Following quickly on from Fear, and capitalizing on the energy of that album, Slow Dazzle is another fiery release from Velvet Underground founder John Cale. This reissue faithfully reproduces the original 1975 version from Island Records UK and is pressed on high-quality 180g vinyl. Released in March 1975, the album initially offers a false sense of sweet security: "Mr. Wilson," a tribute to Brian, the beloved leader of the Beach Boys, starts the album on a much softer note than "Fear Is A Man's Best Friend," just like "Taking It All Away"; from "Dirty Ass Rock'n'Roll," Slow Dazzle ventures into darker territory, as usual. However, Cale cannot resist a pop song, and the ballad "Ski Patrol" is an excellent two-minute vignette, while "I'm Not The Loving Kind" is stripped of soul. The album's reputation, however, rests on two tracks: "Guts," a raw account of Cale's wife's infidelity, and his dark cover of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel." Fifty years later, these songs still pack a huge punch.