Search - The Velvet Underground :: The Velvet Underground & Nico

Dark angel

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 01/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Heroin, sadomasochism, paranoia, seductive ladies and a big banana on the cover. The Velvet Underground was unique in 1967 (even if it never made big sales), and remains unique to this day, no matter how many bands are influenced by them. (Not bad for an arty band!)



Lou Reed tears through a variety of songs, like the slashing, exotic S/M "Venus in Furs," desperate hard-rocking "Run, Run, Run," the surreal junkie ballad "Heroin," and the eerie, soft "Sunday Morning." However, German ex-model Nico leads in the seductive, singsong "Femme Fatale," steady and slow "All Tomorrow's Parties," and the lovely ballad "I'll Be Your Mirror."



The music isn't complex, but it is strangely compelling (such as the wiggling guitar at the beginning of "Black Angel's Death Song," or the tambourines in Nico's songs). Nowhere else could musical compositions like "Sunday Morning" (the tune originally reminded me of a music box) seem so haunting as they do here.



The vocals are excellent, although listeners will probably like one or the other. Lou Reed's high thin voice is a sharp contrast to Nico's accented, husky croon. (Nico left the band after this album) The writing is outstanding, especially since the frank references to kinky sex and drugs are nowhere near as shocking now as they were when the album was first put out.



The sparse, slithering music and excellent singing add solidarity to the reputation of the Velvet Underground as a classic. Dark and brooding, "Velvet Underground and Nico" is an exceptional album."