Nevermind

by Nirvana

Overview

Nevermind was never meant to change the world, but you can never predict when the Zeitgeist will hit, and Nirvana's second album turned out to be the place where alternative rock crashed into the mainstream. This wasn't entirely an accident, either, since Nirvana did sign with a major label, and they did release a record with a shiny surface, no matter how humongous the guitars sounded. And, yes, Nevermind is probably a little shinier than it should be, positively glistening with echo and fuzzbox distortion, especially when compared with the black-and-white murk of Bleach. This doesn't discount the record, since it's not only much harder than any mainstream rock of 1991, its character isn't on the surface, it's in the exhilaratingly raw music and haunting songs. Kurt Cobain's personal problems and subsequent suicide naturally deepen the dark undercurrents, but no matter how much anguish there is on Nevermind, it's bracing because he exorcizes those demons through his evocative wordplay and mangled screams -- and because the band has a tremendous, unbridled power that transcends the pain, turning into pure catharsis. And that's as key to the record's success as Cobain's songwriting, since Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl help turn this into music that is gripping, powerful, and even fun (and, really, there's no other way to characterize "Territorial Pissings" or the surging "Breed"). In retrospect, Nevermind may seem a little too unassuming for its mythic status -- it's simply a great modern punk record -- but even though it may no longer seem life-changing, it is certainly life-affirming, which may just be better. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/13/2013
Label:	Geffen
UPC:	0720642442517
Rank:	2696

Tracks

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. In Bloom
3. Come as You Are
5. Breed
6. Lithium
9. Polly
10. Territorial Pissings
13. Drain You
14. Lounge Act
17. Stay Away
18. On a Plain
21. Something in the Way

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nirvana   Primary Artist
Kurt Cobain   Guitar,Vocals,Lead Vocals
Krist Novoselic   Bass,Vocals,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Dave Grohl   Drums,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Chad Channing   Drums,Cymbals
Kirk Canning   Cello
Kevin Kerslake   Director
Mark Racco   Director
Samuel Bayer   Director

Technical Credits

Andy Wallace   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering Engineer
Kurt Cobain   Composer,Photography
Jack Endino   Mixing,Post Producer,Post Production
Krist Novoselic   Composer
Craig Montgomery   Engineer,Producer
Barrett Jones   Engineer,Producer
Greg Sage   Composer
Dave Grohl   Composer
Frances McKee   Composer
John Cale   Composer
Lou Reed   Composer
Robert Fisher   Design,Artwork,Cover Design,Art Direction
Nathaniel Kunkel   Mixing,Engineer
Nirvana   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Moe Tucker   Composer
Miti Adhikari   Producer
Dale "Buffin" Griffin   Producer
Gary Gersh   A&R
Sterling Morrison   Composer
Greg Wales   Tape Transfer
Eugene Kelly   Composer
Kristina Davies   Editing Assistant
Jeff Sheehan   Assistant Engineer
Westwood One   Engineer
Robbie Van Leeuwen   Composer
Howie Weinberg   Mastering
Ray Shulman   Design,Authoring
Mike Engles   Engineer
Butch Vig   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Recording
Fred Kay   Engineer
Chad Channing   Composer
Tim Durham   Engineer
John Taylor   Engineer
Michael Lavine   Photography
Diane Stata   Producer
Craig Doubet   Mixing,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Chris Thompson   Engineer
Kirk Weddle   Photography
Shauna O'Brien   Producer
Lance Bangs   Editing
Phil McKellar   Engineer
Chet Powers   Composer
Jeremy Bird   Post Production Supervisor
John Linson   Producer,Film Producer
Ron Kay   Executive Producer
Gregory Sage   Composer
Robbie Leeuwen   Composer
Oliver Maingay   Restoration

Editorial Reviews

Nevermind was never meant to change the world, but you can never predict when the Zeitgeist will hit, and Nirvana's second album turned out to be the place where alternative rock crashed into the mainstream. This wasn't entirely an accident, either, since Nirvana did sign with a major label, and they did release a record with a shiny surface, no matter how humongous the guitars sounded. And, yes, Nevermind is probably a little shinier than it should be, positively glistening with echo and fuzzbox distortion, especially when compared with the black-and-white murk of Bleach. This doesn't discount the record, since it's not only much harder than any mainstream rock of 1991, its character isn't on the surface, it's in the exhilaratingly raw music and haunting songs. Kurt Cobain's personal problems and subsequent suicide naturally deepen the dark undercurrents, but no matter how much anguish there is on Nevermind, it's bracing because he exorcizes those demons through his evocative wordplay and mangled screams -- and because the band has a tremendous, unbridled power that transcends the pain, turning into pure catharsis. And that's as key to the record's success as Cobain's songwriting, since Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl help turn this into music that is gripping, powerful, and even fun (and, really, there's no other way to characterize "Territorial Pissings" or the surging "Breed"). In retrospect, Nevermind may seem a little too unassuming for its mythic status -- it's simply a great modern punk record -- but even though it may no longer seem life-changing, it is certainly life-affirming, which may just be better. [An LP version was released in 2013.]