Customer Reviews

Vintage Violence

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have gotten to the point where I only trust albums that take a lot of listening to enjoy. Take note: if you ever encounter a disc that you find yourself liking parts of, while other parts you don't understand or even leave you just plain cold, don't send it off to Goodwill but hold on it -listen to it several more times, in different places, different moods. The chances are you've got a masterpiece & you just don't "have ears" yet. I mean, who enjoyed Cubism when it first was invented?

Yes, I have just described my own process in coming to immensely enjoying this disc. I came to it expecting some black, riotous Velvet-Underground something-or-another... Instead, I found myself in something dusky -not black; skewed and dreamy and sad and oddly spiced -and if riotous, only in the way the local bum might be riotous, scribbling paragraph after paragraph of sad and spooky gibberish on an alley wall somewhere... maybe Amsterdam, with the North Sea crashing in the background.

What's funny is that this music (with the exception of "Gideon"- I know now where Brian Eno got a lot of his inspiration for songs like "On Some Faraway Beach")-I reitterate, this music has its roots in all the most popular music of its time: The Band, James Taylor, Elton John, Creedence Clearwater Revival -and yet with a combination of unlikely elements: John's surreal lyrics; the purpousefully slippery production -that yet is simply packed with details and layers of sound; the odd song choices (it takes one a while to simply get used to what's coming up next)...well, John Cale suceeds in going places few of his comtemporaries dared to go: the world of Art. Take it or leave it, this is Art; if it was a painting it would be something like what Whistler did, indispensible to the few, ignored by the mass.

Give it a try, I say. As said earlier, you'll immediately like parts of it. Then wait a few days. Play it while you're painting or driving. Let it rest when you feel you've had enough. In the long run, you'll know.

This album must have come as quite a surprise to those familiar with John Cale's wall of buzz with Velvet Underground and his producing credits for the Stooges first album. This was downright melodic, sometimes lush, sometimes (dare I say) POP MUSIC! Of course Pop with an edge, but still Pop. And I say that as a compliment.

There are a number of wonderful moments on this album. The opener, "Hello There", presents Cale as a quite capable keyboardist (I assume it is him...the musicians are uncredited...I hate that!) and singer/songwriter. The next cut "Gideon's Bible", one of the strongest cuts, reveals his trenchant for Beach Boys derived melodies and ooohs which would show up prominently on later albums. "Big White Cloud" is a lush string laden ballad. In short all of the influences that would make his classic albums of the mid-seventies so engaging are here intact. The only reason I knock it down to 4 stars is that he still seems to be assembling the pieces so this is not quite a realized whole. (This is essentially a debut after all).

This is a fine album, and highly recommended. But Cale's real masterpieces were still to come (Paris 1919, Fear, Slow Dazzle, and Helen of Troy are all masterworks that I cannot recommend highly enough to one not familiar with John Cale...5 stars for those for sure!)

I obtained a vinyl copy of VINTAGE VIOLENCE about twenty years ago for one dollar and I played it about five times in all of that time. I've always been a huge John Cale fan and went out of my way several times to see him live -- which wasn't too difficult, living in New York City where he often plays offbeat gigs unrelated to tours. I fanatically devoured SEDUCING DOWN THE DOOR and FRAGMENTS OF A RAINY SEASON and considered myself a bit of a Cale expert. But I never really warmed to VINTAGE VIOLENCE. I chalked it all up to early over-ambition, slapdash recording procedures, lack of a true pop voice that only emerged on his masterpiece PARIS 1919. However, listening to this remasted CD, I feel like I'm hearing it for the first time. True, there are no monumental epic songs like "Child's Christmas in Wales" or "Dying on the Vine" and the only truly strong song on the album is "Amsterdam", a slow acoustic ballad. True, this album only merely hints at the rampaging creativity that consumed his later work and turned him into a powerful voice and violent performer. True, if this was the only Cale album that existed, his legacy in the rock world would be a relatively weak album of pop tunes being performed by an avant-garde viola player trying to be like the Bee Gees. But when I heard this remaster, I thought: "That's John Cale. It's no one else." His voice is unmistakeable. His quirky avant-pop is mysterious (check out Big White Cloud) and his lyrics cryptic. And the repacking has some cool pictures of the young Cale hanging out on the street corner. I would not recommend this album to a new-comers (those unfamiliar with Cale's work should spring for the 2-CD retrospective SEDUCING DOWN THE DOOR -- it will not disappoint) but those who have a few albums, really like him and want to hear some odd pop songs with his distinct flavoring, should check this one out.

I am not an experienced VU fan (I am but fifteen years old). However after recieving the marvelous box set Peel Slowly and See, I immediatly fell in love. After a year or so of fully absorbing that, I felt that I was ready to delve further into the work of the VU members I hadn't heard. I went out, bought JOhn Cale's Vintage VIolence, Lou Reed's Transformer, and VU 1969: Live.

While I knew the two latter albums were widely considered masterpieces, I had heard little of VIntage VIolence, praise or otherwise. However, I went home and listened to all three albums, and while all are amazing, the Cale album is by far my favorite.

Nowhere is it more clear why Cale was such a prime force in turning the VU towards more adventurous sonic territory than on this album. The first two songs are simply genious. Catchy, beautiful, musically engaging, and somehow at the same time edgy and exciting. And while the next two songs seem to zoom bby pretty fast, by the time "Cleo" hits, just about every listener will be emersed.

Top it off with the excellent cover "Fairweather Friend" as a closer, two superb bonus tracks, excellent remastering, well-written liners, and an amazing album cover, this Cale album is a must buy!

John Cale first solo album, originally released in 1970, came as a pleasant surprise to many fans of Velvet Underground. After his departure from V.U. in 1968 Cale had among other things produced for Nico, and some may have expected a more radical album, but here Cale reveals himself as a brilliant songwriter capable of writing and producing in a very melodic way, and several of these songs may even have had hit-potentials. Especially the catchy "Gideon's Bible" with its Beach Boys harmonies could very well had hit the charts, given the right exposure.

Among other very memorable tracks is the great opener "Hello There", featuring Cale driving piano. The majestic "Big Cloud" is another stand-out; sound almost like a Robbie Robertson song.

There's a slight country feel to another favourite,"Please", and the haunting "Ghost Story" features lyrics that make you think of Keith Reid of Procol Harum.

This could very well be John Cale's artistically most consistent album; which obviously says quite a lot, and at any rate this is without question the first time he really proves himself as a prolific songwriter.

Vintage Violence is one of those albums where you just can't believe your ears the first time you hear it. Any expectations at all you bring into this will be blown away about four bars into "Hello There"; you'll realize there is so much more to this guy than the feedback/experimental genius you hear on the first two VU albums. Cale reveals himself here as a student of pop songwriting in the line of the early BeeGees and Paul McCartney. Actually, songs like "Adelaide" and "Cleo" sound like lost B-sides from the Merseybeat era. His adventurousness displays itself on the swirling climax to "Ghost Story" where he finds the perfect instrumental only to mercilessly cut the song short, leading into the closer "Fairweather Friend." The highlight here is "Amsterdam," a drop-dead beautiful song that Lou Reed could never have written. This isn't John Cale's best album (try the more cohesive "Fear"), but this is a gem that ought to be in every record store and in any pop fan's collection.

The finest emigrant from the Velvet Underground was not Lou Reed but rather the gangly Welsh viola player that Reed threw out of the band after two years: John Cale.

Cale's great 1970s series of albums -- beginning with this record and reaching an apex with the majesterial "Paris 1919" and the proto-punk trilogy of the mid-1970s --- is almost uniformly wonderful, and quite weird. His voice is offputting, as it is rather nasal and blanketed in his Welsh accent, but it is capable of amazing beauty.

His songwriting is a joy in part because Cale is free from the problems Reed faced: he had no "street" cred to demonstrate, nor did he worry about having to prove he was an artist. The man could equally make music with Terry Riley and Little Feat, at times in the same week.

If anything, his work is a precedent to 1990s songwriters like David Berman & Steven Malkmus, in its love of nonsense, the way words are often pried lose from their original context, in its goofy sweetness.

Vintage Violence is perhaps the best starting point for those wishing to discover Cale. It's been called Cale's bubblegum album, and nearly every song has a meaty, hummable chorus. "Cleo" could have been a 1910 Fruitgum Company song; "Big White Cloud" is bizarro Phil Spector. Cale has said he wrote and recorded the songs quickly, and because he didn't really know how to write songs, he tried to mimic whatever was he thought was popular. The result was a record that at times appears to be an early Cat Stevens LP overdubbed by a madman.

Listen: everything seems slightly off -- the lyrics often seem to have been badly translated from another language ("my power amphibious bride", "someone took the tuba for a pony ride"), the ominous music belies the ostensibly happy sentiments of the lyrics. The song topics range widely: love songs from a man stuck in Australia, death, time spent in barrooms and hotels, ghost stories, old money.

I have been eagerly awaiting this remaster because the original CD was poorly transferred -- the vinyl LP is far superior. And while the sound has greatly improved, do keep in mind the rather slapdash recording sessions that produced this album; hence it is sonically all over the map, from the pristine "Amsterdam" to "Cleo", which sounds like a bootleg tape recording in mono.

I picked this up years ago and have not heard the remastered version. I have not always liked this disc. I probably listened to it 10 times before I realised I liked "Cleo" like a crush. It was a very wierd feeling for a very strange little song. I have heard these songs too many times to count. Lately I have taken to listening to it on my tractor. At this point when I hear the piano in "Hello, There" it is like an old friend is back to visit.

Although I can probably sing this album without any prompting of words, I have never really thought about what any of the words mean. Cale's voice is so unique and captivating throughout this disc. I feel something when I hear "grand old mother greedy", but have absolutely no knowledge of the reference. The viola in "Gideon's Bible" is thick, electric, and beautiful.

"Adelaide" is such a strange tune and I would be embarassed if anyone heard me sing to this stupid song, but it is bouncy and fun. I used to think "Big White Cloud" was a transparent, heavenly, fluffy song, but one time I had an occassion to really hear it. It is sick and ugly and not unlike "For A Ride" on Black Acetate. After about the 25th time he repeats "Oh, I love it..." the cynical aspect of this piece rises to the surface.

The Tommy James work on "Please" is cool and psychedlic. Cales pulls the song like electric taffy. His voice on "Charlemagne" might be my favorite on any Cale tune. All the instruments are played in almost a round at the end. "Bring It on Up" is like something from "The Band", but still all John Cale.

I am not as enthusiastic about "Amsterdam" as many of the other reviewers. It has always felt like a pause in the album to me. "Ghost Story" is just a great tune. Wierd words, terrific organ, with a wonderful channel shifting industrial sound toward the end. Not as drill-like as "Lady Godiva's Operation", but still very cool. And then it just stops.

"Fairweather Friend" with its rock-a-billy twang, boogie woogie keyboards, and layered vocals is a finish tune and serves as the other bookend for "Hello There". I have listened to a huge amount of music, and this is on the top 10 list for me.

I enjoy this CD of songs by Mr John Cale. VINTAGE VIOLENCE is a collection which is described in the notes by Mr Lewis Merenstein as "VINTAGE VIOLENCE is John Cale, his songs, his singing and his playing. Listen and you'll know." It is difficult for me to improve on this because it captures the quirky sense of humour which is so much a part of this collection. My favourite songs are PLEASE and BIG WHITE CLOUD. I feel I am floating when I listen to them. In a more conventional sense, these songs resemble ballads. Listening to this CD enhanced my understanding of "WRONG WAY UP". If you are interested in one of the most influential singer/songwriter/producers of late twentieth century popular music, or in quirky ballads, this CD will be interesting to you.

I am not an experienced VU fan (I am but fifteen years old). However after recieving the marvelous box set Peel Slowly and See, I immediatly fell in love. After a year or so of fully absorbing that, I felt that I was ready to delve further into the work of the VU members I hadn't heard. I went out, bought JOhn Cale's Vintage VIolence, Lou Reed's Transformer, and VU 1969: Live.

While I knew the two latter albums were widely considered masterpieces, I had heard little of VIntage VIolence, praise or otherwise. However, I went home and listened to all three albums, and while all are amazing, the Cale album is by far my favorite.

Nowhere is it more clear why Cale was such a prime force in turning the VU towards more adventurous sonic territory than on this album. The first two songs are simply genious. Catchy, beautiful, musically engaging, and somehow at the same time edgy and exciting. And while the next two songs seem to zoom bby pretty fast, by the time "Cleo" hits, just about every listener will be emersed.

Top it off with the excellent cover "Fairweather Friend" as a closer, two superb bonus tracks, excellent remastering, well-written liners, and an amazing album cover, this Cale album is a must buy!