Reviews (page 5 of 13)
Great album did not know of the experimental portion of the catalogue.
Gentle songs brought on by hard drugs. TVU&N might have launched a thousand bands, but decades later, more bands sound like this record. I could see this growing into a five-star. For now, I just feel a gap between my preference for this and their first two albums (especially White Light/White Heat).
Very beautiful album!
Not what I was expecting based on previous VU listening. Instead of another experimental rock outing, we were treated with something more beautiful. Really enjoyed this one.
Crazy that this came out in 1969, way ahead of its time.
Wish it would have snowed.
Loved this. Guitar tone and songwriting was great. Interesting and weird but moreish. Good stuff
Really enjoyable album. Not any hits of Velvet Underground that I knew, but a collection of good tunes.
Yeah nah, this is awesome.
Pale Blue Eyes is the obvious standout.
Day 109 My first tube listening to a Velvet Underground album despite how influential they are to a lot of my favourite bands 7/10 Highlights Pale Blue Eyes I’m set Free After Hours
Pale Blue Eyes - a banger as always, album very listenable even in 2025
chicos que lloran pero rockeritos indie, algo bien
Ett band dom hittat hem, sitt sound och dessutom lärt sig spela under tiden. Borta är den taffligt spelade flumrocken från bananen. Kvar finns enkla fina melodier fulla av sårbarhet och värme. Höjdpunkterna är förstås "Candy says" och "Pale blue eyes" som är fullständigt fantastiska i sin enkelhet. Men "I'm set free", "Jesus", "After hours" och "That's the story of my life" är alla också underbara. Var det Dagge som nämnde Belle & Sebastian förra gången? Jag tycket den referensen sitter mycket bättre här, så här låter B&S när dom är som bäst, i synnerhet "That's the story of my life". Sen får John Cale leka av sig ordentligt på "Murder mystery" också och han gör det med tämligen gott resultat, den blir rätt kul och bryter av förtjänstfullt. Det är egentligen bara "Beginning to see the light" som jag inte har mycket till övers för, känns som nån skåpmat som blev över från bananen. Här blir VU inte bara ett biktigt band utan ett bra band. En stabil fyra
Really great although didn’t hit as hard towards the end
Meget anderledes end det første de lavede. Det her er mere slowcore / dream-folk og proto indie rock. Det har sådan en lo-fi lyd som er lidt skrattet. Det kom ud i en periode hvor hipsterbevægelsen var på sit største. Det er et mere poetisk take end provakatør take fra det første album. Det er meget tidligt inspiration til slowdive og hele shoegaze genren. Det er meget sårbart, melankolsk og til et reflekterende humør. Jeg synes egentlig det var meget godt, men det falder også lige i min smag. ER lidt bange for det bliver sådan en "jeg ved at jeg kan lide det her" og jeg så jeg nyder det meget mere end rent faktisk at prøve at lægge mærke til hvad jeg synes gør det godt. Så jeg føler lidt jeg skal revisit det her og gerne snarest.
Good
it's worth sitting through this if solely for the murder mystery
miss nico just wish I could have her back 😢
It's a good album. A solid end of 60s rock album. Psychadelia, folk rock and straightforward rock n roll. Nothing mind-blowing, but a nice listen. 3.5/5
Not the best they did but, hey, it's still Velvet Underground
Want to listen again, but extremely solid
Very good, a little experimental at the end but enjoyed the listen
Nice
👍
Groovy fun.
J’ai écouté cet album en travaillant, et je me suis surprise à m’arrêter plusieurs fois pour en apprécier certains passages.
pretty solid. i hadn't listened to this album specifically before, but i'd heard other songs by them plenty before, so i was excited to check this one out. overall i really enjoyed it, but a couple songs specifically like jesus and the murder mystery i found a little lacking. i'll likely come back to this one for sure. standout tracks: candy says, what goes on, beginning to see the light
Different than the other Velvet underground’s discogory. Shows their versatility.
Beautiful album. Simpler and quieter than their later works. Vocals are fantastic. Very difficult to pick favourites. Favourites: Candy Says What Goes On That's The Story Of My Life The Murder Mystery
Inventive, fun, weird.
Great Album. Experimental tunes stand beside great catchy rock/pop songs. Fav: The Murder Mystery
I’m not sure why I think this is a 4 star album but here we are. 🤷🏼♂️
There’s a tension and disconnection that seems to permeate the guitars. A lot of the songs are folksy, but then you hear the electric guitar come in almost impatiently and overly assert its presence. It works, oddly enough.
This is one of my go-to albums when I have a migraine. So you might say this album has the power to heal. ❤️🩹
I actually quit enjoyed this. It was a lot calmer than the debut. But, still kept up some weirdness (particularly the penultimate track). I couldn't resist and read all about it. It's a shame John Cale got the boot. Amps underwater! That would have been good! I will say, I didn't miss the droning guitars... But maybe I should not say that out loud. 4 stars.
Beautifully gentle
I really like the track order. The songs flow together really nicely. I have known the closing track After Hours for some time, and quite like it
I've been a big fan of the debut for a long time, but hadn't listened to this classic until now, apart from some of the big hitters. Candy Says is a gorgeous opening track, and I was also familiar with Pale Blue Eyes as one of my favourite love songs for hungover mornings. After Hours was the other I knew going in although less well. Other tracks are more classic Velvet Underground, although with a more subdued feel than the debut (I've not yet listened to White Light/White Heat so can't compare.) Goes to show maybe how much John Cale was pushing the experimental side of the band. . The Murder Mystery is a cool experiment and develops nicely over it's run-time.
pas mal, ca chante bien 4
Not surprising that I really enjoyed this, always loved Velvet Underground.
Probably my favorite VU album. Some of the songs on this album sound like they could've come out this decade. Neat stuff. Favorite track: Candy Says 4.5/5
That was a pleasant listen. It's nowhere as good as the first album but because of its less intrusive nature it goes on my background playlist. A solid 4 out of 5
balsam fuer d oohre
Tönt vlt blöd aber git mer mega Proto-Indie-Rock vibes? Han es paar Double Takes müesse mache ufs Release-Johr vo dem Album. Ja indie-Rock ish au eher es genre wo oft eppis älters emuliert aber glich sho sache ghört wo stärcher galteret hend als das Album. Also du chöntsh es ine Playlist tue miteme Mac DeMarco & The Cooks und es würd ned usesteche. Usnahme zu dem Statement: Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus. Defür den Tracks wie Murder Mystery wo wieder so modern töned. Ish au so de Stand out Track für mich. Letscht Track (After Hours) het mich jez au easy ghitted gha als epper wo sich au selber gern mol isoliert. TLDR: Sehr toll, sehr moody, ziitlos und sweet
85
I had no idea what to expect, and this was oddly comforting. Interesting experimental tracks that sounds like schizo-audio hallucinations. Wierd. I like it.
Høyrt masse på denne, held seg godt.
Very easy and fun album to listen to, best way to describe is a vibe, definitely more accessible then the banana album (not saying that’s bad, just that this is a very easy way to get into the velvet underground) a few songs as well that are some of my favourite from the group too, maybe not as iconic but should not be slept on
o álbum inicia de forma bem agradável, a primeira música é extremamente tranquila e deu uma aquecida no coração, seguindo para a segundo que deu uma agitada mas sem perder a essência.
Surreal experience. I hadn't listened to this album before, but I've listened to a lot of bands and artists who were clearly inspired by it
Schönes Album. Sehr ruhig. gut als hintergrmusik oder zum nachdenken
After two very.....transgressive albums, the Velvet Underground's third is a huge departure. The dissonance is almost entirely gone, as are most of the exotic topics. There is still some experimentation going on, as with "The Murder Mystery," (which I'm honestly not even sure how to listen to), but overall these are low-key, noise-free tunes, melodic and quiet. "Candy Says" and "Pale Blue Eyes" are some of the VU's best songs. And as much as I'm a big White Light/White Heat guy, this album is far more listenable. FOUR STARS
Very solid, but it helps that I know this music already
First time listening to this album. Some very good songs. enjoyed it.
Candy Says What Goes On Pale Blue Eyes Jesus
questo + the delle 5 + studio di funzione
A gentle and melodic listen with a couple songs that stand above the others, and one that stands far below (The Murder Mystery).
Monster of an album!
Great, mellow album. Highlights: "Pale Blue Eyes" and "I'm Set Free"
og classic
The most personal and impactful VU album for me. Their previous 2 get all the praise for the influence amd experimentation but thia one has always hit harder for me. Just beautiful, soul healing music.
Ah, theeeee vibes. Amazing. I really love it. Radek was right when he said I would like this album.
This gets wonderfully weird but I think it’s really well sequenced and makes me want to listen to it all the way through. Some days it’s a 5, today it’s a 4.
Lou Reed was a pretty brilliant guy, I have to say.
I had only ever heard their album with Nico, but I really enjoyed this. They're incredibly sincere and they have some fun guitar figures in a lot of the songs. Favorite tracks: What Goes On, I'm Set Free
Enjoyed this. Good amount of variety and the albums holds up until the end. Sounds more consonant than the previous two releases which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but there are enough flashes of their discordance in it which keep the tracks interesting.
i had to listen to this four times to find some kind of salient feeling about this album. this thing is mellow and subdued - i was wondering if i was somehow missing the critical acclaim that i otherwise figure the velvet underground warrants. but not everything is gonna be an in-your-face, get-on-the-dance-floor-now-motherfucker kind of ride. the more time i spent with the album, the more it grew on me, and there was more for me to hear and appreciate on each listen through. highlights - candy says, what goes on, some kinda love, beginning to see the light, i'm set free
Not the best Velvet album, but hey its the VU!
kinda enjoyed listening to this heard the whole album on repeat like three times
Nice record. Mello, but still captivating.
This is a delicate, heartbreaking album. It's such a pivot from the first two VU releases. Beginning to See the Light put a bloody great big smile on my face. I played it three times in one sitting. Spectacular!
Liked it, it’s giving kinda Beatles vibes
This is generally pretty lovely. No more John Cale, no more Nico, and the songs are more like the Brill Building pop songs Lou started out wanting to make a career of. Mostly verse, chorus, verse, except for Some Kinda Love and the weird Murder Mystery. Their next album, Loaded (not in the 1,001 list unfortunately), is their best with the banger trio of Who Loves the Sun, Sweet Jane, and Rock & Roll opening the disc. Well worth a listen for the first three songs at least.
Mítica banda que había escuchado poco. “Candy Says” para abrir el disco presagia algo bueno. En general tiene un tono intimista preocupado por encontrar la perfecta fusión entre melodía y sencillez en los arreglos. Luego dirán que el lo-fi es de modernos, pero es que todo estaba inventado. Aparte de la mencionada “Candy Says”, cabe mencionar “Beginning To See The Light”, donde se vislumbra por qué caminos va a transitar Lou Reed en su carrera en solitario. Luego está la sorpresa de la interminable y experimental “Murder Mystery”, que te mantiene a la escucha pese a su duración. Easy listening, según lo mires, porque aquí hay algo más que buenas melodías.
Very chill album. Enjoyable.
This gets wonderfully weird but I think it’s really well sequenced and makes me want to listen to it all the way through. Some days it’s a 5, today it’s a 4.
Fascinating work from the late 60s. Definitely see why they inspired so many
Didn’t expect to like it so much!!
This is a beautiful and gentle album, with a different feel than the rest. In some ways this is their most important work and leaves the longest shadow outside of Reid's solo work.
Can’t beat the VU!
I had the sneaking suspicion I would fucking hate this but I really enjoyed it. Nice to have a little surprise from time to time. One of the vocalists sounds painfully Californian.
A great album in a very mixed catalogue. I despise some of their albums, think some are masterpieces. This sits somewhere in the middle that I think its pretty great. A lot of depth with enjoyable subsequent listens. 8/10
Algunas canciones me recuerdan a The Beatles
Favorite Track: Pale Blue Eyes
The Velvet Underground’s trippiness and weirdness has always meshed well with me. Pale Blue Eyes is such a beautiful song, and this album shows the band leaning into a more melodic, polished sound compared to the abrasiveness of their earlier work. It wasn’t a commercial hit at the time, but it’s aged into one of their most admired records. What I love is how they managed to smooth things out without losing their edge. Coming off their raw beginnings, this feels like a shift towards accessibility that still stays true to who they are. Oddly enough, when bands like Green Day did something similar -sounding more polished and moving labels - they got accused of selling out. The Velvet Underground didn’t get that criticism, just indifference back then. But history has been kinder: this record proves they could be both strange and beautiful at the same time.
Obviously love the album, although they did get away with a lot there
I'm shook that this is a 60s album, if you'd asked me to guess I would have said 90s for sure. Sounds like if Eels were a bit edgier. I really dig the vibe, despite it being in a genre I'm not normally so fond of.
Quite liked it with a couple exceptions (Jesus). What goes on probably the favorite.
I really liked it! There are a few songs that I loooved but all of the album was a great listen. Don’t know if I’ll revisit the whole album but some songs I’ll definitely revisit and add to playlists
I enjoyed this album. It was a little weird and experimental, which was interesting, but a lot of it was Beatles-esque (which makes sense for the time period, as that is my biggest touchstone for the late 1960’s) and overall I liked it. 4/5
I have never been a big Velvet Underground fan but this one really surprised me. I am so glad for this project getting me out of my comfort zone because this was a great listen
First half was great second half felt less great
Some greatest hits tracks. Deliciously low key.
tycker om mycket men jag tycker albumet kan vara lite repetitivt
Bra grejer! Lou Reeds känsliga röst kommer fram i dessa låtar.
Never listened to Velvet Underground before but I thought this was excellent. Will be giving it more listens for sure
I enjoyed it , a mysterious album
They’re underground and they sound as smooth as velvet feels. What more can you ask for?
Fun listen! A few skips but overall pretty good. I can see why they weren't too relevant at the time tho
Cale or Yule. Tough to choose. Im probably a Cale man but this is some album. Restrained vocals, beautiful harmonies. Far more intimate than the Cale stuff. More accessible, none of the danger. Sometimes its nice to enjoy a more stripped back, melodic record. Pale Blue Eyes probably is the best track on the record. After Hours is a lovely closer and the decision to go with Moe's voice was a brilliant one. I even found that The Murder Mystery worked really well. It eases you into Moe's voice and is a proper interesting piece of music. Favourite track - Pale Blue Eyes. 9/10
It's some good music and I can see how it was influential to a lot of music created throughout the next few decades. My favorite tracks include Pale Blue Eyes, and I'm Beginning to See the Light. It's not my favorite music from this era, but it's quite good.
I'll go 4 stars on this one.
An album that just sounds cool, the vibes are cool, the music is cool, the people who listen to it are cool. 4 stars
A fabulous album. Great collection of songs and that influential sound....
A whole ass vibe.
4.1/pretty cool sounding for '69
Solid album from beginning to end.
Красиво и хорошо
Me ha gustao. Solo conocía el mítico del plátano. Este es más suave, melódico, más tranquilo. Menos experimental y más pop supongo.
Great!
The OG indie band
So this is the second time I've been given this album now, and upon another listen I'm moving it from 3 stars to 4, I really do quite like it! A few of the tracks I forget exist in the middle but a lot of them all standout to me.
This is the first band that I've listnened to one of their albums all the way through before starting this and as I do love the Velvet Underground, it was plesant to listen to these songs as I've only heard a few on this LP. Very decent album, not as good as TVU & Nico and Loaded but I'd say #3 is a good spot for a great band.
Really enjoyed basically all of this, and Pale Blue Eyes cements it as a fairly classic album. Really good
All vibes and I'm here for it. Don't think I ever listened to this album outside of Pale Blue Eyes. Good stuff. 3.75/5
insanely damn good
Very good...although not as good as The Velvet Underground & Nico. I am particularly fond of After Hours.
It would not make me move to New York and crash on the manager's couch, but this is a pretty good album. It took me a while to appreciate Lou Reed's songs (apart from his voice and his sound) and most of these are very good and not especially challenging (except The Murder Mystery).
Really enjoyed this album. Easy listen and quite a vibe aside from some religious stuff
7/10
Alright I’m a total music noob and have listened to approximately 0 velvet underground songs. This was not what I was expecting at all. It didn’t knock my socks off, but there were definitely some shining moments for me. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, and After Hours were all great. The murder song was pretty whack, but I think this album is deserving of soft to decent 4.
I have conflicting feelings about this album. Candy Says is such a beautiful song. What Goes On is also a great song, feels of it's time. I love when Velvet Underground has the driving rhythm and they just vamp on a couple chords. I got lost on the next couple songs. Not feeling Jesus in here. These songs aren't bad or anything, I just don't think they are of the same caliber as the first two. Then we get to "The Murder Mystery" which starts off excellent and then devolves into the most art-rock 9 minute track of all time. So much talking and then some faux-lounge duet thing going on. Truly the first bad song and it takes so much out of this record. But then After Hours is a timeless song that I love with all my heart. I really don't know where to rate this because the bookend tracks are so good, but the Murder Mystery is painful. I'll throw a 4 on this, I loved a couple songs. I liked some songs, and only didn't like 1 track. After Hours is soooo good it is an instant +1 on the whole album. 4/5
J’aime bien ! C’est moins mélancolique que ce que j’attendais. À réécouter
"Murder Mystery" is het enige minpuntje, maar dat wordt direct daarna ruimschoots goedgemaakt door mijn favoriet "After Hours".
Probably not our favourite velvet underground album but it does have some very strong songs on it. Especially pale blue eyes.
Enjoyed the progression of this album. Some parts were nothing special but they still contributed to the story. 8/10
Interesting but not my style
BEST SONGS: - The Murder Mystery - Pale Blue Eyes
I liked two of the songs in this album! What Goes On was pretty good. But over all I think the songs were too slow for me.
неееет я просрала несколько дней😭 альбом показался медленным для меня, но некоторые песни зашли хорошо
Much better than with Nico droning on and on, I actually really enjoyed listening to this one!
A lot of my personal favs.
First velvet Undergroknd that I actually like. Usually I just don’t get it.
4.3 stars rounded down.
I loved it, the middle songs were a bit repetitive tho (ik it's the point but it kinda broke the vibe) (ik it's the point again but I was vibing bro) but it got great again. I always love a bit of noise in my albums
I rather liked this; it's better than The Velvet Underground & Nico I had earlier in the project. I would happily listen to this again.
I like the cinematic-esque sound they were going for here I found it kinda captivating, the songwriting was also very solid and the stratchey vocals were annoying sometimes but helped give the album a certain tone which I think worked.
Nice chill, experimental, really enjoyed most of it.
a classic, one of their best, always a good listen!
Not very clearly recorded and very soft songs. Songs are pleasant.
4/4,5
This one took me by surprise. I am familiar with a handful of their songs from the first two albums, but I hadn't heard anything from this one before. What Goes On is now one of my favorite songs, I knew it immediately when it started. The only song I really didn't like is The Murder Mystery.
has a very different vibe from there other work but its still great. considering how avant garde and crazy their other work is its cool that they would release a more accessible and pleasing to the ear. proves that they are indeed great musicians. you can't write them off as talentless and pretentious like how most experimental bands get treated by general audiences.
A surprisingly enjoyable album. I feel like Velvet Underground has been filled with a lot of highs and an equal amount of lows. This one fits right there in the middle. I liked it and would probably listen to it again.
This is good stuff. Minimalist in its own way, it still covers a surprising range of sounds- not something you'd expect after their debut with Nico. I enjoy all the experimentation here, with perhaps the lone exception being The Murder Mystery. Playing a different set of lyrics in each ear simultaneously is sadistic.
That was good. I've always liked Pale Blue Eyes but hadn't listened to this album before. What Goes On and Beginning to See The Light stood out. I actually I liked pretty much all the songs, but am sitting on the fence regarding The Murder Mystery.
El principio del indie, excelente
A nawet niezłe
The Velvet Underground often contains an intimacy and a fragility in their presentation of the "new" rock and roll, or rather new for the time. Their vision of rock was pretty expansive and inclusive, even if the sounds themselves were incredibly repetitive and hypnotic. Lou is a hell of a frontman, there's an eeriness to his swag, idk how to explain it. His vocals beat you over the head the same way the instrumentals do. Even with his insistence at times, theres a gentleness to the honesty of this record. When it comes to love, Lou is often strangely esoteric in his language, and he sort of continues that theme on a ton of his solo stuff too. This was not my fav velvet underground album simply because I find some songs a tad bit grading, and the repetitive nature of the grooves mixed with Lou's meandering style contrast eachother in unpleasant ways. It's no wonder the shortest (and best) track on this album is After Hours and also lacks Lou's vocals entirely in exchange for Maureen's, who are far sweeter. Lou's vocals are about as sweet as a rambly ol jalopy. I would say most of these songs are esoteric explorations of the self in relation to the divine. The rock sounds on this album can be quite thrilling and surprising, White Light/White Heat sure is a trip. Lou's certainly a memorable romantic doing his best to croon and seduce on this one and I'll give him that. Strange swag forever.
Another one I had listened to before, even though it's not as weird as the previous two TVU albums and instead has more of their kind of slow songs, it's still very enjoyable and I kinda forgot about that. I don't have much more to say than yeah, it's a great album if a little behind its two predecessors
Another solid offering from VU. This one isn’t my favorite of their discography, I lean more towards VU&N and Loaded, but this is always an interesting, strange, druggy listen.
Standout Songs: What Goes On Pale Blue Eyes Beginning To See The Light That's The Story Of My Life When I saw I got a Velvet Underground album I felt sick to my stomach because I was familiar with their noise rock type music, which is a style I don’t particularly enjoy. I went into this with the lowest of expectations and was pleasantly surprised. This album takes a step back from their more experimental work to focus on topics of love and religion. A very beautifully written album that I’m glad I gave a chance to.
Great album, though not as good as Velvet and Nico. It's refreshing listening to simple music, especially in this day of over produced nonsense. Lou Reed's voice is still spectacular
First four songs are pretty good all things considered. Candy Says is very melancholy, with probably the best songwriting on the album. After Pale Blue Eyes the album falls off a cliff- not bad but not nearly to the expertise of the first four. Murder Mystery kind of sucks. Just monotonous for 9 bloody minutes. After Hours might just be the best song on the album though. Incredible closer to an alright to good album. Overall, Velvet Underground gets a 3.5
Very familiar with this one, so I decided to change things up today by listening to the Closet Mix for once. I don't think the difference is quite as drastic as some people make it out to be (with the obvious exception of "Some Kinda Love"), but it's nice to have a change of pace every once in a while. The more intimate songs are my favorites by a long shot, the rockers just don't work quite as well with this new, meeker sound, though I still do quite like "Beginning to See the Light". I guess it's the two songs between that and "Murder Mystery" that really hurt the overall strength of this album. Those are just too slight and wouldn't work on any album.
Even considering the fact that the 60s was an experimental time in popular music, it's crazy to me that songs like "The Murder Mystery" were being made in 1969. I like this album a lot.
Thoughts before listening: Most of my knowledge about Velvet Underground is with the VU and Nico album that I owned and Loaded which Phish covered. I also know they have an album called White Light White Heat. While this album has a familiar cover, I am not associating it with any of their songs. Review: So this is their 3rd of 4 albums and was seen at the time as a departure from their sound. Very quiet and subdued for a lot of the tracks and lacking the experimentation that had defined their first 2 releases, this is certainly a different version of the band from the one that was seen as a major inspiration for the punk scene. While I do enjoy some of the more rocking songs like "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light", the best song on the album is "Pale Blue Eyes" which is a tender love song. Like a lot of the VU's output, there is a certain fragile nature to the sound here with both the music and Lou Reed's voice sounding like they could collapse at any time. However this is a very effective release. I was surprised by how much I didn't like parts of the ...and Nico album when I listened as part of this project, and I am equally as surprised by how much I am enjoying this one. 4-stars
Had me grooving while cleaning. Pale Blue Eyes and Beginning to see the light stood out
Some classics on here
More tuneful than I expected, aside from “The Murder Mystery.” Love “Pale Blue Eyes” which apparently was meant to be a hit.
I am listening to this album directly after "Napalm Death". It's like slipping into a nice warm bath after being dunked in a swamp. The velvet underground are a salve for my weary soul. "Candy Says" is a very pretty song. I love the quiet harmonies and the peaceful guitar. The opening riff on "Some Kinda Love" is so nice. The vocals sit on top of it very nicely. "The Murder Mystery" is tripping me out. "After Hours" might be my favorite song on the record. This is a pleasant album. Nothing blows my mind, but I like it. 7/10
Iconic cover. 1. Actually like this. Took a few listens (and several years) to realize this. 2. Great song. 3. Great song. Is this about Nico? 4. Also good song. 5. Fun song. Interesting guitar. 6. Good song. Also about Nico? 7. Good. 8. Ok. 9. Ok. 10. Is Bob Dylan influenced by TVU? An ok song. 11. Funky guitar. They actually bother to play guitar more than usual. They really don't care about instrumentation at all. OVERALL: An excellent album. Liked it more than I remember.
Crazy that they can depart from their abrasive, noise-rock and still sound this good. The Murder Mystery is a really interesting song, albeit not one that I enjoy. Great album, 9/10
I’ve known about VU forever and heard and loved Sweet Jane, etc. But I always avoided diving in because I suspected they were too “arty” for me. So i was pleasantly surprised how much I loved the first few tracks on this album, and, of course, Sweet Jane. It would have been a strong 5, but there were a few parts that were too experimental for me (i don’t go much for atonal, in pop music). It lands at a pleasantly-surprised 4 — I’ll definitely listen again.
Rating: 8/10 Starts off incredible and ends on a decent note. The best songs are gorgeous, which is amplified by the vastly improved production on this album. Some songs are just pretty underwhelming, The Murder Mystery is simultaneously intriguing and awful and stains the album a bit. Despite some shortcomings, still a great album.
I liked this more than expected. Probably the only reason it's not in contention for a five is The Murder Mystery song. Songs: Candy Says, What Goes On, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light (maybe), After Hours
I don't know why I've never got around to listening to these guys but I'm glad I finally did.
Already listened
Bra den her
I enjoy the bizarre spaciness this album has, in comparison to some of the more known VU records. Feels very much like something I would have had on while munching on an edible in college, the lyrics are affective.
3.5
4.5
so you are telling me that i am going to another VU album after listening to lou reed's solo album one days later? and anyway, candy says made me cry. 4/5
Nice to revisit this classic.
A solid, chill album that's great for a Friday night at home. It's not perfect (looking at you The Murder Mystery), but it has a timeless quality that will definitely have me revisiting it. Highlights: Pale Blue Eyes Candy Says
This record has a soft, hazy intimacy that really appeals to me. It was my first time listening to it on Friday, but it felt like an old favourite I’ve listened to 100 times - in a good way. I wouldn’t call this a no-skip (The Murder Mystery felt like a failed experiment), but I really liked this. I’ll definitely come back to this album.
I find it hard to describe The Velvet Underground because normally this is the band you reference when describing other bands. Most rock band are influenced by them or influenced by somebody influenced by them. But i'll do my best. So ya... this is a great record. I really enjoyed it. It definitely focuses more on songwriting/vibe than the debut. Gone are the noisy freakouts and abrasive instrumental bits. It's more restrained, and poppy. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes and After Hours are just beautiful, low key tunes. I knew Pale Blue Eyes going in but the other 2 were a complete surprise. There are still those classic driving, escalating Velvet songs... more low key versions of heroine... but still very propulsive... like you're running down a hill... and gravity takes over. What Goes On and Beginning to See the Light and I'm Set Free definitely fit this mold. Really... most of the songs on this record are great. I won't list them all here. Buttttttt it's not a perfect record... who authorized The Murder Mystery? That song really drags on and on. The second half with the piano is good... but the first half is a real slog. I think if they cut it down to like 4 minutes, it coulda worked. On other records they've done weird talky tracks way better, like The Gift on White Light/White Heat. Other than that, i don't have many complaints and I plan to revisit this album.... especially After Hours. You did it Lou. You fuckin did it.
I can't think objectively about this band. They are almost mythical. Did they even actually make music? They did, and it's pretty good.
I'm a fan of VU, they have a few on this playlist and my awareness of their place in rock n' roll history has been amplified thanks to the Top 1001. Love "Candy Says", I actually was first made aware of it through the Blind Melon cover, which is faster and kicks ass. Odd song to intro an album with considering "What Goes On" is more upbeat and speaks better to their overall sound. I know "What Goes On" as a cover song as well, seems the influence by VU is long and wide. "Pale Blue Eyes" is a solid song, covered by many people, and it sounds great all these years later. The only shitty song is "The Murder Mystery", the rest is all enjoyable and worthy of a 2nd listen. I'd say this album has aged better than most albums from 1969, it doesn't sound as dated and could be popular today. The influence is obvious, the songs are strong, it holds up well after 50+ years and it deserves a spot on this list.
i loooved this, gave me the beatles, chris isaak and jeff buckley vibes - i love how mellow it was, and the lyrics for alot of the songs were adorable!! i am now a huge fan of velvet underground
The guitar is proper like Beatles , this is such a vibe . I heard the name on a music podcast before(Neeky I know ) but never thought to listen and it’s such a vibe . This week has actually been really good . Apart from that dion geezer . He can fuck right off. But this is such a vibe and it’s so like summery . Good music to cry to I feel . Some of I’m set free sounds like Robbie Williams . Don’t hate me if you disagree ! Fucking hell the murder mystery is long , but it doesn’t feel like it . Kudos to that!
Nice tunes and lyrics thx!
Amazing
Pretty chill
Not my go to VU Album - but my, it’s good
Nice. That's how I'd describe this. White Light/ White Heat is a more exciting album and more up my alley, but this is pretty sweet. Pale Blue Eyes is one of my faves on here. If WL/WH is the party, this album is the recovery. Three stars.
Wonderfully weird.
Bit weird but ok
Waar dissonantie de boventoon voerde op de eerste twee albums van VU, is deze derde plaat veel meditatiever. Door het wegvallen van John Cale leest deze plaat ook veel meer als een spirituele en mentale exploratie van Lou Reed zelf, wat een aantal van zijn meest intieme composities oplevert. De introverte folk/pop songs als 'Candy Says' en 'Pale Blue Eyes' zijn ontroerend goed, en zouden uiteindelijk net zo'n voetafdruk achter laten op de indie-muziek van later als dat een stormachtige White Light/White Heat dat zou doen. Maar voor mij is het toch nog de wisselwerking met wat snellere, energiekere, en 'coolere' songs als 'What Goes On' of 'Some Kinda Love' die uiteindelijk de plaat weer in de regio 'goed tot zeer goed' trekt. Vanaf het weinig kleurrijke 'Jesus' tot de laatste twee tracks is het wat minder, waardoor het qua consistentie het debuut niet bij kan benen. Maar met de hoogst eigenaardige - maar toch passende - twee laatste songs hoor je ondanks dat deze plaat best wel veilig was, dat VU toch altijd grenzen aan het verleggen is. 8/10 Highlights: What Goes On Pale Blue Eyes After Hours
Bijzonder mooie plaat van the Velvet Underground. Hoe vet de experimenten van deze band ook zijn, soms luistert dat gewoon niet zo lekker weg. Het tegendeel is hier waar. De songs zijn intiemer, kleiner en meer folky. Dat staat mij wel aan. En tegelijk laat VU zien gewoon nog heerlijk te kunnen experimenteren aan het eind van het album. Maar ook daar blijft het intiem. After Hours vind ik een onroerend mooi einde. De plaat mist hier en daar de energie van het debuut maar ik wel bijzonder mooi. 8/10 Highlights What Goes On (Stone Roses??) Pale Blue Eyes After Hours
I quite enjoyed this album. Some of the songs were beautiful and some were strange, but overall, I liked it.
great
Love the velvet underground man they're so sick
Betydligt bättre än wl/wh. Förutom näst sista låten (murder mystery) som är urkukad. Sista låten är inte heller så bra. Men resten är mycket bra.
Cool
Way more stripped down than the other Velvet Underground albums I’ve listened to thus far, really like it
A lot less insane than the other Velvet Underground stuff I've heard, pretty solid!
So I had a Velvet Underground phase in high school but somehow missed/didn't get to this album, which is a shame. I knew Pale Blue Eyes from a best-of compilation I had but the others were new to me. The album is more subdued than their more rocking material but I kind of dig the simplicity of it. "The Murder Mystery" was kind of a trip listening to on ear buds though, heh.
Only song I didn't really care for was The Murder Mystery. Pale Blue Eyes was my favorite, but it's their most recognized song, so that wasn't a surprise. Really liked After Hours as well (sung by their drummer). Another influential album from late 60's/70's. 4/5.
Frábær plata.
Mjög góð plata. Pale blue eyes frábært lag. Banana platan er samt betri.
out with the Cale, in with the Yule. the effect this simple lineup change had on TVU is pretty hard to overstate. save for the 9-minute psych-tinged surrealism of "The Murder Mystery" (by far the most interesting song here), any trace of the avant-garde elements which colored their debut and defined their sophomore effort are essentially gone here on LP3, which is either their first or second self-titled album, depending on how you want to count it. on the one hand, the band's pivot to a straightforward rock sound automatically makes this album just a little less interesting to me compared to the first two. on the other, that's just me wanting this to be something other than what it is. with Reed as the sole songwriter, it's no surprise that both the compositions and their orchestrations are heavily stripped back; after all, this is the guy who famously said that "Two chords is pushing it." a lot of the time, you're left rocking between the 1 chord and the 4. you're sort of forced into this hypnosis in a similar way to the minimal music being written in New York City at the same time as TVU was active. the lyrics are, similarly, a lot less taboo than the band had become known for. if anything, I feel like there might have even been a little too much edge sanded off in comparison with their previous work. despite that, I really appreciate how this album shows off the band's ability to thrive in many different musical contexts. there's still some interesting instrumentation quirks to be found; it's hard to think of this as being a "sell-out" record, since the band's identity is still pretty well intact. that definitely didn't stay true for much longer after this album, though! decent 8/10.
Candy says comienza con un estilo similar al de su debut, música onírica y calmada. Por cierto la voz es del nuevo: Dog Youle. El tema está dedicado a Candy Darling, un transexual de la troupe de Andy Warhol, a quien Reed también le dedicaría “Walk On The Wild Side” en 1972. Pale blue eyes es casi una nana. Exquisita, apenas la voz de Reed, la guitarra de Sterling y Tucker tocando la pandereta. What goes on acelera, y ya mete distorsión. Some Kinda love es una de sus mejores canciones. Jesus es otra joya, que cierra la cara A. La mayoría de grupos de los 90 se la saben de memoria (otros como Galaxie 500, Low o Spacemen 3 construyeron carreras gloriosas a partir de estos andamiajes). Abre la otra mitad del disco Beginning To See The Light, que es un clásico. I'm Set Free y That's The Story Of My Life siguen por caminos bucólicos. The Murder Mystery es una tormenta o una pesadilla de más de 8 minutos que acaba bien. After Hours con Maureen Tucker sonando tan ridículamente infantil como Reed imaginaba. La batalla la ganaba Lou Reed a de John Cale ajeno a la idea de suavizar su música y hacerla más popular (su anterior White light/ White heat fue un avispero de ruido y experimentación abocado al fracaso). Sin Cale, el sonido era lo que Lou Reed haría desde entonces y le llevaría a la gloria. Sobre todo porque sus pedales y amplis se los habían robado de gira (algo similar a lo que les pasó a Sonic Youth décadas después). Disco bueno? Disco excelente!!
A hidden gem from the 60s. Among so many classic albums that came out at the end of that decade, Velvet Underground may sometimes go unnoticed, but it's always a pleasure to listen to them. I think 4 stars is a fair rating.
Solid listen, I was giving to the mellow vocals, creative sounds and arrangements. Looking forward to listening to it again sometime
Already listened to this it's really good though
Ziemlich gutes Album für einen entspannten Abend. Vor allem auch eine sehr schöne Überraschung, dass 'Pale Blue Eyes' drauf ist.
Went into this one completely blind and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Relaxed, soft, charming. Lots of great material - "Candy Says," "Pale Blue Eyes," the long experimental "The Murder Mysteries," and more. More time with this one might bump it up higher for me. Surprised to see this is Lou Reed, since I disliked Berlin.
It’s good but it’s missing something or someone oh yea that’s John Cale. I do love moe tucker singing the last song and I will always love the velvet underground and there meandering melodies. I bet this album is better when you are on the pot, ya know the marajuanas …
4.5
I don't know how I never knew of them before. I almost feel ashamed. I look forward to adding this to my record collection. This is a solid recommendation for anyone that enjoys artists like the Doors
I find The Velvet Underground to be highly overrated. But, that doesn’t mean they are bad. In fact, they are quite good. Like this album a lot. But for me, it’s not on God tier like a lot of people put it on.
Pretty good, the murder mystery was something unique, could see the inspiration behind sweater song there. But did not have a sensory overload moment like heroin.
Love this album, very Beattles vibe but not all identical. Didn't realize this was Lou Reed's band. Need to check out more of there stuff. They took some creative liberties when I am sure it was not normal to. Also some classic good stuff here. 8.7/10
Why is there so much classic rock on this list boomers are so fucking embarassing. Great album though I do love it. Pale Blue Eyes is an all timer.
I really enjoyed this and can see how they were such an influence on later bands. Sounds ahead of its time.
I like the velvet underground but this is not my favorite from them. 3.5
Shambolic and druggy. Perhaps no album could better be described as "proto". You can hear the future 80's to aughts bands that would mine this album for inspiration. At times, though, it feels like you need to be as high as them to appreciate the woozy vibes. "Pale Blue Eyes" is maybe the epitome of Lou Reed's songwriting.
Perfect Sunday morning album. Very chill
Very nice album, a lot softer and slower than some other VU albums, but its atmosphere is mellow, melodic and even mysterious. Though not quite the same without John Cale. I still enjoyed it quite a bit..fav song is The Murder Mystery.
Beautiful, pre-indie. Soft and often sweet, and, in turns, brilliant. Still, there would only be a handful of tracks I'd like to listen to frequently. I admit I can see the powerful influence on later music, but I can't put it in the category of my list of all time greats. 3.5/5
Comfort music to me.
Fand es schön aber etwas langweilig, aber After Hours am Ende richtig nice
Solid album, After Hours is a hidden gem.
Me gustó, es entretenido. Me gusta la calidad de la grabación
No one else quite like the VU. Awesome music.
When I was a freshman in high school, one of my best friends got followed while wearing a Velvet Underground shirt. He thought he was about to get jumped, but the person just asked for a cigarette. My friend didn't have any, and the guy just confusedly asked "Velvet Underground? Isn't that some acid rock band?" -- probably assuming my friend smoked. Not really, no, but acid rock isn't as wrong as it might seem, at least on this release. Cool stuff -- a restrained, thoughtful folk-rock departure from their previous work. Like if the Beatles smoked cigarettes instead of trying LSD. I think I'll stick with the noisier, earlier stuff, though.
I really like this. I listened to a few of the other Velvet Underground albums over the years and this was completely different, but I thought it was really really good.
Very good. I liked every song until the murder mystery which I strongly disliked
The album started out normally. I was waiting for it to get avant-garde-y and it did with Murder Mystery. Great album
Not as good as their first, but still am enjoyable listen. 8/10
It really is a template for so much modern indie
Lou Reed really outdid himself here. Probably his most emotional album album ever. So intimate and powerful ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Amazing album, will be giving it more listens in future
If the Velvet Underground established cool with Nico in 1967 and destroyed rock and roll on “Sister Ray” in 1968 then 1969’s eponymous third album was a gorgeous garden coming out of the ashes of the wreckage. There’s some absolutely stunning numbers here, including “Candy Says”, “Pale Blue Eyes”, “Beginning to See the Light”, and “I’m Set Free”. It’s probably the band’s high point, despite it being their quietest effort. I personally love Loaded, but it was a commercial effort that signified the end of the absolute raw nerve the band had tapped into. But here there’s a transformation and one that produces some incredible pop music for us to enjoy.
slam dunk #1 TVU album for me, great pop songwriting & enough experimentation to meet quota with The Murder Mystery
I love the psychadelic tones of the velvet underground. I was less familiar with this album that others but it was really great
This was unexpectedly enjoyable. I will definitely be returning to this album. The only track I didn't like was the long one that sounded nothing like the rest of the album, but overall really solid and I'll be checking out more VU because of it.
Interesting
We were pleasantly surprised by most of the album, although we could absolutely have done without the nine-minute chaos of "The Murder Mystery."
This is night and day different from White Light/ White Heat, an album I abhorred. This actually pretty nice. Gone are the 8 minute songs ans overly distorted sounds and the shoegaze vibe. Now there's actual song structure with some beautiful songs like Pale Blue Eyes. I even kind of liked the long song this time, where The Murder Mystery kind of sounds like Chop Suey by SOAD. I enjoyed this enough to give it a bonus star because I was really expecting to hate it.
Crazy - this album is pretty great. Not sure what happened between 1967 and 1969, but VU made me…happy…with this album. Clever, melodic songwriting without the avant garde focus of the banana album.
Weirdly I’d never heard this entire album. Actually really enjoyed the mellow vibe of it and will def purely be relistening. In some ways I enjoyed this more than The Velvet Underground and Nico which is saying a lot.
Very interesting album with a ton of variety even if some of the songs demonstrated questionable decision-making in the songwriting process.
Liked it more than I thought. Some weird songs in there. Not perfect singing but I like the cozy and intimate feel of the recording. Especially love the first song.
Wow ahead of its time especially the murder mystery which is a chaotic but awesome experimental song with two vocals interjecting with one another, not a bad song on here other than Jesus which was pretty mid.
Solid but not mind-blowing
My introduction to The Velvet Underground! I knew Pale Blue Eyes, but the rest was new to me. Each song is memorable in its own way, and I liked them all. PBE, Jesus, Beginning To See The Light, and The Murder Mystery were my favorites, and After Hours is such a nice closer.
Gentle Rock/ folk rock Album, very soothing Best Song: After Hours or Jesus
Velvet Underground is a vast improvement over the ‘67 album with Nico. (This one is actually enjoyable to listen to.) Thinking back, this one might be the album that got people talking about their music instead of the banana art work on cover of their debut. VU was a no longer a band by the time I started listening to music, but they were always overrated in my experience. I believe the vinyl of the album did not include the live cuts. I’ll listen to it again when I need a trip back in time to the late ‘60s (3.85*s)
This album is a lot more cohesive (and a lot less heroin-ed) than the previous entry. You can tell the whole band is really vibing; it's polished but still maintains grit. I love their moody, melancholy sound that many later bands strive for but don't land as successfully as VU. The album starts and ends strong with lots of really good tracks in between. The song writing puts Lou Reed's versatility on full display. I'd be amiss to not mention "The Murder Mystery" because it's so strangely fascinating and ahead of its time (also very Velvet). I dig it but can see how other's may not. I listened to this album many times over and it gets better each time. The lyrics are really introspective, contemplative, and emotional. Lou will swallow you up like a pill and puke you out in Warhol's art factory. 3.95
Despite never having lived in NYC or used heroin, I really like The Velvet Underground. The band and the album. Pale Blue Eyes is one of the best love songs of all time.
Wasn’t too familiar with Velvet Underground material before this list. They definetly continue to grow on me the more I listen.
'the murder mystery' hurt me and almost made me give it a 3, but the rest is good.
V good, I had only heard the Nico album before. I liked the gentle hazy vibe, Candy Says and I'm Set Free are gorgeous, The Murder Mystery is incredible. I let it play a second time so a solid 4
Found this to be pretty bloody lovely
These guys remain the goat that I often forget about when I'm trying to remember cool music that I want to listen to. They're also slightly too mainstream for me to be a "fan." Sameen is correct though, they are undeniable.
I always hated when people described music as 'timeless' because I don't really believe that things should exist outside of the context in which they were made... that being said one thing that has always attracted me to TVU is how they really straddle the line (I think) of music that your dad likes but also if I showed this to my nephew I think he'd really enjoy it... I don't really know how to describe it but TVU just has this undeniability ... also I did the whole Lou Reed solo discog last year and it was just so freaking good. I really love and respect him... the bisexual king <3 anyways, my preference of TVU albums puts this one at number three.. (I Love Loaded) but yea .. number three is still pretty damn good for this band!
I didn’t realise one of my favourite songs was by them
Very good instrumentals
Amazing band pretty good album
Not my favorite VU album but glad to have the guided relisten
I liked this!
likes: what goes on, the story of my life, after hours it's nice to listen to. 3.5/5
Just enough weird shit to keep a chill album interesting, plus I love Lou Reed so definitely biased going in. Newfound love for Moe Tucker for After Hours. Liked the chaos of Murder Mystery, and Pale Blue Eyes, Candy Says and I'm Set Free are classics for me.
I like this a lot more than the rating would suggest. Reminds me how inflated vibe reviews are. Really excited to check out more of their music, learn about it! Very subdued, but beautiful and not overdone. Candy says or After Hours for me. Sadly a stretch of forgettable songs in the middle but enough gold to be a 4 star! 3.5/5
Pretty easy to listen to. I enjoyed it.
4- Stars (10/15)
I rate Pale Blue eyes 3 stars because I don't really like this kind of music. And for murder mystery I rate it 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ because it had a little bit of rapping in it. I rate Jesus a 3.5 because i just don't really like it much.
Was enjoyable to listen to while running and making dinner. Great melodies to listen too
4.5/5 really good VU record. Their limited discography is so stellar though that this sometimes falls through the cracks
Some music is commercial and some music is art. Some are both, some are none. And in the Velvet Underground's case it is purely art and authentic tales from the banished and scorned 1960s NYC dingy artististic movement. Pre summer of love, and political revolutionary era. It is particularly just a testimony of the streets of New York in which one could very well lose their life for self expression. Creatives like Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico et al epitomize cool because they unabashedly express themselves in said fear state unapologetically. Its boring if you lack context and an artistic mind. But, definitely is an iconic piece of music for the devout historian and listener.
My first Velvet Underground album, and it won’t be my last. A simple album with beautiful melodies.
Some really beautiful songs on here, and Murder Mystery is just so ahead of its time!
Wasn't really thrilled about this one, and the intro didn't really helped. But by the second one to the end I discovered an incredible album and avant-garde. Sounds that I never listened in '60s music except for the monks. One of the best tack for me it's "jesus" because it precedes the slightly more emo punk of the 90s for the themes 8-9/10
Murder mystery was weird
Really good record.
Really enjoyed this, have never really listened to them but there are some serious tunes on this
I don't really like the Velvet Underground that much but i didn't hate this like i do Nico. I really enjoyed Pale Blue Eyes
This was better in the afternoon than in the morning but that’s ok we have an afternoon a day anyway
Really enjoyed this one some proper bangers
Great!
Everyone knows the famous Velvet Underground album with the Warhol banana but it's nice to have this on the list as well. I think a major factor in liking/disliking Velvet Underground has to do with your opinion of Lou Reed. I enjoy Lou's vocals so I like Velvet Underground but can understand it's not for everyone. Some lulls (Jesus) but the album as a whole is a worthwhile listen and I will likely listen to it in its entirety again. 7.75/10 (3.875/5)
Svag 4a. Riktigt stark första halva. Blir lite för avant-garde för mig andra halvan
Fantastic classic album from one of my favorite bands - of course. Pale Blue Eyes is just really amazing and tilts this album up. If you close the door...
A perfect encapsulation of this time in music and the band themselves.
A lot more tame then I expected. A pleasant listen. But not quite what I expected from one of the forefathers of punk rock.
7/10 Album sounds homely, like smoking weed and jamming out with your friends. Although I agree that The Velvet Underground gets more praise than they should get, there are definitely some songs I would return to. Favourite songs: Candy says Beginning to see the light Least favourite tracks: Murder mystery After hours
Epic. Weird. Banger
mag de gfühlt alti vibe wege uufnahme-eigeheite. song mit de ziit chli samey aber gefalled mer grundsätzlich. angenehm ruhig oft
There's something about of The Velvet Underground. The pared back simplicity. The driving momentum. The effortless cool that just oozes out of each track. Imagining someone listening to them for the first time I could see them missing what makes the non-single songs special. But the album is better than the sum of its parts. There is just something about The Velvet Underground. Candy Says - 2/5 What Goes On - 3.5/5 Some Kinda Love - 3/5 Pale Blue Eyes - 5+/5 Jesus - 3/5 Beginning to See the Light - 2.5/5 I'm Set Free - 2.5/5 That's the Story of My Life - 3.5/5 The Murder Mystery - 4/5 After Hours - 5/5
This album is lush in its guitars; it's almost like being carried down a river in a float. The lyrics are standard fare for the late 60s, but "The Murder Mystery" threw me for a loop with its abrupt switching in pace. Overall, I enjoyed this album, which was apparently a departure to the band's previous releases.
4.5
Beatlesy aber garagiger und experimenteller, Album nach Bananen Album und ohne Nico. Möchte ich nochmal hören
The Velvet Underground always sounds like New York. Lou Reed is a troubadour poet that conjurs a world around you with his storytelling. This album is a more straightforward rock album than previous forays, but still another excellent outing.
Liked the start. Nice and chilled. Last few tracks a bit too eclectic for me.
My favourite post John Cale VU. Love it when Moe sings. "average underground rock album from the 60's". Examples please?
suddenly i’m 16, wearing a diy screen print band tee and smoking belmont blues
undeniable but HONESTLY not as electric as i was expecting