| | Full Review | Ratings (1383) |
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| 5.0 classic | artrock | October 8th 14 |
The best album of all time? It's definitely the kind you listen to at midnight, with half-closed eyes, under an incandescent lamp.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Iai EMERITUS | June 26th 06 |
The Velvet Underground's catalogue seems divided in half - two albums with John Cale, two albums without. And for me, there's a nice pattern, because in both halves, the first of the two albums is about a million times better than the follow-up. So this blows Loaded out of the water, quite easily. It might not quite be as good as TVU&N, but it's still a brilliant album. It's also their most hushed, relaxed outing - highlights "Candy Says", "Jesus", and the mighty "Pale Blue Eyes" being the perfect soundtrack to the "Sunday Morning" they'd sung about two years earlier.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Introu1 | September 24th 21 |
Even if the vibe isnt like the first album ive listened too, its still really sweet and stuff 4,2/5
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| 4.5 superb | kheman1317 | February 6th 19 |
This is one hell of a soothing album to listen to exceptions include What Goes On and Beginning to See the Light, which are much more energetic , and included in my favorite tracks off this album. Other favorite tracks include Pale Blue Eyes and After Hours.
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| 5.0 classic | ZSF | April 26th 17 |
Succinctly stated, intense, emotive, warm, serene, and dismal. Exceptionally lived-in. One of the greatest albums ever released. An all-time favorite. It's potency lies in its inner beauty, at-times tranquility and partially chaotic capacities. Lovely, and I mean that wholeheartedly. Ungodly beautiful and complex. A+r- Zach
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| 4.5 superb | Robbit | May 5th 16 |
The self-titled 3rd studio album from the Velvets was a pleasant surprise for me. Although I'd loved their debut record, I wasn't so
keen on the chaos & cacophony of WHITE LIGHT / WHITE HEAT.
They recorded this relatively sedate album after the departure of violinist John Cale. It has been said that the acoustic "unplugged"
sound of these songs was largely influenced by the theft of much of the band's equipment (including amplifiers). Lou Reed's writing
and vocal performances are much more melodic and accessible than ever before, namely on the opener "Candy Says" and "Jesus". Still,
there is plenty of avant-garde experimentation happening throughout the record, but it's more carefully arranged than before.
There is a cohesiveness and sense of melody here that makes this overall record far more palatable than the 2nd album. I'm looking
forward to a 2nd spin.
Highlights: "Candy Says", "Jesus", "I'm Set Free" & "The Murder Mystery".
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| 0.0 | altertide0 | May 19th 15 |
The softest and most fragile of the band's records, far from the genius of s/t and White Light/White Heat, a wonderful album nonetheless. Most of the songs are short, refrain-heavy and intentionally simple, but never dumb, and the emotional content is strong and sincere. And there's also "The Murder Mystery", one of their boldest and most-successful experiments.
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| 4.0 excellent | ExplosiveOranges | May 2nd 14 |
The good ol' days, back when Lou Reed wasn't doing shitty collabs with Metallica and Squeeze didn't exist. Good times.
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| 4.0 excellent | lz41 | June 1st 13 |
There are two possible interpretations of the Velvet Underground's self titled third album. The first is that the soft, gospel-folk sounds are the band selling out to a more mainstream audience. The second is that the radical change from 'White Light/White Heat' proves the ability and musical intelligence of the group. Indeed, the change of instrumentals may make this the darkest VU album; as sinful as 'White Light' was, the average Joe can't relate to 17 minute, dissonant avant garde pieces about heroin fuelled orgies, whereas unrequited love, isolation and faith, common themes found here, are far more likely to hit home.
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| 5.0 classic | derho | January 16th 13 |
"White Light/White Heat" was a veritable fireball of a record, spewing smoke and shrapnel out into the atmosphere while soon-to-be-punks watched in wonderment from below. And then it burnt out. So we come to the Velvet Underground's 3rd effort, a self-titled masterwork of clean tones, calm voices, and lights at the end of the tunnel. No, "The Velvet Underground" is not their most exploratory work, but it was daring. Reed decided it was time to escape the womb that was Andy Warhol's factory, to disavow their reputation as high and mighty art-rockers. Never does this record feel like some kind of cheap marketing trick. Beyond that, it has under its belt a legacy of influence vast enough to put it right up there with the debut. 70's glam, R.E.M., 80's indie rock, shoegaze and dream-pop, belle & sebastian, Madchester, Brit-Pop, hell, it all comes back to this record and the choice Louie made. "Pale Blue Eyes" is a gorgeous highlight among the slower numbers, not to discount the Doug Yule-sung "Candy Says". The middle of the album brings a string of quasi-religious songs, peaking with "I'm Set Free", that evoke a rising from the bleakness of lows like "Heroin" from their debut. The sonically challenging "Murder Mystery" is their most beautiful experiment, and closer "After Hours" ties everything up with a pretty, bubblegum bow. A record that cannot be overlooked. 10/10
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| 5.0 classic | Mackster09 | December 24th 12 |
I know perhaps rating this above Nico is a bold choice, but the more I listen to this record the better it gets. Runs a close second to White Light/White Heat, although I probably play this more
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| 4.5 superb | stillill124 | April 21st 11 |
really beautiful, spent many late nights listening to this record
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| 4.5 superb | JesusV4 | July 18th 10 |
Whoa, what is this? If you were expecting the third installment of the Velvet Underground you knew and loved, think again. The self-titled sounds more like Simon and Garfunkel (really, it's that gentle) than the controlled chaos of White Light / Heat. The band has fired John Cale, the electric cellos and violas are completely gone from the sound. Introspective and quiet songs like "Candy Says" and "Some Kinda Love" would influence the other half of the next generation or two of songwriters that were NOT punking it up, while songs like "What Goes On in Your Mind" proved the Velvets could still groove in their peaceful new sound. Give this one a good chance so that you can comfortably delve into the rest of the discography!
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| 0.0 | robertsona STAFF | May 8th 10 |
Cale's departure from this "art-rock" ("underground", not "velvet") group would have you
believe that the shards of noise that pierced a two-chord structure on their debut's
"Heroin" are gone--they are, but so is their own "pop sensibility" that they advertise here.
Save for cuts "Jesus" and closer "After Hours" (cute because Tucker sings it badly, whereas
"Pale Blue Eyes" is grating because Reed does the same), this is mostly flat stuff from a
band that got off on either pissing you off or showing you the exit. "The Murder Mystery" is
interesting because it attempts a throwback--maybe if it was in the context in which it is
throwing back to it would work better. Here, it's woolgathering stuff, especially placed in
between two two-minute tracks (see, it's that pop stuff again!).
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| 4.0 excellent | doofy | January 7th 24 |
| 3.5 great | gabba | November 23rd 23 |
| 4.5 superb | MvdW | February 1st 23 |
| 3.5 great | Timmy | January 11th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Rick64 | November 8th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Reagan | September 5th 22 |
| 3.5 great | igi78 | August 5th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | RVA101 | March 29th 22 |
| 3.0 good | Jimmer | March 23rd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | ZIG | March 23rd 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Pvzuzu | January 13th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | john | December 30th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Atari STAFF | October 24th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Jerbzz | March 5th 21 |
| 3.0 good | YRI | December 28th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Djibura | December 18th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Stufy2 | December 17th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | bloaf38 | December 11th 20 |
| 3.5 great | fog CONTRIBUTOR | November 5th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | DefOs | November 1st 20 |
| 4.5 superb | KuyJuk | July 31st 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Mike01 | June 11th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Sinews | May 26th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ryus | May 26th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Ermal | April 19th 20 |
| 3.5 great | TOBD | March 19th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Wyder | February 19th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | neikos | February 11th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Vojtino | February 9th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | yoil | January 1st 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | peahat | December 23rd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Emily | December 18th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | jfish226 | November 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | chwe | November 5th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | xgausez | October 22nd 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Juca89 | October 2nd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | capes | September 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | vil1 | September 8th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zlatoust | September 8th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Flomink | September 3rd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | kb3984 | August 19th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Raqinq | June 29th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tb1114 | June 20th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Josh | June 19th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | lxxwj | June 10th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Abax | May 23rd 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Onater | April 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gueero | April 15th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | TwigTW | February 5th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | rufous | November 23rd 18 |
| 5.0 classic | shekt95 | November 11th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | orakst | October 9th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | dvdkmlr | September 25th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | DrAtivan | September 14th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | BRB | September 8th 18 |
| 3.5 great | stufy12 | September 2nd 18 |
| 4.5 superb | oetzl | September 2nd 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Jrpuri2 | September 1st 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | FelkFg | August 8th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | David | August 4th 18 |
| 3.5 great | RUSH | July 31st 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Sine | June 19th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | tom79 | June 9th 18 |
| 3.5 great | aew100 | April 19th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | skronk | March 28th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | wg98 | February 12th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Holsety | December 2nd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | espnil | November 8th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | KOZAKY | October 27th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | arkngt | October 11th 17 |
| 1.0 awful | bSmith | October 10th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | gogar | September 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rambles | September 10th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jan555 | August 22nd 17 |
| 3.0 good | bentl | July 31st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Behexen | July 29th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | GazAldo | July 23rd 17 |
| 3.5 great | tellah | July 13th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Miguee7 | July 11th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Alexxx | June 21st 17 |
| 3.0 good | Pitpat | March 24th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Corney | February 23rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | CamiloG | February 22nd 17 |
| 3.5 great | Rhyme | February 7th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Luisito | January 15th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Juanpa | January 13th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Khattak | December 19th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Frojola | December 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Chortles | November 29th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wolfe | November 29th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | AWalrus | November 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | cb123 | October 5th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | lumucc | October 4th 16 |
| 3.5 great | boleyn2 | September 4th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Dumb | September 4th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Denis | August 29th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | josefk | August 21st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | helti | August 7th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | PaabL | August 3rd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Lanas | July 23rd 16 |
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| 5.0 classic | stakis | July 9th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Smelty | June 22nd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Max215 | June 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | SB129 | May 16th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Henry | May 16th 16 |
| 3.5 great | dtcgb | April 17th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Fort23 | March 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | tthehoe | March 21st 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Lodger | March 18th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Moments | February 18th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lassie | February 15th 16 |
| 3.5 great | bobby72 | February 12th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | timmy36 | February 5th 16 |
| 2.0 poor | AWOL3 | December 26th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | kalesin | November 22nd 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | daFigz | November 22nd 15 |
| 2.5 average | Pegana | November 22nd 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | btati | November 12th 15 |
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| 4.0 excellent | Cyprus | November 4th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | wham49 | October 21st 15 |
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| 4.0 excellent | Javier | September 29th 15 |
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| 3.5 great | "Tab" | September 22nd 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | ZBJE | September 2nd 15 |
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| 4.0 excellent | Lowgain | April 25th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Jekub | April 22nd 15 |
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| 4.0 excellent | Chriss77 | February 13th 15 |
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| 4.5 superb | Loge | February 1st 15 |
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| 4.5 superb | Zy12345 | January 14th 15 |
| 3.5 great | manosg EMERITUS | January 1st 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | fuzzbutt | December 29th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | newrot | December 25th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | slaps | December 18th 14 |
| 3.5 great | boogs | November 17th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Yubanme | November 14th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Walt | November 9th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Pheenix | October 15th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Vaakum | September 29th 14 |
| 3.5 great | RTCW | September 24th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ire | September 17th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Donchivo | September 14th 14 |
| 3.5 great | jmh886 | September 2nd 14 |
| 5.0 classic | nimnam | August 27th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | wask | July 7th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Ruga | June 21st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | merzbae | April 23rd 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Lilt98 | April 20th 14 |
| 3.5 great | adr | April 9th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | msm008 | March 20th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | dabam | February 17th 14 |
| 3.5 great | SeiGor | February 16th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | January 12th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Spec | January 7th 14 |
| 2.5 average | Gtzk | January 5th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | eboph | January 1st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fagatron | December 27th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wreck | December 23rd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Mootgut | December 12th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | arnnnau | December 6th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Draven65 | November 27th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | willow | November 17th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | aa2508 | November 14th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | bulk | November 13th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | partaura | November 11th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | tancrni | November 3rd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Grimsby | October 30th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Snowden | October 29th 13 |
| 3.0 good | Zeg | October 28th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Aruji | October 27th 13 |
| 3.0 good | dosia | October 26th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | jtswope | October 16th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | inlimbo | September 28th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | TheDMV | September 4th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Boozby | September 4th 13 |
| 3.5 great | craven | August 13th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | igg20 | August 10th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Pwoper | June 23rd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | ADM20 | April 29th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Meruem | April 15th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lthomp | April 11th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | APJ90 | April 2nd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | flaffy | March 16th 13 |
| 2.5 average | osiuuu | March 11th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Kiran EMERITUS | March 7th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | fg89 | March 5th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | 13km | March 5th 13 |
| 3.5 great | JIIKX | March 2nd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | dogteal | February 22nd 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | heisl | February 21st 13 |
| 3.5 great | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Minus. | December 24th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | urzadek | December 17th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | bharr | December 1st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | arcane | November 26th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | dwejkk | November 20th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | lou1000 | October 28th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | ZGP1992 | October 13th 12 |
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| 4.0 excellent | plato66 | October 6th 12 |
| 3.0 good | bobbi | October 5th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Koda90 | September 14th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Spawnix | August 13th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Cyan1d3 | June 19th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Loois | June 13th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | quelus | May 29th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | slarti | May 8th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | ZmbZ98 | April 18th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | gwh45 | March 30th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Host78 | March 21st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | rjk | February 14th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Collis | February 11th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | ohgin | February 8th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | gvogel | January 1st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | narpet | December 25th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Wael | December 19th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Oblomov | December 13th 11 |
| 3.5 great | KILL | November 28th 11 |
| 3.0 good | ettore | November 26th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | CosmicJ | November 8th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | true | September 24th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | lafcadio | September 17th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | clemxvii | September 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bossie | September 11th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | des | August 17th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | BiOZed | August 8th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Mevz | July 27th 11 |
| 3.5 great | War | June 27th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | MJongo | May 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | DeStijl | April 16th 11 |
| 3.0 good | nkbr | April 10th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | lzizzo | March 29th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | adsha38 | February 21st 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Kenos | February 15th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Curvely | February 11th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Koda | December 29th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | wylpyl | December 18th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Antics | December 14th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | sorvian | November 23rd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hep Kat | November 18th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tantor | November 17th 10 |
| 3.5 great | o971 | November 6th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | seifer | October 8th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | jrg777 | September 24th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | NigelH | September 16th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Cavs | September 16th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | xezene | September 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hodgmand | September 5th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Annaa | September 4th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | cvrcmrc | August 31st 10 |
| 5.0 classic | estok | August 20th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | ShyGuy | August 17th 10 |
| 3.5 great | IAJP | August 13th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Matski | August 7th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Sousa | July 26th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Zoso4 | July 22nd 10 |
| 3.5 great | Cake37 | June 22nd 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | quaoar | May 25th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | MGSBEN | May 9th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Vanuck | March 10th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Kakz | February 25th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | DonDijk | January 17th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | ferrum | December 6th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | splurge | December 2nd 09 |
| 4.5 superb | JoRos | November 15th 09 |
| 3.5 great | Titan50 | November 14th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Janson | September 26th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | kitsch | August 11th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | kracked | June 21st 09 |
| 4.5 superb | gpud | June 17th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | Tjeerd | May 11th 09 |
| 3.0 good | purvis | April 29th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | orlok | March 26th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | fprock | February 16th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Jazzcat | January 20th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Glomp | December 16th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | midas | March 20th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | uncut23 | February 23rd 08 |
| 3.5 great | Steeed | February 16th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | MrKite | December 10th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | tuff | October 30th 07 |
| 3.5 great | doqtor | October 23rd 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bak | October 14th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | MeowMeow | September 19th 07 |
| 5.0 classic | Egglord | September 15th 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | sharkboy | September 1st 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | drij | August 3rd 07 |
| 4.5 superb | Kaleid | February 4th 07 |
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