Best Ever Albums

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Repo — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:56:32 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 08/18/2026 12:56

Hayden wrote:

More often than not, all said and done, at the end of the day, regardless what I say at various times and hours in various moments,

I still find this (bizarrely, unexplainably, irrationally) an underrated album—

It isn't difficult to find people who haven't heard it. Of it. About it—

And this, despite its accolades throughout various publications in every corner of the musicverse,
Is very important—

Yeah. If you're not a music head, which is MOST people, you most likely haven't heard it. It goes back to that famous quote about anyone who has heard it ( i.e. a music head) started a band.

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Hayden — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 06:10:06 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 08/18/2026 10:10

More often than not, all said and done, at the end of the day, regardless what I say at various times and hours in various moments,

I still find this (bizarrely, unexplainably, irrationally) an underrated album—

It isn't difficult to find people who haven't heard it. Of it. About it—

And this, despite its accolades throughout various publications in every corner of the musicverse,
Is very important—

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 04:12:24 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/18/2026 08:12

Heroin

"My wife and it's my life".

Now this a thing of beauty. Is this the archetypal Velvet Underground track?

At seven minute long, it allowed the band to develop the song from the slow start “and builds into a chaotic, accelerating crescendo.” As one critic described it

As with the best of the Underground, it’s hypnotic and Droney, and you have that mesmerising guitar tone so synonymous of the band

It’s alternative rock at it’s finest

NB - Sadly, the link to the youtube video has failed. Going to try and see if I can yet it to work. rather annoying

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 04:22:12 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/15/2026 08:22

All Tomorrow's Parties

A Nico fronted track this time. I’ll come clean here, I prefer the Lou Reed vocal tracks to Nico’s but still like her a lot.

Anyway, one of the iconic tracks from the album. Personally, I think that it’s a little overrated. I’ve heard it “Widely praised by listeners and critics as a hypnotic, avant-garde masterpiece.” Not convinced.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very, very good song but masterpiece! Not in my books.

Link

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:50:47 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/14/2026 11:50

Run Run Run

Hard driving track with a great R&B type guitar groove going on.

Not their best on the album but certainly not a filler or throwaway track. Just not up to the standard of the best tracks on the album

Link

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:01:29 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/13/2026 11:01

Venus in Furs

One of the most well-known tracks on the album. It’s an iconic and very influential track. I find it hard to imagine The Stooges first album without this track.

It’s hypnotic and dronie. I love the distorted violin with a middle eastern vibe to the track as well as the minimalist drumming. The repetition in the song is what makes it. As with almost every track on the album, Lou Reeds vocal delivery is impeccable.

I’ve read that people find it unsettling. I really don’t hear that.

It’s a timeless track which just oozes class

Link

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:01:46 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/11/2026 12:01

Femme Fatale

Very gentle track featuring Nico on vocals. Not my favourite track on the album by any means but a very sweet track

Link

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 04:25:29 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/10/2026 08:25

I'm Waiting for the Man

The archetypal Lou Reed vocal delivery on this outstanding track.

Great jarring guitar alongside a pounding piano, it was punk ten years or so before punk.

Such phenomenal energy. A wonderful track.

Link

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Sat, 8 Aug 2026 06:41:00 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/08/2026 10:41

MadhattanJack wrote:

You've got to familiarize yourself more with Discogs — they show the high, low, and median prices people have gotten lately for official releases, and in this case those numbers show that it's not as expensive as you'd expect (though that might be because so many copies of the green-banana bootleg version already exist).

Still, it might also indicate that people who have heard it largely agree with me about it — it sounds awful, the track sequencing is a lot worse, and the label people were right to demand new versions of those three songs, not to mention "Sunday Morning." Putting "European Son" in as Side A track 1 seems like a deliberate attempt to get "uncool" people to angrily stop listening to the album before it even gets started. And I hate to say it, but hearing it made me like the official/definitive version less too, if only because it showed how much outside intervention was required to make it the album it became.

So, careful what you wish for, I guess! :-'

So not for me then. It just goes to show that the artists don't always know best. Who knows, if they had gone for the upripped version, The Velvet Underground might have ended up as a rather disappointing footnote in the annals of rock history. Now there's another discussion to have

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

MadhattanJack — Sat, 8 Aug 2026 05:36:14 GMT

Author: MadhattanJack

Posted: 08/08/2026 09:36

Johnnyo wrote:

I hadn't appreciated that there had been a RSD release. If I had, I would have got it. I bet it's pretty expensive the acquire now.

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Sat, 8 Aug 2026 03:22:44 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/08/2026 07:22

MadhattanJack wrote:

It was actually intended to not be on the album at all! The original 1966 version of the album is now known as the "Unripened" version, and that song isn't on it — it actually starts with a 9-minute version of "European Son." So after the record label rejected all that, they were sent off to Los Angeles to record something more commercial to lead it off with, plus new versions of some (three?) other songs that the label deemed unlistenable. Other tracks were remixed, cut, edited, etc. (Details at the link...)

Sometimes music forums will get into discussions over "what if" the Unripened version had been accepted and released as submitted, so I know a post like this is risky. (Sorry!) But I do think it's important to note that the band started out trying to be more transgressive and uncommercial than they even ended up being, given that it was the mid-60s and there weren't a lot of bands doing that. (Hardly any, really!)

As it happens, looking this up just now led me to notice that on RSD 2012, they released an official version of Unripened called Scepter Studios Sessions, on limited-edition (5,000 copies) vinyl and an album cover cleverly designed to look like it had been sitting in a box for 46 years in your grandmother's attic. So in theory, someone could even add that to the BEA database if they wanted, just to see if anybody gives it a ranking-point or two... I know adding different/alternate versions of albums is frowned upon here, but it wouldn't be the first time — we're doing it with Live at Raji's, for example. (As you know, since it's your favorite live album ever if I'm not mistaken!) :)

Wow Madhattan that's a lot to take it and really appreciate you taking the time to do this. Love the title Unripened.

I hadn't appreciated that there had been a RSD release. If I had, I would have got it. I bet it's pretty expensive the acquire now.

I love the "what if" scenario. We are going to be covering European Son later (much later to be honest). It is one of the more "out there" tracks anyway. I've looked for the 9 minute version to attach here but couldn't find it. Will keep looking though.

I think that this will be one of the more interesting album discussions and loving the way that it's going so far

YES! Don't get me started on Live At Raji's.

More VU&N tracks to come and would love to hear more of your thoughts on the album

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

MadhattanJack — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 18:07:00 GMT

Author: MadhattanJack

Posted: 08/07/2026 22:07

Johnnyo wrote:

It’s a beautiful thing! I think that this was intended as the first single and you can see why. It’s lush, it’s quite moody in a quiet way and well produced without being over produced.

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 12:08:15 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/07/2026 16:08

albummaster wrote:

Love this album, right up there with my most revisited albums. First heard this more than 30 years ago (eek) as a student, the Warhol connection and Studio 54/Factory era & undercurrent of drugs and sadomasochism made this an instantly cool album. All the tracks offer something different, but flow together really well. The mystical sounds of Venus in Furs and Nico's singing really elevate the album. Heroin, All Tomorrow's Parties, Venus in Furs, Waiting for the Man, so many great tracks on this album and so different from other albums of this time.

agreed. I was really hoping that this album would come up and so looking forward to hearing it a few times before Septembers get together.

Going to savour it though, like the fine wine that it is. A track every few days I think.

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

albummaster — Fri, 7 Aug 2026 03:35:45 GMT

Author: albummaster

Posted: 08/07/2026 07:35

Love this album, right up there with my most revisited albums. First heard this more than 30 years ago (eek) as a student, the Warhol connection and Studio 54/Factory era & undercurrent of drugs and sadomasochism made this an instantly cool album. All the tracks offer something different, but flow together really well. The mystical sounds of Venus in Furs and Nico's singing really elevate the album. Heroin, All Tomorrow's Parties, Venus in Furs, Waiting for the Man, so many great tracks on this album and so different from other albums of this time.

Re: The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 02:19:55 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/06/2026 06:19

Sunday Morning

It’s a beautiful thing! I think that this was intended as the first single and you can see why. It’s lush, it’s quite moody in a quiet way and well produced without being over produced.

Not totally representative of the rest of the album but it is a great track. A great way to introduce yourselves to the world

Love Lou’s vocals and delivery.

Link

The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Johnnyo — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 09:20:23 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 08/04/2026 13:20

The album that we will be listening to in my 60's listening group in September is

The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) by The Velvet Underground & Nico

If you have any thoughts on the album please let me know. I'll be posting my own thoughts over the next month

Previous albums discussed are

Electric Music For The Mind And Body by Country Joe And The Fish (August)
Sounds Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel (September)
Revolver by The Beatles (October)
In The Court Of The Crimson King by King Crimson (November)
Buffalo Springfield Again by Buffalo Springfield (December)
Disraeli Gears by Cream (February)
in Search Of The Lost Chord by The Moody Blues (April)
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly (May)
Blues Breakers by John Mayall & Eric Clapton (June)
Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys (July)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (August)