Velvet Underground & Nico (Deluxe Edition)
(Polydor)

Of all the debut albums in rock n' roll history, perhaps the most important
was the Velvet Underground's. Responisble for the genesis of infinite bands
and even more record snobs, the "The Velvet Underground & Nico" occupies one
of the most cherished places in the rock pantheon. And to think most people
haven't even heard what was supposed to be the REAL album...

Until now, that is. The folks of Polydor have decided to unveil the most
sought-after of VU items, Lou Reed's original mono-mix of the record, what
most of the aformentioned record snobs consider to be the "true" mix.

That being said, the newest issue of the record is for two types of people:
A) the truest fans of the Velvet Underground who wish to experience every
nuance of their favorite record, and B) those who felt the original package
was not complete because of the lack of a peelable Colorforms(R)-style
banana which graced the original. I fall into the latter group, but there
is enough on this package to tide me over musically as well.

The first disc is the one we are all familiar with, the remastered version
of the record that has existed for close to ten years. If you haven't heard
this version (or the record at all) it is worth getting, as the instruments
have never sounded clearer. However, tacked onto the end are songs 3-6 and 9
of Nico's "Chelsea Girl" record, the Velvet Underground playing a huge part
as a backing band for that session. This is my one and only qualm with the
package, as they have pulled these songs randomly out of a whole other
record, ruining the finality of "European Son". We're thrown into the
middle of "Chelsea Girl" at that point, so VU snobs who probably already own
"Chelsea Girl" (the primary audience for this package) will probably detest
this.

Disc Two is where the fun begins, as you are hit with the original mix.
While wholly not radically different in terms of the instrument mix, the
vocal mix are where the two vary greatly. Lou Reed's reverb drenched vocals
create a downright spooky feeling that suits songs such as Venus in Furs to
a tee. On other tracks the vocal mix seems a bit over the top, but that
could be where my bias comes in as having first heard the mix on disc one.
It's hit or miss factor keeps the package interesting, however, giving you a
whole new outlook on songs you thought you knew inside-out. Tacked on to
the end of this mix of the record are the 7" versions of "All Tomorrow's
Parties", "I'll Be Your Mirror", "Sunday Morning" and "Femme Fatale". These
versions include some in-studio banter, and slightly cleaner production (no
fade outs) to make them, ahem, radio-ready.

In edition to this thorough examination of the music, the package comes with
a nice booklet of pictures and liner notes about the record. While nothing
earth-shattering is uncovered, again this will be fun for the VU die-hard.

My conclusion: Get this for the peelable colorform banana.

-Karthik