Velvet Underground's "Loaded" Served Two Ways

one at 45rpm the other at 33 1/3

You license a title at 45rpm (because that's what's offered) and then the licensor releases it at 33 1/3 around the same time. These things happen. And they happen with greater frequency now. Now that vinyl has become a "thing". There was a time that the labels really didn't care much about the format and freely licensed titles to the reissue labels like Classic Records, Acoustic Sounds and the others. And they let the tapes out of the vaults. Some still do, but others don't. That's what happened here to Acoustic Sounds. It's double 45 was released and not that soon thereafter came the Rhino High Fidelity version at 33 1/3.

Though the fourth V.U. album released in 1970 was the final to feature core band members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison and Maureen "Moe" Tucker (credited, but she didn't play on it), for Velvet Underground cognoscenti the Doug Yule gen edition is second rate compared to the early records featuring John Cale and Nico. But that's really wrong, and say what you will, this record is "loaded" with potential pop hits—"Who Loves the Sun?", of course "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll" among them. The Cotillion (Atlantic) label execs demanded commerciality and songs that could be released as singles and the group complied, yet to no avail. The album didn't chart, nor did any of the singles, though over time the great songs shined and the album is both poppy (not a Heroin reference) and popular.

Lou Reed had left the band by the time of its release and its final form was a remix of which he didn't approve. Nor was third billing following Doug Yule and Sterling Morrison much to his liking. But the back cover and song editing were done later and Lou had no say.

As the dust settles decades later, Loaded just sounds better and better to old and young ears. David Fricke's annotation in the Rhino 33 1/3 edition is among the best among all the Rhino High Fidelity releases and there's much worth knowing if you're a fan of the record: who actually drummed because Tucker was pregnant (engineer Adrian Barber, Doug Yule, Yule's teen brother and a session drummer too), why Lou sang fewer songs on the record (vocal issues due to double shows nightly at Max's Kansas City and recording the album) and Doug and Lou's harmonies on "I Found a Reason" and how they emulated the harmonies on Art and Dotty Todd's "Chanson D'Amour" ("da da dada da"!) that older readers here should know but perhaps never associated with the song.

As between the two reissues: the recording was to 8-Track tape—the first Velvet Underground record in "high fidelity" and the original pressing cut from a fresh tape still sounds best especially as expected on top, where sustains sail on generously as they do on freshly recorded tape, but just as I was expecting to write following the Stooges review that perhaps Kevin should stick to jazz, his cut here is very close to the original. Ryan K. Smith's either because he was directed to or because the 45rpm speed allows it to be, is richer, and smoother and ironically more "High Fidelity" than the edgier 33 1/3 edition.

It's great that in 2026 you have a choice of two great AAA reissues of an album like Loaded. It's alright either way and which you prefer is more a matter of personal taste. I like 'em both. Though I prefer the O.G., which 55 and change years later still has that "just minted" feel, plus it's an old friend.