Some Kinda Love: Performing The Music of The Velvet Underground

The Feelies

Some Kinda Love: Performing The Music of The Velvet Underground

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February 19, 2024
Web Exclusive

By Matthew Berliand

Ever since The Feelies released their now classic debut album Crazy Rhythms in 1980 and especially since 1986 The Good Earth, have received countless comparisons to The Velvet Underground. While this isn't completely useless (far from it, as it turns out), it ignored the band's other influences and inspirations as well as their own unique style, which went on to heavily influence generations of equally influential and influential artists from REM. to Dean Wareham (whose first drummer in the band Luna was none other than the incredible Stan Demeski of the Feelies), most notably, to indie artists popularized in the indie boom of the 2000s, such as Philly's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. However, from 1988's third album (and the band's masterpiece) Only LifeThe Feelies caved to the critical pressure and put a cover of The Velvet Underground's “What Goes On” at the end of the album.

Fast forward to 2018, now 10 years on they reunited at that point, decided to take it a step further by playing a night of Velvet Underground songs in their (sort of) hometown, Jersey City's White Eagle Hall in conjunction with The Velvet Underground Experience Exhibition that was taking place in Manhattan at the same time. It's a bit of a shame, then, that this didn't come out until late last year, given that the Feelies' last studio release was in 2017 Betweenbut it was worth the wait.

Rather than the more formal nature of a studio recording, the take on “What Goes On” found here is more relaxed, free and just plain fun than their studio work, and the same approach is consistent throughout the set. Playing songs from the Velvet Underground's first four albums sprinkled in with a few off-album selections, the highlights here are many.

In particular, bassist Brenda Sauter (also of the amazing Wild Carnation) sings “All Tomorrow's Parties”, reprising Nico's iconic role, as well as “After Hours”, her somewhat similar voice a great complement to the Velvets' drummer , Mo Tucker. Guitarist and longtime friend James Mastro (of The Bongos and the Health and Happiness Show) also joined them on guitar and vocals for the non-album “I Can't Stand It,” so it feels even more like a party, while Richard Barone (also of The Bongos, of course) ups the ante by contributing guitar and vocals to the album's closing track, the epic “Oh Sweet Nuthin',” which depending on the listener's age will either remind them of a scene in the movie version High reliability or simply of the epic grandeur of the edition for Loaded (or both!). Speaking of another non-album track performed tonight, the tagline should be “We're Gonna Have a Real Time Together” and this recording certainly sounds like they did. (www.thefeeliesweb.com)

Author Rating: 8/10