26×26 – V is for The Velvet Underground

Today’s album is The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground

I didn’t need to think twice when choosing a ‘V’ artist to write about – it had to be the mighty Velvet Underground!

I’ve chosen the band’s 1967 debut album ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’, featuring the original line-up (Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Mo Tucker) plus German model\singer\actress and Andy Warhol muse Nico supplying vocals on a number of tracks (‘Femme Fatale’, ‘All Tomorrow’s Parties’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’).

The iconic ‘Banana’ album cover (of course designed by Warhol), features the slogan ‘Peel slowly and see’, inviting the viewer to peel off the banana sticker to reveal the alternative banana below!

Upon it’s release, the album went largely unnoticed by the masses, although of course it is now regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. Ahead of it’s time I think.

We’re treated to a wide range of  music here, from  the almost ‘twee’ pop of ‘Sunday Morning’ through to the highly experimental  ’Black Angel’s Death Song’ and ‘European Son’. In the middle of all this you can find songs about going to score drugs (‘I’m Wating For The Man’), sado-machochistic sex (‘Venus In Furs’) and the explicitly described  experience of drug-taking (‘Heroin’).

Nico’s haunting vocals are the perfect counterpoint to Reed’s New York drawl-like style, and gives the listener some light against some of the brutal sounds to be found elsewhere.

The Velvet Underground have inspired countless bands over the years, and continue to do so to this day.

If you’ve never experienced The Velvet Underground, go and do so. Now.

Standout track: ‘I’m Waiting For The Man’

Other ‘V’s who didn’t quite make it: Vic Godard, The View, and Various Artists (I have loads of their albums!)

26×26 – L is for The Libertines

Today’s album is Up The Bracket by The Libertines

Here we have one of the finest albums of the noughties, by one of the finest bands of the noughties.

Produced by The Clash’s Mick Jones, this is a rollercoaster ride of good old-fashioned sleazy punk rock, carrying Doherty’s amazing lyrics – if The Smiths and the Sex Pistols had a love child, this is what it would sound like!

The opening track ‘Vertigo’ is just what an opening track should be, it sets the scene for the rest of the album. We are treated to some truly great songs, the best of the bunch being ‘I Get Along’, ‘Boys In The Band, ‘Up The Bracket’, and the stunning ‘Time For Heroes’ (this is on my ‘favourite songs of all time’ list).

There is not one second of wasted space on this album – all killers and no fillers!

The band’s self-titled follow-up album is of equal quality, and I listened to both albums twice trying to decide which one to write about. I chose Up The Bracket because it has ‘Time For Heroes’, but the second album has ‘Can’t Stand Me Now’ – see what I mean? tough choice. That means you need to buy both of them!

The band didn’t really last too long, they  fell apart in a well-documented way, which I won’t bother going into.

They have reformed and are scheduled to play at Reading\Leeds 2010. We’ll see what happens…

Essential listening.

Standout track: Time For Heroes

Other ‘L’s who didn’t quite make it: Lou Reed, The Lemonheads, Love, Led Zeppelin, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga (!)