The third album from The Velvet Underground was a notable shift from the raw, experimental noise of the previous two releases with Lou Reed now taking a greater role in writing. Whilst the music is somewhat easier on the ear, the lyrics of a track like Candy Says are still progressive, even now, when a song about the experience of transgender dysphoria wouldn’t make it past nervous record company execs.
The penultimate track on the second side is the 9 minute Murder Mystery which is an interesting experimental piece with two overlapping stories being told from either side of the stereo. It’s not entirely successful as the only way to make sense of it is to follow along with a lyric sheet, but I’d rather have a swing and a miss than listen to something safe and bland.
Overall, I still prefer their debut album as a 60s classic, but this is a solid piece that points the way towards Lou Reed’s solo work.
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