VU

VU, issued in the mid 1980s, collects previously unreleased outtakes and rarities from The Velvet Underground's late 1960s sessions. The album pairs the band's raw rock and roll energy with more polished, pop-leaning arrangements and their art rock and experimental impulses; songs range from concise, melody-driven pieces to rougher, atmospheric experiments, featuring Lou Reed's laconic vocal delivery and chiming guitars with organ textures. As a document of a transitional phase, VU highlights the interplay between accessible songwriting and the avant garde tendencies that shaped the band's sound.