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Album Details

• Artist: The Velvet Underground
• Album: The Velvet Underground
• Label: Polygram
• Year of Release: 1969
• ME Rating: Indie Classic
• Reviewed by: jpenso on 2005-03-11

The Velvet Underground was a shockingly underrated band during their existence, but hindsight allows us to see what they did for music, setting the stage for the punk rock and new wave movements.
On this self-titled third release, I personally think that the band produced their finest work. The album has a much softer tone than the first two releases, which were a musical attack of sorts. Where those albums drowned you in noise, this one slides in softly and cradles the listener with some of the most beautiful music The Velvets ever created.
The guitar work on songs like "Candy Says" and "Pale Blue Eyes" is so intricate yet so fragile it feels like it would break if you were to touch it. The songwriting is superb and probably Lou Reed's best work. Combined with his voice, you can feel the defeat in "Pale Blue Eyes," which sounds like the saddest song in the world.
After listening to the album, it becomes ingrained in your memory and it constantly plays in your head no matter what you are thinking about. This band captured something special that with the mere mention of their name, this whole album comes to life in your head, as vivid as if it was playing on your stereo.

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