The Velvet Underground & Nico

Would have been a 3 if European son lasted much longer.

The album with the banana on the cover has a reputation for being difficult — even unlistenable to some listeners — but I’ve never really felt that way. Its rough edges, stark arrangements, and unsettling themes are exactly what make it so fascinating. Instead of polishing rock music, the band strips it down and pushes it into darker, stranger territory.

In hindsight, it’s easy to hear how influential this record became. The raw directness of 𝗜’𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻, the hypnotic intensity of 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗻, and the eerie atmosphere of 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘀 would later echo through punk and experimental rock alike. What might have sounded alien in 1967 now feels like the blueprint for an entirely different kind of rock music.

It was good, groundbreaking. First half especially was really high quality.

Really not sure about the second half but I guess it wasn't boring.

Iconic record, and I love the music. I just can't handle Nico's vocals. They're like nails on a chalkboard. Favorite track: Waiting for the Man

Is it just me or did Nico kill the vibe

Like I'm not sexist I just don't like the sound of Nazis

Can't say much that hasn't been said about it before. Besides being a trailblazer for every alternative band from later, it is also just a really solid album on it's own. There's a lot of variety and the Velvet Underground show their proficiency in each of these types of songs. Ragging jams switched with soft songs and it all works well together. It sounds dirty and less professional than contemporaries and that's what makes it so unique.

It is an iconic record. One of the most important and influential pieces of music of all time. Lou Reed at his best.

10/10 [KEEP]

Masterpiece

Um álbum reconhecidamente influente e que trás belas melodias, como em "Sunday Morning" e "All Tommorrow's Parties", além de canções marcantes por seu tom climático, como "Venus in Furs" e "Heroin".

Was excited to revisit because I used to hate this record. My appreciation has definitely grown, but I still find this thing massively disjointed. Nico's tracks are all great and the instrumentation throughout is so ahead-of-its-time, but the mid tempo pop rock tracks are so lousy and Lou Reed is a bit of a charisma vacuum. And just because the sounds attempted here are progressive, does not mean that the production sounds good- most of it sounds really dated.

I’ve always been intrigued by the banana sticker, but I’ve never actually heard any of these songs. Anywhere. Ever. One of the most influential albums of all time and I’ve never heard any of these songs anywhere?

I think this is because this music isn’t very good, but the banana sticker fucking rules. Great idea, Andy!

I appreciate this sound for 1967, the cover is iconic, the songs are uneven

I get why this album is important but it’s not something I would revisit.

My reviews keep getting deleted.

Some songs I enjoyed and were very pleasant and calming. Other songs devolved into noises, which sometimes I like but it didn’t always work for me here. I can understand how influential and ahead of its time this album was, but I didn’t love it on first full listen through

Every other 60s rock band (except the Stooges) sound like total squares after you hear this album.

I don't really care for "Sunday Morning," nor, actually, any of the other songs with Nico vocals. The Lou Reed ones are generally excellent though. I loved European Son.

C’est l’autre côté pour ouvrir la banane loser

One of the albums that started it all- going from Sunday AM to I’m waiting for my man…the French 60s sounds with Nico’s baritone German accent.

Huge fan of Lou Reeds solo work but to see the amount of musical movements that came from this…

Only issue…the heroin addicted John Cale/Lou Reed and their monotone trances - def a rougher listen.

5/10

I don’t see how influential this album could be, boring as bat shit!