Their eponymous third album was the first the Velvets made without Welshman John Cale. The frictions between Cale and Lou Reed that had driven the creative experimentation of the their first two albums had boiled over. Cale was eased out of the group and replaced by musician Doug Yule who was a friend of the band.
Following Cale's departure chief songwriting duties fell to Lou Reed and the brave experimentalism of the first two Velvets records disappeared out the door.
That's not to say THE VELVET UNDERGROUND isn't a great record, but it is much more conventional and consciously so. Reed felt that the band couldn't release another harsh experimental album like 'White Light / White Heat' and was keen to show another side to the band, so not be seen as "one dimensional" which sea like an incredible statement to make when you think how diverse the two previous albums are. Subsequently the record has a more mellow rock sound. The softer approach was also due in part to the fact that the band had had all their amps and fuzzboxes stolen whilst on tour.
The album features several slow ballads. Starting with the sad 'Candy Says' is about Warhol superstar and transvestite Candy Darling. She's the same Candy Reed sings about in Walk On The Wild Side, "in the back room she was every-bodies darlin'". There's also Lou Reed's druggy spiritual 'Jesus' and 'Pale Blue Eyes' which is probably the albums standout track and has since been covered by the likes of REM, Patti Smith, Counting Crows, Hole and The Kills. Lou Reed revealed in his autobiography that is was actually written about someone with hazel coloured eyes.
'What Goes On' and 'Beginning to See the Light' are groovy 60s rock n roll. 'Some Kinda Love' is nicely country inflected and even drummer Mo Tucker sings sweetly on the final track 'After Hours' which incidentally fellow lady drummer, Meg White has sung live for The White Stripes.
As Velvet's records go, it's their third best, but that's genuinely no bad thing.
CANDY SAYS
PALE BLUE EYES
WHAT GOES ON
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