The Velvet Underground’s 1969 album, The Velvet Underground, is set to receive a sonic upgrade as the latest addition to UMe’s (the global catalogue division of Universal Music Group) Vinylphyle series.
The Vinylphyle edition features all analog mastering “by an elite group of today’s top vinyl cutting engineers” and comes on 180g black vinyl, pressed at RTI’s pressing plant in California. This release presents Lou Reed’s original “Closet Mix”, which featured on the very first pressings of the album in 1969.
The record is housed in a tip-on gatefold jacket with a four-panel insert, which includes scans of the album’s source-recording tape alongside newly commissioned liner notes by Grammy nominee and rock historian, Scott B. Bomar.
At the time of its original release, The Velvet Underground marked a shift from the fiercely experimental sound of the band’s early recordings to a more melodic, paired back approach – best summarised by songs such as Pale Blue Eyes and Candy Says – which brought Lou Reed’s songwriting talents to light.
UMe’s Vinylphyle series, which the company has dubbed “a premium vinyl experience for people who love vinyl”, launched in November 2025 with four legendary titles: The Velvet Underground & Nico, Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Band’s Northern Lights-Southern Cross, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song.
This release delves deeper into The Velvet Underground’s back-catalogue.
The Vinylphyle edition of The Velvet Underground is now available to order at a price of $40 from uDiscover Music. Additional shipping fees will be added for customers outside the US, with shipping expected on 24th September.
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