Published: September 21, 2026 · 1:58 AM EDT
The new Vinylphyle edition features all-analog mastering from the original 1969 stereo master, a premium gatefold sleeve and newly commissioned liner notes
The Velvet Underground are revisiting their 1969 self-titled third studio album with a new audiophile vinyl edition featuring Lou Reed’s original “Closet Mix,” the stereo version heard on the earliest pressings of the record.
The release joins Universal Music Enterprises’ Vinylphyle series and is available exclusively through uDiscover Music. Unlike a conventional reissue using a later digital remaster, this edition features an AAA (all-analog) cut from the original 1969 “Closet Mix” stereo album master, prepared by mastering engineer Joe Nino-Hernes.
The LP is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI) and housed in a tip-on gatefold jacket. The package includes archival poly sleeves, a four-panel insert featuring scans of the source tapes and newly commissioned liner notes by author and four-time Grammy nominee Scott B. Bomar.
Originally released in 1969, The Velvet Underground marked a change in direction following the experimental sound of the band’s first two albums. Songs such as “Candy Says,” “Pale Blue Eyes,” “What Goes On” and “After Hours” placed greater emphasis on Lou Reed’s songwriting and more restrained musical arrangements.
The album was also the band’s first following the departure of founding member John Cale, with Doug Yule joining Reed, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker.
For collectors, the distinction lies in the source material. The original “Closet Mix,” prepared by Reed, appeared on the earliest 1969 pressings before a different stereo mix became more widely available. The Vinylphyle edition returns to that original version rather than presenting the album solely through its later mix.
The release follows the November 2025 Vinylphyle edition of The Velvet Underground & Nico, continuing the series’ treatment of the band’s early catalog.
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - VINYLPHYLE TRACKLIST
Candy Says
What Goes On
Some Kinda Love
Pale Blue Eyes
Jesus
Beginning to See the Light
I'm Set Free
That's the Story of My Life
The Murder Mystery
After Hours
Listen to The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes” from their 1969 self-titled album below:
Written by Gino Alache – Music Journalist
IMAGE CREDIT: Universal Music
