Reviewed by Eric on 01 Jan 2004
Former fashion model and off and on member of The Velvet Underground,
German born Nico had to say the least, one of the more interesting careers in music
history. While much of this has been documented endlessly in books and web sites over
the years, I will avoid getting into details, except to say that The End as well as
her debut Chelsea Girl (my personal fave) are fascinating albums that will or should
have appeal for progressive fans.
The End has been called the first ‘Goth’ album and I have to admit this stuff is very
bleak and with my limited knowledge of the ‘Goth’ scene, it seems Nico was way ahead of
her time. Covering the German anthem Das Lied Der Deutschen lead to some
criticism back in the day, setting the stage for Bauhaus, Laibach, and Joy
Division to explore their own flirtations with the darker side of Polit-Rock.
Nico’s rich vocals throughout the album are both inviting as well as slightly
un-nerving.
With names like Cale, Manzanera and Eno involved, how could you
avoid The End? This is a stunning album of great beauty and innovation. A one of
a kind work that has been imitated but never equaled, and while released in 1974, bears
little resemblance to that era or any other.