The Velvet Underground - After HoursAlbum: The Velvet Underground [1969]
"the velvet underground", the group's self-titled third album, was the set where they most strongly diverged from the sound and style for which they were known, and its final track, "after hours", was unlike anything they had recorded before or since. from a band known for raw, noisy tributes to drugs and decadence, this album was a quiet contemplation of love, faith, and where one fits into the grand scheme of things. "after hours" was spare, witty, and utterly charming. with only lou reed's acoustic guitar for accompaniment, drummer maureen tucker sand the song, and her sweet, homey voice displayed a marked contrast to the minimalist authority of her percussion. a tribute to the joys of after-hours joints, tucker's girl-next-door voice lent the song something different (compared to reed), as it sounds like the words of a shy kid who finally got invited to a party and never wants to go home. having said that, it's dark as hell which helps to make it all the more amazing. like a lot of velvet underground, it was highly influential as well, and has been covered by the likes of blind melon and rilo kiley.
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