The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground:
The album that truly opened my mind to all music, and it still holds up, even after discovering hundreds and hundreds of great albums. Even the Nico sung songs are unbelievable (I dare you to say that "Femme Fatale" isn't catchy as hell), and beneath the calculated noise, a breathtaking pop album awaits. The droning guitars, the hypnotizing drums, and Lou Reeds soft, yet harsh voice paves the way towards musical enlightenment. A+

White Light/White Heat:
Ditching Nico and Warhol, they didn't halt the brakes on the noise. The title tracks is amazing, and try listening to "The Gift" with only one earbud at a time. John Cale recites a short story in a deadpan manner in the left channel, while an instrumental plays in the right. This goes on for eight minutes. "I Hear Her Call My Name" features a few solos so heavily distorted it sounds like the sound is going to actually break. The closing track, the epic "Sister Ray" (recorded in one take with no overdubs), is a freak out jam whose influence can be felt on Joy Division (who frequently covered it live), and is one of the pinnacles of Reed's tales of transvestites. A+

The Velvet Underground:
At first this may not sound like the Velvet Underground heard on VU & Nico and White Light..., and that's because it's not. John Cale (one of the two driving forces behind the band), left over differences between him and Reed. And Reed, in a move typical of actors not wanting to be typecast, decided to change up the overall sound of the band. The album still remains highly experimental, but not in the earth shattering way of their previous two efforts. Reed's lyrics remain as good as ever, though besides "The Murder Mystery", none of the tracks stand out from each other (note: This isn't necessarily a bad thing). Not the same VU, but damn good. A

Loaded:
Loaded with hits! Well, it was. Lou has some of his best moments as a songwriter (at least 3 of these songs could have been top 10 hits). Those three songs open the album, and are some of the bands best. The rest of the album isn't of as high caliber, but all are great nonetheless. This (not the Doug Yule solo entry that was Squeeze) was a fitting finale for a band way too ahead of its time. A

VU:
You don't have to be a diehard fan to like this. The "lost" album of the Velvet Underground, a few of these songs later turned up as Lou Reed solo entries. However, tracks like "I Can't Stand It" and "Foggy Notion" are bonafide classics, and this is essential listening for hardcore and casual fans alike. A-