Track Listing

1. Candy Says
2. What Goes On
3. Some Kinda Love
4. Pale Blue Eyes
5. Jesus
6. Beginning To See The Light
7. I'm Set Free
8. That's The Story Of My Life
9. The Murder Mystery
10. After Hours

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7400 in Music
• Released on: 1996-05-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .19 pounds
• Running time: 44 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Released in 1969 to an almost total lack of critical acclaim or consumer interest, the Velvet Underground's third album may well be the finest record of the band's career. Without the sonic terrorism of The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat or the ill-conceived commercial concessions that marred Loaded, the album's songs are free to stand on their own merit. And stand they do: "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light" may be the finest flat-out rockers in the band's catalogue, while "Pale Blue Eyes", "Jesus", and "Candy Says" are some of the most delicately gorgeous songs Lou Reed has ever penned. There's no evidence here of any of the psychedelic effects and hippie sloganeering that marked most late-1960s rock releases, which is probably why the record still holds up today. --Dan Epstein

CD Description
Velvet Underground's self-titled third album seemed like the debut of a new band. John Cale had left (replaced by Doug Yule) and the group became, for all intents and purposes, Lou Reed's back-up band. The songs actually sounded like rock music and John Cale's screeching musicality was reworked into songs that featured Sterling Morrison's most eloquent guitar accompaniment.
Reed's songwriting moved beyond the armed-to-disarm approach of the previous two albums towards a spiritual level of empathy with the human race--a change thatwouldn't go unnoticed. The man who once begged someone to "nullify [his] life" ("Heroin") was now asking "Jesus" to "help me find my proper place", and whooping his way through the equally inspiring "Beginning To See The Light". To this day, every song on VELVET UNDERGROUND sounds like a breakthrough.
In short, VELVET UNDERGROUND showcased the human sideof Lou Reed's songwriting. Unobstructed by walls of sonic noise, Reed's insight and genius was finally allowed to shinethrough.

Customer Reviews

Those pale blue eyes ...
After the fierce White Light/White Heat, this third album saw the Velvet Underground in a calmer, more contemplative mood and exploring their softer side which first surfaced on songs like Sunday Morning and I’ll Be Your Mirror on the first album.

The exceptions are What Goes On with its shimmering guitars and Beginning To See The Light with its urgent rock riff and almost Stones-like flavour. Some Kinda Love is softer although there is still that unique driving sense of nervouness in the rhythm.

The gem of the album is Pale Blue Eyes, where Reed surpasses himself as a poet in the intimate, evocative images. This song also has one of the Velvets’ most gripping melodies and the delivery is perfect. A gentle ballad with a wistful feel, Pale Blue Eyes must be one of the most beautiful songs of all time.

There are plenty of beautiful ballads like Jesus, I’m Set Free and That’s The Story Of My Life. The Murder Mystery consists of spoken and sung parts over a brooding backing that becomes dissonant toward the end. This classic album concludes with the playful acoustic number Afterhours.

blissful, simple, very strange
I wondered about this record for a very long time. After hearing their remarkable debut and the abrasive, trashy White Light/ White Heat album I was ready for another epic. This record centres more on the acoustic musings of Reed, and creates an almost subliminal atmosphere of Coltranesque smokiness.
The Velvet Underground have a very complete catalogue. It is not difficult to sense just why they are so 'influential'. This is a seminal record.
Beginning with the wonderful 'Candy Says', I found myself trying to remember a more unusual opener. The chord changes on this record are perfection.
The real treat, of course, is the 'Murder Mystery'. There is no other track comparable in the rock canon. Clearly, Reed was in another place when recording this 'third' album. Mixing organ and fluid guitar, a collage of unfathomable lyrics and wonderful drumming; this truly creates the intended atmosphere.
Another seminal track is 'Pale Blue Eyes'. Slow and gorgeous, Reed muses over love. This is their masterpiece, more complete than the debut. Whisper it quietly.

one of the best
the velvet underground are generally appreciated as one of the most influencial bands around, however it is perhaps their third album that desrves the most plaudits of all.
it contains some of reeds best compositions and arguably there is not 1 bad track on it. the tour de force of "murder mysteries" is a delight as are the more delicate songs like "candy says" and "pale blue eyes".
there is barely any evidence of the agressive and messy noise of white light/white heat, which although is a great album, is not the velvet underground at their best.
this however is. the songs maybe not be complicated and may lack the rock n roll edge of past albums but nevertheless it ranks up their as one of the best of all time.