"The Velvet Underground" - The Velvet Underground (45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) [Official Full Album Stream]

The Velvet Underground's self-titled third album was released in March of 1969. Today, Polydor/UME celebrated the record's 45th anniversary by releasing a deluxe edition reissue. The package includes stereo and mono versions of the album, live recordings from a November 1969 show at San Francisco’s The Matrix, and a previously unreleased song dating back to 1969. Above, you can listen to the reissue via Spotify.

The first disc contains original versions of the album's most well-known classics, such as the soothing "Candy Says," a hypnotic "Pale Blue Eyes," and the trance-like rhythm of "I'm Set Free." Doug Yule replaced founding band member John Cale on this album, and the difference is notable. Songs on this album have a more restrained approach to them, and don't possess the experimental tendencies that were present on The Velvet Underground's prior albums.

The second disc contains songs from a 1969 San Francisco show at The Matrix. "Waiting For The Man" gets a laid-back approach and "Lisa Says" builds into an emotional release. "Rock and Roll" would later become one of the band's most popular songs, but here it's unfamiliar to the crowd. Lou Reed's vocals are crisp for "Pale Blue Eyes" and "Heroin." "I Can't Stand" was included on an album called The 1969 Sessions, and would find its way on Lou Reed's debut solo album. Lou tells an interesting story involving communism and the city of Hoboken before going into the tune. "White Light/White Heat" is dominated with exploding guitar sounds before the disc ends with a romantic-sounding version of "Sweet Jane."

The Velvet Underground - 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is currently available on Amazon (CD).

For The Velvet Underground's latest music and news, check out their Zumic artist page.

Source: Spotify