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intereact!Nirvana
Retail Price (not our price): $13.98
Release Date: 1991-09-24
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
Format: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Track List
Now here, for your listening pleasure, the tracks...
| Disc 1 |
Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
1) Amazon.com
If Nevermind's sound is familiar now, it's only because thousands of rock records that followed it were trying very hard to cop its style. It tears out of the speakers like a cannonball, from the punk-turbo-charged riff of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" onward, magnifying and distilling the wounded rage of 15 years of the rock underground into a single impassioned roar. Few albums have occupied the cultural consciousness like this one; of its 12 songs, roughly 10 are now standards. The record's historical weight can make it hard to hear now with fresh ears, but the monumental urgency of Kurt Cobain's screams is still shocking. --Douglas Wolk
Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5
1) "Here we are now/ Entertain us..." [Rating: 4 out of 5]
I could probably write a review based entirely on influence; After Nevermind stormed the charts in 1991, it kinda sorta changed the way people thought about rock music. Or about how it was packaged, anyway; suddenly, "indie" referred to an aesthetic rather than a commercial status, punk and alt-rock were no longer defined by their existence outside of the mainstream, and pop was no longer the only sound that could sell a billion records per artist. In a way, Nirvana re-legitimized rock 'n' roll as a commercially viable artform with this album. Nevermind showed the world that music doesn't need to be shiny, polished, or squeaky clean to sell. You could scream, curse, and moan your way to the top of the charts if you wanted to, and even dethrone Michael Jackson in the process. Of course, lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, and resident genius Kurt Cobain still saw this album as an overly polished sellout and his success as a sham. Nonetheless, Nirvana went on to become one of the most influential acts of the post-punk era, and this album is still the ultimate symbol of that fact.Sound-wise, it's a an all-inclusive synthesis of indie, underground, and post-punk ideals from throughout the latter quarter of the 20th century. Using three-chord punk as a starting point, the group mixes in chunks of sludgy heavy metal, screeching noise rock, acoustic rumination, skewed pop hooks, and apocalyptic, almost gothic, dynamics. The unifying element behind the whole thing was the group's deep affection and understanding for every element of their sound, their unique ability to combine ideas and aesthetics into a cohesive whole, and Cobain's distinctive songwriting voice. The overall sound is far more expansive and complex than the grunge scene into which Nirvana is most commonly pigeonholed. To be sure, there are elements of grunge the group's slowed-down-punk approach, but there was far more to it than that.Anyway, the music. That's what you're here to find out about, right? Well, here's the thing: Nevermind's influence has been so vast and so seismic, so instrumental in defining the sound of everything that came after it, that the actual musical qualities of the album are often overshadowed. To be sure, it's a fantastic listen: I'm rather fond of bemused anthems "On A Plain" and "Lounge Act," as well as the spine-tingling "Polly." Then there are those four gigantic hits, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "In Bloom," "Lithium," and "Come As You Are," all of which have a done a damn good deal to define the present generation. Although everyone goes for "Teen Spirit," I much prefer the tense paranoia of "Lithium." In general, it's a fantastic album to listen to, full of quiet/loud dynamics and darkly poetic lyrics and fiery guitar riffs. But it's also not a masterpiece. Not in my opinion, anyway. See, as good as these songs are, they start to wear down on the listener. Cobain's banshee holler is cathartic, but at times it can be a bit too cathartic. And then the hooks all start to sound the same, the sludgy rhythms start to drag, and the whole thing loses its distinctive feel. And then there's the fact that "Stay Away" and "Breed" simply aren't up to par with the rest of the record. "Territorial Pissings" is sorta hit-or-miss as well.But it's still a wonderful album and a stunning historical artifact. An easy 90s classic.2) Wonderful music [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This music has passed the test of time; it just gets better the more you listen.3) Overrated [Rating: 3 out of 5]
This was a great album! You know...back when I was an angry teenager who hated the world. But people grow up and realize that teenage perceptions of life isn't representative of life at all, but rather a bunch of self-indulgent BS. Of course, that doesn't make this a bad album. It's good and I have some liking for grunge, despite my revulsion of the musical forms it spawned. But it's terribly overrated, too. The playing isn't near where it should be, though I suppose that would have gone against the band's image. And because Kurt killed himself when they were on top, people always assume that they would have stayed on top...forever. Nah. I reserve that assumption for artists with considerably more talent. But if you like some variety, and want something less upbeat, this will do. Personally, I prefer Alice in Chains to fill that slot.4) Establishment baiting litmus paper [Rating: 3 out of 5]
After early underground releases Nevermind exploded with this album on the backs of the excellent angsty hard rocker Teen Spirit - whose connection to Bostons More Than A Feeling has been well documented. Tapping into a vein of anti-hero, anti achievement misery that spoke volumes to the gen X slacker generation and promoted via an alternative couldn't-give-a-toss style reminiscent of the punk ethos the album was also blessed with evocative cover art that really caught the punters eye and was truly indicative of the sentiments contained within - and how often does that happen?The entire package is well thought out, the production by Butch Vig and the band being adequate and while probably a product of it's budget more than anything else the fact that it suits the downhearted vibes so painfully evident in Kurt Cobains vocals actually works as a bonus. Other aspects of the construction of this album (see the Classic Albums release about this album if you possibly can - it's out on DVD) also speak of a well thought out plan. The megahit title track is the lead cut, then the mood is instantly dropped a couple of notches in the soupy thouth interesting In Bloom and the maudlin Come As You Are - three tracks that all have their own feel while still working in the same idiom. The guitar attack is insistant and the fuzzy style of it is so indicative of the underground movement, the punk movement and also the hard rock movement because given the heaviness of it this album wasn't going to convert people to liking hard music. No way, you pretty much had to already be predisposed to hard `n' heavy music to get into this. As the album unfolds further we get the first of the lesser lights in Breed, which can be forgiven as it's followed by Lithium, another musically interesting tune that shambles along and uses the underlying vocal melody so indicative of much of what Kurt Cobain was about and is one of the tunes where his love of Beatlesque tunefulness is apparent. Polly, apparently one of the salient tracks of this album, has a couple of amusing couplets but ultimately always left me unmoved as it seems to me indicative of the shambling pointless side of the Cobains persona.Territorial Pissings is anarcho-punk at it's best. The perfect song for when you want to listen to something incoherently angry. And if you've never felt that way your reading the wrong review!The problem with this album becomes apparent at this point however as Drain You and Lounge Act are pretty anonymous. Stay Away has it's moments but isn't enough to pull side two (in oldspeak) out of the muck. On A Plain - well after listening to this album however many times over the years I still couldn't tell you what it sounds like. Not a great advert for the tune is it?Something in the Way finishes the album off..... Eventually. And it evokes more of the same sort of anger-management-gone-wrong vibe of Territorial Pissings and the title track and as such must be rated a success.All up in many respects this album is a success as art - something people such as myself who actually don't like the tunes much can still recognise as having some sort of purpose whether intended or accidental. It's also successful in that it's been seen as something of a watershed moment in the history of hard rock/heavy metal and whether it floats your boat or not that's an achievement. And in terms of making lots of money for everyone involved it was also pretty darn successful (trust me - it's shifted a few units...). Potential downsides are that the constant pessimism can be grating, the attempts at arty rear and internal cover graphics smack of indie rubbish, full lyrics not included which is a pity given they were marketed as having a message and the fact that the sad ending to Kurt Cobains story may tinge your impressions of the album as you hear him rail against life and the universe. And each man alone must rage against his fate indeed....5) A musical breakthrough for a band and an era [Rating: 5 out of 5]
While it both alienated the band and made an indelible mark on rock music, Nirvana's 1991 breakthrough "Nevermind" is a rock classic. Bringing Seattle's moody grunge music to the big stage, "Nevermind" succeeds on great songwriting and Kurt Cobain's character. Although about 90% of the album has become rock radio staples, it carries an independent spirit. But even with the alternative feel, the album can be loved by anyone because it has undeniable hooks and song structure. Nirvana is loud, driving, and angry as ever here, and Cobain's moodiness is a perfect match for the music. The snarling guitars seem to complement his sentiments. Despite all the talk of mutilation and death, Cobain is truly appealing; you can almost feel his pain. He is depressed and disturbed, but he is such an effective songwriter and lyricist that he's almost always understandable. "Nevermind" sounds great and somehow, through all the depressing material, is great fun."Smells Like Teen Spirit" opens the album with unarguably one of the greatest songs of the 90s. The hard-rocking guitars, well-toned verses, and Cobain's performance made this song a classic for the ages, and the subject matter inspired a generation of rock music. The moody, midtempo "In Bloom" has an innate appeal to it, and the classic "Come As You Are" is my favorite Nirvana song, for Kurt's down-to-earth philosophy and the wonderful songwriting. "Breed" is menacing yet catchy, and "Lithium" is one of the album's best cuts. You can almost feel Kurt about to collapse under the optimism of the opening verses, and the sunny music gives way to a loud and driving hook. "Polly" is so effective because over simple guitar strums, Cobain's words are disturbed and unstable. "Territorial Pissings" is short and strong, and "Drain You" is Cobain and Nirvana at their best. "Lounge Act" and "Stay Away" boast great instrumentals and passionate performance, and "On a Plain" is immediately endearing and catchy. The album closes with the somber "Something in the Way," a moving 20-minute (mostly silent) track.Legions of grunge imitators would find their way to major labels in the aftermath of "Nevermind," and Nirvana would continue a short-lived stardom as grunge icons until Cobain's suicide. "Nevermind" is their landmark recording, and should be owned by anyone curious or new to the band. For those familiar with "Nevermind," I recommend their follow-up In Utero and their other less well-known albums.