The Velvet Underground – Peel Slowly and See (5-disc set)
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Posted On November 1, 1996
For those who might wonder what place the Velvet Underground in a country-oriented magazine, the answer is in the music.
Would “Pale Blue Eyes” sound foreign in the hands of George Jones or Lefty Frizzell? Absolutely not. A good part of Lou Reed’s songwriting, subjects notwithstanding, is constructed in the same classic sense as most of the great country writers. (Of course, this doesn’t apply to all his work — though Waylon Jennings covering “Heroin” might be a morbid pleasure.)
Disc One is what many people were waiting for: It contains previously unreleased demos that date back to 1965. Within these recordings, the band sounds like some amphetamine-driven busking troupe. The music here is basically acoustic, with Reed singing in a voice akin to Dylan on helium (although Reed would deny Dylan’s influence for years to come). Like some Rock Island Line party trip, these recordings are a hell of a curiousity.
Disc Two is the Velvet Underground and Nico LP, with four bonus cuts, among them the single version of the amazing “All Tomorrow’s Parties.” In the midst of all the emotional chaos on this record lies some true pop gems. Reed learned his craft well working as a staff writer for Pickwick. The riffs are catchy, and so are the lyrics; who knows what might have happened had they been on a label that could have actually promoted them. They’re radio-ready — but was the average teen ready to take on the rest?
Disc Three contains the White Light/White Heat album and eight other demos. White Light was the least accessible Velvets LP, but it contains some of the band’s finest moments. “Here She Comes Now” is one of Reed’s most beautiful and haunting songs. And the total assault of songs such as “I Heard Her Call My Name” and the title cut was unheard-of at the time, with the board levels in the red and daring you to dig in.
Disc Four presents what many consider their most ageless work. The Velvet Undergound LP is a work of late-night beauty that came as a shock after White Light/White Heat. Cale had departed, replaced with bassist/vocalist Doug Yule. Reed was in a very reflective mood, even showing hints of compassion. The record contains some of his most lasting and gorgeous writing.
On Disc Five, Reed lays down a testament to his passion for rock ‘n’ roll right before he splits the band. “Sweet Jane” and “Rock And Roll” would remain popular in Reed’s set and on the radio for years, and for good reason: Is there a better song about rock ‘n’ roll than “Rock And Roll”? In “Sweet Jane”, Reed wrote the riff that would become a rock staple, finding its way into songs from Springsteen’s “Jungleland” to the Knack’s “My Sharona”. On this disc, we finally get “Sweet Jane” in its entirety. The lost ending has been restored, and upon hearing it, you’ll wonder why they ever left it off.
Perhaps the record’s finest moment is “Head Held High”, where Reed blasts through with such conviction and enthusiasm that it’s impossible not to get caught up in its groove. Reed was ready to be a rock star, but these accessible songs weren’t written just to validate that fact. They were written from the heart.
