The Velvet Underground Strived for Hits on “Loaded”

Analogue Productions’ reissue is "loaded" with sonic sweetness

Of all the '60s era artists that expanded their craft to unfathomable heights, The Velvet Underground was arguably the most adventurous. Few if any other contemporaries sought to work in unorthodox approaches to both instrumentation (drones, detuned guitars, and distortion) and subject matter (drug use, S&M, and prostitution). These approaches appear prominently on their first two albums, The Velvet Underground & Nico and White Light/White Heat. A key component to the Underground’s experimental nature was violist John Cale, who often conflicted with songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Lou Reed’s aim to make the group more accessible. When Reed sacked Cale, Doug Yule joined, and the group relished in a softer folk-rock sound on their third aptly titled album, The Velvet Underground. 

The transition from the 1960s to the 1970s was turbulent for the Velvet Underground. The group spent 1969 perfecting their craft as a live band and recorded material the public wouldn’t hear until decades later. Their lack of commercial success led Verve/MGM to drop the group from the roster. Cotillion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, stepped in on the stipulation that the group would deliver an album “loaded with hits.” With singles and airplay in mind, the Velvet Underground entered Atlantic Studios and crafted their most accessible album.

Released in November 1970, Loaded was the polar opposite of the Velvet Underground’s early stage as the house band at Andy Warhol’s Factory. The opening trio of “Who Loves The Sun,” “Sweet Jane,” and “Rock and Roll” are arranged precisely in a way in which the chorus consistently drives home the song. The three tracks together are one of the best 1-2-3 punches on a rock record. The Velvet Underground embraced their artistry on both ends of the dynamic spectrum on Loaded, from the beautifully melodic “I Found a Reason” to the raucous “Cool It Down.” 

Loaded was the start of The Velvet Underground transitioning from being a unified entity to a revolving door of characters. Lou Reed’s position as primary songwriter made him the group’s de facto leader, but newcomer Doug Yule started to assert dominance. Outside of singing lead on “New Age,” “Lonesome Cowboy Bill,” and the soaring album closer “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’,” Yule also handled all the bass and keyboard duties, along with several lead guitar solos. Drummer Moe Tucker received a performer’s credit on the album yet didn’t play a single note. Her maternity leave prevented her from participating in the recording sessions, which left the drum throne open to Doug Yule and his brother Billy, session musician Tommy Castagnaro, and engineer Adrian Barber. Guitarist Sterling Morrison divided most of his time to his academic studies at the City College of New York, which left most creative control delegated between Yule and Reed. 

Undermined personnel credit, erroneous songwriting credits, unauthorized edits, debate over the album sequencing, and Doug Yule’s photo on the back cover became a bone of contention for Lou Reed. Coupled with frustrations with management and dissatisfaction with the group’s lack of success, he left the Velvet Underground three months before the album was released. Sterling Morrison and Moe Tucker followed suit a couple of years later, with Loaded regarded by fans as the last proper Velvet Underground album.

Loaded failed to chart and didn’t give Cotillion/Atlantic the loaded hits album they desired. However, it has since appeared on numerous best album lists, and Lou Reed embraced “Sweet Jane” and “Rock and Roll” in his solo repertoire. Despite being the group’s sole studio effort for Cottilion/Atlantic, its favoritism among critics and fans makes it noble for Analogue Productions to give the album the ultimate 2LP 45rpm audiophile treatment for Atlantic Records’ 75th anniversary. 

Analogue Productions never ceases to outdo what has come before. Instead of replicating the original single-pocket jacket, Loaded comes packaged for the first time in a Stoughton gatefold jacket with photos of the group shot by Michael Ochs. The choice of center label has been a hodge podge for most reissues of this album, some using the pink label found on later represses. The intent is true to the original pressing with the blue label.

The opener, “Who Loves The Sun,” sets the bar incredibly high for mind-blowing sonics on this pressing. Instead of the bottom end being a beefy bed, you can hear the intricacies in Doug Yule’s bass lines. The instrumental separation is incredible, and the background vocals are cushioned in plenty of air. The unique-sounding slide guitar pops out before the second verse of “Rock and Roll.” The soundstage becomes richer in texture on “Cool it Down,” with the double-tracked vocals panned between the speakers. The lead vocal deliveries from both Reed and Yule throughout the album are intimate, sounding as if they’re in the room. Yule’s most intimate vocal performance is on “New Age.” The harmonies pop out of the left channel, and the organ and drums propel the track further.

“Head Held High” lives up to its raucity with a gritty vocal delivery and intense percussion. The cascading harmonies take center stage in “I Found a Reason.” Their beautiful silk-like transparency allows the track to build upon the sweet-sounding instrumentation. The distorted staccato guitars hop playfully across the stereo spectrum on “Train Round The Bend” as the track produces a steady rocking vamp.  The album closer, “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’,” reaches an angelic peak with the background vocals during the chorus. The track soars to a climactic yet resolving finale with Yule’s lead guitar solo, a fitting swan song to the Velvet Underground’s classic run. 

Loaded isn’t as abrasive as the Velvet Underground’s earlier work, but it's by far the slickest the group sounded on record. Look no further for originals in respectable condition fetching three figures or standard reissues that don’t do justice to the album’s intricacies—the Analogue Productions pressing of Loaded is the real deal!