The Velvet Underground

I was underwhelmed.

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.

This was OK, but I think I liked the debut album with Nico a bit better.

Wanted to like it more than I actually did.

Just average music. Kinda good at times, kinda boring at times. Like a shittier version of the Beatles.

Pretty crazy this was released in 1969. Dude was into something, sounds like it could have been recorded 5 years ago. That said, there are lots of snoozers in this album.

El principio del indie, excelente

Loved this album even the tracks that Lou Reed didn’t sing. Guitar work, melodies, lyrics. Every song was good.

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

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

A true classic, the Velvet's at their best in terms of songwriting and sonic experimentation. Melodic, dark, and noisy in the best ways.

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

Pale Blue Eyes is really nice. The rest is dull

Enjoyed enough. Will revisit again

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

Am I a Velvet Underground fan without even realising it? Second 5/5 album by them. This is incredibly good. It starts with the lyrics "Candy says I've come to hate my body / And all that it requires in this world" - what an extraordinary, fierce opening - and it never lets up. Fragile, angry, beautiful, quiet, intelligent, determined, vulnerable, and singular.

Nah

The murder mystery is one of the best songs of all time

Not my fave VU album but got some highlights too

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.

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

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

Lower 7/10, not a bad album but not as great as the fabled banana album. Much prefer other projects that do it better such as most Yo La Tengo albums.

Had me grooving while cleaning. Pale Blue Eyes and Beginning to see the light stood out

Some classics on here

This album is perhaps underrated particularly when held up against the first two records and given the lineup change with Doug Yule replacing John Cale, but this album is every bit as good as the first two. Nearly perfect. An easy 5 stars.

More tuneful than I expected, aside from “The Murder Mystery.” Love “Pale Blue Eyes” which apparently was meant to be a hit.

Fine enough, influential for its time, but i feel the passage of time has not been kind to it.

Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes have been some of the most important songs in my life since I was a teenager. The blend of calm and melancholy have been a source of much comfort in many different times, and also a source of enhanced wallowing when I could not wallow to proper depths unaided. I have heard What Goes On described as "a big swingin dick of a song", and crass as it may be, I cannot disagree. The Murder Mystery is probably the only song I'm not as in to, but hey, who am I to tell the Velvet Underground what to do. After Hours is such a great contrast to the rest of the album. I really wish she hadn't gone off the Right-Wing deep end. Album cover: (B) Its good but its no banana.

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

European Son knocked down the score

I don't know why I've never got around to listening to these guys but I'm glad I finally did.

Already listened

This album feels polarizing for me. Actually that's not true, it's more a tolerable spectrum. Some songs are ok some are very annoying. And I think it has everything to do with authenticity for me. Some songs feel like real songs from real artists, and others feel like art school shit that's trying too hard to be cool.

I can't stand the banana record, but this one is much better.

Op zich best leuk en rustig en mooi, maar wat saai.

Alright, but didn’t really grab me

Eh, it didn’t do much for me. It was a lot slower than I was expecting.

Bra den her

I enjoyed my first pass of this album but feel like there's depth beneath the surface that should be explored to fully appreciate this work. I've never really listened to the Velvet Underground before this, so I look forward to hearing more of their other albums as well. Standout tracks: Candy Says, The Murder Mystery

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

Mukava, että pysyy rauhallisena eikä säikyttele kuin ihan hitusen Murder mysteryn tosi ärsyttävillä päällekkäisillä puheraidoilla. Tahtoisin silti tarttuvammat melodiat rauhallisiin biiseihin.

Rock and roll -bändi. Monella tapaa harvinaisen oivaltava sellainen, ja tällä LP:llä parhaimmillaan vähän vähemmän rockina (Candy Says, Pale Blue Eyes). Erityismaininta: Jeesus-biisi, joka jää soimaan päähän.

Among the two Lou Reed solo albums I've heard on this list--Berlin and Transformer, this is far super and much more listenable. Transformer was the worst, and Berlin was just kind of OK. It seems like the Velvet Underground somehow managed to rein in Reed's goofier and more "experimental" urges for the most part and just made low key soft rock that mostly works. The only song I'd heard before here was Pale Blue Eyes, but most of the rest is pretty even. I'm Set Free is a good track. Murder Mystery is a pretty good song, and something, randomly, that sounds like it would be a great System of the Down cover. 3/5

Hell yeah

Relaxing

ok. not as interesting as their debut

A classic, I hear the influence in so many bands that I love. The Velvet Underground is amazing.

Ihan ok

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

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

Mainly very good instrumentals and def a good album to play on the background. Yet it still has some identity and creative songmaking.

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

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.

Not really my style of music, getting pretty bored

2.5 - Meh

I’m a sucker for 60s music so couldnt not like this, though not s fan of the band. But apart from that iconic 60s psychedelic soft rock sound, the tracks weren't memorable. 3

Sounds like The Beatles but much less British

Generally like The Velvet Underground and Lue Reeds voice is a dream. Murder Mystery is an interesting noise rock song that was unexpected.

best song: the murder mystery best chill song: pale blue eyes

Lou Reed really said ‘what if instead of heroin we tried therapy?

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.

Meh

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

What's there to say? Velvet Underground. Top marks. Vignt sur vignt.

It’s a decent album, but it’s nothing really to get over excited about. VU have made better albums, but it was pleasant enough listening. Not keen on The Murder Mystery and hated it after near 9 minutes. It doesn’t seem to fit on this album, it’s got more White Light/White Heat vibes. Huge fan of Candy Says and Pale Blue Eyes. And the Moe Tucker closer is an underrated classic. It’s a pleasant enough effort, and although I have a copy it’s rarely in my rotation selection.

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!

I LURVEDDD ITTTTT obviously, loved this album since like 2020. favourite has always been after hours but i also did quite like the murder mystery!! yeah absolute banger, very happy to have gotten this album, like a breath of fresh air x

I just don't understand the hype with this band.

Nice tunes and lyrics thx!

A really beautiful collection of songs. Lou Reed,man.

Amazing

What a chill album and a lot more accessible than the first two. Really want to know what the alternate version of this album would be if John Cale hadn’t been fired.

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

Not quote as good as their debut 3/5

Pretty chill

I understand WHY this is here. It’s cool, it’s interesting. It’s not boring. But the vocals are god awful. While they certainly add to the “cool” factor, they make for a more difficult listen.

Not my go to VU Album - but my, it’s good

i wish they were all like sunday morning but alas

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

I listen to The Velvet Underground and I feel like I’m one of the retro guys in a recording studio smoking a cigarette, complexly writing my own sheet music and lyrics, recollecting the best and worst moments of my life, breaking down and reconstructing said moments, and finding some sort of closure through music. Listening to this album is like hearing a song and wanting to cry or maybe like Gravity Falls, if that makes sense. On the flip side, it’s like I can be wild and groovy and bare. The Murder Mystery is like perfect entropy; probably one of my favorite songs on the album.

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.

Lori- 6.5 Mike- 7.5 Michael- 7 Miles- 5.5 Cole- 7

Wonderfully weird.

Not their best album, but it was good. Made me want to check out more of their stuff

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.

Här snackar vi kontraster (eller troligen mer drognykterhet) jämfört med White light/White heat. Den här är ju nämligen väldigt mycket bättre, undantaget Murder mystery som är mer i linje med föregående skiva. Tyvärr är det låten också irriterande lång. Pale blue eyes är en riktig höjdare, men jag skulle vilja ha åtminstone en eller ett par till av den klassen för ett högre betyg. Stark trea.

I didn't know this album but knew the band of course. I expected more but of course it is ok.

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

Absolutely incredible.

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

it's fine 🤷‍♂️

It's okay

Cool

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

Kings of cool.

It was ok. Maybe not what I was in the mood for. Not familiar so it might take me another listen.

Good but not as good as other VU. 3/5

Way more stripped down than the other Velvet Underground albums I’ve listened to thus far, really like it

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

A lot less insane than the other Velvet Underground stuff I've heard, pretty solid!

No really bad songs no really good songs decent but hardly essential

3.5 It’s crazy how modern “After Hours” sounds. Like, the tone and the instrumentation and the voice and the lyrics; it could be an indie pop hit from 2010. A song totally out of time

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.

It was boring - same songs over and over again.

meh - I liked the non-Lou Reed songs the best. still need to figure out the hype with VU

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.

This is the 4th Lou Reed album that I’ve gotten on this list so far. I love this album list because it gives artists I’ve previously disliked a chance to prove their discography. That said, I still can’t stand Lou Reed. How is his music so glorified?? This absolutely sucks. If the only person to ever do heroin was Lou Reed, no one would have listened to this

Even though (all but one of) these tracks don't have unreasonably long run times, they sure do FEEL unreasonably long. I think, perhaps, it's the incessantly bland and repetitive melodies in the background with nothing vocally or harmonically interesting in the foreground that makes this an absolute chore to listen to. In the face of undeserved hype, I very confidently give this dross a 1.

I don’t know why I enjoyed this as much as I did. Every revisit has added more value than the last. I hated murder mystery at first. Still don’t get it after my third listen, but I am warming to it. Im going to be optimistic here and give this a very generous score in hopes I will one day appreciate that damn song.

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.

Really enjoyed this. I don't really know why.

Classic...

The Velvet Underground is hard to pin down, despite its simplicity. It tends to be slow and lo fi, yet paradoxically rich and experimental. The songs unravel patiently, in no rush to impress. At times laughably simple, yet at the same time somehow weighty. They’ve lost a bit of their experimental edge now that Cale has left the picture, but what they lost in experimentation they’ve gained in cohesiveness. Lou Reed’s simple yet genius songwriting emerges as the guiding force behind the band’s vision. 4.5/5

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.

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

Heard of the band, and of the lead singer Lou Reed, but don't think I know any specifics. Pleasant, kind of chill vibe, but I don't think I'd listen to most of the album again, it didn't really speak to me. The only exception was the song Murder Mystery, which tickled my brain in the same way as Glass' Einstein on the Beach or Berio's Sinphonia, with two overlapping vocal tracks at different speeds - I'd relisten to that sometime.

Solid listen, I was giving to the mellow vocals, creative sounds and arrangements. Looking forward to listening to it again sometime

We love Pale Blue Eyes

Probably my favorite Velvet Underground album. The run from Pale Blue Eyes > Jesus > Beginning to See the Light is excellent. The Murder Mystery is very annoying (and by far the longest song), dragging this down from 4 to 3.

Already listened to this it's really good though

Decent but not great

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

Might need a few more listens to appreciate it, but I'd have to remind myself "This is The Velvet Underground, it's supposed to be legendary". There is something charming about Pale Blue Eyes, Candy Says, and some others on the album, but kind've only because I know it's The Velvet Underground.

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.

entirely too long, pretty boring

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.

10/10 The Velvet Underground’s first 3 album run is possibly the greatest album run in Rock history, first by cementing an Art Rock classic in 1967, the most grotesque and Avant-Garde Noise Rock masterpiece in 1968, and with this, one of the most beautiful and lovely Pop albums of the 20th century. If you at all loved the lovely’s tunes on their first album, you are presented with an albums worth of wonderfully written and delightful melodies and tear jerking lyrics, a complete whiplash that displays the versatility and range of Lou Reed and company. I love gay people and Jesus!

Hard to believe how early this music was. So ahead of its time.

Highlights: - Some kinda love - Pale Blue Eyes - That’s the story of my life - After Hours

Jesus

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.

This is the 90th album I’m rating. I hate Lou Reed and without Nico I can’t imagine this album being any good. Adding to my Playlist - Candy Says, What Goes on, I’m Set Free, and After Hours. Not Adding to my Playlist - Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus, Beginning to see the Light, That’s the Story of my Life, The Murder Mystery Candy Says - I’m sorry Lou Reed. Some Kinda Love - I just learned that wan’t Lou Reed. Lou Reed this sucks. All in all I liked 4/10 songs. Lou Reed kinda sucks.

A rush of nostalgia listening to this album. I have so many Velvet Underground albums and not played them in ages. Lou Reeds vocals are timeless.

I’m sure this was revolutionary at the time but it doesn’t do much for me today. 3/5 because I saved 2 songs, but I won’t be revisiting this one often. It’s technically very sound, just not my jam.

"Jesus, help me find my proper place" might be a bit baffling coming from the lips of Lou Reed, but it reflects his search for something new. With John Cale gone from the group, the Velvets feel free to pursue a new direction. And as much as I love John Cale (whose solo work is so inspiring), the first album made after his absence from The Velvet Underground makes for the band's best album. This record is rather unlike its two predecessors, but its calm and casual atmosphere kicks ass! Discounting the discombobulating 'Murder Mystery' (which still works in its own weird way), the album floats by as if it were scrapped together in a single afternoon, and that chill mood works so very well. Favorites: 'Candy Says', 'Pale Blue Eyes', 'Jesus'

Not a Lou Reed fan so this was a problem for me.

Ein paar spannende Stücke wie "The Murder Mystery". Sonst typischer 60/70er Rock. 3/5

VELEVTET UNDERGOFUNDDDDD

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

I really like some VU stuff. I really don't care for others. This has some of each.

Bit gody in places which I wasn't expecting, but I liked the last two songs

Top class music. Made the playlist multiple times.

This was pretty good but I found some parts a little boring. My favorite was “Pale Blue Eyes”. 3.5/5

I like the velvet underground but this is not my favorite from them. 3.5

I think I enjoyed this album overall more compared to the others I listened to so far. There was no specific one song I thought stood out though which was the main downfall for me (I didn't massively enjoy pale blue eyes). The sounds feels quite similar to the Beatles though which is why I mostly enjoyed it

Did not resonate with me

Cool. Velvet is best for me in small doses. Well, small doses of Lou Reed. Honestly my favorite album of theirs is VU, which is so playful and divergent from their typical, well, drone. There’s some killer music on here, of course.

Not really my thing, but fine enough.

2.5

4/10

One of the bests so far!

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

it was okay, pale blue eyes was the highlight for me and that ending track was good. overall it's an okay album

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.

This is the third album by The Velvet Underground, a storied band with a delayed but significant influence. This is the beginning of the best the following decades had to offer in (what would later be called) the alternative stream. It’s a gentler album than their first two, and more minimalist than their fourth (Loaded). It’s wonderful. There is a bit of a religious arc with the three songs Jesus, Beginning to See the Light, and I’m Set Free, which I find interesting. In the late 60s you had a movement away from traditional American religion but still a searching spirit. The long song - The Murder Mystery - is an experimental piece that fits the times. But it’s listenable and has energy. You could choose to skip it on future listens if it’s not your style. For me, it just makes me envision this 60s New York art scene that was the birthplace of this band… and, through them, other great artists to follow. Think R.E..M. for example. As a teen in the 80s I was suffocating in synthesizers but also maturing past the hair metal bands that were effectively marketed to me up to about age 13. Thanks, VU, for carving out an alternative lane.

This is the first album I've listened to in a long time where the members of the band (whatever the manifestion) are completely comfortable with themselves and the music they are creating. There is no pretense. The composition, songwriting, performance all seem completely organic. Image the Beatles without the weight and pressure of expectation. And the music is fantastic. It is not filled with singles with hooks and riffs, it is just artistry on display. They're not playing for the record company, the charts, or even their fans. They are just in the artistic zone, playing music for the joy of it. I highly recommend this album. First five in too long.

Some surprisingly good tracks mixed with some creative, but unmelodious and boring numbers. At least, if you’re not dropping acid, I imagine.

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.

Mostly mellow rock. Almost hard to believe that this is the same group from their previous two albums when you compare the sound. Not to say that this is utterly unenjoyable, just different than what I was expecting going into this blind. Tracks like "Pale Blue Eyes" and "After Hours" were pleasant to listen to thanks to their more melodic-focused nature. "The Murder Mystery", on the other hand, was interesting for many reasons. I can't even imagine what went into the inspiration for that track.

Don't really understand the hype

The "soft" Velvet Underground album might be least favorite of the first four, but it is still absolutely indispensable. Some of Lou Reed's most vulnerable songwriting and prettiest melodies, but still with an edge and darkness that makes it all sound a little sinister. Great stuff.

Me gustó, es entretenido. Me gusta la calidad de la grabación

душевно пиздец, нечего сказать даже, мне понравилось, аж плакать хочется, 5/5

No one else quite like the VU. Awesome music.

Its alright good music but not a special album at all.

Had to listen to this After Hours, but That’s the Story of My Life.

Legendary

wonderful 4.5

I've seen the rotting banana album around, but I had never taken the chance to listen to their music. I quite enjoyed listening to this album. 03.24.2025 (Mon), MGL

Haha znam chociaż wolę ta wersję z Nico Bardzo lubię ten album i ogonie Lou Reeda sama nie wiem za co

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.

Com t'enganxin tovet et destrossen la setmana.

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.

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

316/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Beat, 1969 -> 3

Candy says is such a beautiful song

You’re a bore but in that you’re not charmless

5,6/10 meio fraco

Very good. I liked every song until the murder mystery which I strongly disliked

calming, introspective collection with some touching ballads like “pale blue eyes”

The album started out normally. I was waiting for it to get avant-garde-y and it did with Murder Mystery. Great album

Forgettable quiet rock

2/5

Despite loving the heavy experimentation of the "& Nico" album, this is my favorite Velvet Underground record.

Not as good as their first, but still am enjoyable listen. 8/10

It really is a template for so much modern indie

One of my favourites

Loved it

Heroine.chic

Ehhhhhh pretty naff

I always want to like them, but rarely do.

Meh. Pretty boring.

Have been listening to this album for ages. Love it!

The Murder Mystery is a bad song. It’s among the worst songs by The Velvet Underground. Still, the rest of this record is so great that I have no choice but to look past that one lousy track and award this 5 stars. John Cale was out, Doug Yule was in. Lou Reed was free to focus on the tuneful pop side of VU and boy did he crank out some gems. There’s a world of melancholy and heartache in Pale Blue Eyes but it’s such a beaut. Love this album.

The music is pretty stripped down. The expected rock instruments are all there, but they are subtle and not always pronounced.The lyrics are mostly simple and not as subversive and I was led to believe they might be based on the description of the band on YouTube Music. The Murder Mystery stands out to me because WTF IS GOING ON on this track. Two different sets of lyrics happening on the same track, one in each ear. Wild.

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

I can see how this album was influential, but it didnt do much for me. Its was a little light for me, and the songs seemed to blend together. Not bad for sure, but nothing really captivating. Overall- 2.5/5

Lou Reed really outdid himself here. Probably his most emotional album album ever. So intimate and powerful ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thrashing

Ok, I know it's gonna look biased. But this one is a bit better, almost deserving being on that list. But what do I know, 1001 is a large number of albums, perhaps they can't all be perfect - I guess it's not what it's about. Anyway, I went into this album expecting to another reminiscent entry, cuz they're "THE" Velvet Underground, so their first album *must* be on this list, it's a CLASSIC! But I discovered an album with something of a merit. Not mostly bullshit like I had expected. There are some nice tunes, some sweet tunes, and most importantly some imagination. But ok, I must admit that some tunes were somewhat familiar to me since I think my sister used to listen to this album when we lived together at our family home. So there might very well be some bias indeed. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could cuz 4 stars, I decided, is saved for really, REALLY good imperfect albums, and this one is just good. 3 it is.

Amazing album, will be giving it more listens in future

Loved Loaded and the banana album in high school. Always overlooked this one in comparison. I think because it's a lot more mellow and not as aggressive. But it's also really good.

I enjoyed this album a lot more than The Velvet Underground & Nico. It's not quite a four-star offering, so I'll give it three.

Nothing really stood out to me on this album. The vocals weren't very interesting and the instrumental arrangements were a bit tame to be truly interesting. All in all, didn't hate it, but didn't really like it. Pale Blue Eyes probably best track on album.

Some pleasant but largely unmemorable folky-rock tunes, and also The Murder Mystery, which is insane.

I once wrote a 12 page paper in college about the cultural impact of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. I, however, will not be doing that again. We’re going to keep it short this time. Still a solid album, but it has always felt like something is missing compared to previous records and that is more than likely attributed to John Cale leaving. There are great tracks like What Goes On and tracks where the band is obviously enjoying themselves like Murder Mystery, but more than anything this record feels like there’s forced vocal collaboration with less worthy vocalists and is probably what pushed Lou to do solo work.

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

Noise

6.5/10

The Velvet Underground's second best album. '"Candy Says" is arguably the most transgressive song they released at the time, as it’s about Candy Darling — a transgender actress and Andy Warhol’s muse. Massive respect to the band. "After Hours" is a beautiful little melody, and "Pale Blue Eyes" is simply very good. I love how melodic the album is. The Velvet Underground lowkey pioneered the development of alternative rock.

It is a brilliant album. Anything I try and say about this will not do it justice. Naturally, I've heard this many times and am aware of it's genius. For a first time listener however, this may not be a 5 star experience. But it sure is for me.

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

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."

Just not my thing. Too old and dated, would never want these songs coming up on shuffle.

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

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.

interesting, I think it'd 'get better' with more listenings

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.

This ranges between pleasant and boring. “The Murder Mystery” is an interesting track.

Very interesting album with a ton of variety even if some of the songs demonstrated questionable decision-making in the songwriting process.

liked this more than expected considering how much i hated the Lou Reed album we had

The first Velvet Underground album following John Cale's departure presents a notably quieter and more minimalist sound. This transition marks a departure from the infused chaos of "White Light/White Heat," yet the band retains a degree of their signature grit and rawness. "Pale Blue Eyes" has been my favorite track from this album, and perhaps my favorite overall from the Velvet Underground. Other notable songs include "Candy Says," "What Goes On," and "Beginning to See The Light." However, the album falters with the experimental piece "The Murder Mystery." While I can appreciate the artistic intent behind it, the result is an incoherent mess that is difficult to listen to. It raises the question of how many listeners tuned out at this point, missing the final track "After Hours," which is another gem. Overall, I find the album to be uneven, but worth completely listening to at least once. The best tracks are extremely enjoyable, some of the greatest from the Velvet Underground, which makes them (at least) worth listening to on repeat.

Not my style

Songs that go nowhere then jeeeesss-us then boring songs

Yeah pretty dang good. Good album to melt away to

Smooth and velvety, Lou Reed gives a nice serenity to this album, very pleasant to listen to on a chilly morning.

This seemed so restrained, pleasant even until the penultimate track when normal VU appeared restored.

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

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.

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

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.

It was okay, and I’m sure for its time it was great, but it’s hard not to listen to it with 2025 ears.

their best album probably

Could've sworn that last song was Kimya Dawson.

Solid but not mind-blowing

Comfy to listen to, this almost sounds like something that could release in the early 2000s.

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

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

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

Overall: 9/10 The best showcase of Lou Reed's non singing that I've heard so far! The other vocalists fit in pretty good as well. The best thing about this one is the slow songs. I found myself mesmerized by the guitar work at times. I also really enjoyed The Murder Mystery, which was a wild 8 minute ride. It's like the musical equivalent of a french new wave film. I finally understand why they're considered so influential and I might just go straight into their debut. Fav Song: Pale Blue Eyes Least Fav Song: Jesus

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.

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

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

Wasn’t too familiar with Velvet Underground material before this list. They definetly continue to grow on me the more I listen.

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

I feel like if every song was like song 1, this would be a solid 4 for me. "The Murder Mystery" was pretty long, odd, and boring, but songs like "Candy Says" and "After Hours" were amazing. Those 2 just fit the vibe I wanted for the album, and at times i felt like I got it, but others, I didnt. Overall, it was a solid album. Liked Songs and Least Favorite: Listed Above^

Ne :( Das Lied in dem Jesus gepriesen wird und Murder Mystery stechen besonders hervor

'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

The Velvet Underground's melodic self-titled third album, without Andy Warhol's "production," Nico's flat Germanic monotone or John Cale's classical dissonance, is my favorite. I guess today will be an opportunity to compare and contrast the "Valentin" mix and Lou Reed's "Closet Mix" Doug Yule sings "Candy Says," a delicate rock ballad about transgender Factory scenester and actress Candy Darling. "What Goes On" has that steadily propulsive Moe Tucker beat, guitar distortion (evidently the result of Lou Reed using multiple guitar solo tracks and mixing them all together to produce an overwhelming wall of noise), and organ. "Some Kinda Love" a cowbell and bass drum, with perversely literate Lou Reed lyrics, and mellow melodic guitars. "Pale Blue Eyes" tambourine and tenderness. "Jesus" has Doug Yule's bass playing something that sounds like an attempt to play Jackson Browne's These Days. "Beginning to See the Light" is incredible chiming guitars and bouncing bass, with a yelped exuberance from Lou Reed. The guitar solo from "I'm Set Free" inspired Galaxie 500, Luna and every other Dean Wareham album and most of Yo La Tengo's vast discography. "The Murder Mystery" is nine experimental minutes of simultaneous vocal contributions from every member, spoken word from Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison, and lilting tones from Moe Tucker and Doug Yule, unhinged piano solo and chanting, but it all sounds better than most of White Light/White Heat. "After Hours" is an acoustic song with vocals from Moe Tucker, I had no idea why it sounds distorted and scratchy with surface noise. The Closet Mix obscures a lot of the instruments, especially Moe Tucker's percussion, while the vocals tend to dominate the mix. "What Goes On" erases the background vocals and the multi-tracked guitar solo sounds flatter and less intense. While the vocal harmonies on "Candy Says" sounds more pronounced than on the Valentin mix. "Some Kinda Love" (Closet Mix) is a dramatically different vocal take, intimate and breathy purring. "Jesus" the vocals do blend better on the Closet Mix with some subtle reverb at the end. "Beginning to See the Light" (Closet Mix version 1), has a dreamier sound and the vocals seemed to be more embedded in the mix, some of Lou Reed's falsetto seems to jarringly leap out of the Valentin mix and the blend at the end is much better ("how does it feel to be loved"). I do miss the proximity of the drums in the Valentin mix of I'm Set Free, the focus on the vocals just makes the strangeness of the off harmonies more prominent, although the guitar solo sounds incredible. The Murder Mystery Closet Mix makes the voices sound clearer and is actually an improvement! Bass is almost inaudible on After Hours (Closet Mix), vocal echo is interesting.

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!