Album of the Week #35: The Velvet Underground and Nico

John

I was going back through all the suggestions made and realised that we have never, ever had VU as an album of the week which is surely a crime of some sort. So here is perhaps the best album of all time. Each song could have been by a different band, compare "Waiting for the Man" to "The Black Angel's Death Song" to "Sunday Morning". The perfect balance of melody, noise, rhythm and experimentation. Fantastic lyrics and two amazing singers. And let's not forget that sleeve!

the hero game

yes yes, i agree with all that.. the sound of the record is just so thrilling and yeah such a diverse set of songs that works so well as a body of work..

RE*AC*TOR

Super album alright. Unlike a lot of the more experimental stuff from the 60s, it holds up well today. Perhaps that speaks of the influence this album, and this band has had on subsequent generations of musicians.

Importantly at the time it was a complete and utter failure. This commercial failure saw ties with Warhol and Nico cut.

grumpytrousers

good album alright. certainly one of the best opening 3 song blasts committed to magnetic tape...

Karlusss

This does not age. One of the greatest albums of all time.

The only time out of tune guitars and out of tunes backing vocals have come together to give a resounding positive.

JC 2K3

"SSSSuuuuuuuuuuuunday Morning....."

Class album.

Karlusss wrote:

The only time out of tune guitars and out of tunes backing vocals have come together to give a resounding positive.

The only time ever? I disagree. This is a great example of it though.

dream brother

I remember hearing the song Heroin and being blown away by John Cale and whatever he's playing! Its a mad song that actual sounds like its theme. Great album and nice banana sticker too......

nlgbbbblth

fantastic debut.

unbelievably the next record they made was even better.

dream brother

whats the album after this one called?

John

White Light/White Heat and it is ****ing deadly.

Setun

Great album indeed, Run Run Run was my fave I think.

Relatively OT, but has anyone heard John Cale's album with Brian Eno titled Wrong Way Up? Def worth a listen imo.

IrishToffees

Classic album! I must start listening to them again..its been ages!

Marty DiBergi

Released when-1967? 40 years ago! Imagine what the band must have been like in a live performance back then. Completely and utterly unique. Venus in Furs is still such a disturbing song. And Sunday Morning has such a beautiful melody. Like the start of a perfect day.

Frank Grimes

Marty DiBergi wrote:

Released when-1967? 40 years ago! Imagine what the band must have been like in a live performance back then.

Try to get a hold of the Valleydale Ballroom concert from November 1966. They do most of the first album live and two other half hour songs; Melody Laughter and The Nothing Song - that'll give you some idea of what they were like back then.

DerekD Goldfish

John wrote:

White Light/White Heat and it is ****ing deadly.

Indeed the best Velvets album

John

Unfortunately totally overlooked in comparison to VU and Nico. It was my first VU record, I bought it to hear the original "Sister Ray" after falling in love with Joy Division's version on Still. After hearing the original the Joy Division one sounds anaemic.

Crowcifer

VU and Nico is indeed a quality debut, their third album is easily the best for me.