I’m trying to randomize these things as much as I can. This is yet another album I love – one of my favorites. This entry is not going to be one of my best since whenever I listen to this album my brain goes to mush and I can’t form a complete, comprehensive thought.
Side note before I actually get into substance: I once had a pair of pajama pants with that banana all over them. They met an unfortunate fate.
Dear, dear concept album of epic proportions, how do I love thee? You were recorded in one day, glorious postmodern masterpiece. You aren’t overdone, you aren’t overly-produced. Your classic raw sound and John Cale-Lou Reed amazingness (I just made it a word) make this an album that is still fresh and should be appreciated by all.
While the rest of the world was busy hoping for that hippie-dreamed world of sunshine, rainbows and unicorns, bands like The Velvet Underground were making music about their real world, that included heroin – lots of heroin – and a grim outlook. Screw peace and love – they wanted to spread their nihilistic attitude.
The Velvet Underground & Nico was their debut effort that didn’t fall flat. Andy Warhol (yes, that one) is credited with producing the album, but it really wasn’t, but we’ll pretend that we don’t know that. We will credit him with making this album possible, however, since they were probably only given a chance because of their direct involvement with Warhol. Of course, they were also written off because of the same reason. After the album was released it did okay, but soon Warhol was uninterested and they were left to go on to 3 more albums, all as brilliant as the other.
The album opener, “Sunday Morning,” is one of the best album openers ever. Simple, dreamy, and it makes you actually feel like it’s a Sunday morning. “Venus in Furs” is probably the most well-known song on here, and while I think it’s a good song, it has the tendency to be overrated. “I’m Waiting for the Man” sounds Dylanesque, and is, in my opinion, one of the best songs on the album, along with the super raw sound of “Run Run Run.”
The best story told on the album is with the song “Heroin,” which by the title I’m sure you can tell what that story is. It starts out all over the place, but the end result is almost perfection.
“Femme Fatale” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” both sung by Nico, are both enchanting songs, perhaps due to Nico’s haunting voice, although in the former, she’s somewhat overshadowed by the background.
Did I mention that I love this album?
01. Sunday Morning
02. I’m Waiting for the Man
03. Femme Fatale
04. Venus in Furs
05. Run Run Run
06. All Tomorrow’s Parties
07. Heroin
08. There She Goes Again
09. I’ll Be Your Mirror
10. The Black Angel’s Death Song
11. European Son
