Another Week Another Vinyl: The Velvet Underground: Loaded

It’s amazing to think that The Velvet Underground were/are considered a band with a cult following. They have attained such status that they will forever be remembered as one of the most important bands in rock. Critics swoon over the Underground as if they were the second coming of Jesus, and rock enthusiasts will go as far as saying they were the most influential band of the genre. The Velvet Underground were far and away the most forward thinking band of their time, and bands today are still trying to catch up to their innovation. Their consistency is nearly unmatched, and picking their greatest album is as useless as asking chocolate or vanilla?

So in the very front of my record store was a rack of new records and on the bottom shelf was every VU album. Jackpot! But which one to choose? Should I go with the iconic Velvet Underground & Nico? How about the more subdued Self Titled effort? Or should I go with the more accessible Loaded?

My decision was essentially void of decisiveness as I opted to purchase Loaded. Maybe it’s because the album has always reminded me of a High School friend, or maybe it was the unforgettable sounds of “Sweet Jane” and “Rock & Roll” swimming through my head, but in the end, regardless of what album I chose, I was going to be ecstatic. Now I’m just hoping that at least some of those records will still be waiting for me when I go back this weekend.