Another View

Velvet Underground | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B000001FJS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,861 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Comprised of unreleased tracks recorded during the Velvet Underground's heyday (1967-1969), Another View was originally released in 1986. Many of the tracks on Another View first saw the light of day on Lou Reed solo releases but here we have the original versions of tunes like We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together and Ride Into The Sun, as well as an early version of the classic Rock & Roll (from 1970's Loaded). While not as cohesive or fully formed as VU, Another View is no less essential to the true Velvets fan's collection. Back in print on vinyl for the first time since it's initial release. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential listening - from a fan's perspective at least, April 21, 2004

By 

Rich Latta (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Another View (Audio CD)

As a fan, I rate this higher than your average listener probably would. For me it's essential although VU, their other compilation of non-album tracks, is much more so. I can understand why someone might accuse the Velvet's instrumentation of being rudimentary or why they might dislike Lou Reed's occasionally (and gleefully) overextended voice. But the Velvet Underground is loved for being raw, unflinchingly real, positively fearless and sometimes even darkly humorous. Lou Reed wrote about whatever he wanted including the drug life and other subjects that guaranteed alienation from the mainstream of the 60s. Today, the world has finally caught up with them and they've even been inducted into the Rock n Roll hall of fame.

"We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together" - a perfect opener, this one is very upbeat and straight to the point. Spirited strumming, hand claps and "Na, na, nas" all add to the fun. *****

"I'm Gonna Move Right In" - a laid-back and groovy shuffle, this instrumental track showcases Sterling Morrison's ample improvisational skills. Someone pointed out to my initial surprise that VU were occasionally similar to their perceived musical opposites The Grateful Dead. I dare say it's true, the main justification for that comparison being Mr. Morrison's playing. *****

"Hey Mr. Rain (version 1)" - If New York City art-punks were prone to rain dancing during times of draught, this is what they might play: a strange loping tune with trippy viola from original Velvet John Cale. ***1/2

"Ride Into The Sun" - This track is simplicity itself and exquisitely pretty. Quite different from the song it would later become with vocals by Doug Yule who became Cale's replacement. The version with the Yule vocal appears on the PEEL SLOWLY AND SEE box set and is very good as well. At this stage, "Ride" is an instrumental sounding a bit like a variation of the classic "Sweet Jane" which shares some of the same chords. ****1/2

"Coney Island Steeple Chase" - a decent rocker, but far from their best. I have a strange suspicion that majorly altered states of some kind were involved in this recording due to the general lazy feeling about it. But for all I know "altered states" were an integral part of all their records . . . ***

"Guess I'm Falling In Love" - one of their hardest rockers. Too bad they never laid down the original vocals with this recording, but it's still great. ****1/2

"Hey Mr. Rain (version 2)" - similar to version one but better due to a quicker pace, more insistent vocals, additional guitar flourishes and a more intense stab at viola from Cale. ****

"Ferryboat Bill" - A thumping little keyboard driven oddity that churns along until it's repeatedly interrupted by a couple bars of doo-wop style "do-n-do-dos." As a curiosity I like it, but can't objectively rate it too high. **1/2

"Rock n Roll" - a worthy alternate version from the one that appeared on LOADED featuring a crystalline guitar despite the rather poor recording quality found on this song as well as most others on ANOTHER VIEW -- but the Velvets were avid experimenters and that often extended to the recording process itself. You gotta accept the occasional shortcomings in their quest for sonic genius which they accomplished more often than not. ****1/2

An aside: as an obsessive Velvethead, I like to mull over the "Great Lost Velvet Album" that might have been. The band has a great wealth of non-album tracks to choose from. I think my version of the ultimate "Lost Album" could have/would have been as good as any official album they released! Just for the fun of it, here it is:

Love's Labour's Lost VU

Side 1

We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together
Guess I'm Falling In Love (instrumental version)
I Can't Stand It (PEEL SLOWLY AND SEE remaster)
Lisa Says (PSAS remaster)
Sad Song
Foggy Notion (PSAS remaster)
Ride Into The Sun (PSAS version)

Side 2

One Of These Days (PSAS remaster)
Hey Mr. Rain (version 2)
Walk It, Talk It
She's My Best Friend
Satellite Of Love (PSAS version)
Stephanie Says (PSAS remaster)
Ocean (PSAS version)
I Love You

Even the leftover cuts (from the material I'm considering) would provide a rewarding and fun collection of B-tracks and alternate takes that would tickle any Velvethead pink:

Rock n Roll -> Ride Into The Sun

Side 1

Rock n Roll (ANOTHER VIEW version)
Hey Mr. Rain (version 1 - PSAS remaster)
I'm Gonna Move Right In
Temptation Inside Your Heart (PSAS remaster)
I'm Sticking With You (PSAS remaster)

Side 2

Ocean (VU version)
Oh Gin
Coney Island Steeple Chase
Ferryboat Bill
Andy's Chest (VU version)
Ride Into The Sun (ANOTHER VIEW version)

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Another View is Good, but Only For Fans!, April 27, 2000

By 

M. Scagnelli (Brandon, Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Another View (Audio CD)

Most Velvet fans want all their recordings. I know I do. In order to do this, you must buy all four studio albums, including the Fully Loaded version of Loaded, Peel Slowly and See ( Box Set ),Live With Lou Reed Vol. 1 and 2, Live at Max's Kansas City, Live 1993, VU, and this CD, Another View. Of all the others named, this album is the least essential. All the songs are good, but not great like almost everything else the velvets did. If you are a big fan and/or a completist, this album is essential.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Velvets fans., February 5, 2000

By 

Kenneth French (Montclair, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Another View (Audio CD)

Only one of these tracks "Hey Mr. Rain (version 1)" made the box set, so do yourself a favor and add these essential tracks to your collection. On top of its musical benefits, it shows even more that Moe Tucker might just be the coolest person in the universe.