Review of VU (The Velvet Underground)

VU is considered by many to be the "lost album" of the Velvet Underground. Recorded in 1969 while working under the MGM Records label, the Velvet Underground was released from its contract because their music was considered offensive to the moral standards of Mike Curb, the new CEO. Many of their recorded tracks were unreleased, and ten of them were released in 1985 as the album VU. The Velvet Underground is comprised of Lou Reed (Vocals, Guitar), John Cale (Bass), Maureen "Moe" Tucker (Percussion, Vocals), and Sterling Morrison (Guitar, Backup Vocals). Doug Yule (Bass, Keyboards) contributed as well.

This is one of my personal favourite Velvet Underground albums. Despite the fact that it was tossed together from a group of unreleased songs, the album is musically just as strong as the other Velvet Underground works. The song "Foggy Notion" puts forward some of the best sprawling guitar work I've ever heard. "Lisa Says" is another wonderful song, with quiet verses crescendoing into powerful choruses, which drop off right back into the soft sounds again.

Some of the songs, notably "Andy's Chest" are somewhat immature, which detracts from my overall enjoyment of the album. Before I did the reading for this review, I hadn't known that this was not a well-planned album, but in retrospect I can hear some of the differences in style from song to song, and this prevents the album from really sounding like a cohesive whole.

All things said, however, this album has some of indispensable music by the Velvet Underground, and should be listened to any serious alternative rocker at least once. The music of this band is too influential to ever disregard, and that's why you should be listening to it.