Velvet Underground and Nico Entry

The music of the Velvet Underground has been described as the first truly alternative rock. Influences and genres are all over the place and drawn from many different bands and time periods. Lou Reed, who did much of the writing, had a major influence on the sound of the tracks with his schooling and brought an art to the rock music which hadn't been seen before. The vulgar nature of some of the tracks also led hatred against the band and a new perspective on what could be done in music.
Reed and John Cale did most of the writing for the band and they were very close. They lived together for sometime and were responsible for the band forming. Reed did most of the lyrical writing and in turn is responsible for some of the negative feedback given towards the album. Reed hadn't written the songs to be racy, but simply was connecting art and music in a very real sense that was un-comforting to the listeners of the time. Cale grew up heavy into instruments and was therefore responsible for more of the musical side of the velvet underground. Cale experimented with different ways to approach instruments while Reed experimented with vocals, together producing some of the strangest music to date.
In the beginning Andy Warhol produced and promoted the Velvet Underground and was directly responsible for their success. H is the only name listed on the first album as producer. There is controversy as to whether this is true. Some of the engineers are credited with producing while Cale himself is also credited as the producer. Cale himself says Tom Wilson is the producer.
Much of what made this album great wasn't just the lyrical content but the musical content as well. Cale and Reed used alternate tunings not normally found on records of that time. This was also one of the first times in a mainstream record that lower tunings were heard. Another piece that set this record apart was Cale use of the violin which was uncommon for a band such as the Velvet Underground.
With this record I find myself in the same boat as Pet Sounds an Revolver. I understand the pivotal point it represents in the industry and in music history but this album is awful. Lou Reed may be one of the worst singers I've ever heard. How they let this album release with so many flat notes is beyond me. Again, music now wouldn't be the same without this album, but unlistenable.