The Velvet Underground & Nico (180 Gram Vinyl)

Quite possibly the most influential rock album and great debuts of all time, despite its initial lackluster sales. The Velvet Underground & Nico has, in the 40+ years since its 1967 release, influenced the significant works in almost every sub-genre of rock from glam to punk to new wave to industrial noise to twee to indie rock. From the gentle pop opener of Sunday Morning to the dissonance of closer European Son, with stops at garage rock, R&B, and mellow love songs in between, The Velvet Underground & Nico is an all-time classic whose influence and power still can not be denied. Deluxe 180 gram vinyl with gatefold jacket.

This comprehensive five-disc retrospective of the Velvet Underground chronicles the band from its earliest demo tapes, recorded in 1965, to Lou Reed's final work with band, in 1970. At their notorious peak, Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Mo Tucker epitomized the sound of intellectual art punks being spontaneously creative in Andy Warhol's Manhattan. Rock & roll has never been the same since Reed's gutter-rock observations and Cale's cool, droning electric viola blanketing the band's mysterious three-chord innovations. It's all here: loads of feedback, classic songwriting, and Reed's transformation from Dylan imitator to sonic-rock auteur. With previously unreleased gems, live performances, and other oddities, this is everything you wanted to know about the Velvets but were afraid to ask. --Mitch Myers