The Marble Index – NICO***

Follow up album from Velvet Underground collaborator Nico. Featuring the harmonium, The Marble Index is darker in mood than its predecessor, evoking a sense of gothic doom.

"This is definitely completely different from Chelsea Girl. Nico's debut had lighthearted moments, and even the darker lyrics had simplistic and somewhat accessible music going with it. The Marble Index, on the other hand, is complex and not an easy listen. The songs have loud, cold instrumentation, accompanied by obscure lyrics. It's impossible to truly describe the mood, you could say it's heavy, dark, suffocating, ancient, downright nightmarish, but none of these do it justice."

"This record is hypnotic and haunting. Nico's harmonium and Cale's musical arrangements make me feel like I'm walking into a black and white horror movie. I really enjoyed her Chelsea Girl album, one of my favourites, but I really like the twist, the change of direction Nico takes here."

"Haunting gothic music before goth was even invented. Not for everyone but a compelling listen if only to hear it once."

"Strings and harmonium form the core of this album, giving it a vaguely medieval feel - imagine Nico playing inside a darkened cathedral. And her writing is almost as good, evocative and poetic. Nico's vocals are still unique to this day, heavily accented and thick, and there isn't a lot of variation either. But her voice sounds rich and vibrant, especially when she sings the more heartfelt lines."

"What can you compare this to? Nico's haunting vocals, with a slight vibrato, set to discordant arrangements, courtesy of her harmonium and John Cale's involvement are very different, very unique, but not quite perfect."

"The Marble Index provides a very nice mix of emotionally powerful songs. It's not melodic in the classical sense, though it is a harmonious blend of seemingly discordant elements. I don't think that the songs on this album will ever come to be appreciated by the majority of people. Nico touched the abyss and found that it wasn't so bad being there."