My Favourite Bands - The Velvet Underground, part 2

The Velvet's 3rd album is the self-titled The Velvet Underground.


By spunkyandtheslut at 2009-08-08

By this point John Cale has left the band to be replaced by Doug Yale. This means there's no more electric viola but instead the band has the 'standard' rock line-up of drums, bass, two guitars and vocals.

Gone is most of the feedback from the first two albums, this sounds in many ways markedly different, (although the penultimate song, The Murder Mystery, wouldn't seem out of place on either of the two previous albums). That's not to say that it's a generic rock and roll album. The distortion and feedback have been scaled back and replaced with an involvement in the songs that wasn't present in the first two albums. The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat were chronicles of different scenes and people. The Velvet Underground comes across much more as a chronicle of Lou Reed's experiences.

Here are some sample mp3s...

Candy Says

Some Kinda Love

After Hours (sung by Mo Tucker)

...and you can buy the album here.

The 4th Velvet Underground album is Loaded.




Now you'll here/read a lot about what a commercial album this is and how far it deviates from the other albums. And it many ways it does have a more accesible sound. There's no denying it sounds different to the previous albums. I just don't think different should be taken as a negative, bands evolve after all, and if this is really what commercial music sounded like, well, I'd be a very happy boy. I don't intend to do a huge review of this album. It just ends up like I'm defending it from accusations of selling out and really I don't care. If it's a sell out, if it's an attempted commercial record, a sop to the record company I don't care. Neither should you. It's an excellent album and it stands on its own merits.

It's worth mentioning that Mo Tucker was pregnant during the Loaded recording sessions so most of the drumming is done by bassist Doug Yule and his brother Billy. Doug Yule also sings lead vocals on four of the songs on Loaded.

Loaded is also available as a 2-disc set known as the Fully Loadd edition. As well as the full album it contains all the songs again from alternative takes or demos and 12 other demos and outakes, including a few songs that would turn up on Lou Reed's solo albums.

Here are the mp3s from the album:

Sweet Jane

Rock and Roll

New Age

and here are some of the tracks included on the Fully Loaded Edition:

Lonesome Cowboy Bill

I Love You

Oh! Sweet Nuthin'

I'm Sticking With You (This one is sung by Mo Tucker)

Ocean (Possibly/probably with John Cale on the organ)

Love Makes You Feel Ten Feet Tall

Satellite Of Love

and you can buy the Fully Loaded edition here.

Part 3 will be the last of the favourite band posts on The Velvet Underground and will cover their live recordings. Until then, enjoy these tracks.