Nirvana - Nevermind (Nevermind - Nirvana)

Member Name: ManUtdBoi

Product:	Nevermind - Nirvana
Date:	26/11/04 (3146 review reads)
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Variation is a big thing in the music business these days. Dare to stick to the same formula for to long and your guaranteed to be disbanded within the next 6 months. Many-a-modern band (linkin park, good charlotte) already receive flack for sticking to the angst filled formula for a mere two albums, petty beyond belief if you ask me. Music is about speaking your mind, and if a band has no wish to be changing it’s mind due to a minority, then it won’t. It was down to this that Nirvana took over the rock world in the early 90’s. ‘Bleach’, the debut release in 1989, showed all the hallmarks of being a punk classic, mixing rawer production with a much inexperienced band itself, led to, if you like, a revolution. However, with the winds of change in effect, the release of Nevermind in 1991, and it’s subsequent 15 odd million sales, came more down to the radio-friendly tracks. Kurt (a man more intelligent than some would have you think), knew that the set formula of ‘Bleach’ wouldn’t last another album, and set about changing the bands sound and in effect, target audience. Of course were I to ask for a track from the album, the majority would respond with ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, when in truth there are far better here. Undoubtedly one of the finest and most influential albums in rock history, the one thing that could never be claimed about the album is that it was dull. The band themselves have influenced hundreds upon hundreds of modern bands, with each setting themselves around ‘Nevermind’, a very wise choice indeed.

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Kurt Donald Cobain, a man full of more misery and woe than most could ever imagine, managed to keep himself in check to reach the sophomore album. As I’ve stated previously, it is claimed that this was in fact to over-produced for his liking and his personal preference was ‘In Utero’, but that takes nothing away from what this album gave his fans. The album gave his fans a personal and more haunting glimpse into Cobain’s mind, with songs such as ‘Something In The Way’ being very personal. It’s said that had Kurt not been as screwed up as he was, that his music would have been far less interesting and had less personal influence - but to be frank, his fans would relate to anything he wrote regardless of his mental state, there was just something about him that drew you to him. Anyway, ten years on from Cobain’s suicide and Nevermind continues to sell like hot-cakes, something that alone shows you the influence that the man and his band still have today, with the name ‘Nirvana’ being passed down through generations of families (yes it may sound far fetched but believe me, it’s true). Nevermind is, to me, the greatest album in the history of rock, not because of the fact that it’s a Nirvana record, but because each and every song gives a glimpse into Cobain’s soul, almost linking you with him in a way.

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The hype surrounding ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is by all means justified, but when you look at fifteen year olds just getting into the band, or should I say getting into the genre, it seems it’s all they know..

Q - What’s your favourite Nirvana song ?
A - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Q - But what are your thoughts on Lounge Act ?
A - er er gotta go (runs off into the distance)

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I just wish that some people would get a clue and understand there’s far more to Nirvana and their music than one poxy radio-hit. By all means, there’s a lot I don’t know, but I know that it isn’t a one song band. As far as Nevermind goes, the best songs personally, are the superb Lounge Act, a track that begins with a trademark Cobain growl, and Stay Away, a loud raucous ‘grunge’ moment. Of course I could point to the likes of Lithium and Come As You Are and say genius, but you already know that, they are two of the bands finest tracks, but as I say - you know that already. ‘In Bloom’, another of my favourite Nirvana tracks, was previously released through Sub-Pop in 1990, with an accompanying video that has since surfaced in the ‘With The Lights Out’ box-set. It is one of the bands harder songs, consisting of Kurt’s typical quite-loud-quite-loud formula (hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it). As pointed out earlier, Something In The Way, probably the most personal song Kurt ever wrote, talks of his supposed time living under the Wishkah river in his home town of Aberdeen. It’s an acoustic solo again comprising of the quite-loud route to success, and boy does it work. Lyrically, Cobain has generally been a hard man to grasp, yet Nevermind makes clear his intentions, with Come As You Are and it’s well known “and I swear that I don’t have a gun’ being one of the most haunting lines he’d ever written, especially when you take into context what was to happen just 3 years down the line.

“And I swear
That I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a gun
No I don’t have a gun”

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As a man, Cobain was a messed up, lethargic, dazed, confused mess, yet as a musician he was a respected, lyrically gifted genius who didn’t wish to become as big as he did. Some will say that’s why he took his life, because it got to much, he got to big, his band became ‘to’ mainstream - but what he left was a legacy that will last forever and one wonders whether he will truly be allowed to R.I.P. any time soon. Breed, another of my choices for a ‘best of’ album, is one of the mainstays, holding together through a barrage of bigger name tracks, yet ends up coming out one of the stronger. For me, the thing to look for on ‘Nevermind’ is the lesser tracks, the ones that haven’t had constant radio play for 13 years, and understand them first, listen to the lyrics and understand what Cobain was trying to say. Where the album title came from is anybody’s guess, but again, as with the music it gives glimpse to Cobain’s thoughts on the business and the success he’d achieved, as if to take it with a shrug of his skinny shoulders……oh well ‘Nevermind’, says so much about his attitude to fame and how much he wanted it. I mean, I’m only 18 and I talk like I was there, well I wasn’t and I deeply wish I had been, but the one thing I never do is over-estimate the band nor the man. I know Cobain was far from perfect and the band had their bad moments, but Nevermind is truly gratifying to hear and still sounds as good as when I obtained it 8 years ago.

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Put it down to his parents divorce, his time homeless, or his numerous times locked up, but the thing that becomes evident is that Kurt’s bad times made him the musician that he was and the person that he became. His songs generally speak of self loathing and hatred, a far improvement on a sunshine pop song, and a far more interesting man than he could have been, but regardless of how, who or why, Cobain truly is an idol and Nevermind is his greatest weapon. Yes, make reference to Smells Like Teen Spirit, Lithium and Come As You Are, but never forget Breed, Drain You or Stay Away either. Each individual track has it’s personal reference to Cobain, a message if you will and they all need to be well and truly heard.

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PEACE, LOVE, EMPATHY…..KURT COBAIN R.I.P.

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Track Listing

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. In Bloom
3. Come As You Are
4. Breed
5. Lithium
6. Polly
7. Territorial Pissings
8. Drain You
9. Lounge Act
10. Stay Away
11. On A Plain
12. Something In The Way

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Thank you

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