Reviews (page 10 of 15)
Remember the hype surrounding this when first televised. Quite like Nirvana and uni friend was a big fan. Not sure if this stands the test of time like other live albums? Singing seems a bit muffled. Although sone of the instrumentation is excellent.
I doubt they ever made it big, should try plugging in and letting it rip
great live album that shows not just the versatility of the band, but also pays homage to the artists that inspire them. Genuinely a nice selection of songs, playing on the calmer side of the group and well fitting for the intimate stage they had.
Un classique que trainait dans la salle d’informatique François Artacho en secondaire 5. Un bon disque, on ne s’en tanne pas.
A legendary live performance, but I have to be honest - it's very uneven. Take side A, for example: it opens with two classics in "About a Girl" and "Come as You Are", but then soon after you have the underwhelming cover of "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" and "Pennyroyal Tea". Thankfully nestled in between, there's a great cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World". This trend continues throughout the whole tracklist - the highs are high, but it doesn't maintain that level during the whole performance. And honestly, while the more stripped-back versions are nice and offer a contrast to the more angsty and raw version of Nirvana, I think I mostly prefer the originals. There's something about Cobain's usual intensity that gets lost in translation when filtered through acoustic guitars and MTV's sanitized studio atmosphere. Still, I'd say this album's appeal is larger than the actual performance and the music on it. It's kind of the 90s packed in a CD, and serves as a great summary of Nirvana's career - capturing both their punk roots and their later career vulnerability. I will use a term that I usually hate, but applies really nicely here - the album has a sort of aura about it that transcends the actual auditory experience. 4/5
Half the distortion, all of the angst. Nirvana worked really well in this more intimate setting. The decision to play mostly deep cuts and cover songs paid off well. I was surprised by how familiar a lot of these songs were to me. I think I’ve heard about half of this on my local radio stations in the Seattle area. This album is also a good encapsulation of the MTV Unplugged phenomenon in general. People tend to forget how huge this was in the early ‘90s with artists like Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, and Tony Bennett making huge records from their appearances on the show.
Secret confession: I like this more than either In Utero or Nevermind. I think it's a really good, incredibly intimate, concert.
It's a very good album. I've enjoyed it since it's release.
All artists should do this, acoustic versions of songs and interesting covers, shows a different side. This is probably the most I’ve enjoyed Nirvana.
Highlight Song/s: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Plateau and Where Did You Sleep Last Night I am a casual Nirvana fan not too big on most of their stuff, but I like some of their songs here and there. Prior to listening to this I've only In Utero (which was my first album) then just earlier this month Nevermind. Songs that I particular like from them are: Drain You, In Bloom, Serve the Servants and their cover of Molly's Lips. So some songs are completely new to me. I like to think some of the higher ups thought they would play all their hits - especially from Nevermind - but NO about 40% of the album is covers, which I am a fan of; It's just Nirvana appreciating their idols Now, about the songs themselves: The cello on 'Something In The Way' is incredible; I thought the Meat Puppets songs were pretty good, I definitely gotta check out their second album.
A very strong 4, may revise to a five
Overhyped but still very good.
My primary recollection of Nirvana as a live act was, well, they were kind of half-assed. Not bad, just usually in a rush to get the fuck out of there and/or destroy instruments. Kurt would opt for a just in-tune enough guitar, like he had just added new strings - so, lots of twang and rattle - none of Vig’s compression and smoothed-out distortion. Dave, as ever, was locked-in and Krist kept pace, but rarely stood out in the mix. The idea of them doing an all-acoustic set seemed like a poor fit - rockin’ drummer, muted bassist, haphazard rhythm guitarist - and by 1993-94 the MTV Unplugged show had taken on, if not a sophisticated posture, something very rehearsed, despite its appeal as a stripped-down, humanizing venue. Nirvana shied away from neither, delivering something almost ornate, but also very raw, putting Kurt’s voice front and center. At the time it felt like a crude cash-in so soon after Kurt’s death and I had no interest in listening to nor supporting it, but over the years a few of the covers made their way through and - especially the Lead Belly - really showed the power in Kurt’s singing. Likewise shifting song keys to make his voice strain even more was a good trick and hopefully demonstrates that this was not a diary entry, but a performance. It may sound like the former, but he was very much in control of this aspect of his life. Speaking of, as this is the last we’d ever hear from Kurt, it’ll always be hard not to play a guessing game of where he’d have gone based on this document. There are many hypotheticals one can draw up: band splits, he does solo work with Rick Rubin going further into the spareness of Unplugged, etc. The rest of the 90s were a total grab bag of trends and permutations of grunge (divided equally between the classic rock and angst-ridden branches), so imagining Kurt coming and going throughout the next 6 years with the likes of swing music, ska, electronica, Radiohead, pop punk, one hit wonder alt rock bands like Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Lit, and Sugar Ray, the rise of nu-metal, and the splintering of hip hop...well, it’s an awfully weird fit. It’s no wonder that in the depths of that I was always happy to see Everlong or My Hero pop up on MTV. Dave and the Foos didn’t make it into the next decade and beyond as something to keep checking out, but at least in 1998 it was always a relief to have that mix of not half bad rock and a goofy sense of humour. He could never carry Kurt’s legacy on and didn’t want to, but at the very least his quirky, generous spirit could still be felt whenever Grohl popped up.
Unironically my favourite Nirvana record. And that says as much about me as it does them.
Great raw version of Nirvana. Legendary couple covers included.
Great!
Heerlijk album! 4 reten. Helaas mn notes niet opgeslagen. Fav: come as you are, oh me, lake of fire
Great album, enjoy it several Times a year on vinyl and HiRes
The back half suffers a little from three Meat Puppets songs in a row, but beyond that this is complete and utterly fantastic. (I want to say Dumb isn't great, but plenty of people love it so?) 4* but like, almost a 4.5*?
Insofar as the music, Nirvana’s Unplugged doesn’t have a whole lot to contribute to their discography (will qualify momentarily). During the time, everyone from REM to Pearl Jam and Jewel were doing Unplugs. Insofar as a retrospective, it was a gut punching look at a man teetering on the edge of his own sanity before suicide. Recorded just four months before his first suicide attempt and five months before his final the songs take on a very solemn effect, as if (I might be stretching here) he was singing to his own funeral. I don’t know if he actually knew he was going to kill himself but the energy on the album suggested a man lost in his own depression. Compare Dumb here to the studio cut or Something in the Way, or Pennyroyal Tea, and you can hear and feel it. Where Did You Sleep Last Night was him giving his all, literary. However, it was also the first time the world got to see the talents of drummer Dave Grohl as he slipped between bass and vocals, as well as respond person-to-person to everyone. Kris Novoselic also put in his two cents too on bass, accordion and guitar, showing how talented they all are. Favorite track, the Bowie cover Man Who Sold the World, which I actually like better than the original. Overall, this is a must-listen to understand Nirvana, Cobain, Grunge, and the early ‘90s. The music is good but the story behind it stronger.
The atmosphere is undeniable, almost mournful and deeply melancholic. There’s impressive technical skill and musical presence throughout, yet it’s still a difficult listen for me. You can clearly sense that Cobain is struggling. There’s little joy or spark left; it feels like the light is dimming. That said, certain tracks stand out beautifully, Come as You Are, The Man Who Sold the World, Dumb, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night all shine in this setting. It’s a powerful performance, but one that’s hard to digest emotionally. 4/5
Not a Nirvana fan in general. This performance demonstrated the magic they had managed to capture and proved why they were so loved and popular.
Enjoyable listen. Hearing the songs in acoustic gave them a different meaning. Kurt’s voice is incredible.
Unplugging really shows Kurt's voice in an incredible light. I was not really feeling Nirvana today but that was more of a mismatch by me than anything. Will have to come back to it
3,7/5
Nirvana isn't my favorite Grunge band by a long shot, but this album in its entirety is very enjoyable.
Grunge pared down. I like hearing the convos between songs and then the real, raw, and on point performances. They went with some covers and lesser known hits too which is cool. This felt just as much in their element as a big on stage performance.
Not a lot I can say about this album that hasn't already been discussed ad nauseum. Mostly that's due to the timing of the performance in relation to Cobain's death, but also due to the way Nirvana performed the songs (and what songs they performed). I will say that I completely agree with it being on this list. It's got a lot of power, even though it's "unplugged" and acoustic (sort of). The vocals are full of emotion. I think it actually benefitted from using cover songs, though I'm not sure we needed three straight Meat Puppets songs. The Bowie cover is one of the best songs from the set. Their originals are performed with passion and evoke feeling in a way well emphasized by the format. There are some low points that bring it down a bit for me. And, like I noted for the Metallica/SFS suggestion, live albums just feel like you're only getting half of the experience since you can't see the visual component. Otherwise, I can't say too much negative. There's a lot to like here, even removing the Cobain death context. Overall: 3.6/5
Raw
Wayyy preferred this to our previous outing. This is the Nirvana that endures for me.
It's really interesting to hear Nirvana stripped back. You can make out the foundation of their sound, and something that I think is common to their grunge peers, which is a sense of ugliness. Cobain held up a mirror and while he was a great percentage of what was reflected back, he also captured the casual disregard of nature and humanity. I was 16 when this came out. I remember exactly where I was when I first hear Nevermind. That album was profoundly influential to who I am. I'd slipped away from Nirvana for this and In Utero, even though Nirvana dominated MTV. Revisiting this brings back a ton of memories and I'm grateful for that. Hearing the nuts and bolts of what made this band with the added context of 30 years of being a musician myself is incredible.
Another stellar live album, a raw power comes from the acoustic versions of most of these Nirvana songs. I think it draws the most emotional version of Cobain's voice you can hear on some of these songs outside of being at a live performance of theirs back in the 90s. Of course, both the original version of these songs as well as these live versions are incredible in their own right. Fave Songs: About A Girl; Come As You Are; The Man Who Sold The World; Pennyroyal Tea; Dumb; Something In The Way; On A Plain; Lake Of Fire Worst Song: Polly
Pretty solid. Could do without a few of these songs. Pretty tough in spots but no denying Cobains songwriting skills.
I give this a 4/5 only because I don't love live albums.
solid 4/5
One of the best live albums ever. Amazing to hear Nirvana in the prime, yet so close to their end. Some incredible covers on here, as well as some iconic tracks.
Already listened
86/100.
wonderful
Listens: 3 Standout tracks: The classics: (Come As You Are, Polly, Something In The Way), The Man Who Sold The World, Lake of Fire. Added To Library: TRUE This album is excellent. The inclusion of the audience (soundboard?) and the between-songs banter elevates the the album from just being an exceptional acoustic set to being highly intimate and equally casual. It doesn't sound like a big audience. It would probably have been amazing to actually be there. The premise of the set being acoustic means that the band isn't going absolutely ape-shit wild - something you might see at a regular grunge concert. Anyways, solid set. I do wish they played Smells Like Teen Spirit (I am a sucker for that song, and a bunch of covers of it (Patti Smith's in particular), for some reason). An acoustic rendition from them would have been amazing. 4.5
1. girl - 2.5 2. come - 4 3. jezuz - 2 4. zold - 3 5. tea - 1.5 6. dumb - 2.5 7. polly - 3 8. plain - 1.5 9. zomething - 2.5 10. plateau - 1.5 11. me - 1.5 12. fire - 2.5 13. apologiez - 3 14. night - 3
I was not looking forward to listening to this album. I've kind of been a Nirvana hater since I was younger, I think because I found them overplayed, and I usually find Kurt Cobain's voice grating. But this is an instance I'm grateful for doing this 1001 Album Generator because without it, I never would have come to realize why this album is so deeply loved. I used to just see this as an MTV cash-grab to exploit the popularity of the band, and a lame gimmick for a hard rock band to play their hits acoustic like this. Furthermore, this obviously was recorded only a few months before Cobain's passing, and I always wondered if people just thought it was good for sentimentality's sake. There is indeed something ominous about the stage being decorated as a funeral. Perhaps now that I'm older, nearly 10 years older than Cobain was when this was recorded, I can understand the sincerity and vulnerability in the performance. You can hear Cobain nervous and stiff at first and become more comfortable as the recording goes on. I do not know how much was being played up for performance's sake, but it felt very real to me. I enjoyed the latter half of the album more than the first. Some singing still felt grating to me, and I'm not a fan of acoustic-electric guitar sounds in general. Although Nirvana's songs translate surprisingly well to acoustic renditions (credit to good songwriting), I felt the most enjoyable songs were the covers (perhaps because I could just hear the Nirvana songs in their original and constantly comparing them). The Meat Puppets' performances and songs "Plateau" and "Lake of Fire" stood out, and I'm going to listen to Meat Puppets II shortly. I'll admit it, I cried a little at the end of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This album really gives a glimpse to what Nirvana could have evolved into, that they were not limited to just being a grunge band, and that is what makes this record so bittersweet.
Always good but makes me sad
4/5. Fantastic album, although feel like the live recordings are cheating a bit. See Nirvana in a new light after this. Always liked a few songs from them, but this really hit the spot. Can see the early grunge influence and raw talent of Cobain
An incredible live album. A great collection of songs and an extremely powerful performance.
Bangers all over. Nice listen of a live album
I wasn’t looking forward to a live album as it had never been something I vibe with from artists I love (e.g. live in concert albums). However, I was pleasantly surprised as the set list was perfectly curated. My favourite was the David Bowie cover of “The Man Who Sold the World”. I think I will return to this album, a worthy 4 stars!
Quite good.
- Don't normally love Live albums, but this is an exception. - The band sounds just as good live as on the albums. - I forgot how much I actually enjoy Nirvana
I like this acoustic Nirvana more than In Utero. It was also quite haunting hearing Kurt Cobain’s banter with the audience knowing that he died before this album was released. Favorite Track: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
I have this but it is has been many years since I have listened to it, so I was excited about revisiting. It’s an excellent album and is indicative of what made the Unplugged sessions great when approached correctly. A chance to represent yourselves differently musically, and Nirvana certainly did that. The coolest aspect is that they took some songs from other bands (the Vaselines, Meat Puppets) to bring into this session. It wasn’t just their original tunes. The best example: Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World is a definite highlight of this set. What keeps this from being an 5 star album for me personally is that there are some songs on here that just aren’t that good, such as Pennyroyal Tea or On a Plain. As a result, the middle of the set wanes a bit for me. But I had forgotten about how cool some of these songs come off like Oh, Me. That all said, while I have never been as enamored with Kurt Cobain as many others (despite totally loving 90s alternative music), he is undeniably excellent throughout this set. Strong and straining (in a great way) in certain parts, restrained in others. Meanwhile, Grohl shows he can strip down his bombastic drumming style and settle in the background amazingly well. A fantastic performance from both of them.
Даже в альбоме нирваны есть песня девида боуи, который в этом списке 1001 альбома встречается большего всего раз
Ein starkes Album - die Live-Atmosphäre, Cover-Versionen und wenig bekannte Titel von Nirvana. Mit der bedrückenden Stimme von Kurt Cobain. 4/5
Live albums hoe ik ze graag hoor. Ze proberen niet om de nummers precies te laten klinken zoals op de studio-albums, en implementeren een hoop nieuwe (akoestische) instrumenten. Maar ze blijven ook dicht bij de structuur van de originele composities, want dat is uiteindelijk wel waar de fans voor komen. Plus dat ze niet bang zijn buiten hun discografie te zoeken naar songs die óf precies passen in hun straatje, óf zodoende te herinterpreteren zijn zodat ze de grunge-esthetic omarmen. Maar toch prefereer ik de studio-versies van de meeste songs van dit iconische concert. De covers stuwen de kwaliteit van de show wel echt omhoog mijn inziens. 'The Man Who Sold The World' in een grunge-jasje is fantastisch gevonden, en de blues classic als afsluiter is perfect geplaatst. Die uithaal blijft legendarisch. Maar ook zeker het trio van de Meat Puppets ging er lekker in. Geweldige tribute en de fijnste flow van het concert. De korte monoloogjes tussen het album door zijn ook wel echt haunting, wetende dat Kurt een halfjaartje later het land der levenden verliet. 8/10 Highlights: The Man Who Sold The World Plateau/Oh Me/Lake Of Fire Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Well what can I say. Iconic songs, the vibe is on point. Just a classic. So chill and cool.
First let me say that this was a hell of a performance. It is shocking to listen to this knowing Cobain would be dead shortly after. But I must say I am in the minority of not liking this album quite as much as others. The covers were nice especially the Meat Puppets "Lake of Fire" and Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" but personally there was a lot of dead weight songs for my taste. I mean THREE Me Puppet Covers??? I suppose not wanting to include some of their hit singles was an "artistic choice" but from the first time I saw this on MTV as a kid I felt there absence. A few of those songs and this would easily be a 5 star review for mo.
about a girl- 7 come as you are- 7 jesus doesnt want me for a sunbeam- 6 the man who sold the world- i understand why people prefer this version over the original but i disagree. still good though. 7 and 8 pennyroyal tea- 6 or 7. im on warm milk and laxatives is the best part dumb- 7 or 8 polly- 7 on a plain- 5 something in the way- unfortunately, this shit always gives me echolalia. 6 plateau- 5 oh me- 5 lake of fire- 6 all apologies- he wrote this song to be a happy song. brother... 10. shout out to the cello where did you sleep last night- 9. original better but still good are there people out there who dislike nirvana? if so, i dont want to meet them. im not even a big nirvana fan but it feels like a standard of music
I'm not a massive Nirvana fan, I'm not convinced they would have stood the test of time were if not for KCs untimely death. That said, this is very good - leaning away from their biggest hits, dropping in some tasteful covers, reeling in the whole manic-depressive identity. It sounds so far removed from what you would expect from Nirvana, and maybe that's why it works so well. I do wonder what Kurt would have been like had he lived longer. I suspect he would have become a massive douche, but listening to this makes me think that maybe I'd be wrong. Fair play.
Such a fantastic record.
We all like Nirvana but there was just something extra about this album. I liked it!
Great to hear some familiar tunes stripped back and some great covers. It’s hard to better Bowie , but in this case …. Perhaps the pinnacle of the MTV unplugged?
Nirvana has never been my band. But I get them and their importance. This performance is a very very cool context to hear their songs reimagined. The highlight for me is the Bowie cover! I also like that Sinead O’Connor then covered All Apologies like the arrangement on this album.
Cool
Good
Love Nirvana, very good live recordings
Nirvana was better unplugged.
TBH my favorite thing Nirvana ever released
This one is a classic now.
Wonderful performance. Skip pennyroyal. Rest is stellar
All really well written songs lyric/Nirvana wise. I also just like them
Brilliant Album, a frequently listened to Album on my playlists. I wish you could rate inbetween the stars as I'd give it a 4.5
I am fairly ambivalent about the whole MTV Unplugged thing. A lot of the shows are enjoyable and there are individual moments which stick out - Pearl Jam's political sharpies, Neil Young's pump organ, I really liked Don Henley doing "Come Rain or Shine", and Nirvana doing "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (although had they done it with Mark Lanegan as planned, it would have shone). But there is a lot of mythologising about these concerts, and this one in particular, when the truth is that most of the bands featured would, and did, sound much better in their natural, amplified state. In fact, most of the guitars were not 'unplugged', they were amplified acoustic guitars with, as in the case of Nirvana's cover of "The Man Who Sold the World", are put through effects and fuzz boxes. That's not to say that this album is not enjoyable, it is. But is not the best Nirvana gig I have ever heard, nor is it one of the great live albums. Kurt Cobain's suicide 5 months later has little bearing on this recording. It should not need Apple Music to warn "It's Worth remembering and repeating: Unplugged was never meant to be Nirvana's final statement." of course it wasn't; it was a pleasant performance in a slightly unusual setting. Good. Not epocal.
Erinomainen esiintyminen, Kurtin ääni on ikoninen.
Basics. Gut Gut. Mullakin oli flanellipaita villakangastakki
Mieletön soundi on kyllä Cobainilla vaikka biisit voisivat tehdä sille enemmänkin kunniaa. Ikoninen esiintyminen myös.
Ah, we know this album well. Had the CD when we moved to Temec, and it got plenty of play time. Always liked Come As You Are. Great cover of Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World (actually better than the original.) All songs are good, no skippers. It’s a live album, but not the typical effort - the album is certainly 1001 Must Hear List worthy. L = (3.8*s) Enjoyed it, needed a cup of Pennyroyal Tea. J = (4.2*s) maybe just Fat, Dumb, and Happy.
I've always had a fondness for this album. It's a really approachable and satisfying album from front to back. It's got a ton of range as I've heard the likes of Nirvana die-hards to grunge-haters to grandparents from their first listen all chime in as to why MTV Unplugged is a great album. It accomplishes a very rare feat that it resonates with nearly everyone and is deserving of a play in almost all scenarios. While I hold MTV Unplugged in very high regard, I can't in my mind qualify it as an all-timer. I really enjoy it but I don't hold live albums in nearly as high a regard as the actual show/act is so much of what makes a performance special. MTV Unplugged however serves as a great glimpse from a different perspective that helps round out the band's reputation. You get some exposure to the character of Nirvana without the distortion and grunge production that made them famous. When I was younger I didn't realize so much of the albums are cover tracks (many of them improvements) but it doesn't detract from Nirvana's ability to assemble a really palatable song that stands the test of time. 4.05 stars
These songs work great stripped down, this album's version of these hits and covers are how I best know some of these songs. Standouts: Come As You Are, Man Who Sold the World, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
очень знаковая хуйня. мне кажется, это больше чем просто акустический концерт. при том что я в целом достаточно прохладен к нирване, здесь как будто чувствуется что-то неосязаемое. может чувство будущего краха
Was never a massive Nirvana fan but this album is really special.
This album does such a great job of stripping down the noise and showcasing what really made Nirvana special. I vividly remember seeing this on MTV way back when.
I was either a little too young or just not angsty enough to really appreciate Nirvana in the moment, but you can hear the power and rawness in full effect here and it's awesome
Listened before?: Yes, but not regularly What can I say, familiarity breeds affection. Copious exposure to Nirvana over my lifetime has just made them sound good to me and I loved this listen, front to back.
This holds up surprisingly well. Nirvana was never going to blow anyone away with their musicianship, but darned if they weren't super solid for this entire set.
I have not really heard Nirvana outside of their hits, I now understand why people like them so much and mourn the death of Kurt. Their grungy sound melds perfectly with his voice and lyrics and as always, I love live performances. Fav: Man Who Sold the World
RIP Kurt. You can kinda hear the sadness in the man as he talks to the audience. I have listened to all of these songs, but not in live versions. This is one of those live renditions where I do believe it adds to the experience rather than the master
incredible live album. One of the best live albums of any genre. I don't even much care for Nirvana, but this performance is great.
Parts of this album serve as a good reminder that rock drew influences from other genres like folk and jazz. The production is almost nonexistent, just voices and instruments, and some of the guitar parts are iconic for a reason.
Me tardé en entrarle a Nirvana, y eso que me tocaron en su prime. Sí, me gustaba una que otra, pero supongo que estaba muy chavillo. Este Unplugged me tocó en la secundaria así que supongo que me hacían falta varios años para entender el descontento y la rabia de Cobain. Y claro, ahora ya me gustan mucho.
Oh man, I wasn't that excited to see this pop up today. I'd just had Pearl Jam, Ten generated yesterday and reflected on how much I actually preferred Pearl Jam to Nirvana. It's just difficult to have a clear view of Nirvana as a musical prospect as they are SO famous and I know their songs so well. Cobain certainly had a knack for writing catchy vocal melodies and memorable lyrics. Nirvana must have had the highest clear hits to album tracks ratio of any of the grunge bands, and even though this is mostly B sides and covers you can hear why. It is so easy to hum the melody to most of their own songs here, I could probably have done it without just having re-listened through it. Their sound just isn't as interesting to me as most of their peers. It's a very stripped back and basic sound, really, more obviously punk influenced than some of the more "interesting" grunge, even stuff like Pixies. So I suppose the mostly acoustic set works well because it lets the vocals, the catchy hooks and the excellent construction of the songs really shine through. The choice to include so many covers, and some interesting instruments, also made this a much more interesting unplugged set than it might otherwise have been. And they are all very well-executed covers. I don't tend to love live performances but Nirvana were a brilliant live band. Cobain's vocals were so distinctive, technically competent and beautiful to listen to. Novoselic was a of course a great bassist. Of course Grohl was acknowledged to be a pretty competent drummer too. All the parts work together seamlessly here. No surprises today, just a procession of well written pop songs.
A very good live album. Some songs I knew, but most I didn't know. Really liked their Bowie and Vaselines covers. Much better live album than Live at Leeds.
After being gaslit by the other albums on this app, it was nice to actually enjoy music again.
Nirvana unplugged is the best version of this band to me. Lake of Fire, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night are especially good, but I like all of the renditions of Nirvana songs at least as much as the studio versions & the covers are all great. And the fact it's from an intimate live gig really does add something to the listening experience, although Kurt Cobain's stoner drawl ('this was written by the vessaleeeenes') is a little grating when disembodied & the sound of the crowd is annoying in that tickets to this very small event almost certainly went to industry executives and their douchebag friends. I can get past these petty annoyances: this is a very worthwhile live album and is deserving of its reputation.
As a wise man once said: “Live albums are always a good time”. I couldn’t agree more. Though I’ve never totally bought into Nirvana, their pull is undeniable. At this album’s best, you get some of the most emotionally raw music ever recorded (All Apologies into Where Did You Sleep Last Night - holy shit what a closing combo). But at their worst, you get Kurt Cobain singing so far beyond his vocal range it physically hurts to hear. Deeply unpleasant at times. Listening to this Unplugged album I was surprised at how few of the band’s mega hits are present (Obviously Come as You Are is amazing). But, it’s a great opportunity to hear the band’s classic sound stripped of its distortion and wailing vocals. You get way more of a sense of Cobain as a songwriter from his warm growling vocals. There is a lot to love about this live album. As a snapshot of one of the most iconic bands at the height of their power, it’s a remarkable record. For my money perhaps one of the greatest covers of all time in Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World. I’d put Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt a notch above it though. A high 4 for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This album has very unique and raw versions of classic Nirvana songs. The unfiltered vocals of Kurt Cobain give a powerful emotional edge to the albums already amazing tracklist. The album provided a cohesive tone and appeal throughout. Though there were no weak songs, there were several that were noteworthy. Specifically the cover of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World as well as the last three songs (lake of fire, all apologies, and where did you sleep last night).
This grew off of me a bit from high school. It's still great, and all the cover songs arguably outstrip their original counterparts (that's saying a lot as a huge Bowie fan... And not much as a Meat Puppets hater), but it lacks the euphoric loudQUIETloud dynamic of Nirvana's albums that gave them such a strong emotional core. I still love this, but I find myself reaching for their studio work more
Gotta say, probably my favorite Nirvana album. Most of the originals sound better here than on the original albums, and the covers are great. Not the biggest Nirvana fan, but this is really good.
Plateau is not...good, but do thoroughly enjoy most of this album. Polly is a great song.
Very high 4*. If this album stays in my rotation, I might come back to give it 5* 4/5
Really great live album, I can remember as a kid how great this was. Set the standard for “unplugged”.
This is probably the best of the unplugged series. I haven’t listened to it in years. I was instantly annoyed by Kurt’s comment about how most people don’t own their first record. That dude hated that people liked him. He really wanted to be this underground figure who wasn’t appreciated in his time cause people just didn’t “get it” yet. But people got it and they loved it, and for good reason. There’s a reason people still talk about nirvana the way they do. These are great songs and the covers are almost all better than the originals. And there was some light and funny banter so I shouldn’t be too salty about how whiny Kurt could be. It just annoyed me out the gate, but the rest of the album redeeemed him.
Just so sad. The whole album. The pain you feel.
one of the 1st unpluggeds - and a more dramatic detachment to hear Nirvana (love Clapton but this was more intense) w/o amps. Disarming, totally new perspective on the artist. lovely
What could have been. This really shows a path forward once Nirvana/KC tired of the limitations of overdriven guitars. So much expression in his voice. And the sturdiness of the songs is really highlighted. These unplugged albums were usually nothing more than a can in/promo but Nirvana really use the format. Almost half unconventional/instructive covers that don't come off as stunts - this really elevates the medium.
good live set, 4 star. Nothing ground breaking
Great live album, classic grunge.
4.5
Someethinggg innn the wayyyy, hmmmmm mmmm
Classic shit, All Apologies est supeeeer
Ambiance cool tube cool
Heard before. One of, if not the best unplugged albums.
Good stuff. Nice to get the name of some songs I've heard before. Surprising amount of covers and great ones. Kurt Cobain is an amazing singer.
One of the best examples that songs can be molded according to a feeling or a context. One of the best live albums ever made.
It's one of the best live albums ever, I always appreciated Kurt's more mellow voice over his high grunge parts. This places him as one of the best vocalists ever, placed with the rest of the band. It sounds like a studio album but with a live feel. Brilliance.
Good show, love Nirvana
Yeah, I'm already a Nirvana convert after listening to Nevermind and In Utero for the first time (courtesy of this site). This was more of the same, very enjoyable. It's scary to think about what might have happened in an alternate timeline where Cobain didn't top himself - would Nirvana have continued to turn out great albums, would they have gone to shit, would Foo Fighters ever had come to exist etc.
😭
I generally don’t like live albums but this surprised me! Much better than the Nirvana album I’ve rated for the project so far. Plus that cover of The Man Who Sold The World is epic.
A good selection of originals and covers. Dig the cozy vibes. I consider pretty much all of these to be inferior to their studio cuts. Standouts: “About A Girl”, “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
This is about the only Nirvana album I regularly play any more. No duds at all, some incredible reimagining of the studio cuts. Good selection of covers, ranging from classic blues to “current” artists Kurt was in love with. Also hilarious to hear Dave playing as quietly as he can with brushes. The between song banter is the worst. Kurt’s whole attitude was way too try-hard cool.
A fantastic performance. The covers sound excellent and the Nirvana tracks are arguably better than the studio versions. This is my first time hearing this album all the way through (I knew and loved Man Who Sold The World of course), and it's making me feel the same way I felt back in middle school, listening through and falling in love with Nevermind for the first time.
Can't argue with a good Meatpuppets cover band
Before: Oh HELL yeah. I can't wait to listen to this. Love Nirvana but haven't dove *super* deep into the discography. I've heard great things about the MTV Unplugged album, and I think I've listened to a few tracks but never the whole thing front to back. Standouts: The Man Who Sold the World (the little riff has always scratched an itch in my brain) Dumb All Apologies Least favorites (still bangers, just weaker tracks imo): Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam Pennyroyal Tea Standout lyrics: "My heart is broke, but I have some glue. Help me inhale and mend it with you. We'll float around and hang out on clouds, and then we'll come down." - Dumb "I think I'm dumb, or maybe just happy. Think I'm just happy." - Dumb "I can't see the end of me, my whole expanse, I cannot see. I formulate infinity stored deep inside of me." - Oh Me During/After: In the words of the late great Brand New, I'm a sucker for acoustic. Always have been and always will be. Nirvana is amazing there were some deeper cuts that I hadn't listened to a whole lot previously, so that was a treat and I found some new favorites. Grunge is one of my all time favorite genres, so it's super cool to hear one of the OG grunge bands unplugged. I'm also a huge live music fan, so hearing the crowd cheering and Kurt's commentary between sets is super charming to me, and if there is a God, then Kurt is still playing shows in the afterlife. Adding points just for that. Although I really enjoy Nirvana regardless, there's just something about this specific unplugged version that I'm absolutely in love with. Not quite a 5, but damn close. 4/5.
I had very little exposure to this band back in the day, and just kind of assumed that they were too edgy and grungy for me…but I really liked this album. Maybe the fact that it’s “unplugged” made a difference, but I am going to have to check out their studio albums. I have always liked “All Apologies”, and liked this version of the song as well. Anyway, this one is a strong 4 stars for me.
Love this album and Kurt Cobain’s voice, I wonder what their work would have turned into if hadn’t died so young.
Not big on live albums but I’ll make an exception because this one was really good
Everyone is gay
4+
Maybe I’ve overheard this so my Abe se are a bit dulled. It was good at the time so my rating reflects that, but I’m just super tired of it. And the more I hear the guitar mistake in the The Man That Sold the World the more it irks me.
Muy bueno
Kurt can be quite expressive. I liked this unplugged live version
Some people have a weird hate boner for Nirvana. Maybe I'm one of them - but this is a great album. Absolutely owning a couple of covers? Owning a BOWIE cover? This is hits.
What a fun album! I normally am not a fan of live albums, but this one just totally rocked. Come As You Are is always a total hit. Took a bit of a dip for a few songs after that. Then Plateau brought it back up and it stayed strong to the end. Where Did You Sleep Last Night was a good song to end a good album on. Best song: Come As You Are
It's good and intimate, but I don't think it's a masterpiece. Plus, come on, how can this album's version of "The Man Who Stole The World" be more popular than the original... album?
A significant album of my childhood. A good introduction to Nirvana for people who don't like Nirvana
Classic Nirvana - these songs are all so nostalgic and just good!
I enjoyed this album and really like the Unplugged acoustic music.
This is my 2nd Nirvana album. Remarcable album. Very nice. I've never been a Nirvana fan but this album motivated me to research more about it. And after knowing it's story, all hats to Kurt Cobain. Actually, not just him. The whole band!!. They've been through so hard experiences!!. And despite all, they are still alive today.
Nirvana. muss man kennen, nicht zwingend mögen. mir gefällt einiges gut an dieser (fast oder teilweise) akustischen aufnahme: bass, atmosphäre, einige titel. aber dennoch keine 5 sterne.
Really interesting having an unplugged/acoustic album on this list. Its really good though. A lot of raw emotion in the songs that stir up a lot of feelings. Don't know if its something that I would listen to daily but I'm glad to have listened to it and when the mood is right I will probably listen again.
Данный альбом можно назвать лучшим концертом всех времен, но далеко не самым лучшим альбомом группы Nirvana. В день концерта Курт окончательно доказал всем, что Nirvana давно переросла андерграундный гранж и что ее песни можно играть на контрабасе (великолепная Dumb). Такие песни как Come As You Are, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies стали классикой группы, а каверы Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, The Man Who Sold The World, Lake Of Fire еще не скоро вспомнят оригинальных создателей. Атмосфера концертов MTV Unplugged завораживает, и для более точной ее передачи данный альбом стоит слушать на виниловом проигрывателе в спокойный домашний субботний вечерок, укутавшись в плед на приятном диване или кресле. Качество записи песен с альбома оставляет желать лучшего, поэтому для повседневного прослушивания лучше подходят песни с двух предыдущих альбомов группы, записанные в студии. Суммируя вышесказанное, я не могу назвать данную работу альбомом на 5/5, но как концерт она бесподобна. Атмосферные 4/5.
Quite creative, and quite pleasant. I'll give it 4/5 stars.
Awesome live album
one of the best live albums of all time
Solid album. Meat Puppets covers are my favourite part. Already listened to the album so many times that I'm burnt out on most of the songs.
This is a great album. I think you need to be at least familiar with their regular 'plugged in' to understand the success and hype of this album. in a stripped-down format, this album makes you feel like you are connecting with the band on a more personal level, which is also assisted with the candid conversations between songs. Although 'unplugged' albums saturated the 90's, there were 68 in total. this is one of the few that seem to matter to people which is probably a pretty good indication of how good it is. I know Kurt was a troubled soul but there is no denying his creativity and talent. Oh, and it contains the second-best version of 'The Man Who Sold The World' ever recorded.
Highlights: Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, All Apologies. In a nutshell: sincere, authentic, stripped. Love them or loathe them, Nirvana on MTV Unplugged is the trio's best performance. Overall: 8/10
Cracking album, highlights the man who sold the world and all apologies.
Stunning album
I remember seeing it live when it first came out on MTV, thinking about how it was a stupid idea to make Nirvana play acoustically. Doesn't make sense. I suppose that's why most of this album is covers - that and the fact that Nirvana loved to do covers. This recording - with all of the conversations and quips between songs, the musical choices, Kurt Cobain's often faltering voice - is a document of his misplaced insecurity. If one allows oneself to ruminate on that, or the myriad other pains that come from being alive, then all that's left is nihilism, bitterness, disgust with oneself. We are never going to separate the art from the artist in the case of Nirvana. Selfishly, I imagine an alternate reality where he was somehow slightly less tortured. I want to enjoy the art, instead of it feeling like watching a car crash. I have no such morbid curiosity. And I do wish Kurt Cobain had just 1% more resilience. He was a musical genius. It seems like the stuff he left behind was a sketch, the real art was yet to come. Because of that, for me, Nirvana is always heart wrenching to listen, no matter how brilliant. Setting all of that aside, the album is a bit of a rollercoaster. You can just FEEL the disdain at having to play the "hits," which really brings the whole thing down. You can tell he is not well mentally or physically, exhausted. That energy blankets the entire album. The moments where he gives it some love, or uses the music to try and explain his tortured soul - Pennyroyal Tea, Apologies, Pines - are some of the most astonishing moments in rock music. It's not the best performance. Nirvana just doesn't work very well in the "unplugged" framework. The whole idea is a little tongue-in-cheek. By this point, Kurt Cobain was sick of it all and had enough. Which sucks for all of us.
feat. the most expensive guitar sold at auction.
Most of this is at least as good as I remember it from my younger years, from a time when I had yet to play guitar, so I never really noticed how poorly tuned it was for a lot of this. Regardless, it’s cool that they decided that previous Unpluggeds were just bands doing nothing but play their songs, changing nothing other than their electrics to acoustics. Nirvana wanted instead to adapt their songs to the format. And to great effect. I think Tiny Desk owes a lot to this particular album, but maybe that’s a little grandiose.
Iconic jam session for the time. Awesome songs in a great presentation. But -1 because, in the end, it’s just a greatest hits performance not a traditional album.
Great album, lots of emotion.
De lo que había escuchado hasta ahora de Nirvana no encontraba nada que me apasionara, y la verdad es que ver que esto era un directo me daba bastante pereza. Pero la verdad es que este es de los álbums en directo buenos, con pasión puesta por parte del grupo, entretenido de principio a fin y sin que sea simplemente una recopilación de grandes éxitos. Muy recomendable. Canción destacada: Come As You Are
Classic album - nirvana covering vaselines, meat puppets and lead belly - what is not to like
83% Best: Come As You Are; The Man Who Sold The World; Something In The Way; All Apologies Must-Hear? Sure
I lived through Nirvana at the perfect time. I was in high school when Nevermind came out and changed “rock” music. Sure there were other alternative bands, but they weren’t commercially successful so if you wanted to check them out you had to buy their cd (pre internet and pre cd burners were the dark ages). Just prior to this performance, they had reached mainstream and I remember being sick of them (or maybe sick of the hype) so I didn’t really give it any attention. Listening to it now with objective ears- it’s good!
Unplugged brings a relaxed soft richness to the tracks
Very good. Showcases Cobains vocals and songwriting, giving a different perspective on classic you’ve heard 1000 times.
Great. Forgot how sexy Kurt Cobain‘s growl was.
Probably my favorite live album if I had to pick. Still just rather listen to the real songs.
Superb, as everything by Nirvana. They are known as the last big rock band for a reason. This acoustic album was a generation's cornerstone, probably the most influential MTV Unplugged album. My favorite moment is the David Bowie cover, which manages to move me. Amazing album.
its good but live albums are hard and weird to judge like this with all of the others. how much more do you have up your sleeve mr dimery
Their cover of Man who sold the World is one of my favourite covers full stop! I remember watching this on MTV and being blown away by how good they all were. Gave me fresh respect for them as musicians. Still a great listen all these years later.
A third of this is mid
6 of these 14 songs are covers, and pretty obscure ones at the time. Good on Kurt for shining a light on the talents of Meat Puppets, The Vaselines, and a lesser known Bowie tune. And closing out with an aching rendition of that Lead Belly song is viscerally powerful. Long live Nirvana. Worst track: Pennyroyal Tea
The best part is the very beginning when he clowns all the new fans about how they've never heard Bleach.
Emotionally stirring, love this
Definetly some memorable songs Enjoyed main chunk of album , some filler songs though 4/5
This live album totally changed my perspective on Nirvana and in my opinion completely captures the potential of the MTV unplugged concept. Typically I don’t listen to much grunge, but in this stripped down format, these songs sound more like sinister folk music. The melodies really shine in these acoustic performances, and Cobain’s vocals have an especially haunting quality to it. The obscure covers and deep cuts make for an interesting setlist that continues to surprise, even if some of the songs started to blend together a bit by the end.
Classic performance. Maybe the music alone is not a 5 out of 5 but there are historical elements to it. Has Some cool covers as well.
CD
This was a cool listen - I had never heard this live album before. I like Nirvana but a lot of these songs sound so similar to me (I hear people say that about TS and I get annoyed so trying to be sensitive because these songs are good). Enjoyed it!
Never really got into nirvana. Listening to this, I really don’t understand why. Great stuff.
I liked this more than I usually like Nirvana.
There is something magical about this album I find it hard to put my finger on. It feels like the magic of live music, stripped really bare, imperfections and all. Highlight: Where did you sleep last night
hard not to love this
Don't know about this one. Hard to see. Obviously great. Original. Influential. Can't pull the trigger on a five, though. 4
7/10 Nirvanu sam volio kao klinac u osnovnoj i zbilja sam ih se naslusao jer su se stalno vrtili doma. Danas volim povremeno koji hit cuti, ali mi ne dodje da si ih ikad doma pustim. Ovaj unplugged mi je vecinom dobar, jedino me oko sredine udavio (pogotovo Dumb - Polly - On A Plain), dok su mi vise chill, ali ne toliko popularne i depresivne Plateau i Oh Me dosta dobro sjele. Prijatna sedmica, više ne bih dao za ovo izdanje. Ajmo dalje.
This album feels like being able to walk into the house where i grew up and sit on our couch and watch the fireplace. Ancient comfort. Not a Nirvana fan, but the quiet acoustiqueness allows me to sit and listen and enjoy. I think I'm just happy.
A classic album and performance.
Generally not a fan of "non studio" albums on this list, but I think this deserves an exception. It's quite a stark contrast from Nirvana's normal heavy grunge sound, but they managed to make each song work really well acoustically. I actually prefer this version of 'Come As You Are' to the studio one, for example. The album is definitely a bit rough around the edges though, as you can tell the recording is not studio quality. Curt's singing is also a bit lacking at times, mainly in the beginning, but that is also part of their sound to some extent. Despite mostly positives, there are some songs on here that doesn't work very well acoustically as they probably do originally. 'Pennyroyal Tea' and 'On a Plain' are examples of this. In summary this is a very cool album that shows a different side of Nirvana than what you're used, and it works very well. Worth a listen for sure!
This was good but I don't think it warrants a 5 star. I've come to realize I'm not really a great fan of Nirvana. Their music is ok but I never find myself listening to them by my own volition. Anyhow, the best song for me on this album is clearly "The Man Who Sold The World" which is just a great cover. Generally, whenever I found a song I liked, it turned out to be a cover. Either by Bowie, Meat Puppets or Lead belly. The times I was bored was during the middle when it was only Nirvana songs. The sound is great, but it does get a bit samey with the vocals and chords progression. It all is just a bit too similar with mumble singing and a few minor chords. "Polly" is still as disturbing as ever, and I'm never sure if it's just exploitative or good. All in all, it is actually a good album. The covers a great and some of the originals are good too. I just don't think it warrants a 5 star.
Memories
One word,: Kurt Cobain
Defined "unplugged" and inspired many musicians to follow suit. This was an event.
The downfall of a 5 star system! A clear 4.5 stars for me and have been deliberating whether to have it as a perfect 5 or not. It is iconic and the tracks are all familiar, but i'm not gripped when listening from start to finish.
Legendarisk band, legendarisk Unplugged, men for meg vil det alltid leve i skyggen av Alice in Chain sin Unplugged. Synes det er veldig kult å ta med covers og andre låter, men blir ikke like amazed av alle sangene her. Noe av sjarmen med Nirvana og grunge i sin helhet egentlig er hvor dystert og mektig musikken er. Her synes jeg det kan bli litt tynt til tider. Men har mange bangers da.
absolutely killer
I like this acoustic - unplugged version of Nirvana.
Gorgeous sound on this album.
This is a tough one to listen to. It's hard to consider this outside the circumstances of Cobain's imminent suicide. There were certainly plenty of indications that Kurt was not coping and in peril; reports of his escalating heroin use, the failed suicide attempt in Rome, and even this funereal performance. I am not convinced that this was a harbinger of a possible new musical direction for Nirvana (or Cobain solo) as some have suggested. There are reports that everyone was nervous that they could pull off the performance at all following brief and shambolic rehearsals, and some feared that Cobain could not perform at all due to nerves and drug withdrawal. I think the performance was lightning in a bottle; nobody really anticipated that they could do it, right up to the minute it happened. Cobain seems certain that he will screw up, and seems shocked himself by his reading of Leadbelly's Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (watch him gasp and his eyes open during a pause in the final line). It is the last dry breath of a collapsing god (to quote Patti Smith). I don't think Cobain or the band had much left in them after this. No encores, they're done. Is it a fitting epitaph? Is it the anomalous offering that proves that Nirvana were more than just loud and angry? I think that Cobain's death, inextricably linked to this performance, guaranteed the legend of Nirvana, not that that helped Kurt any. I think this is a uniquely vulnerable performance, never anticipated and never repeated, a single unfiltered moment from a man right at the end of his rope. It is astonishing and heartbreaking to see something so raw and true on an MTV stage of all places. This is an important and unique record in the history of rock, but maybe not suitable for regular listening. I still can't explain the presence of the Meat Puppets on this record. But this was not commodified rock for the masses, this was blood on the floor. Until, of course, it was packaged and released for your consumer pleasure at the local mall, just $9.99! Makes a great gift! Buy two!
Καποια απιστευτα performance εδω κι εκει. Ισως το καλυτερο live album ever, σιγουρα το αγαπημενο μου εως τωρα. Επειδη ειναι live album ομως 4.
Started very strong ("Come as you are" is one of my all-time favorite songs") and then finished less so. Enjoyed it very much nonetheless.
Ok
Love Nirvana. Some great songs on a live album unplugged.
classic, even I know this one
All hail the kings of grunge! The nonchalant musicianship and self deprecation bring you in like no other. Not too cool to fully lean into playing someone else’s songs entirely. Emotion ratcheted up to 11. What a send off!
I quite literally experienced nirvana while listening to this. Just kidding, it was metaphorical. Also I didn’t
i have historically been a nirvana hater but i am coming around to appreciating them as i near my 30s and i revert back to being a depresso angsty guy
Good album, hadn’t really found a nirvana album that I really jived with but this album was definitely the one, may delve further into the discography, I’ve already listened to Nevermind but should probably listen to In Utero
I was fourteen years old when I heard on the radio that Kurt died. I was in the backseat of my family's ancient minivan at a random crappy street corner in Memphis. It was a Friday afternoon and I didn't leave my bedroom until the following Monday morning when I had to go to school. The truth is that this live album isn't very consistent. This version of Come As You Are is dialed in, like something you'd hear at a bar off the interstate on a road trip. On the other hand, these versions of Something In The Way and Where Did You Sleep Last Night are some of the darkest, most evocative music you may ever choose to listen to. It's some of his best work. In the thirty years since Kurt died, I have watched countless friends die in the most awful, fucked up ways. At least a dozen overdoses and a few really dark suicides. I'm a dual diagnosis psychiatric and substance use disorder nurse now. I don't listen to Nirvana very much these days, nowhere near as much as I did in my early teens. But I think of Kurt often when a patient comes up to me during detox looking sweaty and sick and needing comfort meds. Where Did You Sleep Last Night runs through my head at least once a week when I'm digging through my med cart for Clonidine and Valium. I long for a time traveling societal redo where medication assisted treatment was possible for Kurt. It didn't have to be this way.
This is an essential MTV Unplugged show. It has its highs and lows, regarding the repertoire and Kurt's performances, but the highs are very high, raw and unforgettable.
MTV Unplugged in New York captures Nirvana’s raw emotion and versatility. The stripped-down “About a Girl” and “Something in the Way” reveal new depths, while their haunting cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” is unforgettable. Guest performances with the Meat Puppets on “Plateau” and “Lake of Fire” add richness, but the true highlight is Cobain’s anguished delivery of Lead Belly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” This acoustic set redefines their sound, blending vulnerability and power in a timeless, soul-stirring performance.
4.5
Nirvana at their best and probably the best live performances of the 90s. Raw, emotional, etc. though there is a strange feeling like seeing an animal in a zoo, just something about Nirvana performing sitting quietly in an MTV studio just seems wrong.
Just a fantastic live album. Can't really fault it. Not a huge Nirvana fan, but can't deny the skill and talent by all the musicians.
Nunca escuché Nirvana en profundidad, pero de este MTV unplugged me llevo una grata sorpresa, me gusto el ambiente super chill, la selección de temas en general me gustaron y el cover de Bowie es excelente.
Pretty classic, love hearing these guys in this format/setting.
the album come as you are is pretty good and the reason i think its good is because the guitar sounds gives sorta an old timey sound and i like that it also reminds me of a show i watched. the lyrics sound like their about a friend who used to be his enemy and they get together again and sounds like the guy singing is wanting him to rest like a memorial which could mean he wants him to stop and think or it could mean something else. also him saying i don't have a gun is like him trying to gain his friends trust i think this album is pretty good i would recommend listening to this album.
Do you like catchy songs??? If so, then this is the album for you! Nirvana is a very catchy rock band, and some songs the lyrics don't make sense but they are what make the songs sound good. They have an amazing guitarist, and they keep the beat. Also I love the songs because they are nostalgic to me. So that is why I recommend that you listen to this album.
Not as perfect as the Alice in Chains unplugged, but still a very good addition for an artist with a limited discography, including some amazing covers. A
I get Nirvana now. Favourite track: The Man Who Sold The World.
To be honest, I don't really like this one. I feel like the acoustic format mostly robs the songs from their power and Kurt sounds a little bit like everyone else that tried to imitate him later in the 90s. There are exceptions - The Man Who Sold the World, Dumb, and Something in the Way all sound incredible- but this might be because they are already calm/acoustic sounding. I think this performance might be better watched than listened to. Still a good 4 overall by the strength of the songs and the best performances.
Great
Nirvana cool
Great live set that did an excellent job of showing the more rustic side of America's favorite abrasive grunge band. A lot of their originals didn't translate to the unplugged format, so the set relies heavily on covers -- from Bowie, Leadbelly, and three songs from Meat Puppets II. 4.5 stars.
Cool acousticy album. Cool setlist and versions. Ladbaby cover at the end is cool.
Tää nyt on aika ikonien live. Nirvanan kappaleet toimii akustisena mutta toisaalta se sai monen kappaleen kuullostamaan aika samalta. Hyvä live kuitenkin. Tää levy kyllä korostaa Nirvanan riffejä. Parhaat: About A Girl, Come As You Are, Polly, Plateau, The Man Who Sold The World, All Apologies
Showcases the incredible quality of Kurt’s voice in its unique tonality and his ability to so personally tell a story in each song. An iconic album in the eyes of many
This unplugged session was recorded just months before Kurt Cobain’s death. Although it got overplayed in the ‘90s and I’ve heard it countless times, you have to admit that it’s a solid farewell album for Nirvana. It veers away from their grunge sound but still captures the band’s essence, serving as a memorable closing chapter for them. And I have to mention—their cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” is probably one of the best renditions any artist has ever done of a Bowie song.
happy belated 30th
30 years and 4 days since its release, at the time of writing this review. It's a classic, one of the ultimate collections of acoustic reinterpretations in existence. The difference between the studio and unplugged version of About A Girl is phenomenal, it's a standout along with All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night. I never appreciated the harshness of grunge in my formative years, but MTV Unplugged is the album that allowed Nirvana to shine through to me.
I don't normally like live albums, but it's Nirvana.
Adorabile
che bello. non saranno mai una delle mie band preferite e non riesco a spiegare bene perchè, ma quest'album è una carezza. meraviglioso.
Great choice, so well done and super relevant then and now. I remember being a fan of Unplugged and watched every episode more than once back when MTV was actually a music channel. I do recall wondering how Nirvana, the rockin' unhinged alternative giants, were going to tone everything down. They figured it out because they're excellent musicians who can undress a grungy rocker and pretty it up real nice. Standouts include "About A Girl", the Bowie cover and big hit from this album "The Man Who Sold The World", "Something In The Way", "Lake of Fire", "Plateau", "On A Plain", & the other bit hit (also a cover) you still hear a lot today "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This album helped the world see Nirvana as more than just another loud grunge band from Seattle and solidified their status as one of the Top 10 bands of the 90's. It also introduced a number of Nirvana's favorite cover songs to a brand new audience & sparked renewed interest in those bands (mainly Meat Puppets, but also Lead Belly & Vaselines). Not a weak track on it, maybe a few you're heard too many times, but they're all solid. I wouldn't have thought of this as Top 1001 worthy, but it really is.
Surprisingly ok
i prefer the studio versions of all the nirvana songs, but it's still a great performance and given this album's context in kurt's/nirvana's story overall i certainly understand why it's here
A good example of what a live album should be - an experience distinct from the studio albums, as opposed to an extension. Could’ve benefited from fewer cover songs, though “The Man Who Sold the World” was fantastic.
Incredible, Lake of Fire is great
Such a great album and a sign of what Nirvana may have evolved into over time had Kurt stuck around.
it's definitely good but i don't know if it really warrants a spot on the list, i feel like this is one for a nirvana fan, not the general public. thinking of the list as a broad liberal arts education (which i feel is the basic premise) this feels sort of like an advanced chemistry class. like sure it's valuable, but it's something you pursue further as an individual, not something that should be part of the foundation
Oh, I remember this one. I remember the purple drapes and the candles. I remember Kurt Cobain's cardigan and Daniel Johnston t-shirt. I remember the two blokes from the Meat Puppets joining at some point. So yeah, I mostly remember the video registration but I don't think that reflects badly on this as an album. Doing an Unplugged session for MTV was an Event. Acoustic versions of songs are very rarely Just As Good as the original. It was about the atmosphere. And Nirvana actually fare better than most other bands. The versions of Come As You Are and All Apologies are terrific. And they do a couple of interesting covers.
Listened a few times while traveling to and from Josephine’s wedding. Enjoyed it generally, and nice to listen to older music than typical for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Already listened to this one before , overall great performance and great covers of David Bowie and meat puppets.
A solid introspective performance from Nirvana
Live they aren't greatest, but I enjoyed it.
Also unplugged interesting songs
still can’t believe grohl’s reputation took such a sharp turn.
Good live album
Let's start with what doesn't work - most of the Nirvana tracks sound worse here than in their studio recordings, it's a rough vocal performance from Kurt, and the MTV Unplugged production sounds a little slicker than I want. Now, what does work - the setlist is wonderfully curated, the cover song performances are fantastic, and the sheer display of personality and taste. Also, frankly, "off" renditions of Nirvana songs are still Nirvana songs. 4.5/5
Acoustic Nirvana is kind of a double-edged sword. You get some really beautiful renditions but also sometimes miss out on the production that elevated the studio versions. You get more raw emotion but Kurt expressing it doesn't automatically make the vocals better
❤️
I hate live albums and I hate unplugged albums because 99% of the time it's just a shitty greatest hits album. I'm also not really a fan of Nirvana. But they really tried to manipulate the medium into something really unique. Even the songs that they already recorded feels different and this could easily be considered an album of theirs and not just another live album. Still hate live albums though so it gets a 4
It's not really unplugged if you still use electric guitars, is it? Anyway, good stuff, especially the Bowie cover, which I think is the album standout for me.
I'm not a fan of live albums. Hearing the crowd was a bit irritating for me. But despite that the album is really good.
While it pains me to give any Nirvana album fewer than 5 stars, as I am a big fan, this is my least favorite. I’m not really that excited about the Unplugged phenomenon in general, though I do applaud its ability to introduce certain bands to new audiences who would otherwise be turned off by a harder sound or a scarier image. My problem here is that, while this album does show how pretty these songs are in their most basic form, no single version of any original is as good as the album version, or other live versions. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Nirvana isn’t Nirvana without the loud, but it’s definitely lacking a little something. I do like the covers a lot, especially the more traditional songs, because they highlight how big a music fan Kurt was, how he was always searching for new music to fall in love with.
Very repetitive, but cool chords. Gives rock feeling, shows what a guitar and a voice can do with a little ingenuity.
i’ve never sat down and chose to listen to nirvana so i was surprised by how much i liked this
A classic. Not a big Nirvana fan, but Kurt is awesome, and they sound better acoustic.
Finally get it
Nirvana ++ Unplugged + Publikum - --------------- About a Girl ++ Come As You Are + Jesus Foesnt Want Me For A Sunbeam o The Man Who Sold The World +++ Pennyroyal Tea o Dumb + Polly o On A Plain + Something In The Way + Plateau ++ Oh Me o Lake Of Fire + All Apologies + Where Did You Sleep Last Night o -----------------------
It was a good listen but I cannot STAND when live recordings have audience members talking throughout. It really does my head in but definitely an album you need to hear to fully understand who Nirvana were
Awesome live album. Love Nirvana's rendition of "The Man Who Sold The World". Unplugged In New York 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 drag on for quite a bit though!
The conceit of MTV Unplugged is simple - get a big rock band to come in and play an acoustic set of their greatest hits. Nirvana approached the challenge differently, picking deep cuts and covers over hits, and featuring The Meat Puppets as special guests. Cobain sounds a little nervous at the start and also uses some amplification and effects in places. He passed away 5 months after this recording, lending it a poignant air, especially on Come As You Are.
Oh my goodness. Why did no one get me on this album before?!!? Nirvana’s talent is unmistakable, even to a dung beetle so it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that I ate up every second.
Amazing how a band known for their aggressive and heavy songs is able to go acoustic and soft, and have it be just as good. I wish the setlist had more Nirvana songs and less covers, because I don't feel like all of the covers land as well as they could. Still a great listen, and a great overall performance. Top tracks: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb
One of the best MTV Unplugged performances. Nothing beats how raw Kurt sounds here; it's so genuine, you can't help but love it.
un clasico. hoy queda medio largo, es mas para los fanaticos q otra cosa.
For a band with only 4 albums it’s crazy I got 2 in one week.
Has there ever been a bad Unplugged record? A nice contrast to Nevermind but still brilliant
A good album, only a few of their songs that I knew but good listening throughout, some good banter from being a live album with only one bit of feedback in the recording.
Hmm, I really liked this, but what ruined it for me was that Kurt couldn't handle doing it truly acoustically. So the story goes, he had MTV hide an amp and effects pedal under a fake monitor at his feet.
Even though Kurt Cobain receives the limelight when people discuss Nirvana, the rest of the band is tight and it shows when they play live. Love also the cello and accordion. And yes, Kurt's voice does make a mark here especially on the last song. I went down nostalgia lane and watched a little bit of this on YouTube. Dave Grohl wearing a turtleneck, lightly feathering the drums and concentrating so hard he's sticking his tongue out is cute. They were so young. Great collection of songs and a historically significant album.
Easy classic
7.5/10 I have never been a huge grunge fan, so my heart sank slightly when this came up. But I did enjoy it hits a bit The unplugged (although there seemed to be plenty of plugged instruments to me)?format really worked for Nirvana, putting Cobain’s vocal style and range at the front. Well backed by the band, with a few bits of string etc too Strange to hear Cobain so light and chatty so close to his death Best: No Apologies
# 321 : They've done a pretty decent job, Amazing album, lots of great covers. Originals are spot on. One of their best performances. Good background music for a family dinner. One of my favourites. Favourite Track : Plateau
Does not suck.
Great
I liked it but it did get a little repetitive, the songs became hard to distinguish from one another.
Down & dirty. Great recording.
This still holds up for me. The stripped down version of the quintessential grunge band is the most interesting to me. Yeah there’s a lot of imperfections and Kurt can’t hit a note to save his life - but it still is a captured moment of a very specific time.
4.5
This consensus that some people have collectively come to in recent years that Nirvana is somehow an overrated band has never made sense to me. They may have had a very brief history, but what they accomplished in that time should forever be recognized. But I will refrain from speaking on all of that until I get the chance to review Nevermind. It’s weird how these things align sometimes. The Unplugged record is definitely an interesting way to start. Truthfully I am maybe not in the best position to review this properly. Because I still haven’t finished listening to In Utero. So I am becoming introduced to a couple of these songs from this context. This live album was performed as apart of MTV’s Unplugged TV series. It put artists to the challenge of taking a new approach while performing their own music. And it’s probably one of the best things MTV ever did for themselves. This album is one of the best things Nirvana ever did for themselves. Because it proved they were capable of more than just being “the big grunge band”. You are hearing some of this band’s most well known songs tackled in a completely new context, and it makes them sound entirely different. A group known for their intense live shows and punk inspired energy being able to tone things down is interesting to see. But the essence of the band is still there. Dave Grohl is known for being one of the hardest hitting drummers on Earth. And the amount of control and dynamics he is showcasing here is impressive. And he doesn’t feel out of place. It’s not like he went in unprepared and ended up bringing the rest of the band down. Kurt and Krist obviously sound great too. And the guest musicians, particularly the cellist, really elevate these renditions to the next level. There are a multitude of covers, most of them very good. And of course, there is The Man Who Sold the World. Potentially the only example of a band actually doing a Bowie song better than Bowie himself. But I don’t know if I would label it as the best track on the record. What I enjoy so much about these performances is that they capture what I believe to be the power of live music. Musicians should give fans a reason to seek out live music. Yes, there should be extended versions of songs. Yes, there should be covers. And like this record, you should play different versions of your own music. If live shows were just note for note performances of every popular song, no one would bother. Why do you think bands like Grateful Dead and Phish have such dedicated fans? There is a reason this is so acclaimed. It’s taking already great songs, and doing something fresh with them. I don’t know if I would call it one of the greatest live albums ever. But everyone in that audience was witnessing history. Wild to think this wasn’t properly released on an LP until over half a year after Kurt’s death. Rating: 8/10
First listen. Pretty good.
Really liked this. The music is good, but I especially loved the coziness of the live set. I love hearing the band taking to the audience and making jokes. The songs themselves are amazing too.
First Nirvana. Damn.
I always enjoy live sets but Kurt's voice is definitely helped out on their typical studio albums. Still has their punk feel in a much more stripped down way. I prefer their normal albums but this is still great.
Another banger live album. Not quite as good as the Fela Kuti but still bangs
Given that the set list consists mostly of deep cuts from just 3 albums, this live show is great. There is some filler, but also a lot of gold. The covers are chosen well. Sounds good in acoustic too.
I had three liked songs on this album before it came up on here.
Ingen vej udenom at det er et virkelig godt livealbum, virkelig godt produceret, godt sangvalg og energi osv
Good album
Ну это Нирвана :) В солнечный день было не то чтобы супер, но это классика
Favorite Track: Something In The Way
Pleasant low key morning listen.
Great live album, maybe the best of the whole MTV Unplugged series. It was also crazy to hear Kurt talking to the audience and the other members. Can't believe he's been gone for so long, RIP to the legend.
This is a close call -- almost five-star worthy, in part because it contains the saddest, most harrowing final song I've ever heard in a concert, especially given what happened six months later. But too many songs in the middle run together for me.
Was never a huge Nirvana fan, but this seems like a classic album / moment.
Excellent production for a live album. Could have been 5-stars with a better setlist
Was enjoyable but the whole time I was thinking how I'd prefer a non-acoustic version. Until Where Did You Sleep Last night which was amazing. Stand out track for me.
I like this. Chilled singing but not cringe emo stuff Live aspect doesn’t take away from it too much Very consistent style 3/4****
Actually prefer their acoustic stuff to their originals
i was a nirvana fan when this came premiered on mtv in 1994 i had just seen them live in 1993 in utah and enjoyed it at the time. i haven't really listened to this since those days and so it's a real trip to hear in now not my favorite nirvana release but i love the meat puppets covers and a few of these versions.
All time classic live album. Prefer the studio versions, but undeniably great acoustic performances of classic songs.
#301. No where near as good as Alice in Chains Unplugged, but it'll do in a pinch, I suppose. 4/5: four
Phenomenal album. It's only personal preference for STP, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and Soundgarden over Nirvana that keeps this from being a 5 for me.
well, when i saw this was the album i got super excited because “where did you sleep last night” is one of my favorite songs of all time. overall solid album, i always enjoy nirvana, but the best part about this album was easily kurt’s commentary