By: The Velvet Underground Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered Label: Polydor / Umgd Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: May 07, 1996
Amazon.com essential recording: Released in 1969 to an almost total lack of critical acclaim or consumer interest, the Velvet Underground's third album may well be the finest record of the band's career. Without the sonic terrorism of The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat or the ill-conceived commercial concessions that marred Loaded, the album's songs are free to stand on their own merit. And stand they do: "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light" may be the finest flat-out rockers in the band's catalog, while "Pale Blue Eyes," "Jesus," and "Candy Says" are some of the most delicately gorgeous songs Lou Reed has ever penned. There's no evidence here of any of the psychedelic effects and hippie sloganeering that marked most late-1960s rock releases, which is probably why the record still holds up today. --Dan Epstein
not nearly as cool as their other albums With the exception of a few brilliant songs (Candy Says, After Hours, Murder Mystery), I can pretty much live without this one, as opposed to the other 4 studio albums of theirs
Velvet Underground's best by a hair Whether it was the maturation of Lou Reed or the departure of bassist John Cale, there must have been a reason why the Velvet Underground's third album sounds very different than what came before. Where melodies once trundled about under the ocean of scraping guitars, now they float to the surface and bounce along above the squall. It's hardly an uplifting album, but the screech and vitriol has been toned down considerably. More accessible? Yes. Less adventurous? Sure. But Reed was always the band's driving force, and the way he embraced abstract pop textures at this time was more rewarding than anything he's done before or since.
"Pale Blue Eyes," the band's best song, is a gorgeous low-tempo Reed-ish ballad. "What Goes On" is one of their most accessible and catchy rockers. And "After Hours" is an otherwise throwaway track amped up to necessity thanks to a perfectly catchy harmony. Some of Reed's finest writing is on here and the music is often quite beautiful to listen to. Not as revolutionary or influential as their red-throated debut, but an altogether more successful endeavor--by a hair.
Best cuts: "Pale Blue Eyes," "What Goes On," "After Hours," "Candy Says," "Beginning to See the Light," "Jesus," "I'm Set Free," "Some Kinda Love," "That's the Story of My Life," "The Murder Mystery"
What the ...? I just purchased this remastered version of the Velvets' 3rd album, which provides both good news and bad news. The good news is that the sound is definitely improved, with far greater clarity and the guitars louder in the mix. The bad news is that the original version of "Some Kinda Love" is missing. Some genius decided to replace the original with an inferior version - different instrumental track, different vocal track, and different lyrics. This new track could have been added as a bonus track if somebody felt that the world needed to hear it, but --- what were you thinking? Plus, there's no mention anywhere inside or outside the booklet that this remastered CD no longer contains the original, far superior version of "Some Kinda Love."
One star deducted for somebody messing with a rock 'n' roll classic and showing contempt for fans of the music.
A delicate album by the Velvets.... My amazon friend Fin reminded me of this album, and I realised it's the most beautiful of the Velvet Underground's output. John Cale left the band rather acrimoniously after the White Light/White Heat sessions, and this album (with new guitarist Doug Yule, who I believe is underrated in the eyes of VU fans) came out. It's a very reflective, introspective album, which is kind of a surprise. But it's so gentle and beautiful. The opening song, Candy Says (about Candy Darling, a transvestite who used to hang out with Warhol and his crew), is really lovely. The rocker What Goes On is a bit of fluff, but it's great fluff. I love the endless rhythm guitar solo on it. I adore Pale Blue Eyes. The song Jesus is uplifting, and it wouldn't be too out of place at a church gathering. The Murder Mystery is not a particularly good song. Its concept is very good, but the execution was bad. Sterling Morrison and Lou Reed read two seperate stories at the same time to a slashing backing track (reminiscent of the White Light/White Heat album, especially The Gift). It just doesn't work here. But that song is forgotten about when you hear the wonderful, sweet After Hours. It's sung by Maureen Tucker, and although she doesn't have a great voice, it works wonderfully for this song.
This CD is a different mix than appeared on the box set. The vocals are turned down, and the guitars are brought up. I actually prefer this mix to the "closet mix" that is on the box set. That emphasizes the vocals over the instruments. Both are good to listen to, but I just prefer this one. This is the Velvet's most delicate album.
A Quiet Album with Lots of Intensity The Velvet Underground formed in 1964. From 1964 to 1966, the group became inventive and managed to team up with artists like Andy Warhol and Mary Woronov and form the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. This led to touring around the country and eventually the fashioning of their debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967. In 1968, the group split from Andy Warhol, Nico and The Plastic Inevitable and released the album, White Light/White Heat. Both albums were innovative and intense for their time boasting from fairly quiet sounds to extremely loud ones. Then, Lou Reed and John Cale were butting heads with each other as far as decision making. It's hard when you have two musicians like these, (each of whom are bull-headed) working together. Neither one likes being told how to make his own music. The tensions between Lou and John were so intense that eventually, one of them has to leave. In this case, it was John. Later on in 1969, the group recruits a new musician, Doug Yule to play bass, organ, and do some vocals. Also, this led Lou to mellow out on this collection of songs. On the self-titled album, (also known as the Grey Album), the mood is quieter. This allows Lou to express more emotion. The song "What Goes On" boasts a moderate drum tempo by Mureen Tucker, an efficient organ background by Doug, a somewhat bag-pipe guitar solo by Sterling Morrison, and of course Lou's smooth guitar playing and lyrics. It is a definitive rocker. The same thing can be said about "Beginning to See the Light" which has great acoustic guitar sounds. The following songs are slow but not at all boring: "Candy Says", "Some Kinda Love", "Jesus", "Pale Blue Eyes", and "I'm Set Free". "The Murder Mystery" is the biggest surprise. Here you get to hear Lou and Sterling in wich their voices overlap each other. Then you hear Doug and Maureen sing lines back and forth. Plus, you hear an innovative use of the organ where Doug sometimes vibrates the keys. Towards the end, the song changes to repeated piano keys, while Lou and Sterling once again having their voices overlap one another. "That's the Story of My Life" is the shortest song of the album but is well-paced with all musicians blending all instruments together at a moderate tempo and a fairly soft tone. In the song "After Hours", you just have Lou playing guitar and Maureen singing for once. Her voice my not be up there with someone like Celine Dion, but it is adequate. I don't think Lou was expecting a pure and radiant singing voice from her. Throughout the album, you hear sounds which are reminicent of the doo-wop groups as well as artists like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. But of course, Lou does not try to imitate them. He attempts to see how they apply to his lyrics. Moreover, the subject matter is anything but family entertainment. The song "Candy Says" I'm told tells about a man who does not enjoy his own gender and has a burning desire to be a woman. In "The Murder Mystery", you have all these descriptive and surreal lyrics depciting tha aftermath of a murder that took place. In the song, "After Hours", you have a not so fortunate person inside a bar just trying to make the best of things and wanting the front door shut until the day is done. Hopefully, the next day will be better. Once again, I think The Grey Album is where Lou Reed expresses his more tender side, but at the same time keeps the listener tuned in. Even though the album is quieter, it's still a masterpiece with lots of intensity. This intensity is evident without the benefit of extreme loudness and distortion so prevalent on the bands previous two albums. It's just too bad this album like the other Velvet albums, did not sell, even though I'm told that the critics back then praised it.
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