Reviews (page 10 of 16)
I don't normally like live albums, but it's Nirvana.
There are some seriously good songs on this album, but most of them come straight from Nevermind and In Utero. I liked listening to this album, but there's absolutely no reason for it to be included on this list instead of some other album.
I've never been sure why the Unplugged MTV thing was conceived - was it a view that noisy rockers couldn't play instruments without being plugged in? Whatever, it usually offers a new view of a band. In this case I think Nirvana took the chance to play several cover versions, and in fact my favourite track here is the Bowie cover (The Man Who Sold The World). Oh, and the Leadbelly cover is good too. The album's OK, but not being particularly keen on Nirvana, I can take it or leave it.
I'm coming back to Nirvana after years of avoiding listening to them. I ended up really enjoying their early studio albums, and of course I remember when this live album was recorded. It was just played everywhere. I'm not a huge fan of the unplugged series of albums. I think this was pretty good but I'm going with a 3 on this one, not super inspiring to me.
I can't stand Nirvana. This album does nothing to change that. Kurt's guitar is out of tune. Somebody's guitar gets run through overdrive, completely defying the spirit of "unplugged." I'm sure it was all about "they can't tell us what to do!" which completely missed the point of the unplugged exercise, which is to set up a limitation that requires creativity to get around. The best song on here is the Bowie cover, and even that is hard to listen to because of the vocals. 1 star.
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.
This is one of the best live albums I've heard.
I’ve moaned about live albums being included, but it’s hard to gripe about this one given it is one of the absolute best of all time.
I feel like I have heard all of these songs because of the other Nirvana albums in the list, so why do I need to hear the live versions too? 2/5
the best MTV unplugged set
Masterpiece. Beautiful, bold, and flawlessly executed. Perfection.
Surprisingly ok
great music
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
Livealbum
Completely different from the last Nirvana album I reviewed. I really enjoyed this, it was cooled, stripped back, I enjoyed the way banter the band had with the audience and each other, I loved the mix of covers and originals, and the songs were well performed.
I'm a Nirvana fan so I was more than happy to get to listen to this today, and I'll probably watch it as well with my next morning coffee. I'm having a hard time finding the words to describe how this whole performance makes me feel - but it's the same reverent awe that stunned the whole audience to silence after that final song. This is a snippet from a reviewer highlighted on the Wiki page - it's worth watching or rewatching the video of Where Did You Sleep Last Night after reading this. So many goosebumps. "For the final line, "I would shiver the whole night through," Cobain jumps up an octave, forcing him to strain so far he screams and cracks. He hits the word "shiver" so hard that the band stops, as if a fight broke out at a sitcom wedding. Next he howls the word "whole" and then does something very strange in the brief silence that follows, something that's hard to describe: he opens his piercingly blue eyes so suddenly it feels like someone or something else is looking out under the bleached lank fringe, with a strange clarity."
My favorite live album of all time
One of the few amazing live albums. The raw sound really goes with their aesthetic and adds to their authentic sound. Excellent covers in the set list. 4.6 stars
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.
One of the greatest live albums ever
Incredible, Lake of Fire is great
Yeah good enjoyed it, bit overplayed in my book
Best live album ever
- Sicherlich eines der besten MTV Unplugged aller Zeiten - Lange nicht mehr gehört, hat Spaß gemacht Rating: 4,5/5
Went on a bit
Iconic but never been really into it. Also -1 for being a live-album
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
Brilliant.
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.
Really good, a classic.
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
This album slaps.
Great album. Very raw.
Live they aren't greatest, but I enjoyed it.
I used to find this such a grim if compelling listen. Still sort of do but I can also just tap into how elemental and paradoxically life affirming it is the older I get.
It’s Nirvana in sweaters! I always thought it odd that Kurt changed the lyrics to In The Pines. My mom, born of the Southern States, used to sing the song to me as a tot in the 60’s, using the Lead Belly version. Her mother sang it to her in the 30’s, shortly before Belly’s recording. I always knew it as Black Girl, and loved hearing it before bed. Kurt, a fan of LB, changed it to My Girl for this album. Still beautiful and haunting, but even more so using the original lyrics. Wish he had. Anyway…. Courtney Killed Kurt.
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🎸🥁🕯️ Produktion: 😲🙂👌 Musik: 🎤🎸✨🎵👏🌀😢💔 Wertung: 🌀🌀🌀🌀(🌀)/5
An intimate show with the band that defined a generation
This album was very important to 16 year old me and is still in my regular rotation.
One of the best bands ever, and probably my favourite live album of all time. If there is space for one live album, this has to be it - I'm still not 100% sure is should be included though!
Great album.
Also unplugged interesting songs
still can’t believe grohl’s reputation took such a sharp turn.
I don’t enjoy live albums very much, respect to the band but not my cup of tea.
Great!!!
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
Yeah this album is basically perfect, it deserves a rare 5/5. Loved it all the way through, would listen again any time. Incredible impact. Simple but with touches of elegant instrumentation. Great covers. 90s kid approved. listening notes: This concert was so pivotal, so impactful as a 90s kid. I remember watching parts of it on MTV several times. And the reason I thought "The Man Who Sold The World" was a Nirvana song. As someone who never really dug into their albums too much, I might know this one better than any others. Excited to dig in About a Girl - awesome Come as you are - gosh his voice Jesus Doesnt Want Me For a Sunbeam - don't really remember this one. accordion?? hell yeah. i loved that. The man who sold the world... so cool. that walking bass line. and the guitar riff! Pennyroyal Tea, Dumb, Polly.. On a Plain: love myself! better than you.. Something in the Way: so spooky, good for Halloween today. Plateau - didn't realize how many covers were on this album. another good one. Going into a run of 3 Meat Puppets songs in a row.. interesting. Oh I guess the MP guys actually performed this with them. Oh Me Lake of Fire - more crazy singing All Apologies - great of course Closing it out with a standard Where Did you Sleep Last Night. amazing how they turn this into a Nirvana song.
❤️
Boring
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
Not a bad album, not something I would normally listen to, I liked some songs better than others, Where Did You Sleep Last Night was very good, the fact that it's live is incredible. His voice is so powerful and clear, I can't even believe it
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.
Putting to words what this album is a little difficult for me, but I’ll try anyway. To me, this album is a moment in time; a last glimpse of rock as a dominant mainstream genre within the music industry. Back when the M in MTV meant music and not… whatever the fuck it’s supposed to mean now. A moment of authenticity through a live album that stays away from the greatest hits (for the most parts) and opts for covers, such as a then unknown David Bowie song and three Meat Puppets songs in a row. Kurt Cobain’s raspy-vocals fits really well with the pseudo-acoustic sound from his band mates. As a result, some of these songs are the best versions of themselves. Unplugged About A Girl feels more natural than Bleach About A Girl, and Dumb and On A Plain sound just as good as their original album counterparts. And I didn’t know The Man Who Sold The World was David Bowie. It’s more Nirvana’s now than Nine Inch Nail’s Hurt is to Johnny Cash. But this album is more than a live album; it’s a sense of finality. The world wouldn’t see the likes of a performance that has no hint of Smells Like Teen Spirit or many heavy-hitters. It’s a showcase of a band using their platform as a homage to their roots. A display of a band doomed to die at its prime, released months after Kurt Cobain’s passing. It’s perhaps the last gasp of rock as a mainstream force before the end of the century. It’s is, in essence, a moment. Favorite track: About A Girl Other hits: The Man Who Sold The World, On A Plain, Come As You Are, All Apologies, Dumb
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.
cool
amazing album, nirvana is on another level and remain unmatched
Heard of them but never listened to them.
Don't really like the unplugged format
i’ve never sat down and chose to listen to nirvana so i was surprised by how much i liked this
Kobain simply embodies grunge in this - vocals are more about effect than strict technique, sort of elitist but down to earth? Excellent song choices and performances on a basically perfect live album!
Unplugged to say the least. Great mix of covers and originals. Contains the best version of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World"
Track 1: About a Girl (10/10) The definitive version. So beautiful and perfectly adapted to an acoustic setting, especially thanks to Dave's restrained performance on drums. Track 2: Come as You Are (8/10) One of my least favourite Nirvana songs, but it's one again made better by being acoustic. Track 3: Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam (10/10) I want to approach live albums by watching the performances if they're available so I'm watching this one. I started this song giggling at how goofy Krist looks with the accordion and ended it with tears in my eyes. No matter how many times I watch this unplugged I get emotional thinking about all the what-ifs surrounding Kurt. Absolutely beautiful rendition here. Track 4: The Man Who Sold the World (10/10) I can't even put in to words how much I love this song. It's up there with Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" and Cash's "Hurt" as one of the best covers of all time. I might actually need a break cause I'm getting extra emotional this time lol Track 5: Pennyroyal Tea (10/10) I'm a mess right now. Kurt going solo on this one was genius. Track 6: Dumb (10/10) This performance would already be perfect, but you add in that cello and it brings it to a whole other level. So hauntingly gorgeous. Track 7: Polly (9/10) I won't write it down here, but this song is incredibly dark if you know the story behind it. Great performance, love the harmonies. Track 8: On a Plain (10/10) Incredible. Dave going lower on his harmonies gives it a different feel than the studio version that I love. Track 9: Something in the Way (9/10) That cello, man! I feel like a broken record but this song is beautiful lol Track 10: Plateau (8/10) Another solid cover. I've heard these songs a million times and I still haven't listened to the original Meat Puppets versions besides Lake of Fire, and I'm saving them until it pops up here. Love the lyrics. Track 11: Oh Me (9/10) Love Kurt's vocals, I think he benefitted from not playing guitar on these songs. Track 12: Lake of Fire (10/10) This song is so hard to sing, you could tell Kurt was straining his vocal chords but it was so worth it! Probably my favourite performance from him in the entire show. Track 13: All Apologies (10/10) Once upon a time, I tried to convince an old girlfriend to make this "our song" (I was in highschool) lol she actually hated Nirvana so I knew we weren't meant to be...this is still one of my favourite Nirvana songs and this performance is wonderful. Track 14: Where Did You Sleep Last Night (10/10) Goosebumps. When he starts to scream you can feel every emotion he was feeling. Masterful, powerful, all the hyperbole you can think of. Overall: 10/10 Nirvana was an important band when it came to the development of my music taste. I fell in love with the emotion, the aggression, the punk rock attitude. It wasn't until I got older that I was truly able to appreciate how important these guys were to the entire landscape of music, and regardless of how overplayed or overhyped they might be, I think they're one of the most important acts in all of music history and there will never be another band like them. Kurt died before I was born, and now I'm the same age he was when he died. He's such an important figure in my life and the lives of so many other people that I know, and I hope that if there is an afterlife that he knows just how much he means to the world. Also his songs in acoustic are banging oh my lord Fav Song: The Man Who Sold the World Least Fav Song: Come as You Are
Fav: The Man Who Sold The World Least Fav: Dumb Man, that second half was sure was uninteresting! Atleast they pulled it around in the last 2 songs
Is this over rated die to it being the last thing Nirvana did or is a classic? Lets see. There is undeniably a cultural significance to this record. It was peak MTV which came in and out like a tidal wave in the 90's, covering everything and then disappearing as quickly. Kurts death soon after made the world stand up and take notice of his talent, bringing them to a much wider audience than their original fan base. This was accessible, brilliantly done and allowed everyone to share in the sadness of his passing. The album itself is raw but beautifully done. Its a showcase of kurts surprisingly beautiful voice, the delicate songwriting and their excellent playing and arraging. It is a signpost to what late era kurt could have been, like Jonny Cashs reinvention, it could have been so much. A verifiable classic.
A classic. Not a big Nirvana fan, but Kurt is awesome, and they sound better acoustic.
Bunch of Nirvana classics, but live
Finally get it
The covers are interesting, but without video it gets a bit samey. Still enjoyable and you can feel how interesting it is in context.
I loved it. Some absolute classic Nirvana songs and all time covers. I don't know why people don't talk about the man who sold the world cover more.
I get it, I see the appeal, I like it even. But I think I still prefer plugged nirvana.
Classic
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
Not a fan of Nirvana, even though unplugged version is a bit better than normal. Couple of pretty good songs, I really liked "Where did you Sleep Last Night", but the rest of the album was a bit boring.
I liked this when it came out, but I think it’s slightly overrated.
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!
Listened to it a bunch of times in my life
Nothing like live grunt music, in a chill setting! Rip KC!
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.
That's an easy one. Everything is close to perfect with this album: it's an excellent live record, full of surprises (very good covers), it's nice to hear an electric band unplugged (and it's probably the first prominent example of the genre), Cobain voice is poingant. I'll never get tired of this.
It’s ok. I like the first track. I don’t like when he gets screechy/screamy
I liked this unplugged version way more than I like their plugged in versions! great version on man who sold the world
this is the second nirvana record that changed my life.
meh
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.
One of my favorite Nirvana albums. Something magical about this performance, although maybe it's my nostalgia. The stripped down sound of acoustic Nirvana and the raw, intimate emotion of Kurt Cobain’s voice throughout really singles this out. Nirvana would never again achieve this level of artistry, and we are all better off for the fact that it was captured as a moment in time. For my money, this is the definitive version of The Man Who Sold the World. They out-Bowied Bowie. 5⭐️
nirvana kinda mid
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
It’s nirvana
the only flaw with this is that it's missing some genuinely hilarious cobain bits on the video version.
I already know this one backwards and forwards!
不知道为什么，没啥感觉
Awesome album. I’ve always loved the three Meat Puppets covers on here and was disappointed the Meat Puppets themselves weren’t as good as the cover versions. In fact it’s all the cover versions that are the best stuff on this album - making up half of the songs on it. And then supporting that you’ve got all these great Nirvana songs. “In the pines” is incredible… just great.
I hated this back in 94. Where was the grunge? where was the attitude? Now days I'm more irritated by the MTV audience
I hate the MTV Unplugged house engineer team’s approach to acoustic guitars and bass so much
It’s one of the highest rated albums on the site, everyone knows it’s good.
I bought this as soon as it was released, and it still holds up
Ich war und bin nie ein Nirvana Fan gewesen. Meiner Meinung nach, wurde sie sehr uberschätzt. Aber siehe da, dieses MTV Unplugged Konzert konnte und kann sich hören lassen. Musikalisch vom Feinsten. Spannend wäre wohl gewesen, wie die "Hits" geklungen hätten. Mal ehrlich, völlig egal, das hier ist einfach gut. Vielleicht deswegen.
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.
Decent album. Best tracks are the covers, especially Where did you sleep...Unplugged albums always seem like one for the big fans of the group.
un clasico. hoy queda medio largo, es mas para los fanaticos q otra cosa.
such and ending. Suena muy crudo y natural y la voz de Cobain es hipnótica
I watched the video of this album in a packed theatre at MoPop in Seattle on the 30th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's passing. It seems obvious that Kurt is aware that he is a shell of himself, hollowed out by heroin. In light of what we know now, I cannot name a more visceral musical expression of passion and pain.
Not here to listen live album, stuff to do🤓🏌️♂️🐴😍🐽💙🦘🖌️➰🎙️🇪🇷🇨🇾🔊🔊⏲️🕒🚍🛻⚛️🚧😷🛁💵😏⛴️♊
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
I was never really a fan of Nirvana and never understood the hype, but this album is good. It adds cover to the hits, and they sound fantastic acoustically. I never really appreciated how many great covers there are on this album until now. Favourite song: About a girl, the man who sold the world and where did you sleep last night. Least favourite: I have never liked Pennyroyal tea Album artwork: Cool cover
My favourite live album ever. Every track is superbly done, The Man Who Sold the World and Pennyroyal Tea are particular highlights. I do love this one!
One of my favorite albums love it
This performance is extremely good and drenched in personality that few other albums can achieve. The originals are good. The covers are very good. Lots of standouts. This is a vulnerable side and shows off the range of the band and Cobain's vocal style. This thing is tremendous and in context carries a lot of emotional power that the musical content absolutely lives up to.
This is a classic 90's album that everyone had in their big CD bible in their car at the time. I don't know if it deserves the reverence it gets, but it is really surprising how well these songs translate from the original versions in to acoustic ones. Some are obviously going to be fine (About a girl, Come As You are, Something in the Way) and others less so (Pennyroyal Tea, On a Plain), but they all manage to work in their own way. The covers are great, especially The Man Who Sold The World and Lake of Fire. Since this is effectively a live album and Kurt was always a shitty guitarist (technically, certainly not musically) it's funny to hear the random mistakes and mis-hits occasionally. The recording quality is good, and as it should be because this is a "quiet" set, and the production/mastering is good too. Not a lot to complain about here. I'd rather hear the original versions most of the time but there is something endearing about some exec deciding to just rip out all the distortion from these songs for kicks and them all still working and sounding great.
Real classic here. I remember what a big deal this was when it happened. You have the softer more introspective sides of one of the most influential bands of the 90's. Great stuff.
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.
Heard the songs but not sure if I've heard the album before. The presentation is illuminating to hear Nirvana songs in this setting. It highlights Cobain's talent as a songwriter. It's still a bit inconsistent and choosing to perform 3 Meat Puppets covers is...interesting. They probably should have just stopped after inserting "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" and "The Man Who Sold The World".
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.
Massive talent. Perhaps it's unfair that most of the youtube version of this album is accompanied by the video of the session, but to see how relaxed and unassuming they were, yet knowing the struggles and the behind the scenes fighting to control their art and share the session with the MeatPuppets. I really enjoyed this one.
Wanted and expected to like this more than I actually did.
Almost back to back Nirvana records. I'm a fan of Nirvana. Or at least I was way back then. It's hard to be excited for a band after they don't exist anymore. But these records bring back a lot of great memories. This is one of my favourite Cobain performances ever. The emotion in his voice during Where Did You Sleep Last Night gives me goosebumps. The set list was appropriate for an u plugged setting. A lot of covers. But they make them sound like Nirvana songs. Even the Davie Bowie cover. I get that this is supposed to be an unplugged record... But it's definitely not unplugged. It's just acoustic. The cello during Something In The Way is haunting and beautiful. The Meat Puppets covers are some of my favorite Nirvana played songs. Love this record. Wish I could get an opportunity to see a band that I love in an intimate setting like this.
Hervorragend.
Yes
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
Nostalgic, intimate, good set list. Hard to overestimate the sense of persistent emotional authenticity Nirvana gave us at the time. I mean they were doing this while radio stations were blasting the Crash Test Dummies and Joan Osbourne. Also hard to overestate how good an idea the unplugged model was. Drummer sucked though.
Huge Nirvana phase in high school but probably hadn't listened to the whole album in a decade. Great album, enjoy every track.
MTV has done a lot of stupid over the years. But the unplugged series was absolute genius. And this is one of the gems.
Fascinating that this was only a few months before his death. I enjoy the stripped-down style as much—or maybe even more—than their default electric grunge sound.
Does not suck.
A beauty.
I don't think being live really added much to this one and a lot of these songs are covers. That said it's still really good. Middle 3.
Great
Perfect and iconic album :)
Fantastic album, the arangements are very delicate and stripped down and Cobains voice really shines through. On the covers it feels pretty clear that Cobain was trying to experiment with a new kind of sound that we unfortunately never got to hear him develop Standouts The Man Who Sold The World Come As You Are Dumb Pennyroyal tea 5/5
Pretty standard expectation from Nirvana. Not the biggest fan of the live/acoustic sound from them but no complaints. 5/10 Fav: The man who sold world
Great
A beautifully execute album. It’s not just a live greatest hits complication, there’s cover versions (about six I think) and some pleasant banter mixed in with a good mix of Nirvana tracks across the back catalogue. A worthy listen.
This album is iconic for so many gen xer’s
I liked it but it did get a little repetitive, the songs became hard to distinguish from one another.
OK, didn't like the live concert nature of it. A bit too repetitive.
Down & dirty. Great recording.
Classic and easy listen
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.
Have never heard this as a whole, only some songs. This version of Dumb was on my constant rotation back in high school. Went to YT to get the full experience. This album really showcases the voice Kurt Cobain had, with all its flawed pitches and roughness. Easy 5* I like how the wiki says these are "lesser known" songs, where they are all iconic/well-known songs now. Highlights: about a girl, come as you are, the man who sold the world, dumb, polly, on a plain, all apologies
nice acoustic rock. not my cuppa tea though.
4.5
I mean is there even a question here? Anybody who doesn't give this a 5 is just kidding themselves. Great fucking album, an all time classic, easily the best live album of all time! I frequently say that every Dylan cover is better than any of his originals. I usually say the exact opposite about Bowie songs, this is the exception. Who would have thought that a punk band could cover Bowie at all, let alone in an acoustic format that they were unfamiliar with and be better. Just magical! An all time great album from an all time great band. For it to essentially be released as a posthumous tribute album is tragically beautiful.
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
Loved this album. Very talented guys. Ended too soon
One of my all-time favorites.
This album is undeniable. I have read so much about it, listened to it so many times. They did an incredible job, they had the right amount of originals and covers. Everyone did their parts well. I liked the banter.
I really like Nirvana, but I'm not a huge fan of acoustic albums, nor of live albums.
First listen. Pretty good.
I hate Nirvana! Not the people — Kurt seems like a tragic genius that I would enjoy having a beer with, while Krist and Dave seems like suprisingly down to earth. I just don't agree with the musical idead that these three men came up with. Still, well-crafted and solid performance — just don't like the songs.
Revisiting past favorites and revising established classics, can't go wrong with this performance.
563 albums reviewed, and now I get my first Nirvana album. I own a copy of their greatest hits on CD, and honestly, I don't remember why I bought it. I have nothing against Nirvana, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. I do like Dave Grohl though, and I went through a big Foo Fighters phase in my late teens and early twenties (his memoir is fantastic by the way). A couple of years ago, my wife and I went with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law on a trip to Ireland, and we brought along our daughter who was seven months old at the time (it was a wonderful trip, but if you're ever wondering if you should take a seven month on a trip from Texas to Ireland, I'd say proceed with caution, especially if you're going through Heathrow). As we drove across Ireland, we'd often use the version of "The Man Who Sold The World" off of this album to soothe my daughter to sleep. It didn't always work, but it worked often enough that I heard that song probably ten times a day during that trip. I recognize a few other songs on this album, and I'm very curious to hear the Meat Puppets covers, since I've already reviewed Meat Puppets II. Enough reminiscing I suppose, let's get on with the (acoustic) show. I haven't really loved any of the live albums I've reviewed so far, and I was really skeptical as to why this album has such a high average rating. After listening to it though, I get it. Out of all the live albums on this list, this is the first one that I've encountered that has a really great mood and atmosphere to it. I was really shocked how well Nirvana's music translated to an unplugged set, but everything sounded great, and it gave me a new appreciation for Kurt's songwriting abilities and and his skill at arranging music. I was really struck by the cello playing on this album too; it adds so much to the mood of the songs and really bolsters the unplugged sound. Hearing these songs in an unplugged set gave me a new appreciation for them, but "All Apologies" really takes home the crown as my favorite of the bunch. Kurt's wailing of "buried, married," contrasts so well with the acoustic sound. The covers on this album are great too, and it was a really big treat to hear Kurt sings songs by Meat Puppets. Listening to the original versions of those songs, it's incredibly evident how influential they were on Kurt as a songwriter and performer, and hearing him pay homage to them was fantastic. Using "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" as the album's closing song was a great choice. Kurt's unique touch makes this song feel like it belongs in the nineties. Knowing what we know now about Kurt's relationship with fame adds another complex layer to this album's feel. His remarks before opening the set with "About a Girl," might be seen as a dig at the audience, but I think it's more Kurt coming to grips with how far his star had risen in the last few years. I really enjoyed listening to this album, and I think it's worthy of its reputation. The sound is beautiful, and these songs all get a unique life in this acoustic set. The producers and engineers deserve some love for their work on this album too; the sound is incredibly clean, and the audience noises pop up at all the right moments. My only beef with this album is that "Lithium" isn't in the setlist (now that I think of it, "Lithium" might have been what lead me to buy their greatest hits album), but that's the gamble of live music I suppose.
Brutal
Intimate rendition of some of their biggest songs and somehow making it the better version. Wonderful.
The gold standard of MTV Unplugged.
There’s not much to say that hasn’t already been said. Fantastic. Amazing. Sometimes I really have to remember how groundbreaking MTV Unplugged was and how amazing and special this performance was in the history of the show. I don’t even love live albums that much, but this is perfection. The covers are iconic, and the performances of their own songs live up to and often elevate the studio versions. “The Man Who Sold The World,” nothing can top that.
Ik mag graag zeuren over live-albums, maar de MTV Unplugged serie is wel een geval apart: Geketende Ellis, Parel Confituur en Nirwana hebben onder deze noemer dikke klassiekers afgeleverd. Dit album is voor mij, en voor vele anderen neem ik aan, geen onbekende. Een paar bijzondere versies van een aantal hits (maar niet die ene hit) en een lading covers, regelmatig wat vals gezongen door Ome Kurt die min of meer z'n eigen begrafenis aan het roleplayen is. Het album is zeker geholpen doordat Cobain even later de pijp aan Maarten gaf, dat is lastig te ontkennen. Naar huidige maatstaven is dit album eigenlijk niet goed genoeg. Het is vals, af en toe kraakt of piept er iets, het is niet super strak; het is niet perfect. Op de LP laat de audio normalisatie ook wat te wensen over. Eigenlijk is het ook niet eens unplugged (de gitaar bij The Man Who Sold The World bijvoorbeeld). Maar toch is het legendarisch en steengoed, met die Loodbuikje cover als perfecte afsluiter. Duidelijke 5.
One of the best live albums ever!
This is one of the best live albums I have ever heard. This is Kurt Cobain at his best. Absolutely incredible performance. Not to mention the best version of The Man Who Sold The World I’ve ever heard. 10/10. No other score to give it.
pretty good but not really my style. i did recognize a couple songs from cultural osmosis
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.
This is one of my favourites. I’m so grateful that this album exists. I loved nirvana and I am old enough to remember this concert taking place and every cough and little bit of chat feels really precious because we have so little of their work now. The covers are bold choices for the time and stand as beautiful nirvana songs nowadays, because these versions are just so good. I could go on and on. I love it.
Enjoyed this album. Mainly covers of others songs but still enjoyable
First Nirvana. Damn.
One of my favorite albums of all time. I even had the guitar tab book and learned every song back in the day. Love this classic album.
Nirvana…. The band that started the grunge rock band movement. Music is ok. A little to weird,and hard for me.
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.
this was an amazing live album, kurt is like a top 5 vocalist ever
One of my favorites
Another banger live album. Not quite as good as the Fela Kuti but still bangs
Phenomenal album that reworks old classics and adds some new ones in the form of cover versions. Top tier album.
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.
Is it controversial to say this is the best Nirvana album?
I hadn’t listened to this all the way through in one sitting, I wish I had before. It was exceptional and an album I will listen to again and again.
Unplugged is not just one of the greatest live albums ever recorded — it’s a raw, intimate portrait of a band stripped down to its emotional core. Recorded just months before Kurt Cobain’s death, the performance carries an eerie, fragile weight that only deepened with time. Unlike other Unplugged sessions, Nirvana didn’t lean on their biggest hits or crowd-pleasers — instead, they curated a somber, haunting setlist that felt more like a wake than a concert. Tracks like “Something in the Way,” “Dumb,” “Polly,” and “On a Plain” take on a new vulnerability in the acoustic setting, each note soaked in quiet desperation and quiet strength. Their cover of David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” is unforgettable — reverent yet completely reimagined, with Cobain’s voice hovering between detachment and revelation. But the true apex is the closing track, Lead Belly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.” Cobain’s final, guttural scream is less a performance and more a primal exorcism — chilling, cathartic, and final. It’s the perfect, devastating end to a performance that feels more like a confessional than a concert. Unpolished, unguarded, and unforgettable — Unplugged isn’t just a career highlight. It’s a requiem.
9/10
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
Der er ikke rigtig noget ved Nirvanas katalog der ville få mig til at tænke at de var perfekte til et unplugged live album, men af en eller anden grund er de fleste af de her sange bedre her end de er på pladen, og nogen af de her covers er også total all timers. Ret skør setlist, vildt nok valg at have tre sange i streg fra Meat Puppets II.
Virkelig en "reference" plade for hvad en unplugged session kan gøre. Der er valgt sådan nogle gode numre, som bliver leveret på så vanvittig personlig en måde, at det bare understreger hvor dygtig Cobain og co var. Selv deres egne sange i unplugged fungerer så godt!
im really not a huge listener and fan of live albums but this one is the best showcase of what a live album should be! Truly perfect toe me and easily listenable and with tha footage already watched def a great freaking album! 5.0/5.0
Not just one of the greatest Nirvana performances of all time. Simply one the greatest performances by ANYONE EVER!
Good album
Overall, this album was a terrific surprise. I had heard Nirvana previously but this live, "unplugged" album presents them in a whole different light. This will be an album worth keeping handy for a few listens in the future.
Pure unadulterated nostalgia. I don't know if it makes me a bit of arriviste to say that I probably love this as much as In Utero or even Nevermind, but I don't care. I think the format let's you really feel the emotion and pain in Kurt - not just in his voice but in his playing style. And that's all offset by the lovely little interchanges between the band. Just very moving stuff. Also, the last three songs are an incredible way to end, any one of them could have been my fave.
I prefer Alice In Chains Unplugged album over this, but this is decent nonetheless. The covers are better than the originals with the possible exception of All Apologies. It's also somewhat sad as this was the final recording of Kurt Cobain.
One of the best, if not the best, unplugged albums. You can really hear the hurt in the songs when they are presented this way.
amazing
This one had a fair amount of personal significance - I remember Kurt dying. But I haven't listened to it for a while, and (maybe because I listened rather than watched) it didn't grab me as much as the studio albums. Still, there's something there, and the Bowie cover is wonderful.
Yawn. I'd put this on if I was having trouble falling asleep.
Ну это Нирвана :) В солнечный день было не то чтобы супер, но это классика
First live album I rate here, it's excellent
Obviously an important album, with the band in a fragile state, and unsure if they would be able to carry it off. Kurt sings very well indeed, raw and emotional.
This was the most important album in my life when I was 14. It was one of the first CDs that I owned, and I loved it to death. Some of these songs still get played on the radio. But admittedly, I had not stopped to absorb the entire album as a single piece in many, many years. This time through, for a little different experience, I watched the 2007 video release of the album. It runs the same songs through the same order, but includes additional banter between the songs that was trimmed for the original album release. Everything is still in place, just as I remembered it. I still knew all of the banter from the album by heart. It was a real treat to get the little bit of extra context from the video version. The music is ubiquitous at this point. There's not really much left to say about it. I don't reach for this album often at all. But I'll never get rid of my copy. The song selection is astounding, if counter-intuitive at the time. It's very interesting that for their big MTV Unplugged performance, of the 14 songs they chose to perform, only two of them had previously been Nirvana singles. Six of the songs are covers. The rest are deeper cuts from the three proper studio albums. It all works; and it makes for a live album that is an essential piece of the band's catalog.
Classic masterpiece. Requires a certain mood though. Rated "Love it but played so many times I don't really want to listen to it anymore".
I'm a child of the '90s and was way overexposed to this album. I was famously a bit of a Nirvana hater in my youth. I haven't gone out of my way to listen to Nirvana much since their heyday, but I went into this with an open mind. It's a good recording and they don't sound bad, but it's repetitive at times and the songs I liked the most here were all covers.
Amazing sound. Instruments and vocals aren't muddy or meshed. Kurt is one of a kind
The album is a contrary between an excellent accoustic performance, and the powerful voice of Kurt Cobain.
It smells like Teen Spirit
Possibly the BEST MTV Live session ever. So many Nirvana hits as well as a phenomenal cover of Man Who Sold The World.
Favorite Track: Something In The Way
Probably the best unplugged recording ever. Crazy, but this is probably Nirvana's best album.
Pleasant low key morning listen.
Legendärer Grunge... 1S
Classic, and more extensive than the social media clips you see. Kurt's humor shines through!
It’s possible I’m broken. After all this was my generation and I’m supposed to love this band. Just like I’m supposed to love Van Halen. Simply can not stand either one though.
5 - 4.5
im a huge nirvana fan. good vibes, not quite my favourite album but still brillant despite the fact i think their songs sounds less emotional when acoustic
Boring. 1
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.
Favourites: Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam, Polly, The man who sold the world, Plateau
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
Bra lyssning. Uppskattar att det är unplugged mer nu än tidigare. Skönare sound. Inget som direkt fastnar förutom deras hits som man hört mycket.
Jag var aldrig ett fan av Nirvana. Självklart tyckte jag musiken var bra. Men lyssnade inte jättemycket på gruppen. Denna liveskiva är dock extremt bra. Jag tycker inte det finns en enda dålig låt. Även coverversipnerna är mycket bra. Stämningen och versionerna av deras egna låtar är snorbra. Det blir högsta betyg. Kan definitivt se mig själv sätta på detta och låt hela skivan spela utan problem.
Sett denna flera gånger tidigare och alltid tyckt att Nirvana är bättre i det här mer avskalade formatet än på studioalbumen, kanske för att Kurts röst får mer utrymme. Otroligt bra rakt igenom, trots att många av de stora hitsen utelämnats. Grymma covers också, särskilt The man who sold the world och Where did you sleep last night.
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
Good live album, I was surprised how much they sounded like REM! The Man Who Sold the World is a great cover
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.
An all around brilliant album brimming with emotion.
#301. No where near as good as Alice in Chains Unplugged, but it'll do in a pinch, I suppose. 4/5: four Song added to playlist: Polly I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Easily one of the most iconic live albums ever performed. Not only for its fantastic sound quality, softer alternate versions of existing Nirvana songs, brilliant covers, but also being recorded so closely to Kurt's death. It's a beautiful, yet painful and haunting listen.
Overrated.
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.
Nickel
I still take Live at Reading over Unplugged.
Самый охуенный лайв альбом в истории музыки. Вы тоже знаете, как Курт Кобейн хотел себе гитару его ("их", вообще-то) любимого артиста, которая стоит 500к? Теперь ещё я понимаю, как группа The Vaselines живет. Лучшая песня - Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
A timeless deconstruction of some seminal grunge records with a handful of great covers thrown in. What's not to love?
Amazing
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
LOVE it! Listened twice!
So much to say but this album has been reviewed and discussed so much there’s really no need. Except I’m gonna do it anyway. Nirvana is and always has been one of my least favorite Seattle bands. I’d take Alice In Chains Unplugged over this “eFF the Man” performance every time. Dirt, Superunknown and Ten are all better records than anything Nirvana ever made (yeah, I said it) and the quirkiness sounds more forced than genuine at times. This performance is the embodiment of that. It is literally a premeditated, forced sounding concert because that is exactly what Kurt wanted it to be- anything BUT the hits. That all said: it has its moments for sure. The most obvious of which is the Swan Song of this performance and ultimately his career and life- Where Did You Sleep Last Night. That performance may be at or near the top of the list of most powerful things ever captured. The breath!!! The LOOK. Anyone that saw that live when it was performed or later when it was broadcast (which I did watch by the way) immediately saw a man in excruciating pain. There were no walls anymore, it was like watching him right there in your living room, being with him and yet not being able to do a thing. I vividly remember thinking to myself at the time “Holy Shit, that guy is fucked and probably gonna kill himself.” Sadly I was right. In any case: Best song: WDYSLN Worst song: about 4 or 5 could have been replaced in this setlist if Kurt wasn’t so obsessed with sticking it to the man but “Jesus Don’t want me for a sunbeam “”Plateau “ and particularly “Oh Me” could’ve easily been yanked for “Scentless Apprentice””Breed” and “Drain You” for a far better setlist. But that’s just me. The good is great, the rest is interesting and pretty good. I don’t often put this album on and that always says a lot to me. If we were hangs then… but we aren’t. Sometimes in life it’s okay to let people like you. Wish he’d figured that out.
This is not for me. I also don't enjoy much of Nirvana's studio work. I can give it three stars, though, because it isn't a bad album.
This music is so much more approachable when it's acoustic, no?
Grunge is just not my thing... And I know it's Unplugged, but unplugged can be fun and exiting... This was just plain boring... 1/5
Live is the only bad thing about this. Very raw and honest sound though
Right from the get-go this album starts out on the back foot by being a live album and generally I don't enjoy those a whole lot. There's a lot of great tracks on here though 'Come As You Are' is fantastic, and the 'The Man Who Sold The World' cover is pretty much legendary. I find that I quite like how Nirvana sounds unplugged possibly even more than I do when they are "plugged". Kurt's skill and raw passionate sound really comes through when stripped bare like this. It's a shame he would end up leaving us shortly after this was recorded Standouts Come As You Are The Man Who Sold The World Pennyroyal Tea 5/5
Haha nirvana... Like the band
Good selection of songs. Sometimes it's a bit samey, but I guess that's the risk when going unplugged. I enjoyed the inclusion of the accordeon. The best song was The Man Who Sold The World. That's just a great song.
While Nirvana has some great moments here performing their own songs, I think everyone comes here for the immaculate covers. The Man Who Sold the World, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, the whole Meat Puppets section, they are all amazing covers and fantastic songs in general that Kurt Cobain especially makes his own, and really allows this album to shine. This album not only has a tinge of humor thrown in (only exemplified watching it) but Dave Grohl feels especially into the whole act. You can tell the passion is truly there from the whole band, and the inclusion of any other musician gives this album a weird effect where it feels like being a love letter to itself. I think Kurt Cobain's death happening between recording and musical release really makes it so every song feels special, as if they are the essentials in Nirvana's canon, even if some of their biggest hits here. This album, being unlike a good chunk of their discography, feels like it is truly them musically, and just getting the chance to listen to a truly great musician on the verge of meltdown is almost awe-inspiring, not touched by another live performance save for Alice In Chains' just a few years later. This album may have a song or two that I'd prefer the studio cut of, but this album just feels right, and it is a shame seeing a band flowing with still so much creativity getting snuffed out, but at least they parted with such an amazing gift. All I'm saying is that there is a reason many think The Man Who Sold the World is a Nirvana track, even if it isn't a good reason, the album is full of moments like that that trample over everything, and you could almost twist it in to something worse. All of these songs are now more famous because of Nirvana, and I somehow guess Kurt Cobain wouldn't have wanted it that way, and that gives the album that hint of extra tragedy. It is just such a fantastic record, I can't help but give it nearly full marks. Just cut a couple of the renditions and we're golden. Then again, I'm sure that misses the point of this track listing, too...
I’m biased since I grew up listening to Nirvana and have a lot of nostalgia tied to the band, their songs, and specifically, this unplugged show. I watched it a ton! Having said that, hearing all the hits together, live, just reminds me how great they were! Excellent album.
Album 483 of 1001 Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York Rating : 5 / 5 Just an awesome album. Such a wonderful and near perfect performance. A mixture of originals and some great covers. Easily the best "Unplugged" album, in my opinion and gets a place in the Top 25 of best ever...again...in my opinion.
I remember the MTV Unplugged series and this was probably the best broadcast. It was a real songwriting test. Would the songs and band still sound good stripped down to the bare bones of the songs and performances? In this case, it's a definite yes! It's interesting to see.Cobain so humble and vulnerable. The songs and performances still hold up.
Ah Nirvana, the champagne of grunge. I'll give it to Cobain that he could pick some good covers. I generally like acoustic versions of pop songs & this was OK, though didn't do much to showcase their musicianship. At certain points his vocal straining actually made my throat hurt.
This might be the most personal album I've ever listened to. Live albums usually make me feel "wow they sound pretty good live thats cool", but Nirvana puts such a cool spin on the live performance that I wasn't expecting. The unplugged medium really adds a ton to the emotion of their music too. Favorites were The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, All Apologies, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Perhaps the best live album ever. The imperfection is what makes this so great.
Used to watch this all the time in college, it was very influential on my memory. Will always give this 5 stars.
Partly heard before Saved 14/14 Top track: Where Did You Sleep Last Night
I do believe I like this album more than their studio work.
This one encapsulates the band's crossroads with culture. The edges are smoothed, Kurt has given in somewhat to the fame, and it is very much a performance of the moment for MTV. It's the statling coda no one saw coming and offers some of the cold comfort to cling to in the Aftermath. Saved songs: Dumb Come As You Are Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam Lake of Fire All Appologies Where Did You Sleep Last Night
I get it, but I don't necessarily like it. Still groundbreaking and raw and deserving of this list. 6.5/10 (3.25/5)
Electric
meeh
Ik ben dus totaal geen Nirvana fan Heb er niets mee, Grunge is totaal niet mijn genre. Dus hoe zal een live album me dan bevallen? Ik moet zeggen dat de stripped down versies van nummers me eigenlijk beter bevallen dan de heftigere en snellere grunge die ze normaal maken. Dit is perfect voor het huidige warme weer en ik vibe dit best wel goed. De muziek is goed, de stem van Kurt is perfect voor de muziek en minstens zo belangrijk: De recording is écht geweldig! Bij andere live albums kan de muziek drama zijn, maar hier geniet ik er eigenlijk van en is het enige moment dat je je realiseert dat het live is als mensen klappen na een nummer. FAVO: About a girl, Come as you are, The man who sold the world, Plateau, Oh me, Lake of Fire, Where did you sleep last night
Absolutely brilliant, emotional, Kurt’s voice just pours out with sadness and grit. Love it
I remember seeing this on TV in 1994 and thinking it was great. 30 years later... It doesn't sound all that good.
anal bum a day 2 Never really been a Nirvana fan, I've always seen them as the worst of the big 4 grunge bands (the others being Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains). This is for sure one of the better MTV Unplugged performances, but it PAILS in comparison to the Alice In Chains one. The uncanny feel of this performance really makes it special, it's just not my favorite. Still holds up well, I can imagine revisiting from time to time. 7.5/10
Never listened to Nirvana before. It was pretty good.
it's peak. i'm too lazy to write a review for this album but it's pretty peak
the overall sound of the records was very nice and pleasant while the lead singer proividing a pleasants singing voice alongside with amazing instrumentals
Classic
it’s not a surprise that i had the classic angsty-nirvana-loving-14-year-old phase so a lot of these songs hold plenty of nostalgia for me. some of the ones that don’t unfortunately sounded quite similar to each other in my opinion which is unfortunate for a live album that consists of previous hits and covers. but still a brilliant album overall with far more hits than misses.
What to me is one of the greatest unplugged albums ever if not the top 1, I kind of feel its cheating cause it a live amd they select somgs from all albums. Fortunately they chose an amazing set list that suits the unplugged performance. The fact that the recording is clear and not sloppy as they were makes you appreciate the subtleness in his voice and how good it could be when used as the main vehicle in their music. Being able to see how kirst and dave interacted as a band on stage when they were doing something they knew was more important than just playing for teens and altered mind stated people fucked up out of their minds is awesome and there was chemestry even when you can tell Kurt was the leader of the group. Really good album and a cover that is better than the original in Man who sold the world. Playlist was chosen very carefully to make the best out of each song and the acoustic arrangements for some were even better than their recording session version. Overall this is a masterpiece as an album.
This album is soooo good that I don't even really consider it a live album (if that makes any sense). If Stop Making Sense didn't exist this would be my uncontested favorite live album and it wouldn't even be close. Such a depressing and intimate performance, and a great setlist. But it is the covers that really sell me on this album. They take every cover and make it 10x better than the original. I recommend watching the performance on youtube if you don't have a copy of it, you can find a playlist of every song on their channel Easy 5
This album was fine, I guess. It's a decent show from a decent band I'm never going to get the cult-like hype over (I'm always going to be that person who doesn't quite get Nirvana). Kurt's voice is rough on a lot of these songs, especially at the beginning. He's whiny and hoarse and pitchy. It's like a bad country singer trying to do rock karaoke (or vice versa?). The duet he does with the Meat Puppets is actually painful to listen to — those "harmonies" are yikes. When the producer asks them to try redoing the song with Dave Grohl playing guitar so the Meat Puppets dude can "focus" on "singing" I laughed. It was only slightly better the second time. I also laughed when Kurt said they didn't want to play "Dumb" and "Polly" back to back because then people would realize they're the same song. The covers on this album are better than most of the originals. The Bowie cover is probably the best part of the performance. I originally listened to the album just on audio and had a hard time understanding any of what Kurt was saying in between the songs. Then I went back and watched the transitions between the songs on video (it's actually pretty cool that Tidal has the show embedded in the album), and it improved my experience a little once I could hear what they were saying and see Kurt — he comes off as more playful than surly when you actually watch it. I don't think I've ever seen the whole Unplugged show — again, not a huge Nirvana fan — but I've of course been aware of it forever and know the hype around it. But I'm sorry, it's just not the best MTV Unplugged performance. Shakira's probably is. The Cure's is a close second (tiny toy pianos and the audience helping out on The Walk with kazoos — go watch it if you haven't seen it!). 3/5 — would probably give it a 3.5 because Kurt's kind of funny and I do appreciate how they demystify/take the piss out of the smoke and mirrors that go into filming a concert for TV. But as a pure musical performance, it's not that great.
No doubts with this one. A great collection of covers and originals. Each one stripped back and brilliantly conveying the musical identity of Nirvana.
Never unplug.
Every band should have to prove their chops with an unplugged album. Really shows off the songwriting, the craft, that went into each of these songs. Beautiful stuff.
Pleasantly depressing.
Love this album. One of the greats
👍
Always had a complicated relationship with this album. Watched the performance on 9/MTV and initially felt a bit meh. Ignored it as just more Nirvana hype for a long time. But gradually began to appreciate it as you could look back at the journey I think everyone was taking over those 3-4 years. It's a significant document of wanting to be allowed to change but being pretty sure the world isn't going to let you. So maybe your life as such is completed?
4/5 A pretty chill listen with awesome live acoustic playing of great songs. Really good vibes overall. I prefer the covers, and the parts with more instrumentation than just Kurt and his guitar. Kurt's vocals are great until the very end when they transcend exceptional, with such a powerful and emotional finish. About A Girl 3.5/5 Come As You Are 3.5/5 Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam 4.5/5 The Man Who Sold The World 5/5 Pennyroyal Tea 3/5 (LEAST FAV) Dumb 4.5/5 Polly 4.5/5 On A Plain 3/5 Something In The Way 3/5 Plateau 4/5 Oh Me 5/5 Lake Of Fire 4/5 All Apologies 3.5/5 Where Did You Sleep Last Night 5/5 (FAV)
Good album. Lots of great songs.
A “classic” that I had never gotten around to listening to. A great intimate feeling acoustic set. I was surprised this was more lesser known tracks and covers, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Almost all better than originals
So Good.
For all practical purposes, this is the only MTV Unplugged concert.
Pretty much perfect. Kurt didn't screw it up did he?
Not usually a fan of live albums, but this format really showcased their artistry and musicianship. Really enjoyed it.
:)
Iconic gig