in close proximity at BAM once when we saw Laurie Anderson. Anyway, he's cool, I like him as an iconic figure. But try as I might, I do not like his music. I did have a new take on things as I listened to this album. In the past, I might have said "I don't get it." Now, so much older and wiser, I get it. I just don't enjoy it. I had hope as "Candy Says" played that perhaps I'd find something I liked here, but with each passing song, that light faded. Maybe it was a repetitive passage that wore out its welcome long before. Or an off-key delivery that I didn't find artistic. Or a mix that made me have to adjust the volume on my player. No need to beat the horse. I tried. I failed. I like the periphery around this band and movement. The music is for others to enjoy.

I was 18 when I first heard the debut VU album (The Velvet Underground & Nico), and I had that classic reaction that Brian Eno referred to (“The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band”). It forever altered the way I listen to and think about music. But their last two albums (this one and Loaded) are the ones I keep coming back to. This is an album packed with exquisitely written songs, performed in that loose, low-key, post-John Cale-VU way that I adore. "What Goes On" informed my rhythm guitar style, probably to my detriment as a guitarist, but what are you gonna do? (Plus, that double-tracked guitar solo still thrills.) The Murder Mystery is the only tune on here that isn't a home run, but even that one's cool. The VU are so much a part of my musical DNA I don't even know how to talk about them.

I love everything about this album except for Candy's body dysmorphia. I'm a huge VU fan and feel intimidated trying to comment something new on this masterpiece. I don't know if Lou Reed intended it but I often string these songs together as a larger story...maybe it's a story about Candy or Andy? Does anyone else hear this? Candy talks about her problems and then Reed responds in What Goes On with "you know it'll be alright." Because "no kinds of love are better than others" as we hear in Some Kinda Love. Conflict arises but still those Pale Blue Eyes carry something special...soft, kind, complicated (oh boy do I love that gentle guitar). But Jesus...help me find my proper place. Oh here I go, I'm Beginning to See the Light and guess what I'm Set Free---That's the Story of My Life. But life is complex and cacophonous it's "lurid and lovely" and "lovely and filthy." And then After Hours, a youthful androgynous kid lets us know that someday someone will look into your eyes and say "You're my very special one."

Some songs were actually good but some were boring. i guess thats life innit

I grew up in Lou Reed's twilight years so I primarily think of him as the misogynist and anti-Semite who feuded with Susan Boyle. All that aside, he's not a strong vocalist, and yet his even weaker bandmates also sing on this album. I don't have time to get into the lower standards we set for male vocalists, but I'm just not sure the writing is compelling enough to make this album worth a lot. It started to grow on me by the end, but I don't know that I would revisit more than a handful of tracks in the future. Standout tracks: What Goes On, Beginning To See The Light

I really like this - it felt very easy listening and accessible to me. Lots of ballads/folksy vibes.

Seminal. Maybe not as seminal as the Andy Wharhol album, or maybe more so

This blew my mind when I listened to it as a teen, and still kind of does. Love it all, even the frequently maligned Murder Mystery.

All four Velvet Underground albums deserve to be in this list. This one is the most "intimate" release of the four, and yet such intimacy is complemented by the religious and/or transcendent overtones that made "Beginning To See The Light" or "Pale Blue Eyes" breathtaking cuts in the VU repertoire. Add to this the groove of "What Goes On", the off-kilter experimental drive of "The Murder Mystery" (which aptly foretells no wave stuff à la Sonic Youth), plus the irony of "After Hours" or the melancholy of "Candy Says", and you have... a stone-cold classic. Number of albums left to review: 699 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 149 (including this one). Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 70 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 83

Groundbreaking album during a period in music that was all over the place. This was a very cool album. Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes were standout tracks for me.

Traverses the thin line between boring and pleasant

Pale blue eyes excellent, nice 60s vibes bit more normal than some solo lou reed stuff

Not my favourite Velvets album. I was more a fan of White Light/White Heat. I found Cale was a great counterpoint to Lou Reed. Doug Yule didn't have the same sort of creative dissonance with Reed, and it shows on this record.

A little mixed on this one, Side one first few tracks start down a good road but there are a couple I can avoid. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes are both excellent but The Murder Mystery is that type of 60s track you hear and think it's almost a parody. Right down the middle, 3 stars for me.

nearly perfect

It was a bit slow. Interesting though, sort of psychedelic rock from the 60s. Not very memorable.

First time listening to a full VU album. Will definitely check out more.

would give 3.75

Not 4* because his singing can piss me off every now and then

Some transcendent songs - "Pale Blue Eyes," "I'm Beginning to See The Light." Also some songs that are frankly unremarkable. This gets a boost because of its legendary influence.

I remember buying CDs one time with my friend in high school. You always got different stuff and shared cause they were so expensive. He picked up this album and I bought something completely forgettable. We took the CDs back to my house and we put this album on my Stepdad's stereo and I remember being absolutely hypnotized from start to finish. I was rendered speechless and just kept looking back and and forth between my friend and speakers in awe. When it was over I was so jealous my friend could go home and listen to it again and again afterwards and I couldn't. This album had a profound effect on me and I'll never forget that experience of first hearing it. I was familiar with several of the tracks from a "Best Of" comp I got from BMG, but the thing that blew me away was that all the other material was just as good. I felt like I had known these songs all my life somehow. Everything just immediately connected with me. I consider this a perfect album. Maybe the most perfect album I've ever heard. I never skip a track, not even the more experimental "The Murder Mystery" as I find it playful and thrilling. It's unconventional for sure but it's like a pop ditty compared to most of "White Light/White Heat." This album has it all. Such a wide range of moods and emotions. From joy to sorrow, everything in between, and then back again. And I think that's what I like so much about the album: it takes you high, all to knock on your ass and make you cry, just to pick you back up again in triumph. Just an amazing ride. Capturing both those highs and lows, that contrast, even those contradictions, really rings true to my experience of life. And coming from someone as bitter and cynical as Lou Reed can be, this album ultimately feels genuinely uplifting in the most authentic way possible. Truly, deeply, beautiful.

Some hits on this one. A few experimental numbers which were a nice divergence. A beautiful slice of Velvet Underground life. Candy Says might be my fav.

Love Velvet Underground, the most interesting/innovative band of that era for me. This isnt my favourite VU album, prefer Loaded / VU & Nico, but this is still great. It’s also probably my least listened to album by them so will definitely spend a more time on it

Most of the album was very straightforward, I enjoyed murder mystery though it should be half as long and after hours sounded like hop along which I liked. Wiki suggests their older albums are weirder which I think I'd prefer.

I'm afraid I found this rather dull, coming off the back of Laibach. I'm sure it is great, Wikipedia seems to suggest so, but many songs felt like they never got going.

Think I expected more rock from this album and instead got a mix with quieter ballad type songs. Highlights were "Beginning to see the Light" and "I'm Set Free"

I'd only listened to the velvet underground for the first time earlier this year. That was the velvet underground and Nico. I enjoyed that more than this one but still thought this was great. Surprising amount of religious themes here..... I really like Lou Reed's voice and writing Highlights were pale blue eyes, what goes on and beginning to see the light

The Velvets begin to invent indie pop. Sweet little melodies with some still murky production; this can't stop the melodies of Reed peeking out light sun beams from a dark cloud. Best Tracks: Candy Says; Pale Blue Eyes; Beginning To See The Light

I really like the sounds and i like the female voice!

Fuzzy and warm.

Eh.

Is it me, or are the 1001 albums on a flat streak? One more album that has not made my life any richer or broadened my musical taste one iota. Yes the lyrics are poetical, and for that it maybe justifies a place in the 1001, but musically it is uninspiring. Not one I will listen to again.

Much more accessible than “…and Nico” LP. Having said that I found The Murder Mystery experimental track pretty interesting and arresting! Altogether an OK listenable 1960s LP, nothing special, but I’m no big fan. Gets a three because it’s not awful!

Really good really liked jt

God, I found this dull

Cool album, found a few songs on here I loved

The Velvet Underground! It was just a matter of time that I would stumble across one of their albums in this list. If somebody asks what's the best place to start getting into their music, a lot of people would be tempted to say "The Velvet Underground & Nico", and although it's not a bad choice (it is the album that personally I started with), I still think that there are many tracks of that album that are too experimental for people that aren't rock fans. My first recomendation for a person that isn't too deep into underground genres (yet ;) ) would be this album. It is a lot more poppier and tamer than other releases of them, and on top of that, it is an excellent album by itself! New fans will be attracted by the writing style of Lou Reed and the catchiness of the songs, but they can also get a little look at their more experimental songs with "The Murder Mistery". This is not my favourite VU album (that place goes to "White Light/White Heat", an album that I would NOT recommend to everyone), but it is still a really solid, well done album, that I can listen over again and again without getting tired.

So I have known this album was a classic. It was much lighter than I expected, idk why I was expecting a heavier sound. Very pleasant.

Peak fucking love Lou Reed

Chill, mellow and a bit bland

Some cool songs Some really bland songs Experimental songs that completely miss my mark. Heroin was cool though

cooooool

Every Velvets album could be a completely different band, and they're all absolutely 5 star. This here is Understated Velvets, and it's the absolute best Understated Velvets album ever made. I love every song. "There are problems in these times, but woooooergh none of them are mine!", still makes me laugh.

kinda lame, last track is the only one worth listening to

Si el primer disc fóra l'obra mestra musical de la Factory d'Andy Warhol, el seu segon 'White Light White Heat' l'esforç experimental i el seu últim 'Loaded' el sue disc pop, aquest tercer treball de la banda és la seva obra intimista, melangiosa. Ja sense John Cale al grup, Lou Reed fa de líder únic i porta les cançons a un terreny més personal i nu del que havien fet fins ara. Cap dels seus quatre discos d'estudi va baixar el llistó i els quatre són igual de necessaris

Nice songs for its time. Would be great to listen to it once on vinyl. Interesting ideas. Nothing catchy though

Any album that can contain Pale Blue Eyes and The Murder Mystery is going to be either brilliant, or a mess. This is brilliant with none of the horrendous irritation that we were delivered when Nico was around.

I love this album. It has a gentle, easy-going energy, which is a total left-turn from the first two Velvet Underground albums. The hardest-rocking songs are "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light," which are both relatively mellow (especially compared to the experimental noise rock from the Velvets' previous album "White Light/White Heat"). A number of songs feel like lullabies, like "Candy Says," "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Jesus." They're beautiful songs with understated singing from Lou Reed. Rather than pushing the boundaries of rock like their other albums do, this album focuses on songcraft. The only hint that they were wild experimentalists is the strange psychedelic penultimate track "The Murder Mystery." But if you make it through all 9 minutes of that song (I rarely listen to the whole thing), you're rewarded with the closing track "After Hours," a gem of a song and a personal favorite sung by the drummer Moe Tucker.

Somehow I missed this band and never really listened to them. Highlights: "What Goes On" - specifically the cacophonous guitars around the 1:05 mark. These were cool and the song structure underneath was very typical rock type stuff- with a V-IV-I progression and it was cool to hear some experimental guitars on top of that to contrast. "Pale Blue Eyes" - I think this is the big one and I'm not surprised. Pretty song that continues the drone~y repeats of the previous song, "Some Kinda Love". I really enjoyed the minimalism and simplicity. The album was more low key than I thought it would be. I thought this band was like a raucous, wild, indie-rock before indie-rock-was-a-thing type of band, but maybe that's more in other albums or maybe i was just misled. Either way I liked the sound! I listened to a majority of it loud.

After listening to the other two Velvet Underground albums on this list, this one is pretty "normal." The Wikipedia page says it's a less experimental album than the previous ones, which is nice. It shows the band's versatility and good qualities in almost any music genre. Not considering "The Murder Mystery," all ballads in this album are enjoyable and easy to listen to. The song "The Murder Mystery" is actually a good break almost at the end of the album to show us that we are still listening to Velvet Underground. Not the best stuff from this list, but good enough since its historical influence. When I started this challenge, I was kind of afraid of listening to this band and not understanding it. After listening to 3 albums from them, I'm not a fan, but I noted that it is pretty easy to understand good music, no matter how experimental or strange.

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

Indeed!

Brilliant

First things first, The Murder Mystery is a tough listen and is representative of Lou Reed's most self-indulgent artistic impulses. It's confrontationally experimental and while I wouldn't necessarily call it bad, it's not a good song either. This is an album that I bought when I was younger and just never got into. Listening to it 20 years on, I'm now very glad that I have it. The first side is stellar top to bottom, and I like Doug Yule's vocals on Candy Says and Jesus, the latter of which has some rich vocal interplay between Reed and Yule. Beginning to See the Light is a fun rave-up, and even the Mo Tucker sung After Hours is ok. A great album with a weird art project shoved into it.

legal

I'm familiar with VU and I enjoy their music on occasion. I've never listened to this album in it's entirety and I was very pleased. It really highlights the qualities of Lou Reed that I enjoy most. This has a great vibe as a full album. I don't see myself coming back to this too often, but for a first time listen this was a very refreshing perspective on VU to experience. Favourites: Pale Blue Eyes, What Goes On Criticism: Jesus, After Hours. The last 4 tracks (after Beginning To See The Light) progressively lose me. I've seen a lot of praise for After Hours, but I just don't get it.

Not bad

Kinda distracted while listening, nothing stuck out too much

Relaxed

Je ne commenterai plus les albums des Velvet tant que Nico ne se sera pas excusé pour m'avoir rendu sourd pendant plus de deux semaines. Je vais donc en profiter pour vous donner des nouvelles de la critique au sujet du mariage de Charles, ne vous inquiétez pas, l'écriture a commencé. Elle devrait arriver très prochainement.

Wir sind jetzt in ein sehr schlecht Serie dass Robert konkoktiert gehabt hat. Dieses Serie wird nur stoppen mit ein Kondition: mein Hörenkamarad robcolonaire musst sein Hochzeit Review publizieren.

[Grumpy old man warning] I know this band is super famous and considered to be super influential, but frankly I can't see what the fuss is about. What am I missing? Maybe I'll find out when I read your reviews.

This was an album I’d stopped listening to until I heard Edwyn Collins’s version of Pale Blue Eyes (1984) & was reminded what a great song it was. This was post-Cale VU and it sounds so different to the first 2 albums. Except for The Murder Mystery, which harks back to their avant-garde ethic, the music is restrained and melodic. And Reed’s lyrics are more reflective than on the first two albums. I love Jesus and What Goes On (Side One is a real winner). Side Two begins well but is less compelling. Still, a terrific listen.

I love the Velvet Underground. When I was in first year uni, a girl I had a crush on (unrequited, sadly) introduced me to the first VU (banana) album. What a revelation that was! As noted in Lou Reed's obituary in the NY Times, the Velvet Underground "wrought gradual but profound impact on the high-I.Q., low-virtuosity stratum of punk, alternative and underground rock around the world.". The Velvet Underground, especially that first record, were the ur-text for lots of the music that I loved. As a young man, the first two VU albums were the ones I played constantly the noise,. the power, the abrasiveness, the lyrics that explored the edges of society. With time, through, I have come to appreciate the gentler side of Lou Reed's songwriting, never better captured than this record. Compared to the previous two albums, this is a sensitive and gentle folk rock album. The concerns are much less the junkies, sado-masochists and speed freaks of the previous records. The lyrical concern are much easier to relate to (love, adultery, yearning), and not nearly as bleak as Lou Reed sometimes indulges in. Side 1 is full of absolutely classic songs, with more filler on side 2 (although Beginning to See the Light and I'm Set Free are still fantastic songs. I could live without That's The Story of My Life, Murder Mystery and After Hours, truth be told). I'm sure many are put off by the standard of the singing and playing, but I really dig the aesthetic (as noted by the NYT). And the songs are really great. My feelings on Lou Reed as a human being are previously documented (See my review of Berlin), but this is the album where I almost feel like he had a human heart.

It’s fine. Probably prefer Velvet Underground and Nico, but not by a lot. Favorite song: “After Hours”. “Murder Mystery” was pretty strange in comparison to the rest. Don’t like how mellow their music sounds most of the time.

this album has some really high highs (specifically the first and last tracks for me) and is fun to listen to

no brainer

The Velveteen Underground

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

I'm not sure what I expected from the Velvet Underground, but this wasn't it. The decision to have all band members sing - including those who objectively cannot sing - was a curious one.

I think this is one of those albums that is hard to listen to out of context of where The Velvet Underground were at the time. I watched a Todd Haynes documentary on the band on Apple TV and have a renewed appreciation, especially of Lou Reed and John Cale (who is not on this album). This album is slow but lyrically interesting and exhibits some of Reed's experimentation after asking Cale to leave the band. I am looking forward to seeing more of Reed's and Cale's work on this list.

Soooooo slow

My friend says I'm stingy, so I'm rounding up this time. The Murder Mystery is too weird, but I liked it more on my second listen.

Weirdly I have never listened to an entire Velvet Underground album straight through. Fair enough for the generator to serve me this one today. I have to admit this is a great album. A few songs didn't hit for me, but overall I like the vibe and pacing. I listened a few times and there's some brilliants lyrics in here. Favorites: What Goes On, Pale Blue Eyes, After Hours.

Excellent!

The murder mystery is basically pavement/ parquet courts mo.

More mellow and folkier than expected. Really not seeing what all the fuss is about.

I feel like most people that love Velvet Underground probably started with this one (or maybe Loaded) instead of the banana album. Classic and timeless. Best track: Pale Blue Eyes

Very good

Some nice slow rock ballads on here, along with some psychedelic elements and even some folk. Enjoyed, but not the best, I'd give it a 5-6/10

3.5/5

Un très bon album, doux avec plusieurs chansons qui sont dans leur genre. J'adore ca et je vais réécouté plusieurs fois 5

fav. tracks: Candy says, I'm set free Jesus least fav. tracks: What goes on This album shines with its slow ballads, lou reed's slow and calm voice along with his love-related lyrics make it a very enjoyable experience. Another important remark is the bass. The playful lines and its deep tones make every song have a "force" for it to keep going, it always seem to be in synch with the drums. The guitars while mostly simple always fit the song. I have to say that this album is for me a 8/10. Obviously I'm kinda biased since ballads and "classic" rock songs are not my cup of tea I have to admit that this album sounds incredible and the worst song on the album is not even bad

fucking incredible. This is my favorite underground album. the prototypes

This one is probably my favourite Velvet Underground album

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

Outstanding album. Every song is a standalone hit, and put all together its one of the best of all time. 5/5

Probably an acquired taste? More "velvet" than "underground".

Not as good as their previous album, but it still contains some incredible songs. Favourite songs are: Candy Says(fav), Pale Blue Eyes (fav), Jesus, I'm Set Free, That's The Story Of My Life, After Hours (fav). Although I find myself bored from some of the other songs, these highs really make it a good album for me. Love the softer more melodic songs.

Even though the songs are a lot more straightforward than the two previous Velvet Underground albums, the same uneasy feeling of discontent and disconnect flows through me while listening to this album. Opener Candy Says is a bit of a strange one to me, is very slow, but it gets picked up shortly after by What Goes On. Pale Blue Eyes is absolutely beautiful and one of the best love songs ever written, even if it has the Lou Reed strangeness in story. The straightforward songs continue till the strange Murder Mystery - with its several stories and voices at the same time - which would've fitted perfectly on the John Cale experimental beginnings of the band. Only to have the drummer Moe Tucker close the album marvelously with the sweet After Hours. It is a great VU album, even if it doesn't have a Venus In Furs or Heroin on it.

I've mix feelings on this record, on the other hand it has beautiful songs such as Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, and After Hours, but I also feel not as interested on the other tracks as those 3. It's not bad, it's just not really appealing to me, it's still enjoyable though. What Goes On could've been much shorter and the three continuous tracks' story (from Jesus to I'm Set Free) are basically a guy getting enlightened, which is again not an appealing story to me. To sum up, I like some of it, and the others are kind of meh to me. Maybe in a future road trip I might play this album just for the vibe.

One of my all time favorite bands! Great stuff.

Listened to on 9/19/22 3/5 Favorite song: pale blue eyes This album was good - some of the songs had weird chaotic noises but most of them were great and easy background music

Very great to listen to all the way through. Definitely some indie vibes before indie music was really a thing. Pale Blue Eyes was the best song.

Album super i embel.E shijova shume.Per kohen, tingujt e ri besoj se kane qene super modern.Overall shume i kendshem.

Good

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Some Kinda Love (3) 2 - Beginning To See the Light (6) 3 - Pale Blue Eyes (4)

Meh

Right up my alley

I really enjoyed this album. It sounds as though all the band had a collective epiphany, they just seem so in sync, I'm not sure if I'm making any sense. Anyway, highlight for me was the murder mystery and there wasn't a single track I didn't enjoy.

I love the first 2 albums but I just can't get into this one. It's just has too many twee and lo-fi tracks for me.

I have certainly heard of The Velvet Underground before, but I had never taken the time to learn more about them or listen to their music. I felt like this was a good introduction. I enjoyed the relaxing instrumentals, lyrical content was cool too. I didn't know Lou Reed was involved with them. Pretty good album., nothing too special.

yuh

Merely good until Venus in Furs, which is a straight up masterpiece.

The perfect Sunday morning album.

A surprisingly good album considering the new direction. I enjoyed hearing the other members' voices throughout.

Second Velvet Underground record so far and I have to say I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both. This album is a bit more subdued and introspective than their raucous debut, but it’s a pleasant listen nonetheless and it shows that this group were so much more than a one trick pony. John Cale’s absence is notable on this one, there isn’t nearly as much experimentation. However I don’t think it’s fair to say that the band’s experimental tendencies are abandoned altogether. Tracks like The Murder Mystery employ the same stereo fixing of simultaneous, polyphonic vocal tracks as on The Gift, and there are plenty of intriguing flourishes on the rest of the album to make this a continuation of VU’s ethos rather than a full 180. A great album overall - 4.5/5 from me.

After pale blue eyes was tight. But the first few tracks really turned me off. Murder mystery was a weird highlight

Revolutionary. Every song takes you on a different trip.

On their way to see the light, The Velvet Underground had found a way forward, however short-lived. On their third, perhaps most straightforward, outing Lou, Sterling, Moe and new recruit Doug Yule shed the skin of their avant-garde, Warholian past and began to paint their corners into somewhat brighter colors (thus, this being The Gray Album). Gone were the transgressive songs about prostitutes, drug users and dealers, grisly deaths via well intended acts of love and sucking on ding-dongs. What we're dealing with here is a set of songs whose most shocking attribute is that you can hum to them; that it's accessible and approachable. That it didn't tilt the world on its axis, as most VU records didn't, is mostly the worlds' fault; as it always is. But maybe it's best that it didn't, that it didn't garner the infamy that the first record did. Maybe it's better that way? It's quite loaded but there are plenty of people that feel the same as me.

Lou reed and Jon car never miss

8/29/22 - Great listen

It's a very good album. 4/5

Previously my friend had shared pale blue eyes. So I was familiar to album going into it and have heard of the velvet underground before. Very good pleasantly surprised, surprised how modern the band sound. If it didn't mention it was from the 1960's it could almost be from any year.

Nice chill listen

Mellow trippy sounds.

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

Super chill. Morning album for sure. Really laid back and totally influenced a lot of other bands

Not the best album very up and down. Wouldn’t say it would be one I’d ever really go back to and listen too

Listened before: no Enjoyed: I think Listened: 3 times felt it was a bit depressing the first 2 times. The third listen had my full attention and I fully appreciated the quiet, mellow sound What goes on & Pale Blue eyes stood out

nothing stood out

Good n light

First album from the 1001. I hope most aren't of this old rock genre. I understand they're classics, but it's not really my style. Still, there were a few moments where I kinda enjoyed the sound. Maybe I'll change my mind.

Best Song: After Hours. Pleasantly innocent, with a sort of naive feel. Very sweet. Worst Song: The Murder Mystery. I get it's a bold artistic choice to have different audio playing in the left and right ear, but goddamnit it sounds awful. Overall: I can maybe see how some people might like it, but the whole thing is too understated for me. Everything felt like a warm-up. I appreciated the thoughtful lyrics, but there are more poetic singer-songwriters out there, and nothing else really held my interest.

I happen to like this band already, so I'd heard a few of these tracks before. Something about them and their sound I can't quite put my finger on -- my listening ear seems to always pay attention when their music is playing. Kind of cool when that happens. I think it might have something to do with their simple, unpolished (not rough like overly garage sounding, just not super-slick), and subdued sound. I like their writing, and the performances are always so good to my ear. Maybe I like that no one is really sounding like a rock star or pop star, I don't know. I also find the cultural context in which the band formed and recorded to be interesting.