Velvet Underground album reviews with individual song ratings

[Thinkofthechildren]

Facts are hard to dispute, for instance The Velvet Underground is the greatest musical entity of modern history. Fact? Opinion? Maybe.

The Velvet Underground and Nico

Sunday Morning 10/10
Waiting for my Man 7/10
Femme Fatale 10/10
Venus In Furs 10/10
Run Run Run 8/10
All Tommorow's Parties 10/10
Heroin 10/10 GREATEST SONG OF ALL TIME LYRICALLY AND MUSICALLY
There She goes Again 8/10
I'll Be Your Mirror 10/10
Black Angel's Death song 10/10
European Son 6/10

Overall: 10/10 Greatest Album of all time.
Its astounding the diversity of this album, the shifts in genre, and the Beatles are perceived to have influenced all forms of music genre through their career, Velvets did it in one album. Even more astounding, when the Beatles tried, they tried, when the Velvets had such low ambition, wanting to make easy Rock and Roll songs (or atleast Lou) and they made this masterpiece. Another big anomaly is the contrast of tone and emotions conveyed by the different songs. How can you have Black Angel's Death song on the same album that has I'll Be Your Mirror? Its just not right. How can an album have such deep pessimism then the next song is the most uplifting thing you've ever heard? Well, I suppose this.

White Light/White Heat

White Light/White Heat 8/10
The Gift 1/10
Lady Godiva's Operation 10/10
Here She Comes now 9/10
I Heard Her Call My Name 7/10
Sister Ray 9/10

Overall: 8/10
While the album isn't exactly an all round home run, I still wouldn't change it because its just so unique. I think the highlight of this is Lady Godiva's Operation, everyone says Sister Ray but for me LGO I feel is their second best song they've made. Lyrically sound, and it just feels like I'm being cleansed when listening to it, like a shower for the brain.

The Velvet Underground

Candy Says 10/10
What Goes On 10/10
Some Kinda Love 7/10
Pale Blue Eyes 9/10
Jesus 7/10
Beginning To See The Light 8/10
I'm Set Free 10/10
Thats The Story of my life 7/10
Murder Mystery 9/10
After Hours 10/10

Overall: 8/10
Highlight is definitely I'm Set Free, everytime Lou sings "...And Now" and leads into the crescendo, it always gets me with goosebumps like no other song has.

Loaded

Who Loves the Sun 10/10
Sweet Jane 10/10
Rock & Roll 9/10
Cool It Down 6/10
New Age 6/10
Head Held High 7/10
Lonesome Cowboy Bill 6/10
I Found A Reason 7/10
Train Around the Bend 7/10
Oh Sweet Nuthin 8/10

Overall: 7/10
It just doesn't connect with me one bit. I Find after the first three songs the album to be extremely boring. Solid nonetheless.

[Chives]

The Gift gets 1/10? It's probably a bit of a drag after many listens but I always quite liked it. It's cute.

[Thinkofthechildren]

Originally Posted by Chives

The Gift gets 1/10? It's probably a bit of a drag after many listens but I always quite liked it. It's cute.

Its the only time I feel they completely went off the deep end. Unlike Radiohead, Velvets have avoided pretentiousness...apart from the The Gift. Its a good story but publish it as a book or something, don't put it on an album. Saying that, I like said, I still would not change it.

[Surell]

that radiohead comment was both very left field and too close to home.

[Thinkofthechildren]

Originally Posted by Surell

that radiohead comment was both very left field and too close to home.

See, let me sum this up.

Pablo Honey - Good
The Bends - Really Good
OK Computer - Good
Kid A and everything after - Monotonous, pretentious, terrible.

[Chives]

I don't really get what is so pretentious or terrible about the Gift. It's a neat story told via spoken word backed with some jamming, and I think they go pretty well together. The only crimes it commits are that it doesn't hold up for tons and tons of replays and it's a bit lengthy. Like...it totally fits in with attitude and personality I see in the rest of their early material, so I don't think it's that odd. Not saying it's a career highlight, but 1/10 is a bit rough.

[jim keenan]

heroin is a great song indeed...

[jim keenan]

i think classics are good but theirs tons of new music that is making a mark... such as grizzly bear, violens a super unkown band that is putting out amazing records... Vovete, also a band that released a pretty neat album and my favorite right now here we go magic. every album as been amazing. obviously, radiohead is a great band and the velvet underground are super influencial. especially their first release with nico... lou reed is a great lyricist. theirs some stuff i can do without, like his late 80s stuff romeo had juliet just not my thing.

[Surell]

Originally Posted by Thinkofthechildren

See, let me sum this up.

Pablo Honey - Good
The Bends - Really Good
OK Computer - Good
Kid A and everything after - Monotonous, pretentious, terrible.

Yyyeeaaaaaahhhh. Makes sense.

[bob.]

Originally Posted by Chives

The Gift gets 1/10? It's probably a bit of a drag after many listens but I always quite liked it. It's cute.

lyrically it is in my opinion their best....but then i never really understood why Lou Reed outshines John Cale as the utmost of talent in the band

for the most part i agree with your ratings....but i honestly think Heroin is actually one of the most overrated songs and really is hyped do to the subject nature....don't get me wrong i love this song but i find I'll Be Your Mirror, Venus In Furs and All Tomorrows Parties to be the strong points of that album....and if i want to hear gritty retelling of beat heroin addiction i'd take Sister Ray over Heroin any day