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Hmmm..... there's lots of opinions on the Velvet Underground, it seems like everyone you talk to has something to say about them. Some people hail them as purveyors of the whole punk / underground scene that emerged in the 60's and 70's, others label them as ingenious, and still others label the Velvet Underground as "too arty" and kinda crappy. Personally, I think they're good. That's about it. Arty- yes, bad- no. I found this particular album to be well written and strong, the only thing I have to complain about is Nico. I CANNOT STAND HER VOICE!!!! It's too proper, too low to sound female (she's got to be able to get down into the Tenor range, which is just gross), and just ruins the overall mood of the songs that she sings lead vocals on. (Femme Fatale (which has great instrumentation), All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll Be Your Mirror). On the other hand, I like Lou Reed's voice a lot. His vocals along with the instruments on "Sunday Morning" are very melodic, and they draw you in considering that the prominent instrument is a glockenspiel-type thing. The vocals in the middle are spacey and very interesting. "I'm Waitin for the Man" is a nice, strong song featuring a brash piano and bass beat, a guitar that builds throughout, and incredibly dry vocals. The vocals work with the lyrics though, as I'm guessing that the lyrics are about a prostitute or someone along those lines, and the vox are just expressionless. "Run Run Run" is very reminiscent of Rockabilly music to me; the main instruments, a guitar and a piano, have that beat going for them, which is great. The vocals to me are very Dylan-esque; they are halted throughout and almost sound spoken at times, and surprisingly, Nico's and Lou Reed's voices fit well together. Very cool interlude in this one too. Sounds like improv. This just happens to be the album that features the wonderful song entitled "Heroin". It has got to be the most annoying song in Rock music history! I have finally (after a space of 2 years) managed to sit through the whole thing. "Heroin" starts off bare and light and builds till the organs are almost deafening- they overpower the vocals just about. (this is still in the beginning, mind you). The song is a constant series of rises and falls, lyrically, intrumentally, and vocally, obviously to create the atmosphere of Heroin trip. The ugliness at the end of the song to me shows the let down of the high, or even a bad expierence. The whole song though has been enough to turn me off from any kind of drug usage. Swear to God. After hearing "Heroin", the song that follows, "There She Goes Again" sounds like it should be on a totally different album. Overall, the Velvet Underground somehow managed to make their style work for them and the music they created. If anything, just give the album a listen or ten. It's amazing what is actually in it; there's incredible depth.
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Velvet Underground and Nico: Velvet Underground and Nico