Nirvana

MTV Unplugged in New York [live]

Desert Island music

Review Score:

(10/10)
If you skipped over music from the nineties go back and listen to this amazing CD by the quintessential grunge band, Nirvana. The Seatle based band, led by die-in tragic- rock fashion, the nascent Kurt Cobain who lived fast and died young, is at his absoulute best on this collection of accoustic numbers. Beginning with a song from their first record "About a Girl," the stage is set for a hipnotic mood of crowd reverence and interaction. The guttural lyrics of Cobain overshadow his continous left-handed pounding and picking of the guitar but both are top notch. The Vaselines version of the Christian song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam" is as far away from church as originally intended as Cobain assumes the pulpit and delivers the sermon sounding like a quiet gunslinger entering the saloon. Equally interesting his Nirvanas interpretation of the David Bowie classic, "The Man Who Sold The World." The song begins with Cobain claiming he will "screw it up" with a band members retort that "it won't be the first time" and then the signature buzz of the bee droning guitar introduction, dadadada; the rest is history as is this performance. Throughout the disc there is alot of chatter amongst the musicians which either indicates nervous tension or anxiety or that they are having a good time. The music on this disc is timeless and compelling from beginning to end with Cobain playing the insecure role and coming out sounding absoulutely great. All your , well not all but many of your favorite Nirvana songs are presented here in a live accoustic setting. Take your pick, "Pennyroyal Tea' featuring excruciating extended angst, " Dumb" which features some lovely cello by Lori Goldston(also on many other tracks), the immediately recognizeable "Polly," the Nirvana classic "All Apologies" with it's simple beat and powerful sound, the Neil Youngesque "Lake of Fire" that features a country twang in Cobains delivery with some riveting guitar licks, "Plateau" with some beautiful accoustic guitar work worked into a diverse vocal range delivery by Cobain and the bittersweet song "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" that is a haunting close to this disc. When Cobain breaks into his final chorus of imploring "where, don't lie to me my girl, where did you sleep last night" it is enough to make you shiver. No wonder Courtney Love is so screwed up. Any rock music collection would be incomplete without this disc. This is essential music from a time in rock when mega hair metal bands were fading and a fresh sound was reflecting and developing a distaste for the old guard. If you missed them the first time around then be sure to catch them now. There is also a DVD that captures this epic performance.

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