Reviews (page 11 of 16)
Jesus Don't Want Me for a Sunbeam The Man Who Sold the World Where Did You Sleep Last Night
You have to be a really big fan of Nirvana to really enjoy this. I like Nirvana, it's a bit much.
One of the greats.
One of my top 5 albums of all time. Acoustic songs that are simple and raw, You can feel the piano in his voice.
The best album so far, I don't know if anything will beat it Just song after song of unbelievable music Meant to be that it fell on a Friday, I listened to it 3 times over the weekend
Great tunes
Great album
For some reason this didn't sound all that different to me then their normal music except it wasn't as much drums. But after researching some turns out Kurt wasn't full acoustic and refused to play without his amp and effect boxes. The other thing I learned is they didn't want to play their hits...however most of the songs became hits after. So in retrospect this album isn't as shocking and groundbreaking as it probably was at the time. With that said its a good album. Grunge bands are interesting for live albums because they aren't usually super interactive with the crowd and don't use a ton of effects so it ends up being a lot like a regular album in terms of sound. Favorite songs with Lake of Fire (go Meat Puppets) and Where did you Sleep last nigh (learned that Kurt refused to do an encore because he did not think he could top this song).
Iconic. What a great show and fun throwback to MTV in its prime.
I may be biased on this one. I remember being a kid buying this cassette tape with my allowance and listening to it over and over. It's the reason I asked for an acoustic guitar soon there after. This album is packed with gem after gem. There are many notable covers that make good use of Kurt's howlin' and raspsy vocals. Tracks like The Man Who Sold the World, Lake of Fire, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night. There is also enough original Nirvana tracks to satisfy any day one fanatic such as Come As You Are, Dumb, Polly, Something In the Way, and All Apologies. This is a solid album.
Not a bad live record, but not a great album worthy of the list. I was the target demographic and a fan at the time so this brought back some memories. My favourite thing about this album is that it introduced me to "The Man Who Sold The World", which I think is better than Bowie's original.
Not a bad album in live format, 5/5
I know it's Nirvana...but it's a bit of a snooze fest...
About a Girl 4 Come as You Are 4.2 Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam (The Vaselines cover) 4 The Man Who Sold the World (David Bowie cover) 4.3 Pennyroyal Tea 4 Dumb 4.1 Polly 3.9 On a Plain 4.2 Something in the Way 3.8 Plateau (Meat Puppets cover) 4.1 Oh Me (Meat Puppets cover) 4 Lake of Fire (Meat Puppets cover) 4.3 All Apologies 4.2 Where Did You Sleep Last Night 4.5 Score: 4.114285714
Well I’ve heard this a million times. What I didn’t know was that they released a handful of rehearsal songs from this in 2019 and it’s haunting to hear today.
1994, when Grunge was in full steam, Nirvana came and did .... this. An acoustic live album, courtesy of MTV unplugged, with some of the more obscure songs from their catalog, a couple of covers and only one of their big hits (Come As You Are). And it's marvellous. Most will know that Kurt Cobain could write fantastic songs, but here he proves to be an incredible vocalist as well. Prime example: the album closer Where Did You Sleep Last Night, where Cobain is giving the song his all - so much so, in fact, that he declined MTV's request to get back on for an encore, knowing that he would never be able to match the intensity of that performance. Another personal favourite is the cover of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World, but again, there really isn't any bad song here. This is truly a gem. 5/5
What a great trip down memory lane, still as good as when I first listened on MTV
Classic have on vinyl. Stand out tracks: -Where did you sleep last night -The man who sold the world -Polly -Something in the way -Plateau
I remember watching this on TV in the 90's when I was in high school. It was a big deal and everybody was talking about it back then. I still enjoy hearing it and remembering when I first heard it. This is one that I love enough to actually own.
don't like nirvana when they're not unplugged. and don't like them more when they are unplugged. unplug my ass
Best Nirvana album, which is something I guess...
Definitely a classic. I'm not the biggest on live albums but this one proved Nirvana was more than just noise. The songwriting/singing really translates to a more chill/acoustic sounding vibe. Plus playing with the meat puppets is awesome and ending on a where did you sleep last night cover is awesome.
..... One of the best CDs ever
Þvílíkt band sem Nirvana var. Ég skil vel af hverju þeir urðu svona stórir og þetta eru alveg frábærir tónleikar. Ég fílaði þetta þótt það hafi verið einstaka spjall og svona, mér fannst ég bara vera á tónleikunum. Fullt hús stiga fyrir þessa frammistöðu þótt ég muni seint teljast Nirvana aðdáandi.
Better than I thought it would be but Cobains voice got annoying after a while
Incredible live performance, really highlights Kurt’s voice. Loved it
I remember when this album came out, ironically this is the first time I've listened to the whole thing. Total banger. Kurt is the focal point, but all the musicians on this album are killing it. Nirvana was a great band, I wish they would've been around a lot longer.
Amazing album
I liked it
I had pretty high expectations considering this is one of the highest rated songs on the website. When I started listening to this I was thinking that some of these songs are definitely on Nevermind, and then I looked the album up and turns out its a live album that's part of an acoustic series, and was one of the So I had to listen to the original and then the cover for each song so this took twice as long. The album is good, but a lot of the songs are not that different from the originals. Some exceptions include the last one, Man Who Sold the World, All Apologies. So idk how to think of the project. But still good, a lot more Kurt Cobain in the songs.
Very good! Long ish and not my usual genre but I enjoyed the whole thing. One of the better live albums we’ve gotten, also recently i have heard/seen more Kurt Cobain references than usual which is a funny coincidence 9/10
Why do I always think nirvana is a metal band? 7.5/10
5/10 - I’m not the biggest fan of nirvana and this album as a whole was just kind of the same nirvana that I have heard before. Although I thought I’m on a plain was so funny for some reason.
Enjoyed it a lot. Liked some of the studio recordings better but was fun to hear the live versions and their takes on some other songs
It's pretty crazy how good these guys sound even when they're going for a significantly more mellow sound than what they're known for. Not usually a fan of the live albums on here, but this is really good
I liked this kind of concert, when they make a studio record it sounds so so bland
Watched every unplugged multiple times loved them
I really enjoyed this. Kurt had a great voice for the style and put a lot into his music. 4.5/5
Not a huge fan of live albums, but this is great. Like, really great.
It is a crucial, seminal Gen X album. I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this is the album where Kurt really touched the most people. Nevermind was huge, but this gave an entry point by softening up the grunge. I think even our parents found themselves humming along. It's indispensable and set the stage for other epic acoustic albums like Alice in Chains etc.. An obvious 5.
One of the greatest “what could have been” albums of all time. One of the best albums of all time. Maybe the greatest live album of all time. Nirvana recorded “Unplugged in New York” before Kurt Cobain died, but the album wasn’t released until seven months after his death. As great as “Nevermind” and “In Utero” were, it was “Unplugged” that first gave an indication of what the band could have become if they had the chance. The choice of cover songs revealed diverse influences and their unwavering commitment to their vision for the show regardless of what MTV wanted showed that they were firmly in charge of the direction of their career, not record labels or suits. It was a much more folk-influenced musical direction. Would their next album have followed suit, or was this a one-off? Unfortunately, we’ll never know.
The album that launched an entire genre of Unplugged music…for better or for worse. I remember watching it when it aired on MTV, my whole cohort thinking “wow, Nirvana where you can actually understand what they’re saying!” Too bad it hasn’t aged well. The songs mostly sound the same here - natural, I suppose, given the live studio setting. But that also robs most of the songs of the raw power and angst that defined Nirvana. The song that retains it the most is the closer, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?, which is a damn fine cover. This was Nirvana for the masses, and I give it a round of the same polite applause that the studio audience does.
My favorite Nirvana album and maybe the best Unplugged performance of the series.
Nirvana stayed true to their vision and I gotta respect that. Producers wanted more well known songs and guest artists plus an encore, and Nirvana told them to stuff it. They played hidden gems like About A Girl, The Man Who Sold The World, and Oh, Me that I otherwise wouldn’t know nearly as well if at all. I like that they paid tribute to their lesser known musical influences. Even though it’s an “acoustic” set, mostly…Cobain used an amp and effects pedals, there is still an edge to the set especially in Cobain’s vocals. Big props. Mad love.
A classic; I watched this special when it aired and it was absolutely formative to my musical tastes.
My glorious youth!!!
The only band that understood the assignment when it came to Unplugged. As essential as any of their studio albums.
Tycker ändå Nirvana är lite överskattade. Alice in chains är mycket bättre
one of the best unplugged episodes...the youtube unedited one is even better with all the chatter in between songs
Unplugged was huge in the 90's - started by Paul McCartney and ended here - I mean, who was going to be able to top this? Nirvana's raw power is still felt even during this funereal like renditions of their own tunes and their personal favourites. I still get chills from that last sigh that Cobain gives before the last line of the last song that he ever sang on record. He sounds like he's finally made some decision and the weight of being who he was is something that will soon be in the past. Best Tracks: About a Girl; The Man Who Sold The World; Where Did You Sleep Last night?
Some of the clearest vocals I’ve heard from Nirvana, really enjoyed the slightly softer tone to this album.
Not a big nirvana fan but this version of them I do like.
This is not my first time listening to this album. This will not be my last time, either. Nirvana is one of my favorite bands, therefore, this review will be in their favor. Let me just start off by saying that this album is amazing. Although all the songs are live recordings, that doesn't damage their value. If anything, it makes them better. You can hear the raw emotion in Kurt's voice. Every imperfection is dazzling. In this album, there is a variety of songs. Some are from Bleach, In Utero, and Nevermind, while others aren't even Nirvana original songs. These covers are what make the album, especially The Man Who Sold The World and Where Did You Sleep Last Night. They are very powerful to listen to. This album is truly an essential listen. 5/5
Forgot how much I like this cover of all apologies
Made me want to see what other unplugged albums are out there. 3.4.
I have somehow never listened to this album from start to finish, even though I own the concert on DVD which is still unopened. What a performance. What else can I say? Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
One of the best live albums ever? Quite possibly.
To me, this is the most perfect live record that has ever been released. While Nirvana is known principally for their roles as pioneers of the grunge movement with their loud, abrasive punk rock roots, this recording shows their sound goes beyond that. There are raw, emotional lyrics (mostly written by late great Kurt Cobain) and beautiful melodies that exist beyond their signature sound. Though Cobain doesn't have the most angelic voice in the game, his power and angst at lead vocal fits like a glove for the songs they write and perform. There is a good mix of stripped-down versions of songs from three of their studio albums, but the most notable tracks from this concert to me are the covers. In a stroke of genius, they didn't cover other over-played rock tracks like a cover band at a dive bar. Rather, Nirvana did a version of the Christian song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam", a traditional folk song "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", and for me the masterpiece of this record which was a David Bowie cover, "The Man Who Sold The World". A lesser band could've rested on their laurels and simply played only their monster hits like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (which didn't even make it on the setlist). But this dynamic recording skirted those expectations and it paid off. My favorite artists are always ones that can sound as comfortable in an acoustic setting as they are absolutely shredding, and this album is no exception. This session solidifies their short but iconic reign at the top of the rock landscape, and made them an all-time influential band. 10/10
Not really my vibe. I probably would have liked it more when I was younger tbh.
Love Cobain’s vocals Bowie cover steals the show Some misses throughout
I actually loved most of these songs!
i shit on nirvana a lot for their stuff being pretty mid but THIS is their magnum opus it's literally perfect
Was very excited for this album! It's a perfect live session to me. Nice following after the Bob Dylan because while I'm not extremely fond of folk, I really love the folk and blues influence on grunge. Great covers, just a fine listen.
Dnf
I wish I could appreciate the cultural moment Nirvana created but I wasn’t there. Not my favorite
I’ve always been a bigger fan of Courtney than Kurt, unquestionably. But, talk about moments in music history that changed everything! Honestly, this Unplugged is all of the Nirvana you need.
Some top tier tracks. But it doesn't live up to the hype as one of the greatest ever for me.
Pretty great, bit dreary
Ad naseum at the time
I do not own this album but I’ve heard it many times over. I was influenced greatly by the new grunge sounds of the early 90s. This album was a little shocking, due to the song choice and what their normal sound was. It preceded Kurt Cobian’s death by a short time. I’d rather remember Nirvana for the plugged in sound.
Such a great way to actually hear the lyrics when they go talking about songs and simpler relaxed playing.
LP
Great, Nirvana stamping their mark on history with wonderful cover of Man Who Sold The World. Cementing Grunge as the new Rock.
Something about the unplugged performance really puts an emphasis on Kurt Cobain's voice in a great way.
Close to 5 very enjoyable overall
One of the best unplugged has made.
Great album. One of the best live albums of all time
This is a great example of why listening to an entire album is much better than just the singles. I’ve never been much of a Nirvana fan, mainly because of how some songs were overplayed on radio and MTV. But there’s no denying this is a powerful performance, and the lesser known tracks are some of the best.
Good for both MTV and grunge.
An iconic moment in music history. I cannot disconnect the audio from the visual when listening to this and still see Kurt onstage in his cardigan, remembering the intimacy of the setting. Something about his essence was just so absorbing. Thinking about it now, it's kind of strange to have this as what has become for me a lasting image of him. Still love the more energetic performances, but this performance, what a gift to have this recording.
This is what comes to mind when I think about MTV unplugged. It was a huge deal when it came out and it aged well. I love it!
Honestly, I’m not a big Nirvana fan. I liked Nevermind and In Utero and I also thought they, and Nirvana as a band, were terribly overrated. This album, however, might be perfect and the heartbreak and melancholy that is infused throughout the album leads one to wonder if Kurt knew he wasn’t much longer for this world.
Iconic, but worse than I thought
Every now and again one of these songs hits it out of the park but I'm kinda lukewarm on the project as a whole
Nirvana is best when plugged in
Wasn't a huge fan of the MTV Unplugged genre, but I was a fan of Nirvana. Excellent covers on this one.
Really enjoyed
Nirvana… énorme classique
This is basically a Nirvana concert and every song feels like a genuine authentic experience shared with the band. While some songs feel a little samey, it's a good listening experience. Best Songs: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Plateau, All Apologies, Where Did You Sleep Last Night Worst Songs: Pennyroyal Tea, On A Plain
Live albums don't belong on this list - OK I was wrong, THIS live album belongs on the list.
about a girl come as you are the man who sold the world dumb polly something in the way plateau lake of fire all apologies
Je préfère vraiment les chansons de Nirvana en version « branchée »; je trouve les versions acoustiques plus sages et plaintives. Mais ça reste une énergie irradiante, et j’aime les extraits où on les entend interagir
tremendous record
Not a big fan of live albums. Some classic songs though
all of the unplugged performances are legendary, and this one is no exception. seriously this performance is historical. kurt's iconic tracks get a relaxing, and... well, acoustic take live on MTV's unplugged. the significance paired with every single song being so naturally great in terms of how it's played... it's the kind of live performance where you couldn't believe it was live.
I remember when this album was released and for me it still stands up today. I love the covers and the original songs, one of my favorite MTV Unplugged albums. Unlike some other live recordings it seems to capture their live performance very well, although I never got to see them live so I’m purely speculating. Overall I think this is a great album start to finish.
Probably the least essential item in the nirvana catalog. Still fun to hear - no issue if these songs came up on shuffle. Good selection of covers, and props for introducing the Meat Puppets to a larger audience. But still isn’t the Nirvana album I’d run to first.
This album was never all that appealing to me, couldn't really understand why everybody fawned over it so much -- part of the appeal to Nirvana, to me, was the noise, the feedback, distortion, Dave Grohl abusing his drum kit. It says something that my favorite song on this is actually a Meat Puppets song. That being said, it is also a fine listen, but nothing spectacular.
5 stele dau doar la Alice In Chains unplugged
Absolutely amazing. Not much to be said that hasn’t been already, stripped back, raw and emotional. Different in that’s it’s not an acoustic “best of” set, it’s littered with amazing covers, including a couple from lesser known bands such as Meat Puppets. Can almost feel the tense nervousness in Cobain to start with but is a flawless performance which almost feels like a signing off. Highlights are Pennyroyal Tea, Man Who Sold the World, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night, really though, every song is amazing. 5/5.
Live album = 1 star, sorry Diogo...
I dont respect the rules
I am glad I saw them live. Nirvana retains high status in the art of my formative years, and this album remains a living elegy for an artist in pain.
It is a masterpiece!
Big Nirvana fan obviously is a lot are.However, I gotta say revisiting this record.I feel that it was missing a lot. The highlights on this record by far are the covers.And I have to say that the nirvana originals feel kind of blan. They chose all of the songs that would really work acoustically penny royalty Polly. Something in the way.Now the addition of the string sections was great on dumb and on something in the way.But again I just feel like these were poor versions of nirvana songs. Also I know this 1 came first, but all of the other unplugs are better.Allison changes better Stone Temple Pilots is better.The pearl jam one is better
Greatest live album of all time.
good live performance but give me an actual nirvana album
This is one I've listened to many, many times. An almost perfect album, and a fitting swan song for Kurt Cobain. Normally I give out about live albums on this list, but I think this is an exception, since they had so few studio albums. There's also some truly iconic covers on here, particularly the Meat Puppets ones. The cello adds a lot here too, and many of the songs on here are better than their studio versions.
I think this album perfectly encapsulates the appeal of Unplugged. Sometimes, the stripped down versions of songs are actually better, especially in this case.
I enjoyed this album as a stripped down version of Nirvana. My favorite is the cover of “the man who sold the world”
Fav track: "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"
Absolutely iconic
Hands down the best of the Unplugged series. Nirvana delivers a mixed set of originals and obscure covers that is truly a heartfelt experience. The emotion in Where Do You Sleep at Night is palpable.
Je suis ni un grand fan de Nirvana, ni d'album live, et d'encore moins de musique acoustique, mais je dois admettre que c'est d'la bonne sauce mis tout ensemble
great
One of those albums where you honestly feel like you’re in the crowd
I’m a fan of most of the songs on here, but not a fan of the live feel.
Never really listened to any Nirvana outside of Teen Spirit, this was a pretty awesome introduction to the band. My favourite song was by far the David Bowie cover... but outside of that I just found this to be a very enjoyable album thought I wouldn't say there where many standouts for me there also wasn't any short comings if that makes sense.
This is arguably the most iconic MTV Unplugged ever. I have it on vinyl. It’s a classic. However, upon returning to it, something didn’t quite click with me as it did on past listens. Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to Nirvana’s studio albums, so their stripped-back sound feels lacklustre. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right headspace for a Nirvana album. Cobain’s vocals are incredible and the performances were solid across the board, but I can’t really argue that this project is all that it’s chalked up to be. Light 4 stars.
It feels wild to give a live album five stars but there’s just…something about this one. They sound perfect. Kurt’s voice is flawless, Dave and Krist and the guest musicians just float. Not a single note is wrong or placed incorrectly. Kurt keeps saying he’s going to lose his voice or he’s going to have to change keys between songs, and then he just nails it exactly like he’s supposed to. It’s hearing greatness. An amazing band at their absolute peak, in full control of their abilities. It honestly takes my breath away at points, And they don’t even play “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Nirvana is definitely not my vibe
Nirvana is iconic, no doubt. Numerous classics that are worthy of a listen and appreciation. Having said that, Nirvana is not a band I've ever gotten into nor sought out; most songs sound the same to me and there are countless other bands/singers/sounds that I prefer.
I don't usually like grunge, it often sounds like construction noise to me. But this unplugged concert is fabulous! The songs, arrangements and vocals just shine. The songs groove heavily. It really is Nirvana! Love the simple guitar leads. I'm so tired of guitar pyrotechnics. They are far more effective when simple. I have new found respect for this band.
Being a 90s band, I didn’t really listen to Nirvana, but I do like some of their music.
Even better than a remember. Fantastic.
This is a pretty cool performance. Never got into Nirvana much, but probably should.
Not as groundbreaking as MTV wants you to believe. This and carson Daily are why MTV sucks.
This has convinced me you have to love a band to like a live album of theirs. I taped the live radio broadcast of this and figured it would never get an official release. I didn't have MTV but still bathed in this post Kurt death, and again when the LP was released---with two more songs, woo! I love it but it also makes me sad to listen so I can't very often.
Famously i am not a nirvana but this is just a good album
Mooie!
Great to hear the entire album rather than just the same popular songs on a playlist over and over again.
Such a classic album.
Classic live album.
Something about Cobains voice really grates on this album
As a stripped down and live album, highlights the real time musical skills of the performers and re-injects the idea of music as performance into a new generation. The band also highlights music by other groups which they perform.
Amazing album. How an unplugged set should be done.
Nirvana is overrated and I don't like acoustics songs or live versions. studio version is at least better for every song, but this didn't work for me. guitarist is great at least
It’s always incredible to hear a once in a generation type of talent doing what he loved to do in front of an appreciative audience. Cracking jokes, enjoying himself and putting on a great performance. RIP Kurt Cobain 🙏🏾🕊️
Classic gruge
Live vocals from Cobain were raw and felt more personal than Nevermind. 3/5
Obvious masterpiece
Nope. Gave it a chance but just don't get them, don't get grunge, and would frankly rather pull a Cobain than listen to that again.
meh
Certainly one of the best live albums in history. A must listen for anyone that enjoys the best of the best.
Top Three Songs: 1) Where Did You Sleep Last Night? 2) Lake of Fire 3) Something in the Way Bottom Three Songs: 1) Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam 2) On a Plane 3) Pennyroyal Tea
Amazing
Heel nice
could have gone. passed because seeing Nirvana "Acoustic" did not have the appeal at the time. People forget how new a concept Unplugged was at that point in history. I happily stand corrected
Influential, important, historic. I still don't like Nirvana at all and I find Cobain's voice annoying. Borderline 1 or 2 stars for me.
Okej, de e en av de bästa live-albumen nånsin
an all-timer
Was expecting more from this, based on the couple songs I had heard in the past. Part of the appeal of Nirvana is the fact that they combine really catchy almost pop-ish melodies with a explosive explosive instrumentation that has a genuine edge. Kurt Cobain can sing the living hell out of a song, and his voice has a yearning, an anger and delicateness which put's all of Nirvana's elements together. The issue I have with the unplugged, is that a lot of songs don't hold up as well in the acoustic format. Songs like "Come as you Are" "I'm on a plain" lose of all their thrill factor and don't hold up well enough as compositions to excel in that context. Others though, like "All Apologies and Something in the way" lend themselves better to an acoustic format. The stand out of the show is Leadbelly's "Where do you sleep at night" where Kurt Cobain delivers an incredibly heart-felt vocal. The album attained a legendary status, in part because seeing the top grunge icons of the day (especially one so punky) playing acoustic with a really beautiful setting was no doubt really interesting at the time, and Kurt Cobain's pre-mature death gives seeing such an intimate performance an added dimension. If you take out Nirvana's status as grunge legends and all the mystique that exists around them, what you have is a band that doesn't sound it's best in an acoustic format. An exceptional singer delivering songs that don't hold up as well in an acoustic format
Legendary album. Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam is a... weird one. Lol @ Free Bird and the Sweet Home Alabama bit.
I distinctly remember going to work one morning and a friend asked if I had seen Nirvana on MTV Unplugged, and I had not. He was like, “I was really surprised that the drummer sang backup.” Lol. I own this album and Where Did You Sleep Last Night is easily one of my all-time favorite songs, but I don’t really like all their song choices here. Still great to hear them in stripped-down mode and be able to really focus on their raw talent.
Classic live album, toch wel 5/5
Altijd al heerlijk album gevonden, genieten geblazen
Ja klassieker Beste Unplugged album ooit? 5 sterren zonder twijfel
Hadn't copped this before, mainly due to my dislike of live recorded albums, but this is a great listen. Adds interesting and different elements to their own tracks and the covers. 4/5 fav track: Where did you sleep last night
Was big for me back in the day. Still think it's a pretty great Showcase for KC and reveals some of their compositions to have a bit more going on melodically. Fave track: Dumb
It’s amazing. Some of these versions are more memorable than the polished album. I listened to this in high school and so many verses are seared into my mind. I never listened back to front though, and I don’t love some of the random tracks. That being said it doesn’t take away from the experience so… 5/5
Seems kinda timeless. Very familiar with this one and it’s almost as perfect as it can get… I cannot give it less than 5
I thought MAYBE live acoustic Nirvana might be better- NOPE. First off it’s not really unplugged, just mostly unplugged, which makes sense because you’ve gotta have real chips to play without amplification. Secondly, unplugged or not it doesn’t really matter since Nirvana songs all sound like a whiney soy boy trying to pass a watermelon.
The moment when it became clear that while Nirvana were punk with punk credentials there were solid song arrangements beneath all those distorted guitars and screams. The first live album by the band, and in my opinion, probably the best. It was an appearance that also showed how wide of the music listening habits of the band really were with covers of The Vaselines "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam", David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World", The Meat Puppets "Plateau", "Oh Me", "Lake of Fire"and a Lead Belly version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?". Solid performance through and through, never overstays its welcome, and plenty of surprises to keep the listener going, which frankly really was a complete surprise at the time that the show and album was released.
I like the Bowie cover and, I suspect, so did Kurt.
Already know I’m glazing this review. I’ve loved this performance since I was a kid. Feels so nonchalant but so beautiful. it’s like seeing another side of nirvana. They’re letting you in on the secret to their success.
Great early, weak middle, good ending.
A classic and a benchmark for the unplugged series.
Pretty good but I would almost always prefer to listen to the original versions of these songs; also why is the global rating so crazy high
An amazing set, and in my opinion the most interesting Nirvana album (Nevermind and In Utero are both great too). This mostly acoustic performance to me showcases the band’s talents, especially Cobain, as much or more as their studio albums. I prefer these renditions over many of their proper studio counterparts, especially the iconic All Apologies take. They arguably best David Fucking Bowie on The Man Who Sold The World, which should be a big enough endorsement for the record all by itself. It’s also very cool that Nirvana, one of the world’s biggest bands at the time, covered songs from Meat Puppets and Vaseline. The Lead Belly cover is also awesome and introduced Lead Belly to a new generation. Cobain’s singing is great and his words are able to stand out more clearly in the mix, making it easier to take in his sad, skeptical, brilliantly cryptic lyrics. His vocal performance on Lead Belly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night is pretty incredible. It’s not all Kurt though. Novoselic‘s bass sounds great throughout. Dave Grohl adds some nice backing vocals and his restraint on the percussion is noteworthy I think as it shows he understood the assignment. What’s most sad to me is that this showed the world that Nirvana had range that probably could have produced some more amazing music if not for Kurt’s death. I’m not the biggest grunge or even Nirvana fan (although I do love their albums), but this is an all time great live album.
Hadn't heard this full album before. Last song was a great version, the rest was enjoyable
Loved this. I was just a little too young to appreciate Nirvana in their heyday so trying to make up for it now.
I like how they did what they wanted to for this — almost no hits, three Meat Puppet covers, Leadbelly — but a lot of this sounds the same. Fine, but no great shakes.
Am I going to write this review … by myself? Another album I loved as a kid. I will always remember the track teammate who would listen to this on the bus before meets. To get himself hyped? To mellow himself out? I never asked and now I’ll never know. The Nirvana tracks on this are good and several of them improve in this setting (About a Girl, Dumb, Something in the Way), but the covers are the standouts, especially the final track. If you’ve never seen Cobain’s eyes widen before that final “night through,” you need to. I was between a 4 and a 5 coming in, but after I “liked” every song from SITW to the end, I think the nostalgia boost is getting it to a 5. After finishing the album, I watched this video of a trained singer analyzing his vocal performance on where did you sleep last night, and her shock is palpable at the moment with about two minutes left when he shifts his style: https://youtu.be/wSxWhsWnP6o?si=5QCfyzMYvRsOudUn It’s cool to know someone who knows her stuff is also wowed by this.
This has ALWAYS been one of my top 10 favorite albums!
The Lead Belly and Bowie covers are excellent, but there’s nothing in the other songs vocally or musically that is terribly interesting or impressively-performed. I understand why it’s been so reveled, given that it came out after Kurt’s death, but I don’t think it’s deserving of the hype and critical claim.
Probably my favorite live album ever. Perfection.
легендарно
Давайте так: здесь есть лучший кавер на боуи эвер + есть ебанутый вокал, который тяжело повторить будучи не похуистичным куртом Как сказал великий скилз: попасть в ноту намного легче чем попасть в похуй Алкоальбом: "Бойлермейкер" или "Ирландская автомобильная бомба" (виски с пивом)
Так смешно слушать уже в миллионный раз кавер на Боуи, замечать, что в конце песни Кобейн упоминает, что это песня Боуи, но миллионы людей по всему миру всё ещё будут считать эту песню песней Нирваны... Короче достойный лайв, очень. Похоронный, если вы понимаете, о чём я. С другой стороны... может, я просто слишком много раз уже слушал его? И поэтому так сильно не торкает?
Very good live album with some guests as well. I always seem to be taken by surprise by how many Nirvana songs I really like. They definitely left their mark on my youth, and I still enjoy listening.
If you want a quick intro to the talent that Nirvana can provide, this is a great avenue for that. I personally feel there are better unplugged albums that should be listened to rather than this and this is pretty great. 3.5 rounding up.
pure emotion, and the ones that are too often times hidden. a pure moment, real people, life's worth of feelings in songs and in a performance. wonderful stuff
So as a rock guy, I am fairly familiar with the “Nirvana Unplugged” album, though have never run it all-the-way through… Was actually surprised to find that it was on the 1,001 list, as I didn’t think “live” albums were a part of it… Appears it made it because there were some covers on it, doesn’t really change that criteria for me and I would not have included it, but c’est la vie… #1 – I like the arrangements, and am glad that they used a little amplification as that was part of the secret sauce of the album – so a big plus there… #2 – After a while however, several of the songs started to sound the same the longer the album went on… Especially noticeable from “Something In The Way” (Track 9) through the Meat Puppets covers (Tracks 10, 11, 12)… #3 – As for the covers, didn’t really care for The Vaseline’s “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam” – but here are the rest – “Man Who Sold The World” – Bowie – 5-stars out of 7… “Plateau” – Meat Puppets – 4-stars out of 7… “Oh Me” – Meat Puppets – 1-star out of 7… “Lake Of Fire” – Meat Puppets – 5-stars out of 7… “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” – Lead Belly – 5-stars out of 7… #4 – Kurt’s frailty really comes through, and if I had been a band member back then, I would have been VERY concerned about his mental state and overall health, as you can tell that he’s pretty distant at best… Kind of sad that what really made this album popular, was the fact that it was released later in 1994 after Kurt’s death that spring… #5 – The best Nivana songs IMO were – “Come As You Are” – 6-stars out of 7… “Dumb” – 4-stars out of 7… “On A Plain” – 4-stars out of 7… “All Apologies” – 5-stars out of 7… The rest were just filler as far as I’m concerned… Glad I listened to the album in it’s entirety, and that I did it during the month of the 30th Anniversary of Kurt’s death… Given the historic nature of what it captured, plus the fact that there were a number of arrangements that I really enjoyed, “Nirvana Unplugged” clocks in at a solid 4 for me…
I like Nirvana - but this record sounds not inspiring for me. Sorry
Distinct, raw vocals.
5 outta 5
BEST EVER
Pretty haunting in retrospect, given Cobain's mental state in early 1994. And yet, this is a surprisingly intimate set of songs that still remains faithful to the Nirvana spirit. It's every bit as good as the only other Nirvana album I've listened to (Nevermind), but with some interesting differences in energy. It's lower-energy, more relaxed, and has a great un-produced acoustic feel similar to the Naked version of Let It Be (which is vastly superior to the original). The banter between tracks – something I normally criticise – works much better in a live album than the more typical scripted skits of hip-hop bands. The cover of Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World is iconic and, maybe surprisingly, outshines the original by a lot. The riff, infectious as it is, is all but lost in the track on Bowie's 1970 album – but it takes centre stage here. Love it. The other tracks I'm familiar with are ones that also appeared on Nevermind: On A Plain, Something In The Way, Come As You Are, and Polly. They're good choices for this album because of their more introspective, low-texture feel. Even On A Plain, whose original recording was a fiery ball of pop-energy, is toned down a lot on MTV Unplugged. About A Girl was a solid choice of opener. Hoping Nirvana's debut album, Bleach, appears on this list. 5/5 Key tracks: all of them, honestly
I lik
The first half was very boring and uninspiring, the second half redeemed it slightly and made it worthy of a 3.
Very solid, but overhyped
No notes. A perfect album. One I've listened to no less than 100 times
Absolutely brilliant.
Hätte ja nicht gedacht, dass mir Nirvana gefallen könnte, aber das ist richtig gut!
Great album. Not a huge nirvana fan but this was a good listen.
I didn't actually get all that far through this album so sorry if my opinions are wildly off for the second half of the album but the first couple of songs all sounded exactly the same and made me wish I was listening to a better nirvana song
This is so much better than I remembered. Flawlessly performed. Recommend watching on YouTube, there’s a lot of extra details you miss merely listening to the audio.
I liked it! Good. That last time is beautiful withh his vocals! Wow
fed 4/5
Masterpiece!
i kinda wish id liked it more but...
Solid live set. Loved the interplay amongst the band mates. Even though was the exact right age to be obsessed with Nirvana I never was. I’ve begun to warm to them over the years. I could see myself returning to this. 4/5
This album is really cool if you’re into their raw, grunge vibe. It's all stripped back, letting you really feel the music. I usually prefer studio stuff, so it loses a point for being live, but I completely understand why it has to be this way.
I love hearing these Nirvana songs, some of which are favorites of mine, in a smaller setting. Kurt's voice and the band's talent really shines through amid the intimacy. But what boosts this record to crazy heights are the covers. Nirvana's version of The Man Who Sold the World is probably my favorite cover of any song by any artist. The emotion and weariness that it carries never gets old. And then you have the string of Meat Puppets songs which sound right at home with the rest of the tracklist, plus that rendition of Where Did You Sleep Last Night? So heavy, so good. This album is an all-timer.
Everyone’s favourite live album.
Nirvana really understood the assignment here. It’s a ridiculously strong performance and nothing gets buried in the mix like with so many other live albums. The song choices, whether it’s rearrangements of their original songs or well-selected covers (The Man Who Sold the World and the haunting Where Did You Sleep Last Night are obvious highlights, but the Vaselines and Meat Puppets covers also pay homage to their influences in the 80s alt-rock and punk scene), are perfect to showcase the more intimate side of one of the biggest rock bands on the planet. Is it the best live album ever? No. But is it the best live album not performed by Johnny Cash in a prison? Yeah, maybe
Iconic
I have probably listened to this album 100 times. I think this is the best nirvana album. All of the covers in this album are better than the original songs by far.
I’m too young for MTV Unplugged, and by the time I was a preteen, Nirvana was already being played on classic rock radio. That said, Nirvana’s studio albums still have an impact when you listen to them; even if I missed it in ‘93 because I was a little newborn, I ✨get✨ Nirvana and why they matter, and when I first listened to their studio albums, I knew immediately why Cobain specifically mattered. This unplugged set, though…I feel like I’m missing something?? It’s good, because Nirvana was a great band and Cobain was charismatic as hell. The covers are cool. These acoustic versions are cool. But there doesn’t seem to be any value to this beyond it being a cool tidbit of extra material for diehard Nirvana fans. And sure, I like Nirvana, but I like Nirvana because I like music, not because I’m a Nirvana fan. It’s cool, but it doesn’t strike me as essential listening. Is it because it broke the mold of Unplugged sets up to that point? Because if that’s it, well, that doesn’t mean much of anything now that Unplugged isn’t a thing. Is it because it was a posthumous release of an important set? Again, that feels like fan material, not essential listening. Is it because it changed people’s perspective about Nirvana and allowed them to project an assumed trajectory of the band based on a performance that had predefined parameters, because once again, cool, but not essential. The only other justification I can think of is that it was just a great live set, but then…just watch the live set, don’t list the recording minus the visuals as essential. This whole dilemma is frustrating, because there isn’t anything “wrong” with this album on a technical level. It’s a good set. I wouldn’t seek any of these versions out, but I enjoyed having this on. As fan service, it goes above and beyond. But that’s all it feels like to my ears. It’s fan service. It’s cool, but not essential.
Was macht dieses Album so besonders? ...
This album is a masterpiece. The vibe is very intimate. The small conversations Kurt makes with his audience just make it a wonderful experience to listen to. Feels like your almost part of the crowd. Today marks the 30th year of Kurt's dead and I'm glad to listen to this album today.
Just great! Always has been. The covers alone make this a top album of all time.
Honestly not as good as I expected
Nú móðga ég einhver. Þetta er svo arfaslakt. Upptakan léleg, enginn virðist vera í góðu formi. Týpískt fyrir genre-ið "tónleikaplötur sem heppnast ekki vel", sem ca 95% tónleikaplatna falla undir skv. mér.
Easy 5/5. One of the best live performances of all time captured on audio and video. Legendary performance by the band as well as some of the best covers of all time.
I had this CD when I was in High School. Was a big Nirvana nerd back then and while I find it hard to find a mood where I want to listen to Nirvana, I still love them. This album is fantastic, the covers are the standout pieces. Lake of Fire might be my favorite, tied with "Where Did You Sleep Last Night".
- David Bowie is my favorite artist of all time, but I do genuinely think their version of the man who sold the world is better.
Sorry Nirvana, but I think you need the grungy electric sound back to hide poor playing and off-tune signing. Giving "being held hostage by a white guy with a guitar at a party" vibes. Couldn't get through the album.
Chill Vibes LOVE Lake of Fire
What trash is this? Ughh!!
ok
I grew up listening to Nirvana....this album is one of the first CDs I owned in my life, which I still have. Today I "watched" the full video of this album instead, after all these years of just listening... still same emotion and goosebumps with "Where did you sleep last night". Solid 5+/5
punk attitude to have a lot of covers and not their smash hits... haunting vocals at times... all songs are very good, with an outstanding 'where did you sleep last night' as a closer...
Not really into Nirvana but this was better than some of their other stuff to me.
Nirvana was always very melodic but the distortion and volume somewhat obscured it. By toning it down, this performance allows the emotion to shine through. This broadcast originally aired 4 months before Cobains suicide, but this album was released after. This makes the pain and straining in his voice even sadder.
Excellent and sad. Love the covers.
It's a live album.
One of my all time favorites, I fortunately have this on vinyl. Extremely unique acoustic grunge. Kurt Cobain's voice really shines here.
It’s countless how may time I listened to this album.
Having never been much of a Nirvana listener or even admirer, this was a tougher sell still. I should not have come into the album expecting to unravel some softer, more intimate side of this much revered band. This is certainly highly rated, provided you already like these songs and Kurt Cobain's atrocious vocals that to a disinterested consumer sound close to that Puddle of Mudd cover of Nirvana. Dumb hot take, but that is how I feel.
Admittedly, I’m a Boy Scout at heart. If anything comes within a football field away from controversy, I start looking for a way around it. This is how I’ve handled Nirvana all of these years. Their regular work is filled with words that usually make my butt pucker up…. Because of this I’ve skirted them without getting to know the meaning behind the lyrics. That said, I’m not going to bother doing the deep dig on their song history. This was a “made-for-tv” album, so it was toned down (from what I expected). Wow, are they fantastic! Love the guitars and the overall sound seems to lightly brush the psychedelic era. Very unique and catchy. I like this album enough to explore more of their work, knowing that the bad words are out there and it’ll be much heavier. A solid 5.
3.5 Somehow had never listened to it. It was..okay. Incredible closer though, wow! Where Did You Sleep Last Night!
De dag hiervoor dus de Pixies met Doolitte gekregen, volgens Cobain de inspiratie van Nirvana. Dit album is niet mijn fav van Nirvana, vind het eigenlijk niet zo interessant en naar mijn mening staan er net niet de leuke nummers op. Al met al leuk om naar te luisteren.
Extremely based choice to cover The Man Who Sold the World.
Wow. Ever heard the expression “don’t believe the hype”? Well on this occasion and for this album, believe it! I’m in no way Nirvana’s biggest fan, in fact, like most people I only have Nevermind so I was going into this as most people will I expect! I’ve heard the hype, the hyperbole that this is one of the greatest albums ever and I come away from it in absolute agreement. It’s exceptional.
OK, I guess
One of the pivotal albums of my life
Loved the classic Come As You Are. I also really liked The Man Who Sold The World, Pennyroyal Tea, On A Plain, Plateau, Where Did You Sleep Last Night and All Apologies. Which doesn't leave many songs left that I haven't mentioned. The rest of the bum was enjoyable those were just the stand outs on a really solid album.
well obviously 100 stars as a dude born in 1982. this was our dark side of the moon
Let's be honest
I loved the Unplugged series from MTV. So pure, it really showed the talents of the musicians. And this one is great!
MTV unplugged has made some outstanding albums and this is one of them. Love the acoustic versions of their songs and their cover choices are great also. Favourite songs: - The man who sold the world - Plateau - Where did you sleep last night
this shit changed my life
Great live recording. Such a great concept to have musicians play somewhat acoustic back then. The songs here are really well done as well. 4/5 Will listen again
A grunge classic
eeiiiii, meikällä ei ole asetta eiiiii... kuuluisa musiikkimomentti tämä.. ei ensimmäisellä kuuntelulla tule kuitenkaan arvostettua tarpeeksi.. en keksi miksi kuuntelisin tätä verratuna studioversioihin.. yleensä se kualifikaationa näihin live juttuihin. siitä huolimatta, nirvana on nirvana niiden diskografia on hyvä. so authentic when te audience clap clap clap.. con e as yit are
Emocional reinterpretación "desenchufada" de algunas de las intemporales canciones de Nirvana, junto a magníficas versiones de temas como "The Man Who Sold the World", de David Bowie, o "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", canción folk de autor desconocido y nacida de la tradición oral en los estados del sur norteamericano en el siglo XIX. Es difícil destacar alguna de las canciones de este disco en el que Nirvana aspira a parecerse a R.E.M. pero al mismo tiempo deja su particular impronta emocional. Si fuera necesario destacar algún tema más, a parte de los citados, serían "About a Girl" y "Polly".
I've not really been a great fan of Nirvana, maybe cynically, I think they can ascribe much of their fame and subsequent record sales on the untimely death of Kurt. This album breaks no new ground, is replete with cover versions and imo only made it to the top 1000 because it was the first to be relesed after the above mentioned unfortunate event.
Best Nirvana release imo. Just a must listen from start to finish.
I’ve tended to appreciate Nirvana, and Nevermind is certainly an “important” album. But that’s the only one I own. This is a live album from the MTV series Unplugged, which featured artists/bands playing stripped down (generally acoustic) versions of their songs in front of a small crowd. A pretty cool concept, some of the shows were pretty good. This show was broadcast less than months before Nirvana leader Kurt Cobain’s death, and released as an album about 7 months after that. It was a final testament of sorts for the band, and is notable for that if nothing else. It’s certainly an interesting album. Some of the songs work well in the stripped down format, and the overall listening experience is less … … dense. That said, Cobain’s voice isn’t best suited for this quieter format, seems strained at times. I with the crowd was mixed a shade lower, but that’s minor. Unplugged was a cool concept, and Nirvana committed to it, with fresh renditions of their songs. This won’t be a favorite of mine, I struggle with the overwhelming “dark” feel of Nirvana. But I like this as much as Nevermind, though in a different way. 4/5
Probably one of their best ‘album’s, really personal and passionate, no bs tracks or filler. 4.0
I feel like on paper this album concept shouldn’t work, but it’s just so good.
I knew I'd love it, but didn't realize how much. I ended up watching it on YouTube and it's just haunting.
I really love the complete lack of pretense these boys showed during the performance. It seemed all very genuine and sincere. I didn't realize that this didn't air on mtv until months after Cobain's death. It's easy to see why he was so loved by so many from that generation. Re: Kurt's guitar sound - it's not a sound that most acoustic players would strive for. And yet, it all works very well. Really good songs, and a great performance.
Ooooof. Boy did this define a generation. The pain in Curt's voice is palpable. Even if we didn't know he would kill himself months after this concert, we would have been concerned. Such simple music elevated to such profound heights. Still a little weak from listening to it.
Me gustaría que mi review acerca de este album fuera diseccionando cada parte que hace de este "desastre" uno de los mejores albumes de presentaciones en vivo jamás hecho en la historia. La voz de Kurt Cobain tan desgarradora y a la vez pacifica, el cello interpretado por Lori Goldston, los chistes junto el público, las bromas acerca de la desorganización de MTV, que hayan roto algunas reglas al usar guitarras con algo de distorsión, la brillante estrategia de mercadeo de darle a MTV un setlist falso y agregar covers junto con sus canciones menos populares de la época, hacen de esta presentación la versión acústica algo especial e intima que muy pocas bandas pueden lograr en la actualidad. Le guste a quien le guste y al que no, también, siempre será recordada de esa forma, porque primero lo hizo Nirvana. 10/10.
Top 3 albumes en vivo de todos los tiempos
Close to a five, just felt like it got a little weak in the second half before the final songs boosted it. Really great album though
I think grunge loses some of its draw if it's played "unplugged" as it is here, but there's no doubt these songs are great. Kurt Cobain pulled off the live vocals extremely well.
Warning: hot take ahead! This kind of punk rock does not translate well to acoustic. The heavy distorted guitars tie together Kurt's raspy, strained vocals and give the music the energy it needs. I think completely restructured their instrumentation of the songs, maybe adding some more piano or strings or something, it would have worked for me. It's like they're trying to highlight Kurt's vocals over any instrument. His vocals are definitely not the highlight of Nirvana's music. Eerything just sounds sad and very slow. It literally sounds like a mediocre band that you might hear playing in the corner of a dive bar. Kurt was somehow able to develop an aura of illustrious musical genius after his death. IMO, if he didn't kill himself, his fame would have faded over the years and he wouldn't be more famous than 3 Doors Down or something. It also helps that he's hunky.
The music is five stars, but I'm taking a star away for the corporate branding and whichever boardroom of suits signed off that abysmal album cover.
To some extent, this album shows the limitations of a band like Nirvana. Stripped of studio production and guitar effects, the acoustic numbers lack some magic - perhaps explaining why so many tracks are covers, as if the band themselves don’t quite trust their own work raw and exposed - and we learn the band are good but not great musicians. But charisma and attitude matter too and that shows. Cobain’s heart fair bleeds on All Apologies, probably the album’s highlight, and shows us his troubled and anguished soul. Such exposure lead to the band’s success but sadly, their tragic end too.
Nirvana - Unplugged in New York This album is a top 5 album for me. It spoke to me at a time when I began to expand my musical tastes. I already owned and listened to Nevermind (which blew my mind) but knowing that Kurt and the band said we'll do your little acoustic show but don't expect to hear "Teen Spirit" or other hits was a fucking baller move. They were the biggest band in the world and used this time to showcase songs and bands that influenced them. Plus you get to hear Kurt between songs. It sounds like he's having a great time with his friends. I like listening to this album as it's a snapshot of a band having a great time. This album introduced me to the Vaselines and Meat Puppets (or at least their songs). And their songs are my favorites on this album: Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam. Plateau, and Lake of Fire. When you connect to an album, song or band, it's like nothing you've ever experienced. It's like finding a religion that speaks directly to your head and heart. Thanks Kurt for putting it all out there during this performance. 5/5
8/10 Highlights: Dumb The Man Who Sold the World Pennyroyal Tea All Apologies Where Did You Sleep Tonight Plateau Lake of Fire
Have and love this album
Pretty good pretty good 3,5
Exceptional album - sounds a lot like bedroom recordings of thom yorke (which I love). I liked it much more than I thought I would
So special we got to hear these songs like this before Kurt's passing. This piece is truly a showcase of his talents as a songwriter, and of his wonderful taste and championing of other artists as can be heard in their cover song selections. Nirvana and Kurt Cobain are often unfairly quarantined to a moment in time, due his passing and due to the sudden blast of media attention around his image and style that spawned thousands of copy-cat artists, posers, and a whole moment, perpetuated by MTV I might add, that often overshadows the actual songs this band played and this human being wrote. Ironically, MTV also gave us one of the only sonic records of those songs stripped from their context and presented somewhere outside all that noise. Naked. And it showcases how amazing this group really was. In some ways, this is the best Nirvana record. And of the great live albums.
I would put this more in the camp of “interesting” or “intriguing” than “great album.” It’s obviously a big surprise. In some ways, unplugged Nirvana is even more compelling, with this 60’s dark folk American Bandstand sound, than on their actual albums. It kind of feels like a marker of how much things have changed… 30 years into the revolution, and we’re still making groups, that still play guitar, but beyond that we may as well be in an alternate universe. That’s the impression I get from this album… more of a statement, a marker in time of where the world was. Put this in a time machine to 1962, see people’s reactions. It’s recognizable but utterly alien. It made me like Nirvana a lot more. I’m not sure if that makes it a great album, but it is a lot of great performances, and the band makes a hell of a lot more sense now. Really fascinating listen, nothing really has sounded like this. A tiny peak into that world and what made their mind tick. 4/5
Truly a classic
Love the raspy voice. Recognize the song "Come As You Are". And really enjoy the song. Wasn't a fan of "Something in the Way" slow for my liking
Yes, nineties royalty for reason. So good to listen to this album. Well, aside from the very scary “Polly Wants a Cracker.” Which is catchy but definitely a kidnapping situation. Poor polly. I hope that they catch Kurt Cobain. The David Bowie and Led Belly covers are iconic.
i love the rawness of this performance. i love the bass (which I have eq’d like crazy on my headphones). i love cobains voice. if i were to pick which songs did and didn’t get included, this album would easily be a 5, unfortunately this is not the case, and i think its only fair (and a little snobbish) to my small corral of 5’s that i round down to a 4. favorite songs: where did you sleep last night, man who sold the world, dumb, something in the way least favorite songs: polly
Meh. Kind of teenage angsty. Second half was more interesting.
This recording was an amazing listen, I found myself not caring when the first song played over again, and wound up giving it 3 full listens yesterday. It's intimate & authentic.
This will be a good one... And it was. It's been a while since I listened to that one. A clear 5. Every track is brilliant. J Marcus joining was brilliant. Covers were brilliant. Left on stuck a high note with where did you sleep last night.
Best live album ever?
I enjoyed hearing their songs and even the covers were good!
Not bad.
While I was a little too young to appreciate this as it happened, I remember the reruns on MuchMusic when I was a kid. I think my brother had taped it at some point, too. Even to a 7-9 year old, it was known that Nirvana was a big deal. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this. Nevermind is obviously a masterpiece and I don't always like alternate versions of songs I already love. That said, this too is a masterpiece. The acoustic format lends itself to a clearer, cleaner sound where Kurt's vocals really shine. Kicking myself that I didn't listen to this before!
Classic!
Wasn't a huge Nirvana at the time, but this is great.
i mean nirvana is just great OBVIOUSLY and raw talent really shines through here but i still probably prefer their studio albums🤨
Unplugged in New York stands as a haunting and stripped-bare testament to Nirvana's raw honesty and musical prowess. The album captures the band in an intimate setting, showcasing their ability to deliver emotionally charged performances without the distortion and chaos of their typical electric sound. Where Did You Sleep Last Night emerges as one of the album's standout moments, and easily one of the best covers ever recorded. Throughout the album, Kurt Cobain's vocals resonate with a haunting sincerity, laying bare his inner turmoil and vulnerability. The acoustic arrangements breathe new life into Nirvana's catalogue, offering fresh perspectives on familiar songs. The simplicity of the arrangements only serves to amplify the emotional impact of the songs. showcase their raw talent and authenticity, and Nirvana's performance on this album epitomises the essence of the Unplugged series. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 9 STAND OUT TRACK - Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
actually listened to this millions of times. Think it's darn good so jus gonna give it 6
Great range of songs and cover versions. Love the vocal and the production. Suited them down to the ground
For me, this is the album that showcases what Nirvana could have been…there are some beautifully stripped back songs on this album but you get the sense that Cobain was moving away from things. Hearing occasional sighs between tracks was definitely a sign of what was to come.
Oddly enough, the first Nirvana album I ever listened to all the way through, because my dad had the CD. One of those albums where I don't have a ton saved, but the context of the album and the way it works as a whole allows me to recognize its merit enough to give it a 4. Would highly recommend watching the full concert (or at least some songs) on YouTube.
Yup, this is a classic
I’m not a Nirvana fan boy but this album rips. I wouldn’t introduce someone to Nirvana with this album, but it’s great when getting deeper into them. I mean live in nyc??? name a better place to be unplugged, i’ll wait.
I've listened to this many album many, many times over the years. For some reason, it's hard to count it as one of my favourites simply because it's a live album. But if we're talking just favourite albums, this one is right up there. I remember being blown away by the second half where they go into covers - Nirvana just has a way of making any song sound like theirs. Kurt said that this was a direction he wanted to go to musically and I just wish we had a chance to hear it.
So, what to do with MTV Unplugged In New York? While I do think this is a very good album, it’s got to be said that a lot of the initial and subsequent acclaim is very much because of it’s release only a few months after Cobain’s death. In the context of it being a final statement from one of the most important cultural figures of the 90’s it is haunting in it’s beauty, and fascinating in it’s mix of irony and sincerity, especially considering the implicit irony of the project: a punk band doing an acoustic set and covering Lead Belly. That’s just not a sentence you could make up. But because of it’s importance as a cultural document and Nirvana’s general importance as a cornerstone of Gen X culture, Unplugged has become a target for pretty shameless hyperbole. One quote I read from Charles M. Young in the Rolling Stone Album guide suggested that Cobain could have "revolutionized folk music the same way he had rock,” which… yeah man, I guess he could have, there’s no way to prove that he couldn’t’ve. But we’ll never be able to tell for certain based on an hour of deep cuts, covers and one Blues standard. The urban legend is that Cobain was looking at making the next Nirvana album with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. which would of course mean that it would be folky and acoustic, but after Cobain died, R.E.M. released the hardest, glammest album of their career. Who’s to say it wouldn’t be more like that? Unplugged is the Nirvana album that I return to least, and I have a good experience listening to it each time, but I don’t feel the need to return to it as often. At the beginning of Where Did You Sleep Last Night Cobain makes a joke about the Lead Belly estate trying to sell him one of Lead Belly’s guitars for $500,000. In 2020, the guitar Cobain used during Unplugged was sold at auction for $6 million. And if that’s not the best metaphor for the hyperbolic reaction to the recording, I don’t know what is
Inspiring
Another catch up album for me, and this one did not disappoint. I agree with the observations of the group. Solid album and truly a distinct signpost marker on the music timeline of our generation. 4/5
Angsty, as expected from Nirvana, but lyrics are intelligible. Limited guitar chords or melody. A bit musically monotonous, but lyrically more interesting, something that is hard to appreciate on Nevermind.
interesting to listen to unplugged. can hear the lyrics and some personality of the band members between sets. personally wouldn't listen a second time though
Live greatest hits of Nirvana classics. I’m not to well informed about this band, I feel like this is a great starter album
Absolute classic with mainstream success. Great composers and original versions are even better
5 stars just for Where Did You Sleep Last Night. Such a great end to the album. Also loved the interaction between the band throughout the album. Also loved The Man Who Sold the World and Something in the Way. Didn't love some of the other tracks and wouldn't describe myself as a big Nirvana fan but this is a great album.
I never lost control...