Velvet Underground

s_k · 11-26-2010, 04:10 PM

I've always liked their self-titled album, altough I can't tink of any of their albums I wouldn't want to have. Have & Nico and TVU so far

TockTockTock · 11-26-2010, 10:11 PM

Which do you think is their best and worst album? And why? Just a bit curious.

clutnuckle · 11-26-2010, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackPat

Which do you think is their best and worst album? And why? Just a bit curious.

Best: White Light/White Heat - The amalgamation of everything vile and corrosive about the band. There are no tunes like "I'll Be Your Mirror" or "Sunday Morning" here for you catch your breath in - just an unrelenting, pure 'rock and roll' vibe, with no production value or pretense. They simply take the formula that 70s rockers (Journey, AC/DC) would dilute and ruin and play it in an uncompromising way; and somehow, behind the chaos, distortion and disgust, there is beauty. It should be noted that I love "The Gift" - the story, the jam in the background, everything... It's my second favorite on the album. Anybody who considers themselves 'too cool' for it is building up an awfully high wall.

Worst: Loaded - Doesn't really strike me in any way at all. They proved themselves as great pop artists on their self-titled, but this is just a snoozefest, a few tracks strike me as good, but that's it. Not repulsive or anything, but you'd expect more from this band. (Squeeze is obviously their worst, but I don't consider that a TVU album).

zachsd · 11-26-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

The amalgamation of everything vile and corrosive about the band. There are no tunes like "I'll Be Your Mirror" or "Sunday Morning" here for you catch your breath in - just an unrelenting, pure 'rock and roll' vibe, with no production value or pretense. They simply take the formula that 70s rockers (Journey, AC/DC) would dilute and ruin and play it in an uncompromising way; and somehow, behind the chaos, distortion and disgust, there is beauty.

Yeah, this is kind of the way I view Velvet Underground's harsher stuff, and in particular the majority of White Light. Interesting comparison to bands like Journey and AC/DC though, I've never looked at VU from that angle.

While VU is definitely not my most listened to band, the fact that they were able to produce beautiful ideas out of ugly conceptions is what makes them so extraordinary in my opinion.

I still prefer & Nico though, if anything just for those moments of respite haha

clutnuckle · 11-26-2010, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachsd

Yeah, this is kind of the way I view Velvet Underground's harsher stuff, and in particular the majority of White Light. Interesting comparison to bands like Journey and AC/DC though, I've never looked at VU from that angle.

While VU is definitely not my most listened to band, the fact that they were able to produce beautiful ideas out of ugly conceptions is what makes them so extraordinary in my opinion.

I still prefer & Nico though, if anything just for those moments of respite haha

Oh I definitely didn't want to compare Journey and AC/DC POSITIVELY to TVU... Sorry if it came across that way :S I meant, TVU played rock and roll in a very unrefined manner. Bands like AC/DC and Journey took that formula and made it (in my elitist opinion) very boring and lifeless.

& Nico is definitely my second favorite. I would definitely place it in the same ballpark as WL/WH.

DoctorSoft · 11-26-2010, 08:10 PM

I really gotta get into this band, I've listened to Heroin which is really good. What album do you think I should get?

clutnuckle · 11-26-2010, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theuglyorgan

I really gotta get into this band, I've listened to Heroin which is really good. What album do you think I should get?

Velvet Underground & Nico is always the perfect start, especially since you now already know you'll like at least one song from it ("Heroin", that is). I'd move through their work completely chronologically. Then again, if you dislike any of the very 'noisy', disjointed, incoherent moments on & Nico, I'd skip WL/WH and go directly to their self-titled.

DoctorSoft · 11-26-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutnuckle

Velvet Underground & Nico is always the perfect start, especially since you now already know you'll like at least one song from it ("Heroin", that is). I'd move through their work completely chronologically. Then again, if you dislike any of the very 'noisy', disjointed, incoherent moments on & Nico, I'd skip WL/WH and go directly to their self-titled.

Thanks a lot.

s_k · 11-27-2010, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theuglyorgan

I really gotta get into this band, I've listened to Heroin which is really good. What album do you think I should get?

Hope you don't mind me replying too

.
I think their self titled album is a bit more accessible, but &nico shows more different sides of the band. I'd go for &nico to, but it is probably a bit more 'psychedelic'

.

clutnuckle · 11-26-2010, 11:33 PM

I liked some of their early live stuff. The lengthy "Sister Ray" jams they used to do were often awesome, even though some of them meandered aimlessly with these really slow, no-feedback guitar lines. But I'd agree that once Cale left, their live shows took a turn for the worse. Stale-ish.

11-26-2010, 04:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
s_k Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,206	I've always liked their self-titled album, altough I can't tink of any of their albums I wouldn't want to have. Have & Nico and TVU so far __________________ Click here to see my collection

11-26-2010, 10:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	Which do you think is their best and worst album? And why? Just a bit curious.

11-26-2010, 08:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
DoctorSoft Rocket Appliances Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1,335	I really gotta get into this band, I've listened to Heroin which is really good. What album do you think I should get?

11-26-2010, 11:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
clutnuckle Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: -_-_-_-_~__~-~_-`_`-~_-`-~-~ Posts: 1,276	I liked some of their early live stuff. The lengthy "Sister Ray" jams they used to do were often awesome, even though some of them meandered aimlessly with these really slow, no-feedback guitar lines. But I'd agree that once Cale left, their live shows took a turn for the worse. Stale-ish.