Product Details

* Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
* Original Release Date: 2000
* Number of Discs: 1
* Label: Warner Strat. Mkt.
* Catalog Number: 27613
* ASIN: B000002LVB
* Average Customer Review: based on 65 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,705 in Music (See Top Sellers in Music)
Yesterday: #8,789 in Music

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1. Who Loves The Sun Listen Listen
2. Sweet Jane Listen Listen
3. Rock And Roll Listen Listen
4. Cool It Down Listen Listen
5. New Age Listen Listen
6. Head Held High Listen
7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill Listen
8. I Found A Reason Listen
9. Train Round The Bend Listen
10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin' Listen
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
While John Cale certainly gave the first couple of Velvet Underground albums a signature sound, his departure enabled Lou Reed to do exactly what he does best: write kick-ass, stripped-down rock songs. On Loaded his talent comes to full fruition. Who can imagine a world without "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll," arguably two of the greatest rock tunes ever penned? The brilliance of those songs is so bright, it's easy to overlook a couple of other Reed masterpieces: the tender, epic discourse of "New Age" (which highlights his assured sense of poetic wordplay: "And when you kissed Robert Mitchum / Gee, but I thought you'd never catch him!") and the extended sweet blues romp of "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'." On Loaded the Velvet Underground--who before had hit the sonic ceiling experimenting with shattered chords, feedback, screeching violas, and what Reed once claimed was "the fastest guitar playing ever"--eschew the dark side of noise for clarity. Check out the ringing chime that begins "Who Loves the Sun" and the sterling (no pun intended) guitar riff that drives "Rock & Roll." This is not to say that the old ragged punch of the original Velvets is completely gone. Moe Tucker still beats a mean set of skins; there's no stopping Sterling Morrison's train-wreck rhythm guitar on "Train Round the Bend"; and "Head Held High" achieves near-"Sister Ray" moments of madness. --Tod Nelson
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Who loves the sun?, February 22, 2005
Reviewer: E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
There's no point at all in introducing the Velvet Underground -- really, the first edgy alt-rock band in the world doesn't need it. And "Loaded," while not the best album of their career, is a solid (if slightly passionless) example of Lou Reed and the Velvets rockin' out.

The sound is bright and chirrupy, despite the downbeat tone of the songwriting ("You're over the hill right now, and you're looking for love"), opening with an oxymoron -- bright music, and songwriting like "Who loves the sun/Who cares that it makes plants grow/Who cares what it does/Since you broke my heart."

With that strong track as a springboard, Reed and Co. launch into dreamy pop, country-rock and strong rock'n'roll (also the name of one song). Most of them are amazing, from the eerie reverb to the shattering riffs. However, "Loaded" suffers from a few too many country-ish rockers, including "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" which is the most annoying song that the Velvets ever produced.

The fact that "Loaded" has good songs at all is especially amazing when you consider that the band was cracking all around. Many major members -- John Cale, for one -- were gone, and the inspiration was waning. But they managed to compile a solid swan song, before fading off into rock legend land.

It's a solid effort. With the departure of Cale, Lou Reed was the main songwriter, and his talents are evident in most songs here, but he seems to have lost a certain tightness in his work -- some of the songs ramble a little. He doesn't push any boundaries or write anything terribly wrenching, but the songs are well-written.

Musically, Reed could not be faulted; he does some truly brilliant work near the beginning. Unfortunately Billy Yule, the brother of bassist Doug Yule, does only passable drumming. He's not bad, but he makes these songs sound rather generic. That only adds to the rather passionless, if pleasant, tone of the music.

"Loaded" would have been considered a very good album if it had not come after the genius of the Velvet Underground's past work. As it is, it is a weaker effort, but still worth hearing. ( )