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rfmcdonaldThe Velvet Underground is regularly cited as "one of the most influential bands of their time: a famous remark, often attributed to Brian Eno, is that while only a few thousand people bought a Velvet Underground record upon their initial release, almost every single one of them was inspired to start a band." Today, thanks to the Toronto Public Library, I got to listen to their 1968 album White Light/White Heat for the first time.
It's an interesting experience. The guitar, raw and feedback-laden, anchors a fairly harsh-sounding production. John Cale's spoken-word story accompanied by the band, "The Gift," is intresting, while "Lady Godiva's Operation" must be the first pop song written about a sex-change operation and intercuts the voices of Cale and Lou Reed interestingly. The title track, "Here She Comes Now," and "I Heard Her Call My Name" all sound fresh even now, if a bit languid by contemporary pop-punk standards. "Sister Ray," a sprawling seventeen-and-a-half minute track that takes up almost half of White Light/White Heat's play time, is an interesting sonic construction, a radical jam highlighted by Doors-like organs. It's only six songs, but they're worthwhile songs.
All this goes to the rootedness of Velvet Underground in the musical trends of the first two-thirds of th 20th century, in Satie and Stravinsky and the other radically innovative and atonal classical composers of the early 20th century and in the improvisationalism of jazz. Throw in Andy Warhol and his concept of pop art, and the result is the mix of musical styles that prevails on early 21st century alternative radio.
It's an interesting experience. The guitar, raw and feedback-laden, anchors a fairly harsh-sounding production. John Cale's spoken-word story accompanied by the band, "The Gift," is intresting, while "Lady Godiva's Operation" must be the first pop song written about a sex-change operation and intercuts the voices of Cale and Lou Reed interestingly. The title track, "Here She Comes Now," and "I Heard Her Call My Name" all sound fresh even now, if a bit languid by contemporary pop-punk standards. "Sister Ray," a sprawling seventeen-and-a-half minute track that takes up almost half of White Light/White Heat's play time, is an interesting sonic construction, a radical jam highlighted by Doors-like organs. It's only six songs, but they're worthwhile songs.
All this goes to the rootedness of Velvet Underground in the musical trends of the first two-thirds of th 20th century, in Satie and Stravinsky and the other radically innovative and atonal classical composers of the early 20th century and in the improvisationalism of jazz. Throw in Andy Warhol and his concept of pop art, and the result is the mix of musical styles that prevails on early 21st century alternative radio.
