Reviews (page 8 of 15)
I really like this - it felt very easy listening and accessible to me. Lots of ballads/folksy vibes.
Pale blue eyes excellent, nice 60s vibes bit more normal than some solo lou reed stuff
First time listening to a full VU album. Will definitely check out more.
would give 3.75
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.
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
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
Relaxed
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.
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!
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
3.5/5
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
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.
Good
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.
yuh
Merely good until Venus in Furs, which is a straight up masterpiece.
The perfect Sunday morning album.
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.
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.
Super chill. Morning album for sure. Really laid back and totally influenced a lot of other bands
Good n light
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.
The Velvet Underground but not nearly so experimental. Some really nice ballads and classics on here
The model for all indie bands to follow. You hear twee, experimental, rock n roll, and more influences and innovations. Super important band and an album I will definitely return to. Giving a 4 because it’s not my all time favorite of their records.
The first half of this was fantastic, full of perfectly crafted soft melodic songs. And while the second half doesn't match the same quality throughout, still continues in the same reign. And then Murder Mystery came on being that unnerving and daunting that caught me completely unaware. Bit like a dream about frolicking through daisys in a sunny day, where the weather turns to acid rain and the daisies die all around. Although a song like that definitely fits in the style of VU and Lou Reed, was still a terrible song that served as an uncomfortable listen that I wish not to experience again. After Hours is a nice little closer though that sums up the greatness before the penultimate track.
Simply titled "The Velvet Underground" is The Velvet Underground's third album with Doug Yule replacing John Cale on bass and other instruments. It was a change from their previous more experimental album "White Light/White Heat" with more ballads and straight-forward rock songs. It has been described as folk rock. The songs are more about relationships and religion. I would say the album is generally not a negative one but it sure starts and ends with lyrical downers. "Candy Says" opens up the album softly with Doung Yule on vocals. His sort of quivering voice tells the story of Candy ,a transgender person, who works at Warhol's Factory, hates her body and just wants "to be set free." We'd meet her again in Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." The second song "What Goes On" is more straight-forward rock with multiple guitar tracks and great organ. Another great rock tune on the second side is "Beginning to See the Light." "Pale Blue Eyes" is way up there with my favorite VU songs. It is soft with only a guitar and tambourine and haunting lyrics about what appears to be an affair. The album ends with "After Hours" and drummer Maureen Tucker on vocals. It is a happy-sounding song but the lyrics describe wanting to have fun but closing the door so the night can last forever. Oh, the dichotomy. I don't know where this ranks for me in VU albums. They're all worth listening to and owning. This one does have two of favorite songs in "Pale Ble Eyes" and " What Goes On."
More enjoyable, more listenable than White Light White Heat. The risks they took on the back half of the album didn’t pay off.
Nice one
Good stuff
I wish we could give half stars, but I’ll round up. This was better than I had anticipated, an all around solid album
I know one or two songs by Velvet Underground and the banana album, but not this one. "Deadpan" comes up quite a lot in connection with The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, and I can see what they mean. I gather from reading up on Wikipedia, that this album was a self-conscious move away from experimental approach on the two preceding albums (which were very arty/countercultural). This is quite a peaceful record with a gentle raw sound (little distortion, dry sounds). Always there's a slightly menacing or alternative feel, and the contrast works nicely in my view. The drums are mixed very low and bass and drums play simple parts. Untreated guitars are prominent and sometimes a bit loose. Vocals very present/close. Subtle keys. Some of the pitch bends are a bit hard to hear, I guess its part of their signature sound. Nice, quirky album. Coherent and purposeful.
Chill and Garden-State like vibes. Great album
A bit haunting
Based on their record company not promoting them much, I starting to think The Velvet Underground and Lou Reed are under appreciated. At least by me they are. I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Pale Blue Eyes is intimate…delicate…magnificent. I may have a new one for my top song rotation. The Murder Mystery is captivating. It feels like being in the mind of a schizophrenic…not that I actually know what that is like, but it’s somewhat how I imagine it might be. I’m going to be coming back to this one again.
Very excited for more Velvet Underground, I've been on a huge Lou Reed kick since getting Transformer a few records back. This is a good, solid album, I'm digging it. But dang, I do miss John Cale. His influence is unmistakable on past albums, the best VG is a VG with Cale on board. Pale Blue Eyes is a standout track, fucking love that song.
very good listen on a cold night
Great stuff.
Its nice - not my favourite VU, a bit thin sounding. But still a classic
Helvíti gott albúm!
This one grew on me over the listen. I liked it enough to listen through a 2nd time. 4/5
It’s kind of funny how the better produced the Velvets became, the less interesting they became. To be fair, this was kind of by design, since this was meant to be a more commercial LP, but it still failed in that regard and sounds pretty sedated. Mostly, at least. “The Murder Mystery” has that classic Warhol-era weirdness to it, and the more well-known songs still mostly slap. And yes, the production is much crispier than the first two albums. B Side note- why are the women involved with the band so problematic? Between Nico being a legit nazi and the drummer lady who sings “After Hours” having tea party connections, it’s not a great track record
Must spend more time here. If anything more accessible than the debut. After Hours especially.
It was nice. Interesting. It was slow and sometimes repetitive, but for some reason I didn’t mind. I don’t get why these guys are so acclaimed but I did like it
I really liked some of the songs on this album, Jesus for example. The melodies are soft and lovely at times, the singer has a pleasant voice. However there is a general sense of melancholy and I tend to have a melancholy mind so I really prefer happy joyous music. This one will certainly bring me down if I play on repeat.
It's like the American Beatles. Rock and psychedelic sound.
The great, melloa VU style really comes through on this album. Pale Blue Eyes might be my favorite VU song of all time.
One of the first alternative albums.
So ahead of its time in so many ways. Objectively close to a perfect album and yet... just doesn't quite get there for me.
Beautiful guitar work, which mostly, the vocals match. Lyrics are on par with the decade.
Classic!
Great album. Soulful guitars with expressive Lou Reed's vocals, you can get into his skin and feel his love, pity and happiness. This album really represents the tender sound of The Velvet Underground. Really puts me at peace. Amazing.
Me ha gustado bastante. 4. Tiene la canción Candy Says
Jesus Halfway there, one step closer. 3 albums out of 5, 4 stars out of 5 it is, the self-titled has its magic where the artist real find their signature instead of (and most of the time) naming its first debut album a self-titled one. Perhaps the band is relaxing on this one, they don’t care about what’s coming, they just want to freeze the legacy of this, along their path in music history. Either way, on the list this is the third and last one, leaving Loaded and Squeeze out. This is a dawn album, you’re running late back home, leaving the party you just went too, starts remembering names, problems and what’s real life is. You can call it back from the beginning when Nico is invited to the party, White Light / White Heat is the party itself and the Self-Titled is After. B
I hadn't listened to this record. I have heard "The Velvet Underground and Nico" and "White Light/White Heat." Other than that, I've just heard Lou Reed's "Transformer," which remains the best of all the records I just name-dropped. "White Light/White Heat" is a great record, but that's not what we're here to talk about (I hope it is somewhere on this list). This is a much prettier record than the first two VU records. Especially prettier than WL/WH. It makes for a much more listenable recording. And it also presages the success that Lou Reed would have after the VU. I'm happy to have heard this record because it's the only VU record I've heard that I would put on and relax. Their other records are just too jarring to make sense in most situations.
Good vibes throughout. A little odd toward the end, but overall I was into it!
I enjoyed most of it, the lyrics were very raw and emotional.
This is an album you put on when you're in love with someone and there's nowhere else to go and nothing else to do.
What a beautiful piece of work. The Velvet Underground has long been a blind spot for me. Others note the band's influence on all rock music to come, but I don't have the investment in their legacy to get into that here. What I can say is I don't think I have ever felt so connected to a recorded guitar as I do here. Every note, every string, is alive. The minimalist production is at once melancholy and lit up, making the whole affair feel live and in-person. Plenty of bands have tried to sound like The Velvet Underground over the years, and few are half as interesting or talented.
Didn't quite make the five stars but A Pleasing Smile is a great track.
Perhaps some of the smoothest rock in history, the tamped down vocals, the warm tones, make appreciated a much needed break from their higher energy contemporaries. Where the 60s were looking for excitement and noise, this album found what could be felt as a sacred serenity for the rock genre. The pop genre was cannibalizing rock, and the genre needed an injection of authenticity. Whether or not this was the intent of TVU cannot be confirmed, but the history speaks for itself as to why this album stands out. Perhaps Jesus did indeed help them find their proper place here.
I wasn't goint to listen to this one. I was a big fan for a while back in the 80s, but I grew to hate them with a passion and haven't heard any for aaaages. But I put it on anyway. I guess any album that gets overplayed as much as this has to be considered something special.
solid album, definitely hear proto-punk sound.
Really dug this one! Didn't know many songs going into it but I'll be keeping quite a few. Know and love "Pale Blue Eyes" from Adventureland, same story as Unsatisfied from The Replacements. Thought I heard Nico near the end, but that was a different female vocalist. Anytime I listen to VU, I feel like I like them more and more. Can't wait to get The Banana Album from them! Favorite tracks: Pale Blue Eyes, After Hours, Some Kinda Love, Murder Mystery, Beginning to See the Light. Album art: The kind of band photo that does basically nothing for me. 4.5/5
I think this is their most focused output, and coming off of White Light/White Heat it’s surprisingly mellow.
While missing a good chunk of the experimentation from prior albums, The Velvet Ungerground prove themselves as great songwriters with this well produced album. Favorites: "Candy Says", "What Goes On", "Pale Blue Eyes"
The Velvet Underground's self-titled work is an enchanting folk-rock staple. The record begins with "Candy Says", a very delicate introduction to the record that sets a really cozy vibe. I love the moving guitar lines and subtly present bass work present on songs like "Some Kinda Love", and the personality-driven vocals from Lou Reed deliver on "Pale Blue Eyes" with its Bob Dylan-esque heartbreak song structure and "Jesus" as he harmonizes with bassist Doug Yule. The folk tracks "That's The Story Of My Life" and "After Hours" are two of my favorites, with both being very short and sweet pieces that showcase the best of The VU's songwriting abilities. The band also shows their capability in providing rocking bangers like "Beginning To See The Light" and "I'm Set Free", with the latter carrying an interesting sense of dynamics as it continually builds and retreats. The only underwhelming experience comes in "What Goes On", with energized riffs that get drowned out halfway through by organs and an enveloping fuzzy guitar solo that didn't work for me. The track starts with a lot of intrigue and ends by repeating that same motif for too long without evolving on it much, with the middle portion feeling somewhat out-of-place. This doesn't do much to bring the rest of the record down, especially with songs like the penultimate "The Murder Mystery", which is sprawling and confusing in the best ways. It features odd sounds effects and an intriguing drum pattern that pairs well with the ramblings and guitars during the verses, while the back-and-forth choruses between Reed and drummer Maureen Tucker give a break from the break-neck pace with slick guitar and organ lines. The song is overwhelming and captivating in its creativity, proving to be a stand-out in the tracklist. The sentimental, engaging, and bold efforts that The Velvet Underground make on this record pay off in an amazing display of songwriting and personality. BEST TRACKS: Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, The Murder Mystery, After Hours WORST TRACKS: What Goes On
Extremely poignant and intensely calming. Lou Reed has one of the most soothing voices ever, and the lo-fi aesthetic only adds to the homely feel. Favorite Tracks: "Candy Says", "Pale Blue Eyes", "Jesus", "The Murder Mystery", "After Hours"
The one with the banana is better, haha.
Favourite VU album.
Classic stuff. Groove, baby
Genius (with the exception of Murder Mystery, which is okay, but not up to the standards of The Gift)
Eins og mér finnst heilt á litið lítið til Lou Reeds koma þá var Velvet Underground æðsileg sveit, og þessi plata, sem ég hlustaði á í tætlur á síðustu öld, er mjög skemmtileg. Ekki fullt hús, en fer langt á nostalgíunni.
60’er avant garde, art rock, afdæmpet
The Velvet Underground is a sleazy dungeon I used to frequent when I lived in L.A. It was a grotty little sex club filled to the brim with the most filthy scum you could imagine. I once had a threesome with Harrison Ford and Lady Gaga on the pool table in front of everyone. They were a majestic pair of fuckers.
Not my favorite VU album, but I still love this record. More laid back than their prior two albums, and a lot more song oriented and less noise/experiment oriented. the noise thing really does a it for me, but I really rate the song-writing too. This album contains some deadest classics (Pale Blue Eyes, What Goes On, Candy Says, I'm Set Free), but I also love Some Kinda Love, which has a proto-kraut rock thing going on. For almost any other band, this would be the album of their career, but the Velvets, I rank second or third. A great record for people who find their more challenging material off-putting.
Some cool songs
Great album, chiller than and less impactful than Velvet Underground + Nico but I still liked it
Very good shit
7.5/10
Really good, felt very 60s rock quiet in a great way, chill af. Few bad songs
Perhaps it's just the mood I'm in as this one drops into the list but, apart from 'The Murder Mystery' this was very much a... I won't say fun, because it's not that vibe, but something that clicked pretty strongly. I have an affinity for melancholy in music in general so this fits pretty nicely into it
What a pleasant surprise this album was! I'd obviously heard of the velvet underground before but I'd never actually heard their music, and this is an album of laid-back rock I've got a lot of time for. It's probably a 3.5 but today I'm feeling generous.
I enjoy the chilled mood of this album, walking around town in the winter sun is really quite an experience. It's a nice mix of very slow dreamy songs and then a couple more up-beat songs sprinkled in. 10/10 will put this in my regular rotation
I really liked this! Didn’t care for the murder mystery but I loved after hours.i dont agree with my 4 star rating. it's a 3.5 star album for me
I like this band a lot, surprises every time I listen to something they made. Not better than ”Niko" but just as good.
Predivan album i sve, smatam da ne treba puno rijeci za opis (Isprike ekipi na neazurnosti ovih dana)
Pošto su mi Velvet Undergroundovci u top 10 bendova, nije teško skužiti da mi se bar 90% njihove diskografije sviđa. Pa tako da je ovaj album u top 3 njihovih, većinom se zna natjecati za drugo mjesto sa White Light/White Heat - zavisno o raspoloženju. Lou Reed <3 Favoritne: Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes, Beginning to See the Light, I'm Set Free.
Bez par pjesama se moglo, al svakako prejak album
Медитативненько, но могло быть лучше.
Hadn't heard this VU album before. Much more subdued than Velvet Underground & Nico. Really interesting. Lou Reed is great as always. 4.5/5
Delicate songs about troubled people in difficult and dangerous situations
Un bell'album. In particolare ho apprezzato Pale blue eyes.
A little sleepy, but over all very good.
Mis hier wel een beetje die krankzinnigheid van de banaan-plaat, maar dit is toch ook tof en veel gemakkelijker om in te komen natuurlijk.
Beter dan vorige plaat die we geluisterd hebben. Staan echt een paar mooie nummers op.
This is a great album. A shame they put two slightly annoying tracks on it: The murder mystery What goes on - The guitar hurt my ears!
Good album, I don't think I'd ever really heard any of these songs beyond Pale Blue Eyes and Candy Says. Would skip The Murder Mystery - it's annoying and long.
Nice, just got a bit weird towards the end.
Fabulous album - incredibly creative people capturing the sound and zeitgeist of the late-60s
The melodies are a bit boring, but overall very pleasant
It's a go-to "it band" of the 60s, transitioning from their experimental art-college student phase to much sweeter, more conventional fare. Direct, catchy, at times achingly melodic: I'll take it any day over the overhyped, "proto-everything" of their debut. Without John Cale or Andy Warhol at the helm (big influences on the avant-garde side of the band) Lou Reed and the remaining members set about to create something warmer, more optimistic, more immediate: a broad change from their earlier work. For me, it's a progression I can completely get behind: this still carries a weight of melancholy and hurt, but has such tender delivery throughout where the whole band are given the chance to shine. Songcraft is put above improvisation, with a conscious effort to cherish (rather than challenge) the listener. The "European Son"s and "Sister Ray"s are mostly abandoned for the "Sunday Morning"s and "I'll Be Your Mirror"s, and it pays off beautifully: even though the VU's experimentation was noteworthy at the time, it hasn't aged as well for me and often seems to eclipse material like this. Opener "Candy Says" is so delicate and fragile, in instrumentation and vocals, that it feels like it could blow away on the wind. From there, it does take a little while to get going. "What Goes On" feels like a sub-standard attempt at a single, and "Some Kinda Love" falls flat as the dud of the record. But then, the run of songs from "Pale Blue Eyes" onwards is absolutely gorgeous. We're treated to incredibly intimate vocals and oblique heartbreak in "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Jesus", later rejoicing in the swinging breeziness of "That's The Story of My Life", and Reed getting into "Transformer" mode with "Beginning to See the Light", which lives in the credits sequence of one of the greatest indie films yet to be made. While "The Murder Mystery" isn't all my cup of tea, it's much more focused than it could have been and adds a nice touch of the abstract to the album without going overboard. The piano runs in the last couple of minutes more than make up for all the poetry recitation. And "After Hours"? A great move for Moe Tucker to sing it to close things off, and a delightfully ambiguous feel. It's either a very gentle landing back to earth, or moving out of the final reaches of its orbit: whichever way I'd like to feel at the time. On the whole this is my personal peak of Velvet Underground: sweet without being sugar-coated, sincere without being blinkered, experimental without being try-hard.
Me ha gustado bastante. 4. Tiene la canción Candy Says
Good Album with Warhol cover art.
Murder Mystery threw me off Album feels more like a storytelling through music Good music overall - liked the vibe
Chilled, melodic, intimate.
I've heard a lot about the Velvet Underground. I don't know why but I thought they were a very early punk band. I was very wrong. That said, I liked it. Mellow jams, the voice is very familiar but I can't place it. (I cheated, realized it's Lou Reed). In the back half they seem to add some vocals and it's not just Lou. All goes with some easy melodies that work well and flow very easily. Murder Mystery was really hard to get through. Points for trying this in 1969, very ahead of their time with some ideas.
Beautiful piece of work. Side one is a five star, side two's 3.5 bring this to a four star.
Slower and mellower than I would have expected from a late-60's rock group. Worthy of another listen with more attention to lyrics.
I'm not nearly as familiar with this album, as "The Velvet Underground & Nico", but it definitely still hits the spot! The Velvet Underground being a little more straight forward and accessible, what's not to like? Fave track - "Beginning to See The Light" and "What Goes On" have been my favourites in the past, but this play through I really dug "The Murder Mystery". Love the effect of two voices overlapping and interfering and generating urgency without sense...
still not banana album BUT its good too!
Es un álbum super tranquilo, me gustó, 8/10
Viele sind es, in denen der Sound dieser Band bis in die Nuller widerhallte (Olivia Tremor Control, Moldy Peaches, Spiritualized, …) Die langsamen Nummern sind für die Ewigkeit, allen voran „Candy Says“, „Pale Blue Eyes“ driften wie müde Eisschollen am Ende der Schmelze durch das Morgenrot. Hier bleiben die Lider schwer und selbst das grellere „Beginning to See the Light“ (der beste Beatles Song, den die Beatles nie gemacht haben) ändert daran nicht viel. Niveau recht konstant, nah dran an Traditionen amerikanischer (Gitarren)musik und doch auch stark an seinen fransigen Rändern unterwegs. Samtige 4.1
4/10🌟this will offend people alrighttt it’s giving classic, could be a sleep album which if you know me IM OBSESSED W THAT VIBE. i don’t love it but i alsnog buy vinyl, mane needs more time, i’ll listen afterwards fs! I THIBK?? I liked murder mystery it was cool like the weird harmonies but not the talking at the beginning i also have to commend the range of their music thk liked- candy says, after hours, jesus, i’m set free disliked - what goes on, some kinda love, beginning to see the light
Melancholic pop. Very pleasant to listen to and chill around. (7/10) Favourite Song: Pale Blue Eyes
Know it well. Very good.
Not my favorite Velvet Underground, but still a great album
Blue eyes on this album, which you already liked. Didn’t find any other favs but a cool and unique sound. Solid but not stellar for me
liked it
Really strong album
Interesting album. Not really my type but I can appreciate the quality.
Pretty chill and nice
Some really standout songs on this album. Only marred by a couple duds towards the end.
very good album
Velvet underground with Nico was the first album I listened to on this journey and I remember being distinctly disappointed. I’m happy to announce this has completely changed my mind about the VU (Velvet Underground). I really liked this album. True to their name. Sounds like velvet. Sounds like underground. I delighted in Murder Mystery and pale blue eyes. It’s gonna stay in my thoughts for a long time. Turns out Nico was the problem huh??? But I love Nico.
Oh my god i love it a;ready Final Thoughts: 4/5
Wirklich gut durchzuhören.
How modern
Groß!! Klug und eingängig zugleich.
Норм
Iconic album
easy listening while reading
Another one of those bands that I understand are important culturally, but I've never actually listened to. I enjoyed it a lot.
good!
typisch 60's best goed
Top
9, very much enjoyed it
Warhol house band stop being angry and start singing about god and girls
Love the Velvet Underground but prefer the noisy albums. Still some nice songs
8/10, solid album, and I especially like that it is not super samey throughout. After much reflection, I did find that the singing on the last song really reminded me of the bit in Elf where the main gal sings in the shower.
Nice and mellow
Muy bueno!
nice
Pretty good for being slow and British. I think the production and lyrics are good and it's a bit more musical than other British stuff so yay. 8
Schön
Very chill easy listening, can definitely see why it is regarded as so influential
I really enjoyed the slower songs that weren't as dissonant as the others. I still prefer the Andy Warhol album
Enjoyed the vibes, but wasn't able to focus much on lyrics or songwriting. I expected velvet underground to be weirder, but I got a kick out of it!
Great one
Great record, not my favorite of theirs. Definitely still "Velvet Underground," but more pleasant, not as noisy as later records.
V good.
9/10
Music ahead of its time, good vocals
Muy pinches bueno. Una joyita que no conocía.
This is some seriously chill shit! I don’t know the Velvet Underground that well but this album really cements the fact that I’m going to have a massive heroin phase ✌🏼
Pretty, pretty cool.
kinda cool
Nice calm vibe with the first few songs beginning to see the light is jamming Murder Mystery is also nice
Great Album. Chill vibes. I liked Some kind of love Pale blue eyes Thats the story of my like After Hours
Pretty good. Kind of an album to just have playing in the background softly.
8
Nunca tinha ouvido, curtindo bastante, são canções, algo que não tava esperando, muitas em um tempo mais lento. Adorando, as letras as vozes, até as guitarras. Bem diferente do primeiro disco deles, que conheço muito melhor.
some songs are super good some are just not my style but overall great experience, pale blue eyes was ahead of time imo.
Pretty great overall, but the A side is definitely better than the B side. That penultimate track...ugh. No. Just, no.
Very cool live album, great for work jams. Loved the live renditions of Heroin and songs with Lou Reed
I enjoy VU. I knew Pale Blue Eyes (I think it got played at Starbucks for some reason??) Having Beginning to See the Light after Jesus reeled me back in. Solid album throughout, really enjoyed the aforementioned track, What Goes On, and a couple others at the end.
Amazing album 9.3/10
Wonderful. One of my favorites of theirs, if not my favorite.
Pale Blue Eyes Jesus Some Kinda Love
Own. Fave Song "Pale Blue Eyes" lots of good songs - 4.25.
8/10 FT: Pale Blue Eyes
its still bizarre to me how ahead of their time these fuckers were. first they do all that experimental bs and now this? what the fuck? how did it not catch on anyways?? like why did it take so long for twee pop and slowcore and whatever to catch on after this thing came out its so good!!! theres more misses than on WL/WH but the good stuff is amazing, it has just the right amount of raw-ish production and a lot the lyrics were kinda unexpected for 1969 too like damn they rly lived up to their name didnt they .................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ murder mystery isnt super interesting until the last section with the pianos and shit though 9/10 barely
8/10, absolute classic
3.75/5. I liked this, some songs are better than others.
loved it!
An unusual or perhaps better unexpected Velvet Underground album. It’s all pretty normal and quite folksy. I rather enjoyed the whole thing really, but as always I with this one I was expecting more artful odd.
I don't really get The Velvet Underground. I feel like I should be blown away by their coolness and inventiveness. But I'm not really.
I enjoyed this one. But is this their best album in my opinion? Not at all. They have far better albums. So: 3/5
It's alright. A couple of good tracks, plenty not so good. Not sure I get the hype
"Self-Titled" is not as good as The Velvet Underground's album with Nico. However, it still has some good songs. The ones with Reed singing are the best. "Self-Titled" feels very modern for a 60s album. In fact, the track "After Hours" could pass as a 2010s song. 3 stars for "Self-Titled".
Enjoyable enough if not ground breaking
It’s fine. But pretty boring.
I miss John Cale. But hey, at least Nico's also gone.
Mostly a bore, but I did really like The Murder Mystery and After Hours. Might just need a few more listens.
Great album, good to listen to.
solid
Leider ziemlich langweilig... obwohl: ein paar schöne Songs sind schon drauf...
its good and i liked how the songs were different vibes and i really could vibe with them
Reed had fired John Cale because his ideas were "too out there" and he wanted to make the band more accessible. And here we are making a record mostly full of love songs. It worked, but it really didn't work. It IS more accessible, but it didn't do well commercially, failing to make the Billboard 200 at all. Reed's US mix didn't go over well, called a "mysterious mix" Yet, it grew in stature over time and has been reassessed very positively. What do I think? It's no Velvet Underground & Nico (1967), but it shows a maturity and complexity in both writing and execution. Reed encouraged his bandmates to take the lead and to participate more fully in realizing his art. He still failed to make the commercial impact, but he did make a lasting artistic one. It's a good album... I enjoyed some of the songs a lot and I recognize the artistic expression he was aiming at. Some hit and some miss... "The Murder Mystery" in particular, I could do completely without while "Pale Blue Eyes" is a great song. I've said this a bunch... it's just not really my wheelhouse, but I do appreciate it.
Not sure why but I didn't expect to like this. I didn't totally love it but I did like it overall.
Une album qui était, à l'époque, innovateur et comme toute innovation est devenu plutôt standard avec le temps. Néanmoins, il reste que son importance est difficile à nier. De plus, même dans une perspective moderne celui-ci reste impressionnant en ces thèmes crasseux et sombres, un cri lointain en comparant aux autres œuvres de l'époque. Cependant, cela reste tout simplement pas assez pour une époque où l'ADN de cet œuvre se retrouve aux cœurs de plein d'autres, celui-ci est tout simplement bon, pas extraordinaire.
Underground
pretty decent album, i prefer this one over the andy warhol one
Good lyrics but the sound is not for me
Better than the other one I've listened to, the one with Nico, but still not really my thing
good
Interesting avant garde sounds but nothing to really remember besides the odd murder mystery
This album is fine, but feels so underwhelming compared to what the band has released prior to this
The first half of the album had my hopes high but then it kinda fell off really. Not much else to say except I do appreciate the whole vibe that the velvet underground have.
Самый простой для восприятия альбом The Velvet Underground с их самыми радио-направленными хитами. Легкая акустическая психоделика и минимальный, но очень узнаваемый пост-панк-арт-хаус вайб
I’ve really enjoyed most of the other Velvet Underground stuff I’ve heard on this list, plus the solo projects that spun off from them, but this one was a step down for me\. It’s quieter and more stripped back than the first two albums, which isn’t automatically a bad thing, but a lot of it felt too subdued\. “Murder Mystery” was especially weird\. I usually like their weirdness, but this one felt more like an experiment I respected than a song I wanted to hear again\. There are still some good moments and Lou Reed’s writing keeps it from being boring, but this is probably the least interesting Velvet Underground album I’ve heard so far\. Not bad, just pretty middle of the road compared with what I know they were capable of\.
Pretty good. Overall, it was a pretty mellow album. The stretch from Pale Blue Eyes to I'm set Free was my fav. What Goes On is the only actually bad song in the album. I do not like it. Listened to this one 4 or 5 times. I could see it grow on me more. Looking forward to more from them eventually.
the best of the 60's psychedelia.
Beyond "Candy Says" there's very little special about this record. I may be biased because I'm certainly not a big fan of Lou Reed, but this album didn't really make me change my opinion.
C'est mieux sans Nico !
Im a huge VU fan, this album is really great. Not as good as some probably. Puts me right back in Wintergreen in like 8th grade though.
pretty good. i've heard their first two albums already so I kind of know where they're coming from with this. The first two really stood out because they were experimental and nobody else really sounded like that at the time. this album, by comparison, seems a lot more conventional/aligned with popular taste of the time, but I still think its good. i think the second half started to drag a little, and The Murder Mystery is the weakest point, really did nothing for me and was a little annoying to listen to. they had experimental tracks on their first two albums that are a lot more well done in my opinion. highlights for me are candy says, after hours, pale blue eyes, and what goes on is probably my favorite track, absolutely bangin.
6/10 Best songs: The Murder Mystery, After Hours Sounds kinda like the 60s rock equivalent of modern-day indie, with some bursts of extreme creativity (The Murder Mystery) contrasting with dull, garage-rock-esque sounds (I'm Set Free). I don't really enjoy most of the album too much, but I don't hate it, either. I don't really get how it managed to be so influential - what exactly was special enough that later acts replicated their sound? Oh well.
It was a long album. They remind me of The Beatles. 5/10 would listen again.
mid
A little discordant, not my usual style Playlist add: “Pale Blue Eyes”
Ultimately a mixed bag, but I really appreciated the simple beauty of “Jesus” and the forward-thinking indie-esque tracks that sound about 30 years ahead of time. The more experimental stuff could have been cut.
I was born in 2008 so it was very hard for me to listen to this but still chill, mellow album. Favorite tracks are The Story Of My Life, The Murder Mystery and After Hours. Chile it’s just like to 1969 for me. Not a bad album tho for 1969 i gues 👁️👅👁️
OK, might give it another listen
Owned this for years. Never been a favourite. It's not terrible by any means but it lacks the really great tracks that their debut has got. It passed fairly quickly and for the most part I wasn't bored but I wouldn't say that anybody who doesn't hear this before they die will have massively missed out on anything. I prefer Lou Reed/VU in their softer moments so those were my favourites. Favourite tracks.. Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes, After Hours.
It was good
It was solid, but not their best work
3.5 rounded…..down. Could have gone either way, but ultimately it didn’t meet my expectations and was a poor man’s Transformer (come back, David, all is forgiven).
Pale blue eyes is definitely a romantic song but I think Candy Says is pretty sad; especially knowings it's about Candy Darling, one of the first visible trans person in the US.
I like 1.5 of the songs—pale blue eye one (Edgar Allen Poe referenced and I half-like the “if you close the door”… song bc they sing it in that Florence Pugh movie. The rest of the songs were ok
Quite chilled, laid back and an easy listen. But not something that had blown me away 3.2/5
So I got really disappointed because I genuinely thought The Velvet Underground and Violent Femmes were the same band, and so I got excited, and then it wasn't. With that out of the way, this is fine.jpg. There's some good stuff in here, I liked Pale Blue Eyes and I'm Set Free. There's some bad, I thought The Murder Mystery was annoying. The rest is very quiet. Another album I really struggled to actually hear. It's fine, but that's about it.
Boldly different for the era it was created in, in that it was willing to be more subdued and thoughtful. That said, it never really hooked me. At most; I feel like I recalled hearing After Hours somewhere else, in a film or TV show. I get why people could love it at least, I’m just not one of them.
No soy la más fan de la Velvet, pero reconozco que este disco me ha gustado mucho más que otros (¿será porque no me gusta demasiado John Cale? Puede ser). Eso sí, me parece algo más íntimo y otoñal, escucharlo con una ola de calor no me ha hecho disfrutar igual de la experiencia. Aun con su buenos 39ºC, con mi cerebro ligeramente derretido, me ha encantado muchísimo más que el del plátano. Canciones favoritas: 'What Goes On'
Chilliä rokkia. Hidasta, osa ballaadimaista. Vika biisi tosi symppis.
It's giving me Beatles vibes.
A solid rock album. Nothing memorable on here for me.
Wow.
This is probably my least favorite album from them. They were deeeeep into heroin and I get the cultural significance, just not my vibe. However pale blue eyes and after hours are killer tracks. 4.75/10 Top song After hours
Decent album. Has the tones of a Beatles record and vocals are “Lou Reed-Lite”, I’ll say. 3.4/5.0
Lou Reed, more like Lou Zer (pronounced loser haha!)
I tried very hard to like this band but its so fucking pretentious. I love maybe 2-3 songs here (their softer tracks are awesome) but dont really like the rest. Maybe ill like them one day. Thanks for inventing many great rock genres and being so influencial but your music aint that good.
boring other than "candy says"
It doesn’t suck, but I just can’t get into it. Pleasant enough, but nothing really grabs me or earns a return visit. After all the wild surprises that the late ’60s have thrown my way, this one feels surprisingly ordinary.
The Velvet Underground might be a cult classic, and "Venus in Furs" from their album with Nico is a masterpiece to me, but I found this album the more underwhelming the longer it went. Giving it 3 stars because the first tracks were quite good.
The Murder Mystery is epic!
More accessible than some of their other stuff, but I miss having more exploration in sound over the whole album.
It was way more mellow than I was thinking, but good.
I can only hope that someday I will be smart and cool enough to "get" the Velvet Underground.
Listening session: july 13th, while getting ready Listened to before: heard three songs before Thoughts: nice album but not as good as The Velvet Underground & Nico Favourite tracks: Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes & After Hours
5/10 fav: candy says
Nice as far as 60's rock goes but still not all that different
Very clearly an influence on a lot of later bands. Having said that I feel that there's better albums that have further expanded on the velvet underground. Still 3 stars for being a very influential and prototypical album.
vibe
After Hours
Not bad
7 / 10
It's when you want chill Velvet Underground.
not their best album
3,4 Highlights: Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes
It's pretty bland and just a bit boring. It's is not bad by any means just not the most exciting or interesting album ever. I do like it, I like the way it sounds and flows and I really like the vibe of it, but it just didn't really do it for me. It's is your basic underground 60's rock band. I can understand why it may be popular (especially at that time), but I don't think it's as good as people may make it. I don't think I'll visit it again in the future, but it isn't unimaginable that I do (maybe some of the songs). My favourite was definitely Candy Says. I did really, really like that one, so it obviously made it to the playlist!! There were also others that i did like and add to the playlist, but there were also quite a lot that i thought was just a little too long, since almost all of the songs are about 4-5 minutes long which can make it feel like it's a bit dragged out. I will say that most of the songs weren't repetitive at all, which i really appreciated, because sometimes that can get a bit annoying, but that didn't really happen with this album. I think to form a general opinion on this band, I would have to listen to their other stuff because based on this album i can't really tell if I like them or I'm not really a fan. Overall I think this album wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. I'd say it was on the little bit better side of decent.
Chill rock album
nice. some chill songs, some mid songs. overall I liked it
This album is pretty good. Some parts can drag on (the song about Jesus was fairly repetitive), but by and large the instrumentals backing this project are exciting and fresh. This is one of my favorite rock albums from the list so far, and this list loves its rock albums. I am excited to see how I feel about this given more time.
Aunque sea un 3 lo he disfrutado mucho
liked this one. particularly 'after hours' - Juno vibes.
I had a hard time getting into it, but it wasn't bad.
The first half was pretty boring, but it got a lot better as it went on. I think even the early songs could grow on me.
I remember liking this, but it also didn't blow me away. Some nice smooth tunes though.
первые песни построены музыкально практически на одном и том же мотиве дальше уже поинтереснее но меня не зацепило
Right off the bat they kinda sound like the Beatles, but like a little more mellow
very good album
Beginning To See The Light I've heard before... maybe in a Wes Anderson film? Not super into this sound.
Pretty decent stuff - some of their folk stuff is a little boring.
Candy says was nice but it is all a bit soppy and sameish for me. Just not currently a velvet undergrounds bloke
i think this could grow on me
Сара 3 Марко 3
Vibey, the first few songs are a bit forgettable - audio quality/volume of vocals not that good? Some songs remind me of Simon & Garfunkel, from the folksy elements. I enjoyed it more as I went through the tracks. The organ in 'murder mystery' is wacky and weird, could work out if I liked it or not because the overlapping voices is quite intense. I ended up skipping it because the song is so damn long. Nice to get to After Hours
Maybe half the songs were really good. The other half were pretty alright. But the best two song are so much better than anything else on the album (After Hours and Pale Blue Eyes). They should’ve had that girl (who I now know is their drummer) sing more. I like her voice.
Beatles vibes. But different.
Easy listening. Not too bad
Not heard this before but I enjoyed it. Quite laid back.
Honestly a very mellow start to the album. Not super interesting but definitely emotional and melancholic, which can appeal to some people, but I can't say I'm a fan considering some of the other music of the 60s is much more intriguing while carrying that same tone. Also seems like the singers just get overpowered by the background music; not much power to their voices at all and the beat is way too loud. Interesting beats throughout but they don't actually land very well. Honestly the songs sound repetitive and way too pitchy. Overall, very uninteresting in my opinion. Definitely good for like some background noise but I wouldn't say it's intriguing beyond that.
I’m more into Lou Reed’s solo work, but this VU album post-John Cale is tight from top to bottom and shows a lot of craft. Reed's vocals and lyrics are their characteristic mix of enthusiasm and apathy and ruminate on love and morality. 3.5⭐️
Weird to have such a *huge* gap between Velvet Underground albums in the collection (first one was at #43, now this one at #888, and still one more to go). And quite a contrast to their debut/Nico collaboration album (and apparently a huge contrast to the yet-unheard "White Light/White Heat" album too), largely in a good way, as Nico's style and voice never really seemed to align with the band. But this album is also helping me understand that I really missed out by not listening to bands like this--and this one specifically--in my formative teenage years. This seems like a decent album, and in many ways more straightforwardly musical than their debut (either despite or because of John Cale's absence and the experimentation he brought), but it doesn't really speak to me, and its contemplative and near-acoustic style becomes a bit monotonous at times, "The murder mystery" excluded. I enjoyed the balance of percussion and guitar running through nearly every song, but there aren't many highlights for me--maybe the very Lou-Reed-inflected "Some kinda love" or "I'm set free"? I'm also beginning to suspect that Lou Reed wasn't all that gifted of a guitarist, which is kind of disappointing, but not entirely surprising. Did I need to hear this before I die? Probably not, but I'm glad to have more exposure to Velvet Underground.
Not my cup of tea, but a great experiment nonetheless
This was pretty good. Not fantastic, but pretty good.
Would be very good in a period specific movie, or on long drives in the background.
Overrated
This is fine. I never understood the hype around The Velvet Underground but I also didn't grow up in that time. I was a teenager of the 90s and now I hear all these people say how Nirvana isn't really that good and they are overrated. They don't get it. Just like I'll never understand what VU meant back then so when you listen now in 2026 you think "I've heard other bands do this better" you've only heard other bands do it at all because VU did it first. I respect what they did but it doesn't do much for me personally.
Sleepy easy album