Velvet Underground

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Prior to hooking up with Warhol and the Velvet Underground, Nico occupied the same stylistic sphere as Dusty Springfield and Petula Clarke.

What I find interesting was that her voice was a bit different. More light and poppy. On Velvet Underground & Nico (and Chelsea Girl), her voice is more sonorous and almost dirge-like.

I didn't much care for her voice in her Velvet Underground period, but I've definitely come around on it. Now it doesn't detract from the music, though it still isn't my favourite female voice.
 
Well I have versions by

Nick Cave
Siouxsie and The Banshees
Japan
Japan (Alternate version)
Blue OrchiRAB
The Models

My Dad owns the Icehouse & Simple MinRAB covers of it
Thats 8 just from the post punk era

It shouldn't be too difficult to get Buffalo Tom , Jeff Buckley , Iron and Wine as well as Lou Reed & Nico's solo versions

I make that 13 versions of the same song.
 
So, for those in the know, what to expect of other VU albums? More compelling instrumental and melodic passages than those found on Loaded, more of the same, or is it a case of "if you don't like this, you won't like the rest"?
 
This is an older thread, but I must say, loove the Nico debut. Fit with the band well, imo.

My first time taking in the Velvets? - in response to JayJamJah, well I heard Oh! Sweet Nuthin' in High Fidelity and desperately wanted to know who sang it. So I went online and spent that day downloading Velvet Underground songs... sat around at my computer all alone and listened to all I could find. ****ing brilliant. My faves'd have to be...

1. Heroin
2. Take A Walk On the Wild Side
3. White-Light/White-Heat
4. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
5. I'm Waiting for the Man or There She Goes Again.
 
Well, I do like Here She Comes Now, far more than anything on the next two albums, but it's pretty negligible compared to I Heard Her Call My Name.
 
The only one I kinda like on that record is Who Loves The Sun. As for Sweet Jane and Rock n Roll I strongly perfer the versions on Lou Reed's solo live album American Poet.
 
I liked some of their early live stuff. The lengthy "Sister Ray" jams they used to do were often awesome, even though some of them meandered aimlessly with these really slow, no-feedback guitar lines. But I'd agree that once Cale left, their live shows took a turn for the worse. Stale-ish.
 
Hope you don't mind me replying too :).
I think their self titled album is a bit more accessible, but &nico shows more different sides of the band. I'd go for &nico to, but it is probably a bit more 'psychedelic' ;).
 
Firstly, the "violin" is a viola and the "shotty" playing you describe is performed by a trained musician.
This leaRAB me to believe it's obviously intentional.
Hardly surprising coming from an experimental musician. Not all music has to be musical.
 
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