Classic Albums Revisited, Vol. 1

NYC’s The Velvet Underground are notable as one of the first groups to take pop songs into the plane of abstract art. Guitarist Lou Reed’s Tin Pan Alley songwriting approach combined with John Cale’s musicality and sense of melody produced some memorable tunes but that was only the start. The notoriously muddy production, minimalist percussion and Reed’s penchant for convulsive guitar solos and screaming feedback launched the songs into outer space just as often as the seedy streets of New York City.

Today “The Velvet Underground & Nico” is perhaps more recognized in pop culture for the famous Andy Warhol banana cover than the music contained within. Warhol’s influence on this debut, for good or ill, also goes beyond the record sleeve. Fashion model and Warhol entourage hanger-on Nico secured a spot singing lead vocals on three tracks because of her close relationship with the pop artist who, in turn, had a close relationship with the band. On “Femme Fatale” and “All Tomorrow’s Parties” she does her best Grace Slick impression and manages to find her own voice on the short and sweet “I’ll Be Your Mirror”. Her singing won’t blow you away but it can certainly be a nice variance from Lou Reed’s deadpan delivery.

The production quality here is not a high point as is the case with most of their records. The musical performances, likewise, are coarse and sloppy. However, when you invent your own genre these rules of musical etiquette hardly apply. Call it noise rock, art rock, psychedelic rock or whatever else you want and you’ll be right. The songs are extremely varied throughout and offer the listener an array of sensations to love or loathe.

Simple melodic numbers like “Sunday Morning”, “There She Goes Again” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror” to some degree reflect the pop tastes of that time and present little variation from those contemporaries. The band’s signature innovations come from the confused psychedelia and unsettling din of “Venus In Furs”, “Heroin”, “Run, Run, Run”, “The Black Angel’s Death Song” and “European Son”. These songs feature little or no musical movement but concentrate instead on periodic sonic swells created through crude tempo changes and blistering guitar feedback.

Another unique, and obvious, feature of this record is the influence of Lou Reed’s heroin addiction. It’s well known that Reed had a nasty habit during his Velvet Underground days but even if you aren’t familiar with him it should be clear from the lyrics as he mumbles about getting a taste in “Heroin” and losing patience with his dealer on “I’m Waiting For The Man”. My favorite line is the nihilistic, anti-sexual declaration of his narcotisized libido in “Heroin”: “…all the sweet girls with all your sweet talk/you can all go take a walk”.

Admittedly the record is a bit dated to the mid and late 60s by certain songwriting conventions and vocal styles but after a few listens it becomes its own monster. I prefer the bass-heavy, super-fuzz revelry of their follow-up, “White Light/White Heat”, but “The Velvet Underground & Nico” is a breakthrough recording that deserves its reputation.

Best Track: “Sunday Morning”