The Velvet Underground | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Few rock groups can claim to have broken so much new territory, and maintain such consistent brilliance on record, as the Velvet Underground during their brief lifespan. It was the groups lot to be ahead of, or at least out of step with, their time. The mid- to late 60s was an era of explosive growth and experimentation in rock, but the Velvets innovations -- which blended the energy of rock with the sonic adventurism of the avant-garde, and introduced a new degree of social realism and sexual kinkiness into rock lyrics -- were too abrasive for the mainstream to handle. During their time, the group experienced little commercial success; though they were hugely appreciated by a cult audience and some critics, the larger public treated them with indifference or, occasionally, scorn. The Velvets music was too important to languish in obscurity, though; their cult only grew larger and larger in the years following their demise, and continued to mushroom through the years. By the 1980s, they were acknowledged not just as one of the most important rock bands of the 60s, but one of the best of all time, and one whose immense significance cannot be measured by their relatively modest sales. Historians often hail the group for their incalculable influence upon the punk and new wave of subsequent years, and while the Velvets were undoubtedly a key touchstone of the movements, to focus upon these elements of their vision is to only get part of the story. The group was uncompromising in its music and lyrics, to be sure, sometimes espousing a bleakness and primitivism that would inspire alienated singers and songwriters of future generations. But the bands colorful and oft-grim soundscapes were firmly grounded in strong, well-constructed songs that could be as humanistic and compassionate as they were outrageous and confrontational. The member most responsible for these qualities was guitarist, singer, and songwriter Lou Reed, whose sing-speak vocals and gripping narratives came to define street-savvy rock & roll. Reed loved rock & roll from an early age, and even recorded a doo wop-type single as a Long Island teenager in the late 50s (as a member of the Shades). By the early 60s, he was also getting into avant-garde jazz and serious poetry, coming under the influence of author Delmore Schwartz while studying at Syracuse University. After graduation, he set his sights considerably lower, churning out tunes for exploitation rock albums as a staff songwriter for Pickwick Records in New York City. Reed did learn some useful things about production at Pickwick, and it was while working there that he met John Cale, a classically trained Welshman who had moved to America to study and perform "serious" music. Cale, who had performed with John Cage and LaMonte Young, found himself increasingly attracted to rock & roll; Reed, for his part, was interested in the avant-garde as well as pop. Reed and Cale were both interested in fusing the avant-garde with rock & roll, and had found the ideal partners for making the vision (a very radical one for the mid-60s) work; their synergy would be the crucial axis of the Velvet Undergrounds early work. Reed and Cale (who would play bass, viola, and organ) would need to assemble a full band, making tentative steps along this direction by performing together in the Primitives (which also included experimental filmmaker Tony Conrad and avant-garde sculptor Walter DeMaria) to promote a bizarre Reed-penned Pickwick single ("The Ostrich"). By 1965, the group was a quartet called the Velvet Underground, including Reed, Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison (an old friend of Reeds), and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise quit before the bands first paying gig, claiming that accepting money for art was a sellout; the Velvets quickly recruited drummer Maureen Tucker, a sister of one of Morrisons friends. Even at this point, the Velvets were well on their way to developing something quite different. Their original material, principally penned and sung by Reed, dealt with the hard urban realities of Manhattan, describing drug use, sadomasochism, and decadence in cool, unapologetic detail in "Heroin," "Im Waiting for the Man," "Venus in Furs," and "All Tomorrows Parties." These were wedded to basic, hard-nosed rock riffs, toughened by Tuckers metronome beats; the oddly tuned, rumbling guitars; and Cales occasional viola scrapes. It was an uncommercial blend to say the least, but the Velvets got an unexpected benefactor when artist and all-around pop art icon Andy Warhol caught the band at a club around the end of 1965. Warhol quickly assumed management of the group, incorporating them into his mixed-media/performance art ensemble, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. By spring 1966, Warhol was producing their debut album. Warhol was also responsible for embellishing the quartet with Nico, a mysterious European model/chanteuse with a deep voice whom the band accepted rather reluctantly, viewing her spectral presence as rather ornamental. Reed remained the principal lead vocalist, but Nico did sing three of the best songs on the groups debut, The Velvet Underground & Nico, often known as "the banana album" because of its distinctive Warhol-designed cover. Recognized today as one of the core classic albums of rock, it featured an extraordinarily strong set of songs, highlighted by "Heroin," "All Tomorrows Parties," "Venus in Furs," "Ill Be Your Mirror," "Femme Fatale," "Black Angels Death Song," and "Sunday Morning." The sensational drug-and-sex items (especially "Heroin") got most of the ink, but the more conventional numbers showed Reed to be a songwriter capable of considerable melodicism, sensitivity, and almost naked introspection. The albums release was not without complications, though. First, it wasnt issued until nearly a year after it was finished, due to record-company politics and other factors. The groups association with Warhol and the Exploding Plastic Inevitable had already assured them of a high (if notorious) media profile, but the music was simply too daring to fit onto commercial radio; "underground" rock radio was barely getting started at this point, and in any case may well have overlooked the record at a time when psychedelic music was approaching its peak. The album only reached number 171 in the charts, and thats as high as any of their LPs would get upon original release. Those who heard it, however, were often mightily impressed; Brian Eno once said that even though hardly anyone bought the Velvets records at the time they appeared, almost everyone who did formed their own bands. A cult reputation wasnt enough to guarantee a stable livelihood for a band in the 60s, and by 1967 the Velvets were fighting problems within their own ranks. Nico, never considered an essential member by the rest of the band, left or was fired sometime during the year, going on to a fascinating career of her own. The association with Warhol weakened, as the artist was unable to devote as much attention to the band as he had the previous year. Embittered by the lukewarm reception of their album in their native New York, the Velvets concentrated on touring cities throughout the rest of the country. Amidst this tense atmosphere, the second album, White Light/White Heat, was recorded in late 1967. Each of the albums the group released while Reed led the band was an unexpected departure from all of their other LPs. White Light/White Heat was probably the most radical, focusing almost exclusively on their noisiest arrangements, over-amped guitars, and most willfully abrasive songs. The 17-minute "Sister Ray" was their most extreme (and successful) effort in this vein. Unsurprisingly, the album failed to catch on commercially, topping out at number 199. By the summer of 1968, the band had a much graver problem on its hands than commercial success (or the lack of it). A rift developed between Reed and Cale, the most creative forces in the band and, as one could expect, two temperamental egos. Reed presented the rest of the band with an ultimatum, declaring that he would leave the group unless Cale was sacked. Morrison and Tucker reluctantly sided with Lou, and Doug Yule was recruited to take Cales place. The groups third album, 1969s The Velvet Underground, was an even more radical left turn than White Light/White Heat. The volume and violence had nearly vanished; the record featured far more conventional rock arrangements that were sometimes so restrained it seems as though they were making an almost deliberate attempt to avoid waking the neighbors. Yet the sound was nonetheless effective for that; the record contains some of Reeds most personal and striking compositions, numbers like "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Candy Says" ranking among his most romantic, although cuts like "What Goes On" proved they could still rock out convincingly (though in a less experimental fashion than they had with Cale). The approach may have confused listeners and critics, but by this time their label (MGM/Verve) was putting little promotional resources behind the band anyway. Even in the absence of Cale, the Velvets were still capable of generating compelling heat on-stage, as 1969: Velvet Underground Live (not released until the mid-70s) confirms. MGM was by now in the midst of an infamous "purge" of its supposedly drug-related rock acts, and the Velvets were setting their sights elsewhere. Nevertheless, they recorded about an albums worth of additional material for the label after the third LP, although it remains unclear whether this was intended for a fourth album or not. Many of the songs, though, were excellent, serving as a bridge between The Velvet Underground and 1970s Loaded; a lot of it was officially released in the 1980s and 1990s. The beginning of the 1970s seemed to herald considerable promise for the group, as they signed to Atlantic, but at this point the personnel problems that had always dogged them finally became overwhelming. Tucker had to sit out Loaded due to pregnancy, replaced by Yules brother Billy. Doug Yule, according to some accounts, began angling for more power in the band. Unexpectedly, after a lengthy residency at New Yorks famous Maxs Kansas City club, Reed quit the band near the end of the summer of 1970, moving back to his parents Long Island home for several months before beginning his solo career, just before the release of Loaded, his final studio album with the Velvets. Loaded was by far the groups most conventional rock album, and the most accessible one for mainstream listeners. "Rock and Roll" and "Sweet Jane" in particular were two of Reeds most anthemic, jubilant tunes, and ones that became rock standards in the 70s. But the groups power was somewhat diluted by the absence of Tucker, and by the decision to have Doug Yule handle some of the lead vocals. Due to Reeds departure, though, the group couldnt capitalize on any momentum it might have generated. Unwisely, the band decided to continue, though Morrison and Tucker left shortly afterward. That left Doug Yule at the helm of an act that was the Velvet Underground in name only, and the 1973 album that was billed to the group (Squeeze) is best forgotten, and not considered as a true Velvets release. With Reed, Cale, and Nico establishing important solo careers of their own, and such important figures as David Bowie, Brian Eno, and Patti Smith making no bones about their debts to the band, the Velvet Underground simply became more and more popular as the years passed. In the 1980s, the original albums were reissued, along with a couple of important collections of outtakes. Hoping to rewrite the rules one last time, Reed, Cale, Morrison, and Tucker attempted to defy the odds against successful rock reunions by re-forming in the early 90s (Nico had died in 1988). A European tour, and a live album, was completed in 1993 to mixed reviews; before a planned American jaunt could start, Reed and Cale (who have feuded constantly over the past few decades) fell out yet again, bringing the reunion to a sad close. Sterling Morrisons death from illness in 1995 seemed to permanently ice any prospect of more projects under the Velvet Underground name, although a few of the surviving members played together when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. By that time, an impressive five-CD box set (containing all four of the studio albums issued when Reed was in the band, as well as a lot of other material) was available to enshrine the groups legacy for the ages. Cale and Reed continued with solo careers into the 21st century, but Reed underwent a liver transplant in April 2013, and although he subsequently proclaimed his strength and intention to continue performing and songwriting, he died of end-stage liver disease at his home on Long Island in October of that year. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 30 Title: The Velvet Underground & Nico Released: 1967-03 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sunday Morning (02:55) 2 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 3 Femme Fatale (02:39) 4 Venus in Furs (05:10) 5 Run Run Run (04:22) 6 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 7 Heroin (07:12) 8 There She Goes Again (02:41) 9 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 10 The Black Angel’s Death Song (03:13) 11 European Son (07:46) |
| The Velvet Underground & Nico : Allmusic album Review : One would be hard-pressed to name a rock album whose influence has been as broad and pervasive as The Velvet Underground & Nico. While it reportedly took over a decade for the albums sales to crack six figures, glam, punk, new wave, goth, noise, and nearly every other left-of-center rock movement owes an audible debt to this set. While The Velvet Underground had as distinctive a sound as any band, whats most surprising about this album is its diversity. Here, the Velvets dipped their toes into dreamy pop ("Sunday Morning"), tough garage rock ("Waiting for the Man"), stripped-down R&B ("There She Goes Again"), and understated love songs ("Ill Be Your Mirror") when they werent busy creating sounds without pop precedent. Lou Reeds lyrical exploration of drugs and kinky sex (then risky stuff in film and literature, let alone "teen music") always received the most press attention, but the music Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker played was as radical as the words they accompanied. The bracing discord of "European Son," the troubling beauty of "All Tomorrows Parties," and the expressive dynamics of "Heroin" all remain as compelling as the day they were recorded. While the significance of Nicos contributions have been debated over the years, she meshes with the bands outlook in that she hardly sounds like a typical rock vocalist, and if Andy Warhols presence as producer was primarily a matter of signing the checks, his notoriety allowed The Velvet Underground to record their material without compromise, which would have been impossible under most other circumstances. Few rock albums are as important as The Velvet Underground & Nico, and fewer still have lost so little of their power to surprise and intrigue more 50 years after first hitting the racks. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 30 Title: White Light/White Heat Released: 1968-01-30 Tracks: 30 Duration: 3:08:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 2 The Gift (08:19) 3 Lady Godiva’s Operation (04:56) 4 Here She Comes Now (02:05) 5 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:38) 6 Sister Ray (17:31) 7 I Heard Her Call My Name (alternate take) (04:38) 8 Guess I’m Falling in Love (instrumental version) (03:33) 9 Temptation Inside Your Heart (original mix) (02:32) 10 Stephanie Says (original mix) (02:49) 11 Hey Mr. Rain (version one) (04:39) 12 Hey Mr. Rain (version two) (05:24) 13 Beginning to See the Light (previously unreleased early version) (03:39) 1 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 2 The Gift (08:17) 3 Lady Godiva’s Operation (04:55) 4 Here She Comes Now (02:03) 5 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:37) 6 Sister Ray (17:31) 7 White Light/White Heat (mono single mix) (02:48) 8 Here She Comes Now (02:03) 9 The Gift (vocal version) (08:07) 10 The Gift (instrumental version) (08:16) 1 Booker T. (06:45) 2 I’m Not a Young Man Anymore (06:16) 3 Guess I’m Falling in Love (04:09) 4 I’m Waiting for the Man (05:27) 5 Run Run Run (06:57) 6 Sister Ray (19:03) 7 The Gift (10:24) |
| White Light/White Heat : Allmusic album Review : The world of pop music was hardly ready for The Velvet Undergrounds first album when it appeared in the spring of 1967, but while The Velvet Underground and Nico sounded like an open challenge to conventional notions of what rock music could sound like (or what it could discuss), 1968s White Light/White Heat was a no-holds-barred frontal assault on cultural and aesthetic propriety. Recorded without the input of either Nico or Andy Warhol, White Light/White Heat was the purest and rawest document of the key Velvets lineup of Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker, capturing the group at their toughest and most abrasive. The album opens with an open and enthusiastic endorsement of amphetamines (startling even from this group of noted drug enthusiasts), and side one continues with an amusing shaggy-dog story set to a slab of lurching mutant R&B ("The Gift"), a perverse variation on an old folktale ("Lady Godivas Operation"), and the albums sole "pretty" song, the mildly disquieting "Here She Comes Now." While side one was a good bit darker in tone than the Velvets first album, side two was where they truly threw down the gauntlet with the manic, free-jazz implosion of "I Heard Her Call My Name" (featuring Reeds guitar work at its most gloriously fractured), and the epic noise jam "Sister Ray," 17 minutes of sex, drugs, violence, and other non-wholesome fun with the loudest rock group in the history of Western Civilization as the house band. White Light/White Heat is easily the least accessible of The Velvet Undergrounds studio albums, but anyone wanting to hear their guitar-mauling tribal frenzy straight with no chaser will love it, and those benighted souls who think of the Velvets as some sort of folk-rock band are advised to crank their stereo up to ten and give side two a spin. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 30 Title: The Velvet Underground Released: 1969-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Candy Says (04:04) 2 What Goes On (04:55) 3 Some Kinda Love (04:03) 4 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 5 Jesus (03:24) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 7 I’m Set Free (04:04) 8 That’s the Story of My Life (02:04) 9 The Murder Mystery (08:56) 10 Afterhours (02:07) |
| The Velvet Underground : Allmusic album Review : Upon first release, the Velvet Undergrounds self-titled third album must have surprised their fans nearly as much as their first two albums shocked the few mainstream music fans who heard them. After testing the limits of how musically and thematically challenging rock could be on Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat, this 1969 release sounded spare, quiet, and contemplative, as if the previous albums documented some manic, speed-fueled party and this was the subdued morning after. (The albums relative calm has often been attributed to the departure of the bands most committed avant-gardist, John Cale, in the fall of 1968; the arrival of new bassist Doug Yule; and the theft of the bands amplifiers shortly before they began recording.) But Lou Reeds lyrical exploration of the demimonde is as keen here as on any album he ever made, while displaying a warmth and compassion he sometimes denied his characters. "Candy Says," "Pale Blue Eyes," and "Im Set Free" may be more muted in approach than what the band had done in the past, but "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light" made it clear the VU still loved rock & roll, and "The Murder Mystery" (which mixes and matches four separate poetic narratives) is as brave and uncompromising as anything on White Light/White Heat. This album sounds less like the Velvet Underground than any of their studio albums, but its as personal, honest, and moving as anything Lou Reed ever committed to tape. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 30 Title: Loaded Released: 1970-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Who Loves the Sun (02:46) 2 Sweet Jane (03:16) 3 Rock & Roll (04:40) 4 Cool It Down (03:05) 5 New Age (04:40) 6 Head Held High (02:58) 7 Lonesome Cowboy Bill (02:44) 8 I Found a Reason (04:16) 9 Train Round the Bend (03:21) 10 Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ (07:23) |
| Loaded : Allmusic album Review : After The Velvet Underground cut three albums for the jazz-oriented Verve label that earned them lots of notoriety but negligible sales, the group signed with industry powerhouse Atlantic Records in 1970; label head Ahmet Ertegun supposedly asked Lou Reed to avoid sex and drugs in his songs, and instead focus on making an album "loaded with hits." Loaded was the result, and with appropriate irony it turned out to be the first VU album that made any noticeable impact on commercial radio -- and also their swan song, with Reed leaving the group shortly before its release. With John Cale long gone from the band, Doug Yule highly prominent (he sings lead on four of the ten tracks), and Maureen Tucker absent on maternity leave, this is hardly a purists Velvet Underground album. But while Lou Reed always wrote great rock & roll songs with killer hooks, on Loaded his tunes were at last given a polished but intelligent production that made them sound like the hits they should have been, and theres no arguing that "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll" are as joyously anthemic as anything hes ever recorded. And if this release generally maintains a tight focus on the sunny side of the VUs personality (or would that be Reeds personality?), "New Age" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin" prove he had hardly abandoned his contemplative side, and "Train Around the Bend" is a subtle but revealing metaphor for his weariness with the music business. Sterling Morrison once said of Loaded, "It showed that we could have, all along, made truly commercial sounding records," but just as importantly, it proved they could do so without entirely abandoning their musical personality in the process. Its a pity that notion hadnt occurred to anyone a few years earlier. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 30 Title: Pop History Released: 1971 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:23:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Duke of Prunes (05:09) 2 Absolutely Free (03:26) 3 Status Back Baby (02:52) 4 America Drinks & Goes Home (02:43) 5 Invacation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin (06:57) 6 Flower Punk (03:57) 7 You Didn’t Try to Call Me (03:53) 8 I’m Not Satisfied (02:37) 9 The Idiot Bastard Son (03:27) 10 The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny (06:30) 1 The Murder Mystery (08:35) 2 I’m Set Free (04:05) 3 Lady Godiva’s Operation (04:52) 4 Winter Song (03:15) 5 Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (05:15) 6 The Gift (08:15) 7 Some Kind of Love (03:35) 8 Eulogy to Lenny Bruce (03:45) |
 | Album: 6 of 30 Title: Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground featuring Nico Released: 1971-12 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:27:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:35) 2 Candy Says (04:04) 3 Run, Run, Run (04:18) 4 White Light/White Heat (02:44) 5 All Tomorrow’s Parties (05:55) 6 Sunday Morning (02:52) 7 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:35) 8 Femme Fatale (02:39) 9 Heroin (07:12) 10 Here She Comes Now (02:02) 11 There She Goes Again (02:37) 1 Sister Ray (17:17) 2 Venus in Furs (05:06) 3 European Son (07:45) 4 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 5 Black Angel’s Death Song (03:09) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:43) |
 | Album: 7 of 30 Title: Live at Max’s Kansas City Released: 1972-05-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:33) 2 Sweet Jane (05:23) 3 Lonesome Cowboy Bill (04:25) 4 Beginning to See the Light (05:32) 5 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:06) 6 Pale Blue Eyes (05:52) 7 Sunday Morning (03:33) 8 New Age (06:31) 9 Femme Fatale (03:18) 10 After Hours (02:55) |
| Live at Max’s Kansas City : Allmusic album Review : Theres a certain amount of disagreement among Velvet Underground scholars regarding whether or not this album, recorded by Andy Warhol associate and longtime fan Brigid Polk on a portable cassette recorder on August 23, 1970, does in fact document Lou Reeds final appearance with the VU. If this wasnt his last stand with the group, it was certainly close to the end of the line, and while the performance is technically strong, it isnt especially inspired, with Reed sounding more than a bit weary. (At this point, the band was near the end of a three-month residency at Maxs, doing recording sessions for Loaded during the day, a schedule that would tax most performers.) The absence of Maureen Tucker on drums (who was pregnant and sitting out the Maxs shows) makes an even bigger difference; the replacement of her steady, tribal pulse in favor of Billy Yules busy, sometimes sloppy style does these songs no favors. But there are a few lovely moments, including rare live performances of "After Hours" and "Sunday Morning," and Reed and Sterling Morrison lock guitars with their usual authority on "Waiting for the Man" and "Beginning to See the Light." The audio quality isnt great, but given the circumstances its better than you might expect (its OK by the standards of an early-70s bootleg), though historical merit seems to be more the issue than high fidelity. And yes, that really is Jim Carroll ordering double Pernods and asking about the availability of Tuinal between songs. Fun for fans, but 1969: Velvet Underground Live is a much stronger document of this bands on-stage prowess. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 30 Title: Squeeze Released: 1973 Tracks: 11 Duration: 33:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Little Jack (03:25) 2 Crash (01:21) 3 Caroline (02:34) 4 Mean Old Man (02:52) 5 Dopey Joe (03:06) 6 Wordless (03:00) 7 Shell Make You Cry (02:43) 8 Friends (02:37) 9 Send No Letter (03:11) 10 Jack & Jane (02:53) 11 Louise (05:43) |
| Squeeze : Allmusic album Review : After Lou Reed left the Velvet Underground, bassist Doug Yule took control of the group. Retaining the name "The Velvet Underground," Yule assembled several new lineups of the band and toured the U.S. By the time Yules VU recorded their first album, the band featured Boston-based vocalist Willie Alexander and was playing a set of conventional pop/rock songs. Squeeze appeared in 1973, and Yule broke up the band shortly after its release. Over the years, Squeeze has not only become increasingly rare -- after all, not many copies of the record were pressed -- it has virtually disappeared from the official Velvet Underground discography, and Yules attempt to prolong the bands career has virtually been forgotten. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 30 Title: 1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed Released: 1974 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:41:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Waiting for My Man (07:00) 2 Lisa Says (05:46) 3 What Goes On (08:47) 4 Sweet Jane (03:58) 5 Were Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (03:12) 6 Femme Fatale (03:01) 7 New Age (06:31) 8 Rock and Roll (06:00) 9 Beginning to See the Light (05:23) 1 Ocean (10:46) 2 Pale Blue Eyes (05:50) 3 Heroin (09:42) 4 Some Kinda Love (04:44) 5 Over You (02:15) 6 Sweet Bonnie Brown / Its Just Too Much (07:50) 7 White Light/White Heat (08:32) 8 Ill Be Your Mirror (02:17) |
| 1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed : Allmusic album Review : Sadly, outside of a handful of audience tapes of extremely variable fidelity, no one thought to make a live recording of the Velvet Underground during their 1967-1968 peak period with John Cale prodding Lou Reed into remarkable flights of noise-rock fancy. However, in 1969, a VU fan who was a recording engineer brought a reel-to-reel tape machine to two shows the band played during an engagement at a club in Dallas called The End of Cole Avenue; a few months later, the band played The Matrix in San Francisco, where a tape machine had been installed into the halls sound system, and the band was allowed to record their set. Five years later, long after the Velvet Underground had collapsed and Lou Reeds solo career was on the rise, Mercury Records compiled highlights of the Dallas and San Francisco tapes into a two-record set, 1969: Velvet Underground Live, and it is without question the best document of this bands considerable strengths as a live act. While they were a somewhat more sedate band with Doug Yule on bass rather than Cale, they still had plenty of life left in them at this stage of the game; there are few voyages into the sonic unknown here, but Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison had matured into one of rocks most potent guitar combinations, Maureen Tucker was as distinctive a drummer as anyone who picked up a pair of mallets, and with Doug Yule at her side, they comprised a truly superb rhythm section. Sounding tight, confident, and passionate on every cut, this set finds the band visiting highlights from all four of their studio albums, as well as a handful of previously unreleased numbers. 1969: Velvet Underground Live captures the many sides of VUs musical personality with commendable skill, and while it isnt their best album, its one of the best places for a beginner to explore their body of work. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 30 Title: Historia de la Música rock - 38 Released: 1982 Tracks: 6 Duration: 43:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sister Ray (17:00) 2 Venus in Furs (05:10) 3 European Son (07:46) 4 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 5 The Black Angels Death Song (03:10) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) |
 | Album: 11 of 30 Title: VU Released: 1984 Tracks: 10 Duration: 05:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Can’t Stand It (05:37) 2 Stephanie Says (?) 3 Shes My Best Friend (?) 4 Lisa Says (?) 5 Ocean (?) 6 Foggy Notion (?) 7 Inside Your Heart (?) 8 One of These Days (?) 9 Andys Chest (?) 10 Im Sticking With You (?) |
| VU : Allmusic album Review : No one seems to know if the Velvet Underground were making an album or just cutting demos when they went into the studio in 1969 not long before their contract with MGM Records ran out -- even the members of the band didnt agree on the particulars years after the fact -- but when the tapes were rediscovered in Polygrams vaults in the early 80s, it led to the first major archival release from the Velvets since 1969: Velvet Underground Live, and one that was every bit as important. While many of the tunes on VU had circulated for years on bootlegs (sourced from rough-mix acetates reportedly belonging to Sterling Morrison), the album gave them their first authorized release, and in much improved fidelity. Some fans have grumbled (and not without reason) over the very 80s polish the new mixes gave the tunes, but this still sounds like the Velvet Underground, and in fine fettle at that. The 1969 recordings on VU rank with some of the most accessible but potent rock & roll the Velvet Underground ever recorded; if Loaded sometimes felt like a compromised version of the band, these tapes show how the Velvets could play nice in the studio without betraying their musical instincts in the least, and "I Cant Stand It," "Foggy Notion," and "One of These Days" are memorable, punchy rock tunes that also have a vital sense of adventure, perfectly befitting the bands history and outlook. VU also includes a few older archive recordings (including the lovely "Stephanie Says" with John Cale on viola, and the great R&B; workout "Temptation Inside Your Heart") that have a different feel but still mesh gracefully with the scrappy 1969 tapes. VU was the first authorized look at what Velvet Underground fans have come to call "the Great Lost Album," and the more straightforward presentation of these recordings on the 2014 Super Deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground is probably truer to the original intent, but VU was assembled with real care, and it shows -- the sequence flatters the songs, and the music is a reminder that this band wasnt as alienating as many writers like to suggest. The Velvet Underground were fearless groundbreakers, but they could also play tough but joyous rock & roll that made people want to dance, and that side of the band stands proudly at front and center on VU. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 30 Title: Another View Released: 1986-09 Tracks: 9 Duration: 36:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (02:57) 2 Im Gonna Move Right In (06:31) 3 Hey Mr. Rain (version I) (04:42) 4 Ride Into the Sun (demo) (03:23) 5 Coney Island Steeplechase (02:28) 6 Guess Im Falling in Love (instrumental version) (03:30) 7 Hey Mr. Rain (version II) (05:29) 8 Ferryboat Bill (02:14) 9 Rock and Roll (05:15) |
| Another View : Allmusic album Review : After 18 years of having little or no idea of what to do with the Velvet Underground, sometime in 1985 it seems to have suddenly dawned on Verve Records that they had the back catalog of one of Americas greatest and most influential rock bands languishing in their vaults, and they began to act accordingly; remastered (and budget-priced) versions of the groups first three albums were released, as well as VU, a superb collection of unreleased Velvet Underground tracks, most of which were recorded for a fourth Verve album that never saw the light of day. Commendably, the label went back to their tape archives a year later looking for more VU goodies, and Another View was the result. One thing thats obvious from the outset is the cream of the bands unreleased material had already been skimmed off for VU, and several of the tracks on Another View are rough demos for which the group never even recorded vocals ("Guess Im Falling in Love," "Ride Into the Sun," and "Im Gonna Move Right In" all have lyrics, but you dont hear em here). And while the non-bootleg emergence of "I Cant Stand It," "Foggy Notion," and "Temptation Inside Your Heart" made VU a major addition to the Velvet Undergrounds catalog, its unclear how many fans were clamoring for an authorized release of second-string tunes like "Ferryboat Bill" and "Coney Island Steeplechase." But if Another View is marginalia, its marginalia from a truly great band; the rough but rocking takes of "Were Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together" and "Rock & Roll" are great fun, and the two versions of "Hey Mr. Rain" are beautiful explorations of the bands psychedelic undercurrent. Another View isnt essential Velvet Underground, but its still well worth a listen. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 30 Title: 1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed, Volume 1 Released: 1988 Tracks: 10 Duration: 59:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Waiting for My Man (07:06) 2 Lisa Says (05:55) 3 What Goes On (08:57) 4 Sweet Jane (04:04) 5 We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (03:18) 6 Femme Fatale (03:07) 7 New Age (06:39) 8 Rock and Roll (06:08) 9 Beginning to See the Light (05:32) 10 Heroin (08:14) |
 | Album: 14 of 30 Title: 1969: Velvet Underground Live With Lou Reed, Volume 2 Released: 1988 Tracks: 9 Duration: 1:00:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Ocean (10:58) 2 Pale Blue Eyes (05:53) 3 Heroin (09:51) 4 Some Kinda Love (04:51) 5 Over You (02:19) 6 Sweet Bonnie Brown / It’s Just Too Much (07:58) 7 White Light/White Heat (08:37) 8 I Can’t Stand It (07:55) 9 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:20) |
 | Album: 15 of 30 Title: The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed Released: 1989 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:02:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:47) 2 Femme Fatale (02:39) 3 Run Run Run (04:22) 4 Heroin (07:12) 5 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 6 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 7 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 8 Stephanie Says (02:50) 9 What Goes On (04:55) 10 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 11 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 12 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 13 Lisa Says (02:57) 14 Sweet Jane (03:16) 15 Rock and Roll (04:36) |
| The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed : Allmusic album Review : The legacy of the Velvet Underground has grown to mythic proportions as the decades wear on, and their influence continues to impact new generations of musicians. Attempting to sum up the scope of their sonic achievements proves a difficult task and a wide variety of compilations and previously unearthed recordings keep surfacing, attempting to unravel the mystery of this short-lived and impossibly cool band from New York City. This best-of collection takes the most direct route, leaning heavily on popular selections from the bands 1967 debut, like "Ill Be Your Mirror" and "Femme Fatale," both sung by Nico. The noisier side of the band is represented more sparingly, with only the title track from the more experimental second album, White Light/White Heat, and the sprawling "Heroin" drifting into the challenging side of the Velvets forced matchmaking with pop and chaos. Tunes like the hauntingly beautiful "Pale Blue Eyes" or "Sweet Jane," from later album Loaded, pair nicely with rockers like "What Goes On" and "I Cant Stand It," and while this collection might be a little pedestrian for studied fans of the bands catalog, it serves as an excellent introduction to one of the most quietly perfect bands in the history of rock music. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 30 Title: Chronicles Released: 1991 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:13:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 2 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 3 What Goes On (04:55) 4 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 5 Sunday Morning (02:55) 6 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 7 Femme Fatale (02:39) 8 Venus in Furs (05:10) 9 Run Run Run (04:22) 10 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 11 Heroin (07:12) 12 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 13 Stephanie Says (02:50) 14 She’s My Best Friend (02:49) 15 Andy’s Chest (02:52) 16 Sweet Jane (live) (04:01) 17 Rock & Roll (live) (06:07) |
| Chronicles : Allmusic album Review : By this point in rock history, its a given that the Velvet Underground were one of the most important and influential American bands of all time, and that the four studio albums they recorded between 1966 and 1970 are brilliant and essential listening. The first three of those albums -- The Velvet Underground & Nico, White Light/White Heat, and The Velvet Underground -- are collected in toto on this box set. As a listening experience, this is all glorious stuff, from the adventurous and decadent pop/rock of the first album, to the noisy assault of White Light/White Heat, and concluding with the quieter and more contemplative surfaces of the third disc. But if youre interested enough in the Velvet Underground to pick up a three-disc box set of their first three albums, logic would dictate that you might as well go the whole nine yards and get Peel Slowly and See, the five-disc box that features these three discs in full along with the bands final album, Loaded, a full disc of early acoustic demos, and dozens of live tracks, unreleased recordings, and "Lost Album" cuts as bonus material. Chronicles is most of what you need from the Velvet Underground, and thats a fine thing, but Peel Slowly and See is everything you need from the Velvets, and while it costs more, its ultimately a better value. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 30 Title: What Goes On Released: 1993 Tracks: 50 Duration: 3:37:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Andy Warhol Presents (00:54) 2 Extemporisation (Melody Laughter) (08:34) 3 Heroin (07:12) 4 Im Waiting for the Man (04:44) 5 Sunday Morning (02:55) 6 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 7 Run Run Run (04:26) 8 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 9 Venus in Furs (05:12) 10 Femme Fatale (02:39) 11 It Was a Pleasure Then (08:03) 12 From the Music Factory (03:59) 13 White Light, White Heat (02:48) 14 Lady Godivas Operation (04:57) 15 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:40) 16 [untitled] (04:38) 17 EPI Ad (00:14) 1 Sister Ray (17:27) 2 Here She Comes Now (02:01) 3 Guess Im Falling in Love (03:33) 4 Stephanie Says (02:50) 5 Hey Mr. Rain (version II) (05:29) 6 Candy Says (alternate mix) (04:08) 7 Some Kinda Love (closet mix) (03:40) 8 Pale Blue Eyes (alternate mix) (05:45) 9 Beginning to See the Light (alternate mix) (04:50) 10 Im Set Free (alternate mix) (04:07) 11 The Murder Mystery (alternate mix) (08:59) 12 Foggy Notion (06:53) 13 I Cant Stand It (03:36) 14 Radio Ad (00:58) 1 Ocean (05:15) 2 One of These Days (04:00) 3 Introductions (01:48) 4 Too Much (02:54) 5 Sweet Jane (04:02) 6 New Age (06:37) 7 Over You (02:19) 8 What Goes On (08:51) 9 Afterhours (02:51) 10 Im Sticking With You (02:42) 11 Train Round the Bend (03:18) 12 Head Held High (02:55) 13 Who Loves the Sun (02:46) 14 Rock and Roll (04:40) 15 Ride Into the Sun (03:03) 16 Afterhours (02:45) 17 No More Re-Unions (00:30) 18 Thanks Andy Warhol (06:51) 19 [unknown] (01:06) |
| What Goes On : Allmusic album Review : Before the full resources of Polydor were marshaled behind the creation of the Peel Slowly and See box set, this three-disc Australian import was the cats pajamas among Velvet Underground anthologies, rounding up such then-legendary oddities as the mono mix of the bands first album, the so-called "closet" mix of their third, plus highlights from both the bands regular album catalog and the manifold rarities that drift around the collectors market. Despite the fact that all are spoken-word cuts, it is the latter that remain What Goes On?s greatest attraction -- at least for devotees. Less-convinced ears will probably be less impressed. The opening cut, "Andy Warhol Presents...," is, in fact, Warhols own original announcement regarding the new band he was "sponsoring," taken from a WNET interview in February 1966. From there, listeners drift through the four minutes of chatter that appeared as a "soundpage" flexi-disc within the long-out-of-print book Andy Warhols Index, eavesdrop on a conversation between Lou Reed and producer Tom Wilson taken from the 1968 MGM promotional Music Factory #3 album, and wrap it all up with excerpts from a 1990 interview discussing the bands reunion that was previously available only on a flexi-disc free with the What Goes On fanzine. Elsewhere, there is nothing here that either the box set or Rhinos "ultimate edition" of Loaded would not later make available, but that, of course, was a circumstance that Raven could never have predicted. As of 1993, this well-packaged box set had no peers and few fears of ever being usurped, and its a sign of just how sensibly it was compiled that anybody seeking a simple best-of the band, one that goes beyond the four or five tracks that everyone thinks of as the "classics," would still be better off seeking this collection out than leaping into any more complete package. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 30 Title: Live MCMXCIII Released: 1993-11-26 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:07:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Venus in Furs (05:30) 2 Sweet Jane (05:21) 3 Afterhours (02:41) 4 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:36) 5 Some Kinda Love (09:06) 6 The Gift (10:33) 7 Rock ’n’ Roll (06:13) 8 I’m Waiting for the Man (05:15) 9 Heroin (09:49) 10 Pale Blue Eyes (06:14) |
| Live MCMXCIII : Allmusic album Review : If you stepped out on your back porch one morning and saw Pegasus contentedly munching your crabgrass shortly before taking flight, youd sound a bit churlish if you pointed out that his figure-eight was not perfectly executed. Similarly, in 1992 the prospect of Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker burying the collective hatchet and mounting a concert tour as the Velvet Underground seemed only marginally more likely than the previous scenario, so perhaps the most remarkable thing about this live document of the briefly reunited VU performing for a wildly enthusiastic crowd in Paris is that it exists at all. Anyone hoping for a hi-fi re-creation of this bands astounding 1966-1968 live shows is pretty much out of luck; Live MCMXCIII is short on exploration of the outer limits of noise, and long on tightly paced songs, with all of the "hits" featured prominently. Whats more, Reed often seems to be having a hard time with his vocals, Cales singing makes him sound like an especially pretentious veteran of the Old Vic, and Morrison should have spent a bit more time wood-shedding before taking the stage for the first time in two decades. But when they come together, with Tuckers always-steady beat behind them, something remarkable happens -- they become the Velvet Underground, perhaps older and a bit worse for wear, but still sounding like one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and when the spirit is with them, they can still make the earth shake. Neophytes and the casually interested should check out 1969: Velvet Underground Live instead, but for longtime fans, Live MCMXCIII is an enjoyable and unexpectedly moving performance, as four of rocks unsung heroes take one last stroll through the songs that made them belatedly famous...and finally get the ovations they deserve. [Live MCMXCIII is available in three forms -- a double-disc set, an edited single disc, and a limited edition single-disc package. Because it features a full concert, the double-disc set is preferable.] | ||
 | Album: 19 of 30 Title: The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground Released: 1995 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:20:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sunday Morning (02:55) 2 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:25) 3 Venus in Furs (05:10) 4 Candy Says (04:04) 5 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:22) 7 Satellite of Love (03:42) 8 Nowhere at All (03:09) 9 Vicious (02:57) 10 Perfect Day (03:44) 11 Walk on the Wild Side (04:13) 12 How Do You Think It Feels? (03:08) 13 Sweet Jane (live) (03:37) 14 White Light/White Heat (live) (05:05) 15 Sally Can’t Dance (03:57) 16 Wild Child (04:20) 17 I Love You (02:15) 18 Berlin (03:25) 19 Coney Island Baby (06:36) 20 I Love You, Suzanne (03:10) |
 | Album: 20 of 30 Title: Peel Slowly and See Released: 1995-09-26 Tracks: 74 Duration: 6:22:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Venus in Furs (demo) (15:36) 2 Prominent Men (demo) (04:53) 3 Heroin (demo) (13:33) 4 Im Waiting for the Man (demo) (09:49) 5 Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (demo) (15:50) 6 All Tomorrows Parties (demo) (18:25) 1 All Tomorrow’s Parties (mono single) (02:52) 2 Sunday Morning (02:55) 3 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 4 Femme Fatale (02:39) 5 Venus in Furs (05:10) 6 Run Run Run (04:22) 7 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 8 Heroin (07:12) 9 There She Goes Again (02:41) 10 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 11 The Black Angel’s Death Song (03:13) 12 European Son (07:46) 13 Melody Laughter (live) (10:47) 14 It Was a Pleasure Then (08:05) 15 Chelsea Girls (07:25) 1 There Is No Reason (demo) (02:13) 2 Sheltered Life (demo) (02:54) 3 Its All Right (The Way That You Live) (demo) (02:48) 4 Im Not Too Sorry (Now That Youre Gone) (demo) (02:18) 5 Here She Comes Now (demo) (02:47) 6 Guess Im Falling in Love (live) (04:13) 7 Booker T. (live) (06:32) 8 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 9 The Gift (08:19) 10 Lady Godivas Operation (04:56) 11 Here She Comes Now (02:04) 12 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:38) 13 Sister Ray (17:27) 14 Stephanie Says (02:50) 15 Temptation Inside Your Heart (02:30) 16 Hey Mr. Rain (version I) (04:42) 1 What Goes On (live) (05:38) 2 Candy Says (closet mix) (04:05) 3 What Goes On (closet mix) (04:37) 4 Some Kinda Love (closet mix) (03:40) 5 Pale Blue Eyes (closet mix) (05:42) 6 Jesus (closet mix) (03:28) 7 Beginning to See the Light (closet mix) (04:49) 8 Im Set Free (closet mix) (04:08) 9 Thats the Story of My Life (closet mix) (02:07) 10 The Murder Mystery (closet mix) (09:00) 11 After Hours (closet mix) (02:12) 12 Foggy Notion (06:47) 13 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 14 Im Sticking With You (02:31) 15 One of These Days (04:02) 16 Lisa Says (02:58) 17 Its Just Too Much (live) (03:01) 18 Countess From Hong Kong (demo) (03:17) 1 Who Loves the Sun (02:46) 2 Sweet Jane (full length version) (04:08) 3 Rock and Roll (04:44) 4 Cool It Down (03:05) 5 New Age (full length version) (05:10) 6 Head Held High (02:58) 7 Lonesome Cowboy Bill (02:44) 8 I Found a Reason (04:16) 9 Train Round the Bend (03:21) 10 Oh! Sweet Nuthin (07:30) 11 Satellite of Love (03:02) 12 Walk and Talk (02:22) 13 Oh Gin (02:46) 14 Sad Song (03:33) 15 Ocean (05:44) 16 Ride Into the Sun (demo) (03:23) 17 Some Kinda Love (live) (10:21) 18 Ill Be Your Mirror (live) (02:09) 19 I Love You (demo) (02:05) |
| Peel Slowly and See : Allmusic album Review : Does this five-CD box set feature an abundance of essential material? Certainly. It has all four of the studio albums released by the Lou Reed-led lineup, and a wealth of previously unreleased goodies. Is it an essential purchase? That depends on your level of fanaticism. Most serious Velvet fans have all four of the core studio albums already (although the third, self-titled LP is presented in its muffled, so-called "closet" mix), and will be most interested in the previously unavailable recordings, which do hold considerable fascination. The entire first disc is devoted to a drummer-less 1965 rehearsal tape in John Cales loft, with radically different, almost folky run-throughs of most of the important songs from their classic debut, as well as a song that only made it onto Nicos first LP ("Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams"), and one which makes its first appearance anywhere (the Dylanesque "Prominent Men"). Other big bonuses include no less than seven outtakes from Loaded and other songs re-done by Reed on his early solo albums. And there are sundry other unreleased live and studio items, highlighted by a scorching live 1967 "Guess Im Falling in Love" and the 1969 demo "Countess From Hong Kong." There are also highlights from VU and Another View, longer versions of Loadeds "Sweet Jane" and "New Age," and an 80-page booklet. The thing is, though, that virtually everyone whos interested in this material has already bought the four studio albums, sometimes several times over. A separate release of the two discs or so of truly new material would have been welcomed by the many fans who arent interested in paying for a five-CD box of stuff when they already have well over half of it. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 30 Title: The Universal Masters Collection: Classic Velvet Underground Released: 2000 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:05:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 2 Run Run Run (04:22) 3 Heroin (07:12) 4 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 5 Sister Ray (17:27) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 7 What Goes On (04:55) 8 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 9 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 10 Sweet Jane (live) (04:01) 11 Rock and Roll (live) (06:07) |
 | Album: 22 of 30 Title: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Velvet Underground Released: 2000 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:05:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 2 Run Run Run (04:22) 3 Heroin (07:12) 4 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 5 Sister Ray (17:27) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 7 What Goes On (04:55) 8 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 9 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 10 Sweet Jane (live) (04:01) 11 Rock and Roll (live) (06:02) |
 | Album: 23 of 30 Title: Rock and Roll: An Introduction to The Velvet Underground Released: 2001-07-02 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:04:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Temptation Inside Your Heart (02:32) 2 Rock & Roll (live) (06:05) 3 Lady Godiva’s Operation (04:56) 4 Candy Says (04:04) 5 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 6 Foggy Notion (06:40) 7 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 8 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 9 Sweet Jane (live) (03:59) 10 Here She Comes Now (02:04) 11 Some Kinda Love (closet mix) (03:40) 12 Stephanie Says (02:50) 13 There She Goes Again (02:41) 14 Run, Run, Run (04:21) 15 What Goes On (04:35) 16 Venus in Furs (05:10) |
 | Album: 24 of 30 Title: The Very Best of The Velvet Underground Released: 2003 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sweet Jane (04:07) 2 Im Sticking With You (02:29) 3 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 4 What Goes On (04:33) 5 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 6 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 7 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 8 Femme Fatale (02:39) 9 Heroin (07:12) 10 Here She Comes Now (02:04) 11 Stephanie Says (02:50) 12 Venus in Furs (05:10) 13 Beginning to See the Light (04:48) 14 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:38) 15 Some Kinda Love (closet mix) (03:40) 16 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 17 Sunday Morning (02:55) 18 Rock and Roll (04:49) |
| The Very Best of The Velvet Underground : Allmusic album Review : Since 1990 or so, every few years someone at whatever corporate entity that happens to own the bulk of the Velvet Undergrounds catalog decides to take a stab at compiling a single-disc "greatest-hits" album from the bands wildly influential body of work, and in 2006 the British branch of Universal/Polydor presented the latest entry in this ongoing project with the 18-track collection The Very Best of the Velvet Underground. While Polydors 2005 Gold set is a more thorough and elegantly compiled set (and at two discs its also a lot longer), this does pretty well by the Velvets history and gives a clear portrait of their stylistic breadth in just 75 minutes. The disc includes representative selections from all four original studio albums (including two from Loaded, recorded for Atlantic Records and therefore usually missing from such sets) as well as some "Great Lost Album" sides from VU. The sequence swings easily from the heady joy of "Beginning to See the Light" to the sinister urges of "Venus in Furs," and finds room for both the delicacy of "Stephanie Says" and the feedback-ravaged chaos of "I Heard Her Call My Name" (and if youre not going to include "Sister Ray" on one of these collections, the latter track is the next best thing). The remastering of the material is quite good and appropriately loud, and the booklet includes a number of little-seen photos (though someone should tell Daryl Easlea that name-checking the Strokes and the Vines in his liner notes is just going to make this package seem very, very dated in five years). The Very Best of the Velvet Underground comes close to living up to its title, and while its best viewed as a beginners guide to their music, it also shows just how good and how innovative they could be. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 30 Title: Gold Released: 2005-09-01 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:36:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 2 Femme Fatale (02:39) 3 Venus in Furs (05:10) 4 Run Run Run (04:22) 5 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 6 Heroin (07:12) 7 There She Goes Again (02:41) 8 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 9 Sunday Morning (02:55) 10 Chelsea Girls (performed by Nico) (07:26) 11 It Was a Pleasure Then (performed by Nico) (08:02) 12 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 13 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:38) 14 Sister Ray (17:27) 1 Temptation Inside Your Heart (alternate, original mix) (02:32) 2 Stephanie Says (alternate, original mix) (02:50) 3 Hey Mr. Rain (version I) (04:42) 4 Candy Says (04:04) 5 What Goes On (04:55) 6 Some Kinda Love (04:03) 7 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 8 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 9 Foggy Notion (06:47) 10 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 11 One of These Days (03:58) 12 Lisa Says (02:58) 13 New Age (live) (06:36) 14 Rock and Roll (live) (06:07) 15 Ocean (live) (10:59) 16 Sweet Jane (live) (03:59) |
| Gold : Allmusic album Review : At this point in music history, its become a given that the Velvet Underground were one of the most important and innovative rock bands of their era, and that the four albums they released during their lifespan rank with the most challenging and satisfying work in the rock canon. For beginners and dabblers, though, this invites the question of where to start exploring the groups catalog, an especially vexing question since each of the Velvets albums has a very distinct musical personality, from the approachable and upbeat surfaces of Loaded to the all-out assault of White Light/White Heat. While Gold, an installment in Universals ongoing series of "best-of" albums, was doubtless intended as "the Velvet Undergrounds Greatest Hits Writ Large" (an ironic approach, since the group never had anything even approaching a hit when they were around), its also one of the best introductions to the groups repertoire thats been released to date. Universal opted not to license any material from Loaded (the VUs final album, released by the Atlantic offshoot Cotillion) for this collection, but short of that, Gold offers a healthy overview of their first three albums, and doesnt shy away from the bands more abrasive material (including all 17 howling minutes of "Sister Ray" from White Light/White Heat). Some of the Loaded-era music is represented by live performances from the epochal 1969: Velvet Underground Live set, the key tracks from the so-called "lost album" (previously unearthed on the historical anthology VU) are present and accounted for, previously unheard versions of John Cales last session with the group appear here for the first time, and Lou Reeds and Sterling Morrisons contributions to Nicos Chelsea Girl can also be found. The mastering is crisp and well detailed, and the booklet includes a handful of rare photos along with a well-considered history of the group by Scott Schinder. Anyone with a serious music library really ought to have the four original albums in total, and anyone planning a significant commitment to his Velvet Underground collection ought to simply pick up the outstanding box set Peel Slowly and See, which is all the VU most folks will ever need and then some. But if the Velvet Underground are one of those bands youve always heard about but never listened to, Gold offers a splendid road map to their brilliant and diverse demimonde, and offers more than two and a half hours of evidence why their music still matters so much. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 30 Title: Rock Legends Released: 2007-11-30 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:09:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 2 Sunday Morning (02:55) 3 Run Run Run (04:22) 4 Heroin (07:12) 5 There She Goes Again (02:41) 6 What Goes On (04:54) 7 Temptation Inside Your Heart (02:30) 8 Some Kinda Love (04:03) 9 Rock and Roll (06:50) 10 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 11 Foggy Notion (06:43) 12 Femme Fatale (03:15) 13 New Age (11:19) 14 Here She Comes Now (02:02) 15 Beginning to See the Light (04:40) |
 | Album: 27 of 30 Title: Icon Released: 2011-07-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 46:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:38) 2 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 3 I Can’t Stand It (03:23) 4 Heroin (07:12) 5 Sunday Morning (02:55) 6 Sweet Jane (live) (04:01) 7 Here She Comes Now (02:04) 8 Pale Blue Eyes (05:40) 9 Stephanie Says (02:50) 10 Rock and Roll (live) (06:02) 11 Venus in Furs (05:10) |
 | Album: 28 of 30 Title: The Verve/MGM Albums Released: 2012-10-30 Tracks: 47 Duration: 3:41:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sunday Morning (02:55) 2 I’m Waiting for the Man (04:39) 3 Femme Fatale (02:39) 4 Venus in Furs (05:10) 5 Run Run Run (04:22) 6 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 7 Heroin (07:12) 8 There She Goes Again (02:41) 9 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 10 The Black Angel’s Death Song (03:13) 11 European Son (07:46) 1 The Fairest of the Seasons (04:08) 2 These Days (03:33) 3 Little Sister (04:26) 4 Winter Song (03:20) 5 It Was a Pleasure Then (08:05) 6 Chelsea Girls (07:25) 7 I’ll Keep It With Mine (03:20) 8 Somewhere There’s a Feather (02:20) 9 Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (05:09) 10 Eulogy to Lenny Bruce (03:46) 1 White Light/White Heat (02:47) 2 The Gift (08:19) 3 Lady Godiva’s Operation (04:56) 4 Here She Comes Now (02:04) 5 I Heard Her Call My Name (04:38) 6 Sister Ray (17:27) 1 Candy Says (04:04) 2 What Goes On (04:55) 3 Some Kinda Love (04:03) 4 Pale Blue Eyes (05:41) 5 Jesus (03:24) 6 Beginning to See the Light (04:41) 7 I’m Set Free (04:04) 8 That’s the Story of My Life (02:04) 9 The Murder Mystery (08:56) 10 Afterhours (02:07) 1 Foggy Notion (06:43) 2 One of These Days (03:56) 3 Lisa Says (02:55) 4 I’m Sticking With You (02:29) 5 Ocean (05:12) 6 I Can’t Stand It (03:22) 7 Im Gonna Move Right In (06:31) 8 Were Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (03:00) 9 Rock and Roll (05:17) 10 Ride Into the Sun (demo) (03:23) |
| The Verve/MGM Albums : Allmusic album Review : Here in the 21st century, everything old is new again, at least as far as rock & roll is concerned. While monophonic audio was considered a dead issue by the end of the 60s and the vinyl LP was supposedly replaced by the "superior" compact disc in the late 80s, a growing number of stubborn music fans and audiophiles have come to embrace the warmth and accuracy of analog audio, and collectors of musical minutia will tell you the mono mixes of many classic albums of the 60s sound better than their stereo counterparts, as well as reflecting the intent of the artists with greater clarity. With this in mind, the outstanding reissue label Sundazed Music has released The Verve/MGM Albums, a five-LP set that presents monophonic versions of the first three albums by The Velvet Underground, newly remastered from the original analog tapes and pressed on heavy-duty vinyl. In addition, the box includes a mono LP of Nicos solo debut Chelsea Girl, which included contributions from her former Velvet Underground bandmates Lou Reed, John Cale, and Sterling Morrison, as well as 1969, a new collection of songs intended for the VUs uncompleted fourth album for Verve/MGM. (Most of these songs appeared on the 1985 archival compilation VU, though for this release, theyve been given new, cleaner sounding mixes and a more coherent sequence, and unlike the other LPs in this set, 1969 is in stereo.) The first three albums represent some of the best and most forward-thinking American rock of the 60s -- the rough but tender demi-monde journey of The Velvet Underground & Nico, the no-quarter sonic assault of White Light/White Heat, and the alternately introspective and dynamic feel of The Velvet Underground -- and if Chelsea Girl is a very different kettle of fish, its at the very least a fascinating footnote to the VUs history. Add in the newly refurbished edition of the "lost album" material, and folks who like their music flat, black, and circular will find this a most satisfying listen as well as a fascinating collectable. [Though given how thorough Sundazed were in preparing this set, one wonders why they didnt also license the bands final album, Loaded, from Atlantic Records and offer a complete set of the groups studio work.] | ||
 | Album: 29 of 30 Title: Scepter Studios Sessions Released: 2012-11-23 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 European Son (08:49) 2 The Black Angel’s Death Song (03:13) 3 All Tomorrow’s Parties (06:00) 4 I’ll Be Your Mirror (02:14) 5 Heroin (06:12) 6 Femme Fatale (02:39) 7 Venus in Furs (04:29) 8 Im Waiting for the Man (04:10) 9 Run Run Run (04:22) |
 | Album: 30 of 30 Title: 1969 Released: 2017-12-15 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:17:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Foggy Notion (1969 mix) (06:58) 2 One of These Days (2014 mix) (04:10) 3 Lisa Says (2014 mix) (03:00) 4 I’m Sticking With You (1969 mix) (02:25) 5 Andy’s Chest (1969 mix) (02:55) 6 I Can’t Stand It (2014 mix) (03:26) 7 She’s My Best Friend (1969 mix) (03:07) 8 We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together (2014 mix) (02:56) 9 I’m Gona Move Right In (1969 mix) (06:32) 10 Ferryboat Bill (1969 mix) (02:13) 1 Coney Island Steeplechase (2014 mix) (02:32) 2 Ocean (1969 mix) (05:13) 3 Rock and Roll (MGM version) (1969 mix) (05:15) 4 Ride Into the Sun (2014 mix) (03:33) 5 Hey Mr. Rain (version I) (04:42) 6 Guess I’m Falling in Love (instrumental version) (03:33) 7 Temptation Inside Your Heart (original mix) (02:32) 8 Stephanie Says (original mix) (02:49) 9 Hey Mr. Rain (version II) (05:29) 10 Beginning to See the Light (previously unreleased early version) (03:39) |