Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
When the Velvets recorded this debut, they were best known as the protégés of Andy Warhol (who designed the sleeve), and as a grating, combustive live band. Fueled by drummer Moe Tucker's no-nonsense wham and John Cale's howling viola, some of the straight-up rock & roll and arty noise extravaganzas here bear that out. But before Lou Reed was singing about sadomasochism and drug deals and writing lyrics inspired by his favorite poets, he was a pop songwriter, and this album has some of his prettiest tunes, mostly sung by Nico, the German dark angel who left the band after this disc. Even the sordid rockers are underscored by graceful pop tricks, like the two-chord flutter at the center of the classic 'Heroin.' --Douglas Wolk









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Disc 1:

1. Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
2. I'm Waiting for the Man
3. Femme Fatale
4. Venus in Furs
5. Run Run Run
6. All Tomorrow's Parties
7. Heroin
8. There She Goes Again
9. I'll Be Your Mirror
10. The Black Angel's Death Song - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
11. European Son
12. Little Sister
13. Winter Song - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
14. It Was a Pleasure Then
15. Chelsea Girls
16. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams

Disc 2:

1. Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
2. I'm Waiting for the Man
3. Femme Fatale
4. Venus in Furs
5. Run Run Run
6. All Tomorrow's Parties
7. Heroin
8. There She Goes Again
9. I'll Be Your Mirror
10. The Black Angel's Death Song - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
11. European Son
12. All Tomorrow's Parties
13. I'll Be Your Mirror
14. Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground, Cale, John
15. Femme Fatale

Rating: - One of the Birthplaces of Modern Rock!
It has to be historically accepted that The Velvet Underground & Nico is one of the most inspirational and crucial albums ever made in rock 'n' roll history. This new deluxe edition has great additional features with Nico's voice as well as fine mono versions of the stereo versions of the original album.
This album was released before other masterpieces of other groups were released. Examples are the following: The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Doors(self-titled album), Pink Floyd-Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Jimi Hendrix-Are You Experienced? However, hardly sold; it only reached 199 on the charts. Well, it just goes to show that commercial success and artistic merit do not always go hand in hand.

This album has one of the most groundbreaking songs of all time, "Heroin". It starts off quiet and slow, then it goes faster during the first verse. During the second and third verses, it does the same thing. Then, in the fourth verse where Lou Reed sings 'Heroin', John Cale starts to play his viola like a buzzing chainsaw. He does this until Lou Reed sings the last line of the song, 'Oh and I guess that I just don't know'. Finally, the song is fairly calm and slow again.
All of this is execeptional for this avant-garde type of music. All the songs on this album are great. A few in particular which I like besides "Heroin" are "Venus in Furs", "I'm Waiting For My Man", "Run, Run, Run", "All Tomorrow's Parties", "The Black Angels Death Song", and "European Son". Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker, and Nico demonstrate that you do not need to play exact same instruments over and over again or have a clean and clear signing voice to be a fine rock 'n' roll band.
They were the kind of musicians who thought outside the box and challenged the way rock 'n' roll should be played.

Lou Reed is one of the first artists to treat rock 'n' roll as an art. He uses just about any kind of instruments in his songs as well as writing poetic lyrics. We should get back to the song "Heroin".
In the first verse he sings,
'I don't know just where I'm going
But I'm gonna try for the kingdom if I can
'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
When I put a spike into my vein
Then I tell you things aren't quite the same
When I'm rushing on my run
And I feel like Jesus' son
And I guess that I just don't know
And I guess that I just don't know'
In my opinion, Lou gives you an impression or surreal situation about what a person experiences and feels after he/she injects heroin inside his/her body.
Do doubt has this song changed songwriting from then on!

This band is extremely fortunate to have a man like Andy Warhol as their friend and motivator. He designed an innovative album jacket. You see this white album with Andy Warhol's name and a banana on the front. In the upper right hand corner, you read, 'Peel Slowly and See'. Then when you do peel it open, you expect to see something vulgar like a penis. Yet it turns out to be a pink banana. Gotcha!

Well, I would say that since its release in March of 1967, it has gradually had a huge influence on musicians that would follow: The Stooges, Queen, KISS, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, The New York Dolls, Blondie, The Ramones, Television, Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, INXS, Devo, Marilyn Manson, Sonic Youth, REM, David Bowie, U2, Jesus and Mary Chain, and others.
This is why I think this is one of the places where modern rock started!

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Rating: - You'll Want To Hear It Two Times In A Row Anyway...
All agree that listening to the mono and stereo sides are a completely different experience..also, the Nico tracks are fine,as is her entire Chelsea Girl album...the 45's are a great bonus and the booklet with lyrics and overall packaging (slick lamination harking back to those European import albums of long ago) peel-able banana is good and a total anachronistic trip faithful to the original.
The anti-elitists Elitists 1st offering.
You can't go wrong.

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Rating: - Mono is better
After buying the lp, the first cd and the box set, I've been hard pressed at justifying this purchase. I spotted a used copy at the local swap shop; the guy at the counter asked (in so many words) "Is this really going to improve your love life?" No, and it won't get me into a band with Brian Eno either.

But I've always found the standard release of this classic album pretty brittle on the sonic side, especially on Nico's numbers. So when I read that there was an "original mono" version of the disc, I've really been curious as to whether this would be any significant improvement.

It is. Nothing is ever going to turn the original primitive tapes into ECM ambiance, but it is also clear that Tom Wilson's stereo re-mix was enough to edge lo-fi into no-fi back when. Besides some noticable reduction of distortion, the guitars are now front and center, while the vocals sound stronger.

Is it worth the extra purchase? Hard to say. It would be nice if the mono version was available as a single disc, or part of the box set. If you are a hard core VU fan you should try to hear this version sometime.

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Rating: - The ESSENTIAL starting point
This 2CD reissue contains all of the original lineup's commercially released recordings. Period. That includes Stereo and Mono mixes in addition to all of the 45rpm singles & B-sides. The singles & B-sides ARE different than the "LP" mono versions, both in length and the mix. Your VU collection should, without question, begin with this 2CD set.

Personally, I think the Mono mixes sound better than Stereo mixes!

To the reviewer who said NOT to buy this reissue, the reason why the Nico solo tracks were included was because Lou, Cale, and Sterling had a lot to do with those tracks, from the writing to the production. You are right, Nico's work needs to stand alone to be truly appreciated, but those tracks from Chelsea Girl are basically the result of a VU "side-project." It worked, too.

There are a number of people selling this for well below its original $25+ price tag. Take advantage and make the purchase.

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Rating: - Listen Slowly And See
This album is great. Lou Reed's vocals and guitar playing is top notch. John Cale's viola and bass add something extra and unique. Moe Tucker's uncanny drumming skills are great. Sterling Morrison's lead guitar is excellent. This album is an essential recording of '60s rock 'n' roll. Granted the stereo and mono versions may be a bit much for just a casual fan but some songs just sound better mono and some sound better stereo. Also the addition of the Nico tracks are a plus. If you like The Who, The Rollings Stones, or The Kinks do yourself a favor and check this out.