This year, Robin Thicke released his biggest hit in his career, “Blurred Lines”. Since it’s release, it has become the summer jam of 2013, reigning at no. 1 for eight weeks at the time of this writing, with the most analysis and scrutiny given to a pop song since “Call Me Maybe” dropped last year. And lo and behold, apparently there was an album connected to the song!  So today, we’re looking at Robin Thicke’s SIXTH album (seriously, he’s been releasing since 2002), Blurred Lines.

First of all, the album opens perfectly. The title track, even after all these weeks of play, is still dumb fun to the max, with its bouncy funk beat and Marvin Gaye sample. Sure the song is dumb (and ambiguously about rape, but let’s not get into that), but it’s the fun kind of dumb, closer to “I Love It” than anything by Will.i.am. And if you don’t like that, there’s probably something else to like. After “Blurred Lines”, there’s “Take it Easy On Me”, which sounds like it’s right out of 2009, the disco and funk throwback-trio of  “Ooh La La”, “Ain’t No Hat for That”, and “Get in my Way”, and a second half mostly consisting of ballads. There’s a lot of variety, which is good for a Pop album, since 45 minutes of Blurred Lines would have gotten tiring. Overall, the album’s just a lot of fun, and very compulsively listenable.

Unfortunately, there are a few weak tracks, most notably “Give It 2 U” a slog of electro-pop that will age about as well as the milk in my fridge at the moment. The song reeks of the trends of right now, with an uninspired verse from Kendrick Lamar. Somehow, despite being one of the best rappers around at the moment in the mainstream, the man can’t hold together a guest verse. But most importantly to this albums detriment, the man is a watered down Justin Timberlake, with the same “handsome white man singing sex jams produced by Timbaland” style. On songs like “Go Stupid 4 U”, you can actually zone out to the point of mistaking him for Timberlake. But hey, Justin Timberlake watered down still gave us Justified. The lyrics are also consistently dumb, but that’s to be expected.

Overall, the album is pretty decent, a lot better than I was expecting, since most pop albums reek of filler. If artists like Will.i.am are the burger King of music, Robin Thicke would probably be the In-n-Out; it’s the same meal, but you don’t hate yourself 20 minutes later. And if I was given the option between the two, I think I know what’d I’d choose.

Score: 7.5/10

Best Track: Top of the World

Worst Track: Give it 2 U

IT NEVER STOPS

Insane Clown Posse Month: Riddle Box

Even among the Juggalos, there are ICP albums that are considered among their worst. Of all these albums, the most commonly bashed album is Bang! Pow! Boom!, their first album of the second set of Joker’s Cards. But of all their albums, I found the one I feared the most was Riddle Box. Not because it’s bashed, oh no. I feared this album because among Juggalos, it is considered their magnum opus. So how does their most highly regarded album hold up? I think you know the answer.

While the first two albums are based on the actual carnival and its leader the Ringmaster, The Riddle Box focuses on the first exhibit you see after your death, an empty room with nothing but a musical box decorated with a faded question mark. After winding it up, the good see the face of god and are welcomed to the afterlife, while the evil are swallowed by a fog that melts your brain (just go with it). But once again, this is all subtext.

First of all, I hate it when artists repeat songs on multiple albums in remix forms, so this album already gets marks for including another mix of “Chicken Hunting”. Secondly, I’ve already said numerous times that these guys are just not good rappers, but on several songs on this album, they add in really obnoxious voices on a couple songs, notably “Lil Something Something”, which is just kinda gross sounding.

But you wanna hear the craziest thing about this? I don’t actually mind this album as much. Sure, there are some classic awful ICP tracks like “The Joker’s Wild”, but on the whole, this album is a massive improvement on the last two. Now I’m not saying it’s a masterpiece, or even good, but compared to the last two, it almost looks like there was effort put into this song. For one, the production is a million times better, with the terrible bass and drums sound replaced with a more horror themed atmosphere, which fits the songs far better than rejected 80s backing tracks. The rapping also has some actual energy to it, so you’re not stuck listening to monotonous raps over monotonous beats.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying this album is good.Compared to their other albums, though, this is definitely the best I’ve heard so far, and I can get why people consider it their best. Too bad they kept making albums, since most fans agree that they never did beat this.

Score: 5/10

Best Song: Ol’ Evil Eye

Worst Song: The Joker’s Wild

Next Up: The Great Milenko

Hello, and welcome to that time of year again. The time where I have to decide what were the best albums of the year, so that you can buy them for Christmas, most likely. So, without further stalling, here is…

The Top 20 Albums of the Year (20-11)

20. The Odd Future Mixtape Vol. 2- Odd Future

I was too late on the Odd Future bandwagon to put Goblin on this list last year, so I’m glad I can put its successor now. Odd Future is a great breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of Hip-Hop, and this album shows the best of every member. Tyler the Creator is probably the most interesting producer around right now, and every song is unique and bizarre in its own way. It’s not the best rap album of the year, or even the best Odd Future album (that’s coming later), but hell if it ain’t a damn fine listen.

Key Track: Oldie

19. R.A.P. Music- Killer Mike

And on the flip side to Odd Future, here’s an album that breaks no new ground, but is still one of the most captivating listens of the year. Sure, R.A.P. Music might be your typical Political Rap album, but what matters is that it’s done well. It’s a completely captivating listen, and Killer Mike simply kills the mic. So while you know you’ve heard the whole thing before somewhere, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s exceptionally done. Definitely check it out to hear Southern Rap done right.

Key Track: Don’t Die

18. Tempest- Bob Dylan

HERESY, I hear you cry out. How can an Bob Dylan album be this low? Well simply, I’ve heard Dylan do better. But remember, this is Dylan we’re talking about, and the album is still head & shoulders above most other artists. Dylan doesn’t have the same voice, but the power of his lyricism is still there, along with an excellent band behind him pumping out some of his best songs in decades, such as “Pay in Blood” and “Tempest”. Is it his best? Personally, I wouldn’t even put it in his top 10. But it’s still an excellent album that deserves to be heard.

Key Track: Pay in Blood

17. Sun- Cat Power

As Cat Power’s first album since The Greatest, I can’t compare, since I’ve never heard The Greatest or You Are Free. But what I can say is that this is still a damn fine record made of damn fine Indie Pop. It’s just as bizarre as the performer who created it, but the use of gentle melodies and abrasive instruments at points makes it undeniably interesting. From what I’ve heard, it’s more dance-oriented than her other stuff, and she does it surprisingly well. It definitely makes me want to check out the rest of her library, even if it suffers from brickwalling at times.

Key Track: Always on My Own

16. Kids in the Street- All-Amercan Rejects

I know,I was surprised too. I couldn’t stand any of what All-American Rejects had put out before, coming off as Fall Out Boy without the sense of humor. But on this album, they got me. Switching from Emo to 80s-influenced Pop Punk, it’s a bizarre switch, but it works beautifully. They’re still overly sincere about their music, but the music definitely makes up for it now, instead of use coming across as whiny. Here’s hoping they stay on this path from now on.

Key Track: Beekeeper’s Daughter

15. Blunderbuss- Jack White

The White Stripes are on of my favorite bands ever, so it was sad to see them go last year. But luckily, Jack White is back, and he’s brought his best qualities as a songwriter. White is one of the best guitar players working today, and this album is a great display of his talents, from the country tinge of “Love Interruption” to the garage rock of “Sixteen Saltines”. And without Meg White, he even has a decent rhythm section for once! A definite listen for a White Stripes fan looking for more.

Key Track: Sixteen Saltines

14. The Afterman- Ascension- Coheed and Cambria

Coheed and Cambria is one of my favorites of the “new-prog” scene. Both they and Mars Volta put out albums this year, but I felt this was a lot better than Noctourniquet, which I felt was average. But this album is fantastic, and their best since No World For Tomorrow. There’s no song as immediate as “Welcome Home” or “The Broken”, but the album as a whole is remarkably strong, mixing together tight musicianship with excellent song writing and some excellent singing. If you like Prog, pick it up.

Key Track: Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute

13. All We Love We Leave Behind- Converge

One of the most consistently interesting Hardcore bands working today, Converge’s new release is easily their best since their masterpiece, Jane Doe. With their usual mix of fanatic and complex playing with vocals best described as a pterodactyl that just had its balls stepped on, the album has a higher level of melody than previous releases, and is completely devoid of filler in its 45 minute run. A Hardcore classic.

Key Track: Sadness Comes Home

12. Safe Travels- Jukebox the Ghost

Well that last record was intense, wasn’t it? Well how about some quirk synth-pop. Jukebox the Ghost is probably the second most obscure band on this list, so I’m glad that I can promote them to all of you, since this is a band that anyone can love. This band is pure fun, and is an absolute joy to listen to, especially mixed in with all the morose indie-pop surrounding it. As much a break from its time and place as Weezer’s debut was from Grunge, this is an album that could brighten up anyone’s day.

Key Track: Somebody

11. Koi no Yokan- Deftones

I adore the Deftones. Personally, outside of the mediocre self-titled from 2003, every album they’ve done is an absolute classic. And this is likely their best since the timeless White Pony back in 2000. The band’s writing is still unbelievably tight, serving as a perfect mix of Dream Pop and Alt Metal, and Chino Moreno is still the best singer Metal has to offer. There aren’t any individual songs as good as “Hole in the Earth” or “My Own Summer”, but it’s a remarkably tight complete package.

Key Track: Romantic Dreams

Stay tuned for the top 10 on Wednesday!

Well I guess it’s time to start this over. And just in time for (the month in which) Halloween (is located)!

NOTE: If you submitted $25 on Tugboat for a review, those are coming, just after I finish this.

Insane Clown Posse Month 2: The Wraith: Shangri-La

First off, why are rap albums so long? With rock and pop albums, you usually get 15 songs at most, but with rap albums, it’s always 18 or more! I’m just saying they could use some trimming. Anyway, this album and its follow-up Hell’s Pit form the final joker’s card, The Wraith, representing death. It’s also where the true meaning of the Joker’s Cards is revealed. You ready for this?

IT'S…

God. That’s what it is. Throughout all of this, The Dark Carnival is actually a metaphor for life after death and what happens to those who sin. ICP is a religious rap group. Yay.

Anyway, this album is their first since Carnival of Carnage where I can’t even find solace in the backing beats. ICP’s producer Mike E. Clark left after the release of the Bizaar/Bizarr double, leaving them without the one person in the group who knew what they were doing. And whoever they got to replace him obviously has no idea what to do. The beats are either generic as shit or plain annoying, including one song that sounds exactly like every rap beat from 2002, with the air horns and shit. It’s obnoxious an an instrumental album, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard a rap beat as annoying as “Cotton Candy and Popsicles”.

Anyway, ICP sucks at rapping. I know, surprising, right? Even beyond that, though, there’s not even the dumb-ass fun of listening to them pretend like they’re actual insane clowns that break into people’s houses and kill them while they sleep. Outside of a few songs, like “Thy Staleness”, the lyrics are upbeat and happy, and it’s just a slog to listen to. This album is just no fun, not even in a “hey look this is bad let’s laugh” kind of way. It’s terrible in a boring way. And just serves as a slog. The only line that even got a smirk from me is in “Thy Staleness”, where Violent J’s voice suddenly goes into a sophisticated deep tone. It’s dumb as shit, but at least it was a smile.

This album is just completely terrible, bordering on unlistenable. I don’t know if it’s the worst album I’ve ever listened to, but it’s up there. Don’t make the same mistake I made. Stay away. Let me be your warning.

Score: 0/10

Best Song: Go Fuck Yourself

Worst Song: Cotton Candy and Popsicles

10. LP1-FKA Twigs
You can read my review of this album here, but in total, this album will go down as one of the best debut albums of the last few years. With its mix of psychedelic art pop beats and airy vocals, Twigs creates one of the best album experiences this year, with a beautiful cloudy atmosphere filling a small metal room. If you need a great gateway into PB R&B like the Weeknd, you won’t find something better than this.
Best Track: Two Weeks
9. Here and Nowhere Else-Cloud Nothings
Back in 2012, I made the mistake of not listening to Cloud Nothings’ breakthrough album, Attack on Memory, which now sits comfortably in my list of the best albums of that year. So this year, I’m glad that now, I can give their new release the recognition it deserves. Moving from the slower build-up sound of their previous release into a faster, more hardcore style, and it pays off in droves. Cloud Nothings continue with their electric power, and serve as one of the bands keeping punk alive. Give them a listen.
Best Track: Psychic Trauma
8. A Toothpaste Suburb-Milo
A lot of the time, you hear people talking about the lack of intellectual rap, and when I hear that, I have to point them in the direction of Milo. Serving as a black, more relatable Aesop Rock, Milo mixes excellent wordplay and references with beats that create a homey, yet alien atmosphere, similar to the album cover. Milo created one of the most unique rap albums in recent memory, suited perfectly for lonely walks through the city at night.
Best Track: Peanut Butter Sandwiches
7. Syro-Aphex Twin
After 13 full years, it’s great to not only have Richard D James back, but with one of the best electronic albums this decade. Syro serves as an excellent sampler of Aphex Twin’s style, fusing all of his previous styles together to create one of his more consistent works. Twin’s works still sounds like something out of this world, even after a decade of electronic becoming the dominant form of music. Richard D James is the royal king of electronic, and this album serves as his crown jewel.
Best Track: I don’t know man do you see how long those song names are
6. Everything Will Be Alright in the End-Weezer
You have no idea how happy this album made me. After more than a decade of releasing material ranging from decent (The Green Album, Maladroit) to god awful (Raditude), Weezer has finally released a new album comparable to their original masterpieces. Finally moving away from the dull Power Pop and hip hop of before, Rivers Cuomo and pals have moved to what originally made them great, with guitar riffs and lyrics that even the most antisocial music nerd can relate to. This album shows that no matter how far you fall, you can always make your way back up.
Best Track: Foolish Father
5. DSU-Alex G
Remember that other band camp release I was talking about? Well here it is, and it’s when of the best lo-fi releases I’ve ever heard. Hailing from Philadelphia, DSU makes as much sense performed in a basement as it does in a concert hall, with short, heartfelt songs that may at first be hard on the ears, but will just as quickly fall perfectly into place. Serving as a great sound-alike to Pavement, the album will have anyone who listened to Indie Rock in the 90s exploding with joy.
Best Track: Harvey
4. St Vincent-St Vincent
I haven’t listened to a lot of St. Vincent before this release, but because of this, I feel like I definitely should. On her new album, Annie Clark changed her sound to an electronic big band, and that change goes better than it limey ever should. The brass section goes excellently with the pre-established crazy guitar work, and Clark’s sinisterly sweet vocal work just wraps up the whole package. With songs as strong as “Digital Witness” and “Birth in Reverse,” this is not one to miss.
Best Track: Digital Witness
3. Run the Jewels 2-Run the Jewels
I’ve been a supporter of El-P and Killer Mike since their release of their first mix tape under the collaborative name last year. Now that the project has moved beyond a simple experiment to a full band, however, more people than ever can see just how well this team works together. Through El-P’s phenomenal beat work and Killer Mik’s skills on the mic, the album succeeds along the same lines of their previous release, bringing a chaotic yet simple fun that’s missing from modern hip hop. And with artists like Zach de la Rocha getting in on the fun, it’s hard to put this album down.
Best Track: Close Your Eyes and Count to Fuck
2.  Lost in the Dream-The War on Drugs
If you think Heartland Rock is an inherently boring genre, this album should give you at least some interest in the topic. Fusing John Cougar dad rock with a cloudy layer of dream pop, Lost in the Dream is the best album Don Henley never made. The best break-up album of the year, the album slowly sweeps you away with its melodies, like a river of gin. If you wanted an album that sounds like if the Eagles and the XX  made an album together, this is the album made for you.
Best Track: Under the Pressure
1. To Be Kind-Swans
What can you say about this utter behemoth of a record? Just two years after Swans’ magnum opus The Seer, the classic No Wave group has already topped it, with an album that it truly unlike anything else ever recorded. Michael Gira has made an album that can only be compared to the slow destruction of Earth, as it slowly crumbles under the weight of a god hiding beneath the crust. This is the album of the end times, as we are slowly crushed under its weight. This album will murder us all, and I can’t wait for it to happen.
Best Track: Just a Little Boy
As usual, here are the honorable mentions of the year:
Time to Die-Electric Wizard
Melana Chasmata-Triptykon
Salad Days-Mac Demarco
1989-Taylor Swift
They Want My Soul-Spoon
Benji-Sun Kil Moon
Royal Blood-Royal Blood
Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything-Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra
And the album that would have easily made the top 5 if it had come out before I finished the list:
Black Messiah-D'Angelo
Join me next time for the ten worst albums of the year.

NOTE: Instead of the song-by-song style reviews for older albums, I’m reviewing these albums as a collective whole.

Well, I guess it was about time that I finally review an album that came out in the last year. And what better album to start off with than Justin Timberlake’s return to Pop music after 6 years, The 20/20 Experience. It’s interesting to think that one of the few Pop singers to stay from the beginning of the decade is the guy from NSync, but I guess this is the world we live in. At least he’s been better on average than his former ex and fellow Pop elder statesman Britney Spears.

First off, when Timberlake called this album an experience, he wasn’t kidding. There are two songs under 6 minutes, and three under 7. Over half the album consists of 7 minute Pop epics. This would be weird for the standard Pop singer, but Timberlake has always been a little more than a Pop singer. Along with Lady Gaga, he’s a Pop singer who’s better described as an artist, crafting each song into his perfect vision, unlike someone like Rihanna, who cranks out release after release. A strictly commercial act doesn’t take 6 years to release a follow-up to a hugely successful album like Futuresex/Lovesounds. Timberlake serves as a modern musical Michelangelo, carving into a song until every note and sound is utterly perfect in his vision.

The album is absolutely overflowing with character. Timberlake shines on every song, clearly enjoying himself every step of the way through. And for once, the music lives up to that charisma. If the music was alive, it would be a Frankenstein Justin Timberlake. If he didn’t use a style or instrument on the album, it’s likely that he’s saving it for the 2nd half of the album in November. If Meatloaf made a Pop album, this is what he would make. “Suit & Tie”, the first single and easily the weakest song on the album, is actually the most cohesive. Every other song just sprawls into whatever thing it wants to do next. I can’t remember the last time I heard a guitar solo on a Pop album, but there’s quite a few here. The album reminds me of a stronger The 2nd Law by Muse, in that it’s an absolutely entrancing collage of music. But while The 2nd Law was eventually dragged down by its ambitions, Experience is exactly as silly as it needs to be. And every song reveals new fascinating elements of themselves with every subsequent listen. This is an album that might take a little while to get, but it’s worth it. Right now, my favorite tracks are the final two, the bombastic “Mirrors” and the gorgeous and ethereal “Blue Ocean Floor”, but every song needs at least one listen.

While you can already tell that I love this album, I do have one major problem with it. Every song goes on for too long. I understand that the album is an “experience”, but even a masterpiece needs at least a little trimming. You could probably cut about 10 minutes off this album and it would be improved quite a bit. And while not a flaw, since it’s a great, fun song, “Let the Groove Get In” is REALLY out of place on the album. While the rest of the album is more of a “swelling” bombast, “Groove” has a immediacy to it that makes it weird as part of this album, though I can see it working as a great radio single.

In short, this is one of the best Pop albums in recent memory. If you want to understand how a Pop star can also be a high-caliber artist, this is a required listen. It might go down as Timberlake’s masterpiece, especially if the 2nd half is nearly as good. I know that the end of the year is 8 months away, but if this isn’t in the top 10, I can likely declare this one of the best years in music. But no matter what, listen to this album.

Score: A-

Best Song: Mirrors/Blue Ocean Floor

Worst Song: Suit & Tie

Oh wow that cover really is something else.

Insane Clown Posse Month 2: The Tempest

After 12 years, the Joker’s Cards have finally been finished, plus two extra albums released on the same day. As of this point, I have listened to 9 ICP albums, with four more to go. Let’s get this over with. It’s been a long trip, and I’m two weeks away from finishing it.

Now if you thought that the previous concepts behind the album were dumb, wait until you hear this one. No, it’s not an album long Juggalo take on a William Shakespeare play, even though that would have easily been the greatest thing ever made. Instead, it’s about a massive storm that takes the role  of a roller coaster, as it jerks you around and presumably causes intense vomiting at the end. And to reflect this mood, they described this album as their most thematically inconsistent, to reflect the turbulent nature of the storm! God bless their hearts.

First of all, they apparently finally realized that intro tracks are terrible. Secondly, they brought their original producer back, Mike E. Clark, so this hopefully won’t sound as bad as their last two. Spoiler: it still sounds pretty bad. Instead of the more Hip-Hop based music of previous releases, the music seems to have been switched to more of a live instrumentation style. This leaves the music honestly feeling a little dry and stale, like a really bad Rap Rock album from around the early 2000s, even though this album is from 2007. It’s just a very dull sounding album, without anything to really pop out.

And hey, the rapping sucks, but at least it’s getting slightly better. It’s always worth it to hear a little thought put into their words, and their flow has definitely improved. Still though, songs like “I Do This!” show that they still have a long way to go to be considered master lyricists. At least there’s no more weak ass attacks at other rappers. And “Growing Again” is pretty fun in a very stupid way.

Overall, The Tempest is the definition of a weak release. There’s nothing to really set it apart, consisting of lame music, slightly less lame rapping, and INCREDIBLY lame album art. But hey, at least it’s not Shangri-La.

Score: 3/10

Best Song: Growing Again

Worst Song: I Do This!

Next Up: Bang! Pow! Boom!

I think I can go ahead and call myself a Kanye West fan. His five albums are all some of the best albums released in the last 20 years, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy currently being my no. 1 album of the decade so far. But so far, I must say I’m cautiously optimistic about his next release, the presumptuously titled Yeezus. With its bizarre cover art and debut songs that are very far from the norm, it’s at least bound to be interesting.

This is Kanye’s first album following his relationship with Kim Kardashian, and this worried me at first. I was afraid that Kanye would make a typical terrible I-got-a-baby album, filled with inner reflection and trite melodies. But based on the cover as it is known now, it looks like we’re getting nearly the complete opposite. There does seem to be the reflection, with the songs taking a more conscious turn, based on the titles “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves”. But rather than relaxed beats, the music is harsh and loud, particularly on “Skinhead”, which is closer to Death Grips (an awesome Experimental Rap group you should check out) than to anything on the charts at the moment.

I definitely enjoy both the songs currently known after appearing on Saturday Night Live, particularly “Skinhead”, which is one of my favorite songs of the year. But what I’m anticipating the most is how these songs will sound on the album itself. Kanye is one of the best producers working today, so hearing these songs in a fully mastered form could really make the album a classic. However, you can only truly judge an album when it is finished and released. Who knows? Maybe the rest of the album really is as trite as expected. I doubt it though, since it would be weird to have two abrasive tracks surrounded by ballads. I think it’s safe to expect at least one “I’m a father now” song on there.

So overall, you could consider me hyped for this album. I doubt it will be as good as MBDTF, but than again what is. At the very least, it’s always exciting to see an established artist try something new with their music. And whether it’s amazing or terrible, you can expect me to review it when it’s released on June 18th.

Looks like we’re talking about one of the big ones. Velvet Underground & Nico is one of the biggest and most influential albums of all time, an album that’s nearly impossible to say anything new about. It’s the Seventh Seal of albums, an art piece that even the casual listener can enjoy, a piece that’s almost impossible to criticize. So I guess it’s time for me to give out my view on this album. So it’s time to look at the ultimate sacred cow of music, Velvet Underground & Nico.

1. Sunday Morning

So here we have the introduction to the most important album of all time, and in my opinion, this is a damn excellent intro. Far softer than the rest of the album, it starts off with gentle playing on a celesta, an instrument John Cale had just found before recording the song, and the instrumentation is just as gorgeous. Not only this, but Lou Reed does some of his best singing on this song, crafting a beautiful picture of the aftermath of a on-night stand. It tiptoes near repetitive and boring, but manages to stop right at beautiful. A definite highlight.

2. I’m Waiting For My Man

I’ve already talked about this song on a very early article, but I’ve come a long way since then, so I guess I should restate it. I don’t care for this song. I find it overbearingly thumping, sounding like it’s repeatedly smacking you in the head. And after how good Lou Reed was in the last song, he just sounds awful here, completely dry and deadpan. It’s an originator of punk, but it has none of the heart. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely weak.

3. Femme Fatale

Another softer song, this time with darker subject matter, this is the first song sung by Nico, a popular Baroque Pop singer from the time. Honestly, she’s a better singer than Lou Reed, and I wished she sang on the whole album. Either way, this is a great song, gentle, but not boring. It really sounds like a lost Beach Boys song, with a German female folk singer. It’s excellent.

4. Venus in Furs

And once again, a song I don’t really care for. For me, this song completely meanders for 5 minutes, never changing. For me, it’s a lot like “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane, a song made to be listened to while flying through the air into the purple mouth of Zeus, by which I mean high as fuck. But while “White Rabbit” is a great song anyway, “Venus in Furs” use sounds droning for the sake of droning, noise for the sake of noise. Not a song I really enjoy.

5. Run Run Run

This was the first VU songs I ever heard, and it remains a favorite of mine. Reminiscent of early Rock ‘n’ Roll songs like a slightly rougher “I Saw Her Standing There”, it’s a great little number, perfect for a soundtrack of the 60s. To me, this is what “I’m Waiting For My Man” should have been, a Rock 'n’ Roll number that isn’t an exercise in tedium. It’s probably the least memorable song on the album, for better for worse, but it’s still a damn good song.

6. All Tomorrow’s Parties

I think this might be the first time a song grew on me while listening to it for the first time. I don’t mean it changed for the better, I mean I suddenly got what it was doing. For the first three minutes, I thought this was another droning piece that would never end. Around halfway through, though, it clicked. The mix of slow drumming and the manic piano makes for a perfect swarm of chaos, and the calmness in Nico’s voice just seals the deal. It never really changes, and I do think they could’ve cut off about a minute or two from the album version, but as it stands, this is still a great song, and the first experiment on the album I really like.

7. Heroin

And here we have my favorite song on the whole album. “Heroin” is a masterpiece of songwriting, perfectly describing the worst aspects of heroin addiction, constantly building up to a crescendo of stress and panic, accented by the thunderous drums. The use of only two chords for the whole song really shows how much can be achieved with so little, with Cale’s violin used to excellent effect throughout. It’s perfect evidence for why anyone should stay away from heroin, lest it turn you into a panicking, fearful, and screaming shell of your formal self, made complete with some of the scariest feedback you’ll ever hear from a violin at the end. In other words, it’s perfect.

8. There She Goes Again

Another Rock 'n’ Roll song, the song starts off with a stop-and-go, before really going into a very Beatles-esque style to it. It really does sound like if Lou Reed had wandered into a Beatles rehearsal and started screaming into a microphone. Overall, it’s very similar to “Run, Run, Run”, making it another less memorable song on the album, but also highly enjoyable.

9. I’ll Be Your Mirror

The shortest song on the album and one of the softest, “Mirror” is a simple love song by Nico, making her third lead appearance on the album. The song is very simple, but very charming, serving as a break from the madness all around it. It’s not really a great song on its own, but its placement is perfect, so it’s got that to it.

10. The Black Angel’s Death Song

You heaver hear a song that would have been a lot better if it got rid of one part? That’s this song. If this song had gotten rid of the completely rambling and piercing violin scratching, it would have been pretty standard, but far less grating. It seems like chaos for the sake of chaos, and it use brings the song down. If the violin had been used for a wandering atmosphere, that would have been good, but instead, it’s obnoxious. Not a very good song, but at least interesting.

11. European Son

And as a finale, how about some free jazz. A damn good closure, the song is what “Black Angel” should have been, wandering and chaotic without being obnoxious. After a minute of normality, the song goes for 7 minutes of wandering after a massive crashing noise, almost liked the album suddenly snapped into a mindless haze. The song continuously builds, sometimes bursting into nothing but a roaring, grinding noise. It never lets up, and it’s some uncomfortable listening, but the sheer range and energy makes it work, until you see things a different way. Definitely a fitting end to the album.

So after listening, this is definitely a difficult album. But that’s what its appeal is. It’s a noisy mess of chaos from the Factory, the height of noise and chaos in 60s America. It’s a perfect soundtrack for that time, and was a defining album of its generation. And even though I disliked three of the songs off it, the others are so good that I believe the album is worth the title of undying classic.

Score: A+
Best Song: Heroin
Worst Song: The Black Angel’s Death Song