The Velvet Underground

The VU were such an amazing band that they could jettison all of their avant-garde inclinations and still come up with a brilliant pop/rock record. Loaded is highlighted by such amazing, shoulda-been FM hits as "Sweet Jane," "Rock and Roll," "I Found a Reason" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'." But it was too late to break the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed left the band after this. A few years later, mainstream audiences discovered "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll" when they appeared on Reed's hit live album.

The Velvets are to Manhattan what the Rascals are to New York--that is, they really make "Rock & Roll" (a title), but they're also really intellectual and ironic. Lou Reed's singing embodies the paradox even on beat-goes-on throwaways about cowboys and trains. Other subjects include drag, poverty, not loving nature, and the new age, mysteriously connected to an over-the-hill actress who would like her old age back. (Grade - A)