Smells Like Right Guard Just Doesn't Have the Same Ring (Nevermind - Nirvana)

Member Name: kitschkitty

Product:	Nevermind - Nirvana
Date:	30/03/09 (193 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A cult classic

Disadvantages: I dare you to even suggest one!

Listening to Nirvana's second album for the umpteenth time, it's hard to imagine that this little baby of an album is nearly 18 years old. Hard to imagine partly due to the fact because it still has a fresh and unique sound that many have tried to imitate but few have achieved and partly because, as an album that is only just entering it's adult years, it is one of the defining music albums of all times. Feel free to disagree with me on that one but I warn you, there's enough material on Nevermind to back up my argument way into the small hours.

Despite the early success and critical acclaim of the album, I was perhaps a little late on the Nevermind band waggon but I've been making up for it ever since. It's difficult to appreciate now how significant Nevermind was upon its release, introducing alternative rock and the sound of grunge to a mainstream audience.

If you've never listened to Nevermind before, then the music is perhaps far more approachable than you might expect. Singer songwriter Cobain seems to have perfected the art of combining pop hooks with power chords and, of course, his gravely vocals and angst ridden lyrics. Come as You Are and Smells Like Teen Spirit have left a lasting legacy of stunning and unforgettable riffs and the two songs show the spectrum of talent that is present on the album as it seamlessly shifts from the heavier rock sound of Teen Spirit to the subdued moodiness of Come as You Are.

On it's release, Nevermind was an album that spoke to an entire generation, and if the swathe of youngsters still sporting smiley faced Nirvana T-shirts is anything to go by, it's an album that continues to do so. And it doesn't really come as a surprise when the lyrics and melodies of Nevermind are bursting to the brim with raw emotion and teenage angst.

Despite the heavy clashing guitars and gruff vocals, I find this a surprisingly mellow album though if you're not as accustomed to rock as I am, it may sound a bit heavier on the surface. Songs like Lithium and Polly are my version of easy listening, with the added bonus of there not being a Stetson in sight. Some of the melodies are awkward and clashing but this just adds to the overall charm of the album and is what provides the quintessential grunge sound that Nirvana patented. Yes there's rage and angst here but it's interspersed with beautiful melancholic tracks such as Something in the Way and the album shows the depth and scale of the grunge genre.

Nevermind never sounds polished but maintains a raw edge throughout which gives it an added intimacy. It's because of Cobain's mumbled vocals and the occasionally flat guitars that I have such an affection for Nevermind. It's an album that was made with the intention of writing and performing good music, and not in the hopes of becoming the next American Idol or selling out and it's hard not to listen to this album without feeling an appreciation of this fact. Yes there are weaker tracks on the album, but as a whole, it's a selection of tunes that just work together.

Of course nearly all of us know about the unfortunate and untimely end to Cobain's life and, inevitably, Nirvana's career. But Nevermind is an album that has left a legacy. Despite being 18 years old, it manages to sound youthful and original, leaving a swathe of copycat bands in its wake. It's as innovative, creative and inspiring today as it was on its initial release and has played a definitive role in shaping the alternative rock and grunge scene. You don't have to be a Nirvana fan, you don't have to be a grunge fan, you don't even have to be a rock fan, but if you truly appreciate good music, then you really do have to have Nevermind in your music collection.

Track Listing

Smells Like Teen Spirit
In Bloom
Come As You Are
Breed
Lithium
Polly
Territorial Pissings
Drain You
Lounge Act
Stay Away
On A Plain
Something In The Way

Summary: Worthy of the hype.