Mercurial without being alienating, enigmatic without being esoteric, syncretic without sounding disparate, jaded but with a fantastic sense of humour and absurdity...This is what happens when a band is so confident in it's own talent that it knows it doesn't have to convince anyone else...and just has fun.Soft, sad, and subdued as this album is, there is an inherent sense of affirmation (of what is a subjective choice) that threads it's way through the emotional labyrinth of this album. From the wistful "Candy Says" to the chilling, hymn-like "I'm Set Free" to the mordant (yet strangely unpretentious) wit of "The Murder Mystery" to the surprisingly vulnerable intimacy of "After Hours," this Lou Reed and his Velvets at their melodic best. No, it's not perfect, but it's flawed in the best kind of way...its been a steadfast fixture in my admittedly ever-changing music collection. It has a subtly hermetic atmosphere...just let it envelope you.