'The Velvet Underground Singles 1966-1969' (vinyl singles boxed set reissue reviewed)

LA Times ^ | September 24, 2009 | By Robert Hilburn

[a fool in paradise]

"...I know it sounds pretentious, but I wanted to bring a Brecht/Weill sensibility" to the music, he told me in 1992. "Why not? You're not 15 forever. There was nothing... that I hadn't read about in books or seen in movies. 'Man with the Golden Arm' had been out for years before I wrote 'Heroin.' "

But Reed and the Velvets also wanted hits, so they sidestepped those exotic themes in a series of exquisite singles recorded in hopes of gaining mainstream radio exposure. Yet even those -- which are showcased on separate, 45 rpm vinyl recordings in the boxed set from Sundazed Records -- proved too sophisticated for radio programmers, thus killing the Velvets' chances at achieving big sales.

If you think of history as another form of measuring success, the recordings by the Velvets are smash hits. Not only do they still sound alluring, but it's also easy to hear in them the musical attitude and strains that influenced a wide range of rock forces, including David Bowie, the New York Dolls, Patti Smith, the Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, Roxy Music, U2 and the Strokes...

The music: "All Tomorrow's Parties," a wistful account of a troubled young woman attracted to New York's hip party scene, simply wasn't as immediately accessible as dozens of other singles that year, including the Mamas and the Papas' "Monday, Monday," the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" and the Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black"...

The band's most blatant attempt at a hit single was probably "Temptation Inside Your Heart," though MGM Records decided against releasing the record. In this version of the song, we hear Reed and the others trying playfully to inject some overt Motown touches into the arrangement, all the way down to a few Martha & the Vandellas-inspired "doo-doo-doo" vocal lines...

[ClearCase_guy]

I have wide ranging tastes, and listen to a lot of music which some people would consider “different”. But somehow, despite multiple attempts, I’ve never understood the appeal of the Velvet Undergound.

[a fool in paradise]

TRACK LISTING:

Single One
All Tomorrow's Parties / I'll Be Your Mirror—Verve VK-10427

Single Two
Sunday Morning / Femme Fatale—Verve VK-10466

Single Three
White Light/White Heat / Here She Comes Now—Verve VK-10560

Single Four
White Light/White Heat / I Heard Her Call My Name—Cancelled single

Single Five
Temptation Inside Your Heart / Stephanie Says—Cancelled single

Single Six
What Goes On / Jesus—MGM K-14057

Single Seven
VU Radio Spot / VU Radio Spot—MGM VU-1

"The seven singles included in The Velvet Underground Singles 1966–69 comprise the four Velvets singles originally released in the U.S. on the Verve and MGM labels, plus an additional pair of singles that were prepared for release but never made it to the marketplace and a special radio-only promotional single... The singles feature alternate mono versions that differ in significant ways from the songs' better-known stereo album versions."

[sand lake bar]

It’s kinda like snails or sweetbreads. A few might be tasty, but not a whole bucketful.

[Skooz]

For me, their music ranges from absolutely mesmerizing and incredible to dull and plodding. Not a whole lot in-between.

On the whole, I like the Velvets. When they were good, they were very very good. Way ahead of their time.

I also find it interesting that two polar and intractable opposites of rock n roll, Prog Rock and Punk, trace their lineage through the Velvets. That's quite a trick.

[allmendream]

When speaking of the influence of the Velvet Underground someone pointed out

‘How influential could they have been, they only sold a few thousand records?’

to which someone else replied

“Yes! But everyone who bought one of their records started a band!”

[proxy_user]

There is a fantastic version of ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ done by June Tabor with the Oyster Band.

[hc87]

I have wide ranging tastes, and listen to a lot of music which some people would consider “different”. But somehow, despite multiple attempts, I’ve never understood the appeal of the Velvet Undergound

They are the root of all Alternative Rock and, I think, worth a listen if you like the genre. If you're looking for an introduction, I'd suggest "VU" which was released in the '80s as a collection of studio material that never made it to album, due to the departure of John Cale and Lou Reed from the group. It has good material and a few songs ended up being re-recorded by Reed and released on his solo albums.

[Jagman]

New York sleaze, hard drugs, pretentious lyrics, two-chord song structures, and a little electroshock therapy thrown in for good measure. What’s not to like!

[JoeProBono]

[a fool in paradise]

[JoeProBono]

[PhilDragoo]

The Velvet Underground & Nico - I'll be your mirror

[a fool in paradise]

Whatisthis? Some kind of competition?

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]

I'm clueless. What's the competition again?

[reagan_fanatic]

[a fool in paradise]

Take two, they're small.

[radiohead]

I’ve been listening to a lot of VU over the past few years, some of which I remember when it first came out, some of which I’ve found fooling around on iTunes.

I have to admit I like this stuff. It sounds as good to me today as it did back then. I thought it might sound dated, but it doesn’t. It just sounds good.

[Daffynition]