Tracks
- Candy Says
- What Goes On
- Some Kinda Love
- Pale Blue Eyes
- Jesus
- Beginning to See the Light
- I'm Set Free
- That's the Story of My Life
- The Murder Mystery
- After Hours
The Velvet Underground is a focused album. Well, it's certainly focused when compared to White Light/White Heat. The songs are also a lot more mellow, relaxed and melodic. Or at least the melody is more apparent.
This album starts out really strong, keeps improving and then falls short on the last two songs. I wouldn't be surprised if there are people who enjoy those two songs, but the Murder Mystery sounds like Frank Zappa doing a rendition of the Monkees' annoying Zilch. After Hours just seems out of place with the rest of the album.
Despite the last two songs, this is the best Velvet Underground album, but that may only be because Nico was on the first album. I'm somewhat unsure why this album is on the 1001 Albums list, but I have a nagging suspicion that this album actually is ahead of its time—that it doesn't sound much like a late '60s recording and that that's not just a fluke. So either Lou Reed is helping to set the tone for the '70s or is simply ahead of his time. No matter, this album worth listening to.
Actually, if The Crickets played no frills, straightforward rock and roll in the '50s, then this album is a modern updated version for the '70s of no frills, straightforward rock and roll.
The stand out songs are Candy Says, What Goes On, Some Kinda Love, Pale Blue Eyes, Jesus, Beginning to See the Light, I'm Set Free and That's the Story of My Life.
★★★★★★★★★☆
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