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{{more footnotes|date=February 2015}}
{{redirect|Foggy Notion|the music magazine|Foggy Notions}}
{{redirect|Foggy Notion|the music magazine|Foggy Notions}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
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| alt =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1985|02}}
| released = {{Start date|1985|02}}
| recorded = 1968–69, New York City
| recorded = 1968–69
| venue =
| venue =
| studio = [[A & R Studios]] and [[Record Plant]], New York City<ref name=RoughG/>
| studio =
| genre = {{flatlist|
| genre = {{flatlist|
*[[Experimental rock]]
*[[Experimental rock]]
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'''''VU''''' is a 1985 album by the American musical group [[the Velvet Underground]], recorded 1968–69 and released in February 1985 by [[Verve Records]].
'''''VU''''' is a 1985 album by the American musical group [[the Velvet Underground]], recorded 1968–69 and released in February 1985 by [[Verve Records]].


==Background==
==Composition and collection==
When the Velvet Underground moved from [[Verve Records]] (which had released their first two albums) to parent company [[MGM Records]], they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album ''[[The Velvet Underground (album)|The Velvet Underground]]'' in March 1969. Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new [[CEO]], [[Mike Curb]], was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts. The Velvet Underground quickly became one of the groups targeted and were released from their contract. The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.<ref name=mo/>
When the Velvet Underground moved from [[Verve Records]] (which had released their first two albums) to parent company [[MGM Records]], they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album ''[[The Velvet Underground (album)|The Velvet Underground]]'' in March 1969. This was their first record with multi-instrumentalist [[Doug Yule]], who replaced previous member [[John Cale]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Richie |first=Unterberger |title=The Velvet Underground Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |author-link=Richie Unterberger |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-velvet-underground-mn0000840402#biography}}</ref> Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new [[CEO]], [[Mike Curb]], was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The MGM Records Story |url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/mgmstory.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Both Sides Now Publications |first1=P. |last1=Preuss |first2=M. |last2=Callahan |first3=D. |last3=Edwards |first4=P. |last4=Eyries |date=January 25, 2000}}</ref> The Velvet Underground were already inclined to leave the label by then and would later sign with [[Atlantic Records]], who released their fourth studio album ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/vumyth.html |title=What Really Goes On: 22 Myths and Legends about the Velvet Underground |website=Richieunterberger.com |access-date=December 13, 2024 |author-link=Richie Unterberger}}</ref>


Moe Tucker later said, "We didn’t say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes."<ref name=mo>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |title=Spins |first=Mick |last=Farren |date=May 1985 |issue=1 |pages=28–29 |url=https://archive.org/details/spin-01-may-1985/page/28/mode/1up}}</ref>
The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.<ref name=mo/> The band's drummer [[Moe Tucker]] later said:
{{Blockquote |text=We didn't say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes.<ref name=mo>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |title=Spins |first=Mick |last=Farren |date=May 1985 |issue=1 |pages=28–29 |url=https://archive.org/details/spin-01-may-1985/page/28/mode/1up}}</ref>
}}


==Release and contents==
In the early 1980s, as Verve (by then an [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Polygram]]) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixdown]] format, some of them even on [[multitrack recording|multitracks]]. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as ''VU''; the rest was released as ''[[Another View]]'' in 1986.
In the early 1980s, as Verve (by then an [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Polygram]]) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixdown]] format, some of them even on [[multitrack recording|multitracks]]. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as ''VU''; the rest was released as ''[[Another View]]'' in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |last=Deming |first=Mark |title=Another View – The Velvet Underground – Review |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/another-view-mw0000192322#review}}</ref>


''VU'' is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says". Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.
''VU'' is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "[[Stephanie Says]]".<ref name="Weisbard"/> Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.<ref name=RoughG>{{cite book |last=Hogan |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Hogan |title=The Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground |location=New York |year=2007 |page=150 |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |isbn=978-1-84353-588-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetovelv0000hoga/page/150/mode/1up |url-access=registration}}</ref>


As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on ''VU'', "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''. Neither made the cut, but six of the ''VU'' songs were recycled by Lou Reed during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on ''[[Lou Reed (album)|Lou Reed]]'', 1972; "[[Andy's Chest]]" on ''[[Transformer (Lou Reed album)|Transformer]]'', 1972; "[[Stephanie Says]]" (as "Caroline Says II") on ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]'', 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by [[Doug Yule]]),<ref name=sell>{{cite book |title=The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing|last=Heylin |first=Clinton |authorlink= Clinton Heylin |publisher=Viking |year=1992 |page=586|isbn=9780670845590}}</ref> was included on ''[[Coney Island Baby]]'', 1976.
As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on ''VU'', "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''. Neither made the cut, but six of the ''VU'' songs were recycled by [[Lou Reed]] during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on ''[[Lou Reed (album)|Lou Reed]]'', 1972; "[[Andy's Chest]]" on ''[[Transformer (Lou Reed album)|Transformer]]'', 1972; "Stephanie Says" (as "Caroline Says II") on ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]'', 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by [[Doug Yule]]),<ref name=sell>{{cite book |title=The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing|last=Heylin |first=Clinton |authorlink= Clinton Heylin |publisher=Viking |year=1992 |page=586|isbn=9780670845590}}</ref> was included on ''[[Coney Island Baby]]'', 1976.


''VU'' peaked in the US at #85, the band's best placing.<ref name="BillboardChart">{{Cite magazine|title=The Velvet Underground|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-velvet-underground/chart-history/tlp/|access-date=2021-06-14|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> As of October 2013 it had sold 90,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.<ref name="rip">{{cite web|title=Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/5770584/lou-reed-rip-what-if-everyone-who-bought-the-first|last=Gensler|first=Andy|website=Billboard|date=October 28, 2013}}</ref>
''VU'' peaked in the US at number 85, the band's best placing.<ref name="BillboardChart">{{Cite magazine|title=The Velvet Underground|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-velvet-underground/chart-history/tlp/|access-date=2021-06-14|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> As of October 2013, it had sold 90,000 copies according to [[Nielsen Soundscan]].<ref name="rip">{{cite web|title=Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/5770584/lou-reed-rip-what-if-everyone-who-bought-the-first|last=Gensler|first=Andy|website=Billboard|date=October 28, 2013}}</ref>


== Critical reception ==
== Critical reception ==
{{Album reviews
{{Album reviews
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r21119}}</ref>
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic |class=album |id=r21119 |title=V.U. – The Velvet Underground – Review |last=Deming |first=Mark}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2 = ''[[AllMusic#The All Music Guide series|All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music]]''
|rev2score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name=Unterberger/>
| rev2Score = A<ref name="Xgau">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=V|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=V&bk=80|access-date=November 21, 2021|via=robertchristgau.com|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=[[Pantheon Books]]|year=1990|isbn= 0-679-73015-X}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev3 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
| rev3Score = A<ref name="Xgau">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=V|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=V&bk=80|access-date=November 21, 2021|via=robertchristgau.com|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=[[Pantheon Books]]|year=1990|isbn= 0-679-73015-X}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev4 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
⚫
| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|date=March 14, 1985|title=The Velvet Underground: VU|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428134334/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2007|magazine=Rolling Stone|author-link=David Fricke}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide]]''
| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1996 |publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]] |page=710 |chapter=Velvet Underground |first=Greg |last=Kot |author-link=Greg Kot |editor-last=Graff |editor-first=Gary |editor-link=Gary Graff |isbn=9780787610371 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/musichoundrockes0000unse/page/710/mode/1up}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
⚫
| rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|date=March 14, 1985|title=The Velvet Underground: VU|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428134334/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2007|magazine=Rolling Stone|author-link=David Fricke}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Sheffield">{{cite book|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor1-link=Nathan Brackett|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|editor2-link=Christian Hoard|chapter=The Velvet Underground|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA847|access-date=November 22, 2011|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|location=New York City|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/847 847–848]|archive-date=June 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610004547/https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA847|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev8Score = 9/10<ref name="Weisbard">{{cite book |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Weisbard |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |chapter=Velvet Underground |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/spinalternativer0000unse/page/425/mode/1up |location=New York |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=425–427}}</ref>
}}
}}
''VU'' was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1985-2-1045389 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=2018 |magazine=[[NME]] |access-date=August 30, 2018 }}</ref> In the [[Pazz & Jop]] year-end critics poll, it was ranked the 12th best album of 1985.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres85.php |title=The 1985 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |first=Robert |last=Christgau |author-link=Robert Christgau |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] placed it at number 6 on his "[[Robert Christgau#"Dean's Lists"|Dean's list]]" of the best albums of that year.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Christgau |first=Robert |title=Pazz & Jop 1985: Dean's List |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans85.php |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref>
''VU'' was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1985-2-1045389 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=2018 |magazine=[[NME]] |access-date=August 30, 2018 }}</ref> In the [[Pazz & Jop]] year-end critics poll, it was ranked the 12th best album of 1985.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres85.php |title=The 1985 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |first=Robert |last=Christgau |author-link=Robert Christgau |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] placed it at number 6 on his "[[Robert Christgau#"Dean's Lists"|Dean's list]]" of the best albums of that year.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Christgau |first=Robert |title=Pazz & Jop 1985: Dean's List |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans85.php |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref>


''[[Village Voice]]'' rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."<ref name="Xgau"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'''s [[David Fricke]] claimed that "V.U. captures the band at the height of its powers, refining the edginess of the early records with a polished, accessible sound that doesn't compromise its spirit of adventure."<ref name="RollingStone"/>
''[[Village Voice]]'' rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."<ref name="Xgau"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'''s [[David Fricke]] claimed that "''V.U.'' captures the band at the height of its powers, refining the edginess of the early records with a polished, accessible sound that doesn't compromise its spirit of adventure."<ref name="RollingStone"/>

⚫
In a minority opinion, [[Mick Farren]] of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."<ref name=mo />


In a retropective review, [[AllMusic]]'s Mark Demming wrote, "The 1969 recordings on VU rank with some of the most accessible but potent rock & roll the Velvet Underground ever recorded; [...] 'I Can't Stand It,' 'Foggy Notion,' and 'One of These Days' are memorable, punchy rock tunes," and claimed that the music in this album "is a reminder that this band wasn't as alienating as many writers like to suggest; [...] they could also play tough but joyous rock & roll that made people want to dance."<ref name="AllMusic"/> [[Richie Unterberger]] opined, "Many of the tracks were re-recorded by Reed on his early solo albums, and in every instance, The Velvets' versions are better."<ref name=Unterberger>{{Cite book |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |title=All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music |chapter=The Velvet Underground: VU / 1985 / Verve |year=2001 |edition=4th |page=431 |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/allmusicguidedef00bogd/page/431/mode/1up |isbn=0-87930-627-0 |author-link=Richie Unterberger}}</ref>
⚫
[[Mick Farren]] of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."<ref name=mo />
{{clear}}


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
Line 107: Line 118:
|total_length = 18:16
|total_length = 18:16
}}
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The CD issue of VU omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The CD issue of ''VU'' omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.


*All tracks appear on the box set ''[[Peel Slowly and See]]'', except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on ''Peel Slowly and See'' is a later version, recorded during the [[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|''Loaded'']] sessions April – June 1970.
*All tracks appear on the box set ''[[Peel Slowly and See]]'', except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on ''Peel Slowly and See'' is a later version, recorded during the [[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|''Loaded'']] sessions April – June 1970.
Line 126: Line 137:


== Charts ==
== Charts ==
''VU'' is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US Billboard charts on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.<ref name="BillboardChart" />
''VU'' is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US [[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.<ref name="BillboardChart" />


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 13:43, 21 December 2024

"Foggy Notion" redirects here. For the music magazine, see Foggy Notions.
VU
Studio album by
the Velvet Underground
ReleasedFebruary 1985 (1985-02)
Recorded1968–69
StudioA & R Studios and Record Plant, New York City[1]
Genre
Length35:16
LabelVerve
ProducerThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground chronology
1969: The Velvet Underground Live
(1974) 		VU
(1985) 		Another View
(1986)
Singles from VU
  1. "Foggy Notion / I Can't Stand It"
    Released: 1984

VU is a 1985 album by the American musical group the Velvet Underground, recorded 1968–69 and released in February 1985 by Verve Records.

Background

[edit]

When the Velvet Underground moved from Verve Records (which had released their first two albums) to parent company MGM Records, they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album The Velvet Underground in March 1969. This was their first record with multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule, who replaced previous member John Cale.[2] Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new CEO, Mike Curb, was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts.[3] The Velvet Underground were already inclined to leave the label by then and would later sign with Atlantic Records, who released their fourth studio album Loaded.[4]

The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.[5] The band's drummer Moe Tucker later said:

We didn't say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes.[5]

Release and contents

[edit]

In the early 1980s, as Verve (by then an imprint of Polygram) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track mixdown format, some of them even on multitracks. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as VU; the rest was released as Another View in 1986.[6]

VU is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says".[7] Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.[1]

As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on VU, "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on Loaded. Neither made the cut, but six of the VU songs were recycled by Lou Reed during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on Lou Reed, 1972; "Andy's Chest" on Transformer, 1972; "Stephanie Says" (as "Caroline Says II") on Berlin, 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by Doug Yule),[8] was included on Coney Island Baby, 1976.

VU peaked in the US at number 85, the band's best placing.[9] As of October 2013, it had sold 90,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.[10]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music[12]
Christgau's Record GuideA[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[14]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]
Spin Alternative Record Guide9/10[7]

VU was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by New Musical Express.[18] In the Pazz & Jop year-end critics poll, it was ranked the 12th best album of 1985.[19] Robert Christgau placed it at number 6 on his "Dean's list" of the best albums of that year.[20]

Village Voice rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."[13] Rolling Stone's David Fricke claimed that "V.U. captures the band at the height of its powers, refining the edginess of the early records with a polished, accessible sound that doesn't compromise its spirit of adventure."[16]

In a minority opinion, Mick Farren of Spin wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."[5]

In a retropective review, AllMusic's Mark Demming wrote, "The 1969 recordings on VU rank with some of the most accessible but potent rock & roll the Velvet Underground ever recorded; [...] 'I Can't Stand It,' 'Foggy Notion,' and 'One of These Days' are memorable, punchy rock tunes," and claimed that the music in this album "is a reminder that this band wasn't as alienating as many writers like to suggest; [...] they could also play tough but joyous rock & roll that made people want to dance."[11] Richie Unterberger opined, "Many of the tracks were re-recorded by Reed on his early solo albums, and in every instance, The Velvets' versions are better."[12]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Lou Reed, except "Foggy Notion" by Reed, Sterling Morrison, Doug Yule, Maureen Tucker and Hy Weiss.

Side one
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."I Can't Stand It"May 20, 19693:21
2."Stephanie Says"February 13, 19682:49
3."She's My Best Friend"May 14, 19692:47
4."Lisa Says"October 1, 19692:53
5."Ocean"June 19, 19695:10
Total length:17:00
Side two
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."Foggy Notion"May 6, 19696:41
2."Temptation Inside Your Heart"February 14, 19682:30
3."One of These Days"September 23, 19693:50
4."Andy's Chest"May 13, 19692:49
5."I'm Sticking with You"May 13, 19692:26
Total length:18:16

*The CD issue of VU omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.

  • All tracks appear on the box set Peel Slowly and See, except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on Peel Slowly and See is a later version, recorded during the Loaded sessions April – June 1970.

Personnel

[edit]
The Velvet Underground
Technical staff

Charts

[edit]

VU is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US Billboard charts on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Hogan, Peter (2007). The Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground. New York: Rough Guides. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-84353-588-1.
  2. ^ Richie, Unterberger. "The Velvet Underground Biography". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Preuss, P.; Callahan, M.; Edwards, D.; Eyries, P. (January 25, 2000). "The MGM Records Story". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "What Really Goes On: 22 Myths and Legends about the Velvet Underground". Richieunterberger.com. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Farren, Mick (May 1985). "Spins". Spin. No. 1. pp. 28–29.
  6. ^ Deming, Mark. "Another View – The Velvet Underground – Review". AllMusic.
  7. ^ a b Weisbard, Eric (1995). "Velvet Underground". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 425–427. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  8. ^ Heylin, Clinton (1992). The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing. Viking. p. 586. ISBN 9780670845590.
  9. ^ a b "The Velvet Underground". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  10. ^ Gensler, Andy (October 28, 2013). "Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?". Billboard.
  11. ^ a b Deming, Mark. V.U. – The Velvet Underground – Review at AllMusic
  12. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie (2001). "The Velvet Underground: VU / 1985 / Verve". All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music (4th ed.). Backbeat Books. p. 431. ISBN 0-87930-627-0.
  13. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1990). "V". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via robertchristgau.com.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  15. ^ Kot, Greg (1996). "Velvet Underground". In Graff, Gary (ed.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 710. ISBN 9780787610371.
  16. ^ a b Fricke, David (March 14, 1985). "The Velvet Underground: VU". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007.
  17. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "The Velvet Underground". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York City: Simon & Schuster. pp. 847–848. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  18. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  19. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 18, 1986). "The 1985 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice.
  20. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 18, 1986). "Pazz & Jop 1985: Dean's List". The Village Voice.
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