In The Velvet Underground’s short four year career, they put out four radically different albums. Under the direction of Andy Warhol, they put out the first statement in art rock in 1967, collaborating with singer Nico. By the next year, Nico and Warhol were out and experimental violinist John Cale became de-facto leader, second to Lou Reed. The album they would produce would be the antithesis of music of the time, featuring long industrial pieces with distorted vocals. But how the band followed up this record of noisiness and grime would go on to impact lo-fi recording into the present day.
Reed hated the idea of conforming. Pop and rock music was constantly evolving and Reed wanted to create something that was the complete opposite of the popular sound. In the golden age of psychedelic rock, he created art rock with straightforward instrumentals. In the dawn of political based hard rock, he created noise rock about nothing at all. By 1969, excess had started to steep into rock ‘n’ roll. Reed wanted to create a minimalist album.
The opening song, “Candy Says,” is heartwrenching. The Velvet Underground had always written about queerness in the New York art scene, and especially transgender people and the drag scene. “Candy Says” is taken from a conversation Lou had with a transgender friend of his, talking about the feeling of gender dysmorphia. The emotion of realizing there is nothing you can do to feel happy about yourself breaks your heart, knowing what it was like for people like that in the 60s.
“What Goes On” is the song that David Bowie listened to most frequently before he made his landmark 1971 album “Hunky Dory.” The song features typical Velvet Underground lyrics about an off-kilter relationship and backwards guitar.
The closer “After Hours” was the first song in popular music to be referred to as bedroom pop. Drummer Maureen Tucker plays simple acoustic chords and sings in her quiet, high pitched voice on simple lyrics about love and connection.
The other perfectly crafted song on this album is “Pale Blue Eyes.” This song is, in my opinion, the greatest song ever written. The simple chords, the well crafted lyrics, the passion in the vocal performance. Everything about this song is perfect. This single piece of music elevates this album from great to a contender for the best album of all time.
This album deserves all the credit it gets for creating genres that would have made the rock gods of the time scoff. The Velvet Underground created an alternative masterpiece that would defy genres and labels until the world caught up to it.