Reviews (page 12 of 15)
This is really good. I usually don't like live or acoustic albums but this is a very solid album. I don't think it's quite as good as a lot of others seem to think, but its a fine listen.
Great live album and a nice interpretation of the word "unplugged". Album is good on it's own with some solid covers, but it is placed in a different perspective after Kurt Cobains death.
Might be my favourite version of quite some Nirvana songs
Best way to enjoy Nirvana
Voice of a generation. Epic.
I have loved this since high school and it is still precious to me
Had this one on a burned CD in my car. Highlights: Plateau, man who sold the world, and where did you sleep last night (which is so good, it gives me chills). 4.4/5
Tellement le feu !
Still an amazing album and just as exciting to listen to now as it was when I brought it on its release in the 90s
I think I have heard just about every track off this album at some point over the years, even seen a bit on video from the actual performance, but never sat down and listened to the whole thing from start to finish. It was a good mix of material, also a showcase that these songs can stand up to a far more sparse arrangement with semi-acoustic instruments being played. I'm glad the Meat Puppets album came up for me a week or so ago, as otherwise I wouldn't have known the three tracks that were played near the end. I remember at the time that everyone was raving over this "new direction" for Nirvana, but it's not quite as ground breaking in retrospect. In fact, many of these songs just seem to work as well, if not better in this format. Not quite a 5-star for me - it's a great performance though and worthy of 4-stars.
Classic live album recorded only 5 months before the death of Kurt Cobain. Captures grunge in its post-public acceptance phase in the form of stripped down acoustic renderings of both Nirvana staples and select covers. About a Girl is a strong start to the album that translates wonderfully to the wireless atmosphere. Cobain's vocals are on point (for the most part) with good mixing. Come as You Are loses a bit in translation, but is still a jam. I miss the vocal effects that the original recording had that gave this song such a ghostly feel. Here Cobain just sounds so much more vulnerable. This gives way to back-to-back covers. Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam is the first cover on the album. Interesting, though perhaps unsurprising, that Nirvana went for deeper cuts into unknown territory on their covers. I don't know the original here, but this is a fine and folksy number. This is backed up by a much more well-known Bowie song. While I love the original, Cobain's version will always have a special place in my heart. Its a much more soulful telling of the tale. Pennyroyal Tea sees Cobain take center stage alone through a sparse guitar + croon arrangement. Doesn't do a ton for me. Dumb is another classic Nirvana song that translates pretty effectively to this arrangement. I like the incorporation of a string accompaniment for depth through the chorus. In all honesty, I prefer this acoustic Polly. On a Plain is fine... not my favorite from them to begin with. Something In The Way is a jam. I prefer the original, but this is still effective. This leads into a triplet of Meat Puppet covers. All of which I love. Oh Me I hadn't heard before, but it is low-key one of my favorites from this album. Great composition and delivery -- such a sweet song. Lake of Fire is probably my favorite here. Always loved the soul in Cobain's voice -- to this day I find myself randomly singing the chorus. All Apologies is probably the best song that they adapted from their catalog. It just fits the setting so well. I'm a 4/5 on this one. Such a well-mixed and composed live album from a band that defined an entire genre of music. Cobain's voice is the center point of the album and holds up well to the interrogation of an acoustic setting. I appreciate the arrangements of the various numbers and the shot selection in terms of covers and hits from their career.
Love me a live album. I've actually never listened to this one despite being recommended it numerous times. Lotsa classics, loved hearing it acoustic. Nirvana is good, but they aren't necessarily my favorite. 4 stars for the gang though.
Envers et contre tous
1 des meilleurs album en live, no pressure. Vrmt vrmt bon. Plusieurs chansons je connaissais pour avoir entendu à la radio, mais j'aurais pas pu direvles titres. Il est parti vrmt trop tôt, super album. Trop sévère pour l'effet wow du 5, mais 4 bien mérité.
My original thought was that this would would be a flat performance due to a lack of the manic energy of the band's plugged in work. It did, but that didn't detract from the vocal and musical artistry of the act. Very good, and a perfect example of the beauty of MTV's unplugged series.
After the grunge albums, Nirvana presented a folk-rock, acoustic live concert and perhaps this could have been the next direction for the band had Cobain not died in 1994. The choice of songs is great, it contains not only Nirvana songs but has also many lesser known covers, by the Vaselines, the Meat Puppets or Bowie. 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night', which closes the album, is a perfect ending of this album. Cobain's voice was powerful and raw, and together with the music it created a special atmosphere on stage. Great album.
Not a huge Nirvana fan, although I like most grunge from the era. This album conveyed greater sincerity than most of their studio content. 4.3/5
Nirvana. So it's always good.
I prefer Nirvana to be plugged but this is still great. The cover choices were good and their own songs played well, specially On a Plain and Something in the Way. Cobain’s dry humour was present here too and that was fun. This is a classic live album. 4 stars
Great album,
Kurt Cobain’s final artistic say in music encapsulated everything that made him who he was. The barebones of the struggling artist was put on display.
For some people of course, Nirvana were absolutely *IT*. Perhaps a little too young, but never quite achieved that legendary status personally. Can't deny the power of Kurt's voice and the stripped back choons here though.
Good
Very chill album and great way to enjoy another side of Nirvana. The chatter in between songs is charming and hearing more of the vocals in the acoustic set helps to convey more meaning than previously gleaned before. It’s a more sleepy album though, so if you’re used to a more energized Nirvana sound, this may not be up your alley.
Straight back to high school
I mean, yeah, it's not ACTUALLY unplugged, I get it. That's a problem, sure. Okay. But, effects and amp aside, the songs really DO sound different with an acoustic guitar. There's something about that slight change that compliments Cobain's deep, melancholic insecurity at the time. It's a definite vibe. Detractors like to say that this only hit #1 because Cobain was recently deceased and people were seeing the band through rose-colored glasses. I disagree... but only in part. I think this album hit #1 because it felt like a worthy and fitting capstone to the band's legacy. It feels darker and more somber than previous releases. There's a seriousness here that's unique for Nirvana It feels like the end and, with the death of Cobain, it was. THAT is why it was so huge, I think. So, yeah, it's big because Cobain bit the dust. But not because of some misplaced sense of "he's gone and now I think he's a genius!" It's big because it feels like a fitting goodbye. And it still feels like that, all these years later.
A lot of mythos around this one, and I while the songs are great, I never quite understood all of the hype.
Probably the peak of MTV Unplugged as a program/concept? Some of the hype was definitely due to the unavoidable reality that Kurt had just died when it dropped and the record company was looking to capitalize, but it's also a legitimately great performance. Some songs gain a totally new atmosphere with this backing; Pennyroyal Tea feels downright menacing as a solo acoustic song, and On a Plain feels much better suited to this environment. It's not perfect. The sound is sometimes muted to the point of sleepiness, there's too much mumbling between songs, and Plateau and Oh Me probably could have been left off the set list without a problem. But the highs are high. It’s a quiet, reflective, soul-baring recording from a legendary band dissolved too soon. Best song: Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Really love Kurt Cobain's voice, and it is on full display here. Some great covers along with solid versions of popular Nirvana songs.
Great live album from a brilliant band.
Definitely the album where Kurt and the gang found their sound. Come As You Are was a treat, as always, but I had never heard The Man Who Sold The World and Pennyroyal Tea before, and they were great. Loved the drums, vintage Dave Grohl, and All Apologies was a particularly unexpected jam. All in all, I was so pleased with this, after only expecting a song or two that I'd like. It was really cool "getting to know the band" in a way I didn't expect.
Klassisk liveplatta.
I already know this is a banger. It’s so good. First 5 star??? I don’t know, definitely a 9/10, but that’s not 5 stars.
Iconic really, although I'm not the biggest Nirvana fan in general
Divisive thoughts, hate the guy Who's speaking to Kurt between songs, love Nirvana's energy. Overall a good listen, some fantastic covers and unique versions of their own songs
Dark, cladsic nirvana, great the hear the intermission discussions on stage
It’s a pretty good live album from Nirvana. Great acoustics and great addition of traditional instruments like the cello to nirvana songs. There’s like 2 songs that I didn’t really enjoy but other than that it’s pretty good, although I do prefer the Unplugged album by Alice in Chains. Great first track, truly surprised me. The cover of The Man Who Sold The World is amazing I loved it. Dumb to On A Plain had good performances. Didn’t really like Plateau. Oh Me towards the end was pretty good. The concert ends dramatically with When Did You Sleep Last Night, great ending to such a performance. Honestly, just a surprisingly good performance by Nirvana. Favourite tracks: About A Girl, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Polly, Something In The Way, Oh Me, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night. Least favourite: Pennyroyal Tea and Plateau.
they are pretty good wow who knew! but still annoying
sonzeira e pa, das antiga
Great album, acoustic and stripped down, but not lacking at all in Nirvana's trademark slow burning anguish and menace. Surprisingly cover-heavy, which was disappointing to see at first blush, but the Meat Puppets covers work really well here. The Bowie cover is obviously next level. One of the best cover songs ever recorded. Nice to hear the crowd reactions, but there's a bit of a volume problem whenever the band is speaking. I had to crank it up to hear what they were saying. Not perfect, but riveting from start to finish. Fave Songs: All Apologies, The Man Who Sold the World, About a Girl, Dumb, Where Did You Sleep Last Night, On a Plain, Come as You Are
RIP
Highlights the songwriting
One of the first albums i was introduced to when i got high for the first time.
For me, this record is definitively the Nineties but not in its production or sound. It doesn't sound like the Nineties. Instead it represents the era by virtue of being an MTV Unplugged session by Nirvana who broke things open for all that college radio stuff way back when it was marketed as "alternative." More insightful people than me will say more insightful things about the lyrics and the performance, but it's still a decent listen though Kurt is as tiresome as he is probably tired. By no means my favorite Nirvana record, but it remains an occasional listen especially for the Meat Puppets and Bowie covers.
They set the standard for Unplugged. Shows how talented they were.
hehe
Definitely a classic, but I can't call it a 5. I appreciate Nirvana for the way they changed music at the time, but I was never a huge fan of Kurt Cobain's whiney singing (and way too much feedback/sloppiness on their recorded albums - a non-issue here). It has a lot of great moments and I can appreciate it for its historical significance. Certainly worth hearing. Favorite tracks - Come As You Are (great version), The Man Who Sold the World (fantastic Bowie cover), Plateau, Lake of Fire. Least favorite: Pennyroyal Tea - can't stand his voice on this. But RIP. Respect.
If you already heard the studio albums, there's really not much new here aside from some covers, which in a vaacum, aren't even that interesting. What makes this an truly great record is how personal and intimist it feels. It's like visiting an old friend an realizing how broken they truly are.
He sing about that he don’t have a gun. He lied. So 4/5
Liked this a lot. It must have been sad hearing this right after he died. There’s a decent number of covers but I don’t mind that, especially in a live album.
There are some great versions of now classic songs on this. You can hear the angst in Cobain’s voice. The closing track (where did you…) is my favorite performance. I’d give this a 4.5 if I could.
Nice
classic
It's just Nirvana live. I don't prefer recorded live music, so it's just like listening to Nirvana to me, but worse... 4.5
Love Cobain's vocals. Heard most songs many times before. A little samie
Wow they sure unplugged my mtv!
Iconic album
The acoustic format really highlights Kurt Cobain's voice, which is so expressive and textured. Initially I was unconvinced that this album, which is really outside of their core discography, should have a place on the list. But when I think about it as a way to hear where the band might have gone had Kurt remained with us, it becomes much more potent.
Probably one of the better MTV Unplugged albums. Funny enough I didn't get into Nirvana much in the 90s as I was a bit young, so this album was actually the first Nirvana album I actually enjoyed, then I went back and listened to the "real Nirvana". I think my favorite songs are even Nirvana songs on here, the Bowie cover of "The Man Who Sold The World" was an entry point for me to listen to Bowie and is the standout track for me. There's a line in a Pitchfork about how Cobain shows through these covers that "this pain is as old as time" and was likely instrumental in showing the kids some other great music out there, as Cobain was a god at this point. I am glad there aren't a ton of "hits" on here either, and the strained/uncomfortable energy of the performance is perfect for Nirvana.
Really enjoyed the acoustic take on their songs.
Great album. I don't know what else to say honestly. All of these songs are so well known. Kurt somehow sounds better on the live album vs Nevermind.
great raw album that really captures how much just a guy with a guitar can convey
On the upper end of 4 stars for sure. Not something I ever would have listened to, but the rawness of this album makes it really enjoyable. Started off slow but was all good songs for the rest.
Nirvana did a fantastic job here making an album that sounds as if they are old pros in the folk rock genre.
epic
Always going to be good. Never listened to in full. Have heard single songs. Great album
favorite tracks - the man who sold the world, about a girl, come as you are, jesus doesnt want me for a sunbeam, dumb, plateau, lake of fire, all apologies, where did you sleep last night least favorite tracks - oh me fun album for a nirvana normie like me. new angle on a bunch of hits i recognized
4.75
Nivrana doing nirvana things for an hour.
Love it
I like Nirvana. This is his unplugged in New York. Nice.
Great set list and great live concert
I don't generally like live albums, and a grungey rock band doing a gig without the ability to go loud on the instruments didn't exactly fill me with excitement. But, this is really, really good. Hearing some of these songs stripped back shows the underlying talent there without the protective layer of being loud and full of energy. The album also manages to capture (in a way that most live albums don't) actually being there, and some of the character of the band. 4/5.
Bring back MTV unplugged
Need to leave room for Nevermind, so giving it a 4. I'd not heard the whole album before - just seen clips here and there. It's very good
Best Song: Where Did You Sleep Last Night. The perfect, explosive end to the album. It feels like the entire album's quiet pressure culminated in this one loud, painful song. Worst Song: Polly. I've always thought this song sounded too much like Nirvana intentionally trying to go a more skate-pop route. Overall: This is the perfect example of how a live album can elevate the material well above the studio versions. The stripped down instrumentals, Kurt's seeming reticence to even be there, the personal asides the musicians make between songs. All while channeling Nirvana's often impotent-feeling rage into something quieter and more concentrated than their noisier studio stuff. If not for a sleepy section in the latter half, it would be an easy 5.
Saying this as someone that lived in the time of Kurt Cobain, I know I'm in the minority when I say that Nirvana wasn't that great and their impact on music would be less if he didn't do what he did. But this album, this show is one of the best things to come out that genre. Included is one of my all-time favorite songs All Apologies and my favorite version as well. I remember the ruckus that ensued when the band teased the 'casual fans' in the audience with the opening chords of Smells Like Teen Spirit and when into another song. 4/5.
eu amoiii
Oft gehörter, rechtmäßiger Klassiker einer geringfügig zu oft über den grünen Klee gelobten Band, der in der zweiten Hälfte nochmals an Qualität zulegt. On a Plain ist geradezu eine Wiederentdeckung.
If the songs are good and the soul and feel are there it will work acoustically. It does and very well indeed. Sad, but as with Ian Curtis’s death, a phoenix rises from the flames.
When Nirvana was hitting their peak in the early 90s I didn't pay much attention, I knew only Teen Spirit from endless MTV play of the video, hadnt really picked up on grunge generally. Cobain's rock star drug addict travails seemed like a tired cliché, I was indifferent, even callous over the news of his death. Seeing this live set changed my mind: the emphasis on unusual covers, and Cobain's delivery - tentative at first, but with growing confidence and conviction. Capped with maybe the definitive version of All Apologies and stunning rendition of (what in its original would have been) Black Girl. Less than half a year later he was gone.
The Nirvana songs are good of course, but the really excellent tracks are the covers.
Really nice laid back live recording.
Brilliant, a most for any rock fan
"We're so loud and incoherent, boy this oughta bug your parents!"
An intense essential album. I'm not going to give it a 5 because it's a compilation of sorts. A dour drug recovering Cobain sounds totally on the edge. Interestingly choice of covers. Not totally acoustic as Cobain was uneasy. Strong and haunting
Comme attendu, Mathis livre une prestation exceptionnelle sur cet album. Les grilles d'accords sont parfaitement dessinées sur les feuilles A4, le métronome ajusté à un tempo assez lent pour que je puisse apprendre à jouer les boucles d'accords sans me décourager… L'école de musique peut vraiment être fier de son professionnalisme.
Un album absolument excellent de la part de Mathis. Pendant toute la durée de l'album, ce dernier s'attelera à corriger les innombrables fautes d'accord de robheritière, et ce sans jamais perdre sa bonne humeur. Un trésor de patience.
One thing I love about live albums is getting to hear the artists' commentary/feedback/jests, and that's especially true on this LP. Rolling off the distortion both shows the melodic power of Kurt's songwriting, as well as gives him a chance to step out from behind his usual tortured vocals and be a person. Deconstructs a good deal of the general Nirvana criticisms and manages to be a powerful music statement and artifact of an artist gone too soon.
I love Nirvana, but this album just doesn't do it for me. It's just missing the energy of their studio albums ,let alone one of their conventional live albums. I don't think it really improves any of the songs, and to me it feels like it's a greatest hits album for people who don't really like grunge or Nirvana. If you want a great unplugged from a grunge band go listen to Alice n Chains Unplugged.
an great live album 7/10
I had never listened to the whole album before. I only knew what was on MTV at the time or the radio. Gave me a new appreciation for Nirvana.
Solid Album
Good vibes :) it’s enough to make me overlook that this unplugged album is very much plugged in
Bättre än annan grunge på listan.
A good live album with some great covers. Cobaine was taken too soon from us, and I would have loved to see what Nirvana could have become.
Un classique pour moi où la nostalgie pardonne beaucoup de choses. Si j'essaie d'être un peu rationnel, c'est un live et habituellement je n'aime pas les lives. Ici ce qui fait une différence est qu'on revisite les pièces d'une autre façon. On touche aussi à l'authenticité du groupe. La performance n'est pas sans failles et il y a plusieurs problèmes de sonos dans cet enregistrement, mais j'aime beaucoup la place mise aux influences. Et on a quand même la version la plus populaire de About a girl sur cet album. Le plus grand succès des MTV Unplugged.
I’m not a fan of Cobains voice, it sounds like nails being drawn down a blackboard. Live and acoustic however, it sounds much better, this is most probably the only Nirvana album that I have got any reasonable enjoyment out of listening to.
Yea this is a banger
classic
This is probably one of the all time best live albums. They manage not only make theyre songs sound great but also the covers they sound like they could be they're own. Highlights are something in the way, cover of David bowies the man who sold the world and lead belly's where did you sleep last night.
fascinating, but not up to the level of Live in Reading or the originals. Having the variety is nice.
Classic songs in a classic performance. I'm not as big into Nirvana as I was years ago, so perhaps that's why I'm not head over heels here. Still, a performance for the ages.
Légendaire album! Est-ce un 5? Le concert, dans son intégralité, est une superbe rendition du répertoire de Nirvana tout en prenant le spectateur à contre pied avec une instrumentalisation acoustique. Il contient également de superbe cover comme celle de David Bowie. Conclusion: super concert, mais, n’étant pas le plus grand fan de Nirvana en general, je ne peux dépasser le 4,5.
Fenomenal album. I love how genuine it is.
This thing is such a fantastic listen. It basically is a live ‘Greatest Hits’ performance, with a few of the hits replaced with covers which are awesome. Will be coming back to this lots. 8/10
I know I'm in huge minority, but was never a big Nirvana fan. However, this album was very good and definitely would not turn off when/if came on. Song #2 sounded a lot like Killing Jokes song, Eighties. Favorites, All apologies, where did you sleep last night and Lake of fire. Songs that surprised me and enjoyed, Jesus doesn't want me for a sunbeam and Plateau. Overall, very good album and fully understand the historical significance of this album and this band. 4.5 out of 5. The .5 is for Dave Grohl being part of the band.
They were really good
The show on MTV probably had a huge impact at the time, introducing watchers to the Meat Puppets, Bowie, and Lead Belly. I wish the Meat Puppets would've got more mileage out of it.
Tight
This album shows both the strength and weakness of Nirvana. Weakness, not about their musicianship, but in general because they were obviously lacking strong original material for the whole gig, and therefore included several covers. Strength, because the covers they included actually is given their own edge, in becomes relevant. Their version of the man who sold the Earth is epic. Bonus as well is the joint forces with the Meat Puppets. Not a bad album
It's sad listening to this album knowing what happens just a short few months. What a beautiful look into their world and his love for different music.
Lovely album to listen to for a Monday morning. Personal highlights are The Man Who Sold the World and Where did you sleep last night
Brilliant! 4.5/5 Standouts: About a Girl, Come as You Are, Dumb, Polly, Something in the Way, All Apologies, The Man Who Sold the World, All three Meat Puppet Songs (especially Oh Me), Where did you Sleep Last Night. And all the rest are above average too! I am so glad this album exists.... RIP Kurt.
8.5/10 F.t.: Where did you sleep last night
A different side of the band, they put their hearts into reconstructing these songs in an interesting way and highlighting the music they wanted to, rather than just their hits.
A look into the absolute rawness and absolute genius of Nirvana. This set contains songs that are so unbelievably vulnerable, and filled with so much passion - particularly for an acoustic set (even if the guitar was run through an amp). Their covers are just as good - if not better than their originals in this set, who can look past their cover of Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World. This performance will go down as one of the greatest live sets of all time, especially as to how soon after this performance we lost Kurt. Best: The Man Who Sold The World Worst: Oh Me 4.5 Stars
Really enjoyed this. Hearing them dick about between tracks was fun.
Nirvana gonna nirvan
I listened to this a lot during the early days of my first proper adult relationship. It took me back to some really lovely memories. Thank you MTV unplugged, this is a great recording.
There's some really fine moments on this - it just suffers from being too much of the same sound. The green cardigan look is a classic which I tried to replicate as a Darwin teenager, not advisable in 33 degrees.
The final run of Meat Puppets tracks into All Apologies into Where Did you sleep... is still phenomenal. Find this more of a what could have been listen than the Nirvana albums proper
A really fragile thing, genuinely a good listen. Would get an extra 1/2 star for having The Vaselines if half stars were allowed in this hellscape dictatorship.
I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed this album
Great album, enjoyable for the hits arranged for an acoustic session as well as some new gems (to me) like the Bowie cover. There were some strong nostalgia vibes here though; listening to it today outside of the 90's MTV Unplugged mania of the time it's a little less vital. Still good, but not sure I'll be going back to it a lot or anything.
Come As You Are is heightened by it being acoustic. The Man Who Sold The World takes on a whole new meaning when Kurt sings it. Something In The Way is a good cut. Never knew Lake Of Fire was a cover, specifically this version coming from a live album.
Un petit attachement sentimental à cet album. Je le répète souvent, mais habituellement je n’aime pas les albums live. Ici on comprends que c’était un événement unique qui revisite les pièces déjà connues d’une autre façon. Le choix des chansons en plus de l’ajout de reprises est bien fait. Ce n’est pas un enregistrement parfait, il y a plusieurs feedbacks et la voix de Kurt en arrache par moment, mais ce dernier point ne parait pas trop pour les habitués et ceux qui aiment ce timbre, comme moi. Ça reste donc un classique qu’il faut effectivement avoir entendu.
Pretty great album. Lots of spirit and the unplugged versions wer an interesting change of pace, I still prefer the electrified version of their hits though
this was great tbh, i really want to get more into nirvana and this was a good intro
listened to again something so real and raw about these performances
An awesome unplugged grunge show only to be rivaled by Alice In Chains. Loved the covers they did.
A classic, but not my favorite of all time.
Such a cool album
Well, that was enjoyable. Still not a fan, in general, but I like this album - probably because it was acoustic versions of their usual. But added, nevertheless.
Huge response to this album, elevating the profile of Nirvana and cementing their reputation as grunge innovators Classic
jesuuuus dont want me for a sunbeammmm
Ah, I don't think I saved my original thoughts so they didn't autopopulate. Basically, while I don't think this is Nirvana's best album there were parts I really liked and Grunge as a whole does suit my tastes quite well (sometimes).
Dumb, Lake of Fire and Where Did You Sleep Last Night are so good
Great live album
Enjoy a bit of raw, live grunge
MTV Unplugged in New York captures an interesting and unique performance in Nirvana's career, with acoustic instruments and a series of covers that fitted the band's repertoire very well. "The Man Who Sold the World", originally by David Bowie, is the album highlight, and gave new light to one of the best songs written by the english musician. The trio of Meat Puppets covers are also very interesting, especially in the way Kurt Cobain's voice sounds in those. Songs like "Come as You Are" and "All Apologies" are very well arranged for this album, as well, and shows a band evolving - a evolution that was cut short, unfortunetely.
Nirvana at its most subdued, stripped down and cool - albeit for MTV. Great live set of crackers and covers, tinged with historic Cobain-related sadness.
In many ways, I used to regard this as the perfect album: a sophisticated wrapper around Nirvana's music that allowed me to access said music much more often and in a much more relaxed manner than The Real Thing®. And in many ways, I still do. ...Yet I have to reserve a tiny bit of a star, because it just seems as if this music, which I would listen to over and over again and again during its first decade upon this earth, just doesn't "do it" to me anymore. At least not to the extent it used to. I do miss that feeling of being lifted by The Man Who Sold the World...
Temones
4/5
Well obvs this is legendary but I wonder to get the full effect you need to visual as well. I did really enjoy it - but its meant to be amazing and I didn't feel moved or amazed. Loved the Bowie cover!
Jamais ete fan de nirvana, peut etre parce que je ny etais pas a ce moment. Cest quand meme de bon albums et celui ci est propablement mon preferee. 4.25
So good
Great album, great riffs, Cobain is still a treasure
This album really highlights the strength of Nirvana’s songs. They hold up under a light acoustic setting just as well as with squalls of guitar and pounding drums. I forgot how they gave the Meat Puppets a huge boost by playing three of their songs from the II album.
MYY GIIIRLL MY GIIRLL
Claaaaassico da MTV acústica
The best thing about this album is that Nirvana used their set to showcase the Meat Puppets, The Vaselines, David Bowie and Lead Belly. Another stand out about this album is it's accessibility. I remember at the time it was released on CD, a person who never would have listened to songs off Bleach commenting to me what an amazing song writer Kurt Cobain was. To be honest, I found watching the Video of this performance to be a bit boring. The pauses between songs drag and the show is visually too subdued. Thankfully on the record the gaps are edited out and you don't have to watch a disinterested Cobain and instead concentrate on the music
Coraz blizej polowy listy, wiec czesciej niz rzadziej zesoly sie powtarzaja, tak jest takze i dzisiaj z zywym krazkiem od Nirvany, ktory jest drugim ich pojawiemien sie na liscie jak do tej pory i jesli mnie zmysly popularnej muzyki nie myla, bedzie ostatnim, bo w mainstreamie nirvana, to glownie nevermind i wlasnie ten wystep w MTV unplugged, nagrany w listopadzie 93, a wydany prawie rowno rok pozniej, jako pierwsza plyta juz po Cobainie, jest to chyba jeden z najbardziej charakterystycznych nagran unpluggowych, studio ubrane jak na pogrzeb z bialymi kwiatami, swiecami, kolejnym charakterystycznym elementem jest pan Cobain, dla ktorego to nagranie bylo swoistym pogrzebem, patrzac z perspektywy czasu, jak przystalo na format unplugged zespol sobie gra przez godzine, albo raczej nagrywa godzinny material, bo to jednak telewizja i przerwy moga sobie robic, ale w tym wypadku byla to nieprzerwana godzina, ktorej efektem bylo 14 trakow, z ktorych 6 to covery, w tym the man who sold the world bowiego, kolejnym rzucajacym sie w oczy jest zamykajacy nagranie where did you sleep last night, ktory jest interpretacja folkowej kompozycji Leada Belliego, jesli chodzi o covery, to ostatnim krory wyjatkowo mi spasowal byl jesus doesnt want me for a sunbeam, orginalnie od The Vaselines, reszta coverow to kawalki od meat puppets, ktorych dwoch czlonkow bralo udzial w tym nagraniu, jesli chodzi o nirvanowe kawalki, to nie ma tutaj zbyt wielu topowych bangerow z ktorych znanych jest zespol, moze poza come as you are czy on a plain, nagranie otwiera jedyny utwor z debitanckiego bleacha, z neverminda znalazly sie 4 kawalki, natomiast z utero 3, ktore brzmia inaczej niz ich albumowe odpowiedniki, cala plyta przypomina mi bardziej folka niz grunda, zwlaszcza za sprawa wolanego wystepu Cobaina, ktory brzmi dla mnie prawie jak Neil Young na tonights the night, mam na mysli jak slychac artyste w tym co spiewa, to i moze bardziej akustyczne podejscie do kompozycji i ciekawe dodatkowe instrumentale jak akordeon Novoselica z trzeciego traku nadaja plycie folkowego lub przynajmniej akustyczno rokowego klimatu, o ile tak mozna powiedziec o grungu, plyta brzmi jakby siedzialo sie w tym studio, traki sa polaczone krotkimi przerywnikami co bedzie grane nastepne no i reakcjami publiki, jakos nigdy nie bylem fanem nirvany, ale dobrze sie sluchalo tego lajwa, calkiem inaczej niz neverminda, ciekawe w jaka strone muzycznie by poszli, gdyby Kurt sie nie kopyrtnal, na plejke dodam raczej cos z coverow zeby nie duplikowac trakow, wiec trak jezusowy i czleka co sprzedal swiat
less exiting than i thought, but ... but .... can i say it? .... yes i can .... it´s a classic ;) A classic unplugged album that is
Should live albums be included on a 1001 album list? I am not sure, but certainly some of these live albums are pretty iconic, like this one - I suppose everyone knows it. It is excellent in many ways (the originals, the perfect covers, the production etc). But it also becomes a little bit boring too at some point - not sure if this is because the songs are so well known, or because it does not rock (pick a Violent Femmes (acoustic) record and you know what I mean).
More enjoyable than I expected.
Ook akoestisch prima te pruimen.
listened to it a million times. Great vocals and the classic 'professional amateurs' vibe.
Brilliant and haunting.. RIP I hope Kurt Cobain
Impresionante unplugged, pero un poco lento como para ponerle el 5.
The first live album I have received on this list, and a fantastic one at that. This concert is one I was familiar with and had seen footage of before, but I had never taken the time to listen to the entire performance. Nirvana is obviously beloved and could do no wrong back in the early 90's, but I feel that this outing helped elevate them to that legend status they have today since it is SO good. It says a lot when a band can prove themselves through the Unplugged concept. While they are mainly known for heavy guitars and screaming in their album tracks, they carry this performance with subdued, emotional vocals and tight instrumentals that create a very intimate and special listening experience. I feel this material would be more appealing to a broader audience than their other music in that it has a little something for everyone. While the renditions of songs from their older albums are great (maybe some not as strong as the original recorded versions), the covers are what stand out here the most. The Man Who Sold the World is fantastic and is definitely the most well known cover due to it originally being a Bowie track, but I really enjoyed the stretch of Meat Puppets covers (especially Plateau), and the track Where Did You Sleep Last Night could not be a better closer. The fact that these covers were included gives a great look into Kurt Cobain's inspirations that fueled his creativity, and the intense performances on them makes it sad that we didn't get more music from him after this. While I don't have much negative to say, I will admit that I have to knock this one down a bit just for the fact that it is a live performance rather than an album. I evaluate a setlist/show different than I would a track listing, and I find it much more impressive to compile new, unknown songs in a cohesive manner rather than combining proven hits and covers. As an experience, I would give it a 4.5, but as an album that appears on this list, I give it a little lower. 4/5.
I recorded this show on VHS and rewatched it so often, the magnetic media started to wear down. It is entirely impossible for me to disconnect this album from the experience of finally having access to my favorite band, for an entire show. The memory is made all the more poigniant by it's proximity to Kurt's suicide, where this entire show took on an entirely different palor and tone. Attempting to detach myself from my deep connection to the moment in time, the album itself is still legitimately great music. The pop relatability of the band's music, including their covers, is made plain in every track. Kurts vocals are remarkably stable and smooth, save for when he's growling out a chorus. Throughout it all, there is a tenderness and an intimacy that is common through the early days of the unplugged performances, and for which this album established the watermark. Really, the only reason I don't listen to this album much at this point, is because it hurts a little too much to listen to. Then again, it is better to have loved and lost, than it is to have never loved at all.
Nirvana's and Clapton's unplugged albums are the only two unplugged albums that should not be in a trash pile. The "Let's do an unplugged album" strategy got to be so excessive and such an obvious money grab. The "blame" for this lies squarely with Clapton since he made an amazing unplugged album that deservingly sold a shitload of copies but unfortunately started the trend. MTV was quite happy to enable all the others to jump on the bandwagon. Nirvana's unplugged album allowed a very different take on their songs. Also, when you have such good lyrics, it's nice to be able to decipher them. Pennyroyal tea might have my favourite Nirvana lyrics: "Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld, so I can sigh eternally." I suppose it shouldn't be a great shock that Kurt liked Bowie but who would have guessed they would cover The Man Who Sold The World? This song is one example of another aspect of this album that makes it stand out from all the bandwagon jumpers on - that being the big "Fuck you" to MTV by not playing their big hits and having the Meat Puppets be their special guests. The final part that is special is that this album feels like Kurt's swan song. I think they were on tour when they did this recording and continued to tour afterwards but the accessibility of this concert footage made it feel like the last concert. RIP
I’ve always found Nirvana to be extremely overplayed in the radio world (and this album is guilty of that too). As I get older I appreciate them more though. There are some great songs contained within here. Fave tracks: “Lake of Fire””Pennyroyal Tea” “Dumb”
I was ten when Kurt Cobain died, and I didn't see what all the hubbub was about. Why were people crying about the death of someone they didn't even know. All these years later, I have more of an understanding of why his music was so loved. They'll never be my favourite band, but I can at least appreciate them for completely changing the face of rock radio away from the garbage that gained popularity in the 80's. Also, props to them for not playing Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Great album
Nice acoustic covers. Cobain has a style all his own that you have to like, or not (7/10) FT: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, All Apologies
Enjoyable performance. I often pull this out and listen again.
Wow. I haven’t pulled this one out in awhile. Love this album. 2 of my favorite covers ever, one of them of a song in my top ten (The Man Who Sold The World) I don’t know if it’s with the weight of knowing the end of his story that makes me want to read so much into this performance, but Cobain’s comes across rough, almost broken in places. It’s an intimate performance, at a time when we were longing for intimate performances. Even after his death, it feels like we are still right there in that MTV unplugged audience. Very few live albums invoke those feelings. Hell, very few studio albums manage to stir up any feelings. Not the best album ever, but makes this bitter genX FEEL something, and that ain’t nothing.
Great showcase for Nirvana
One of my favorite live albums.
Cobain and the band prove that the strength of their songs are deep in the songs, not dependent on the particulars of recording. The opener has a good amount of harmonic weirdness that comes through extra-clear as presented. But to balance the weirdness, this is one of the more intimate live performances I've heard captured. There's evident theater, but it's the kind between friends and not the above-you variety more common to rock bands. MTV in the title puts a slightly uncanny spin on sincerity, but doesn't hurt the music.
always loved this album and I remember seeing it live on MTV (probably live on tape)
Just incredible, highlights the talent of Nirvana. No fillers, no duff tracks, just one great song after another. Arguably their finest album. Actual score 4.5
Nice
Top quality 1st of 1001. Heard it before but looking forward to a re-visit. I remember Kurt's acoustic sounding phenomenal and his voice being note for note on the money with even more emotion than the studio recorded versions.
so far very good, definitely a solid 4. The main singer adds a lot to the beats, his voice is super unique oh shit that's kurt cobain I can completely understand if someone said Nirvana was their favorite band, they're great Back half is definitely slower than the first half, probably would have helped to be more upbeat
The covers are fantastic, but for the album cuts, I prefer the studio versions.
I'm not the biggest fan of Nirvana but I've heard little of their music, so I'll try to be fair. With "About a Girl", I can already hear a sort of proto-Foo Fighters sound taking shape. I have to wonder if Nirvana would have eventually produced an album like The Color And Shape if Kurt Cobain hadn't died. This album doesn't really change my opinion of Nirvana's music - They have a sound I'm just not interested in - but the artistry and pure human emotion on display is really telling. You can feel the strain on Kurt during the performance and just how much of his soul is going into his music. It's compelling, even to me. And the cover of The Man Who Sold The World may be my favorite ever.
One of my favourite bands from my early teenage years and synonymous with the 90s as a whole. Bleach is still for me Nirvana’s best work, everyone knows Nevermind had the songs that made them famous, however Unplugged is perhaps the album that most people associate with this band. Those people are, of course, dickheads, but nonetheless this is still without doubt a great album and deserving of a place on any list of albums to hear before you die (Perhaps prophetically Kurt recorded it just months before he himself died in a tragic accident with a shotgun). Should the fact that 42% of this album is covers detract from its overall esteem? No, not when they are executed so brilliantly. Indeed the album really catches fire from Plateau onwards and 4 of those last 5 songs are covers. 27 years on this still gives me goosebumps and really is quite brilliant. But I can’t pretend there are not sections of this album that drag and as such I can’t quite bring myself to give it full marks, as much as I wanted to.
Can see why this is a classic, even if it's not entirely my cup of tea.
Monumental live album.
Heard of the second song before Rock Punk
An absolute classic. Been in my DNA since 1994.
Nearly lived up to their hype with this acoustic set. Good set, but still vastly overrated
Lo tuve en CD, me lo compró mi papá en la feria del libro hace mil años <3. Para mí esta es la versión definitiva de The man who sold the world. En esta ocasión vi la grabación por youtube, es bastante triste ver el estado de Kurt, y la atmosfera funeraria. Pero bueno, las versiones son buenisimas para mí.
Blues
Better than I thought it would be. They were a good sounding live band.
Its crazy how similar Kurt's voice sounds live to the recordings.
Good 90s vibes.
Good live album with some decent covers. Nirvana is overrated, but this is a classic performance.
-"Come As You Are," "Lake of Fire," "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," and "Plateau" stood out -Not as good as I thought it would be, I kind of expected more energy out of the setlist, like "School" or "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Obvious classic.
My favorite versions of "Come as You Are" and "All Apologies" are on this album. Overall, this is a solid live album, especially considering that Nirvana played the whole show on acoustic instruments. Even the selection of tracks shows that the band was trying to do something different but representative of their style of music.
The definitive Nivana album
Many of the Nirvana classics. Good mixing for a live album. Reminded me of how much I miss live shows!
Great album just would rather listen to the full songs
Pretty great album. Good throwback.
I have mixed feelings about live albums being on this list (probably unjustly) but this album really is just really really good. Stripped down, a more approachable kind of angst, solid all the way through.
Best live album up until now, good start
One of my favourite bands from my early teenage years and synonymous with the 90s as a whole. Bleach is still for me Nirvana’s best work, everyone knows Nevermind had the songs that made them famous, however Unplugged is perhaps the album that most people associate with this band. Those people are, of course, dickheads, but nonetheless this is still without doubt a great album and deserving of a place on any list of albums to hear before you die (Perhaps prophetically Kurt recorded it just months before he himself died in a tragic accident with a shotgun). Yes you could argue that they played it a bit safe with the set list - choosing to pad it out with covers rather than rework their own catalogue into acoustic numbers. I mean should the fact that 42% of this album is covers detract from its overall esteem? No, not when they are executed so brilliantly. Indeed the album really catches fire from Plateau onwards, 4 of those last 5 songs are covers which begs the question, could Nirvana have established themselves as the greatest covers band of all time had they not wasted their time on vanity projects such as In Utero? We will never know. What I do know is 27 years on this still gives me goosebumps and really is quite brilliant. But I can’t pretend there are not sections of this album that drag and as such I can’t quite bring myself to give it full marks, as much as I wanted to. 4/5
Pretty good
Interesting - wasn't keen to listen but quite enjoyed it.
4/5 Very good album, with many amazing songs
One of my favorite Nirvana albums. I'm not generally a fan of live albums, but this one is so good
The album that showed another side of the noisy grunge band, and did so extremely well. Particular hits like Smells Like Teen Spirit, Heart-Shaped Box, and Lithium can't be found here because they simply wouldn't work in this "unplugged" setting. Instead, a more carefully-selected setlist is used to great success for a more tender and intimate album. Overall, it's just incredible. You have everything there is to love about Cobain et al. with a whole new vibe that sounds just as good as when they're being loud and large. A must-listen.
The acoustic side of Nirvana. Kurt shines!
Great album. Apart from that guy who keeps talking to Kurt.
very nice album with some classics. not a fan of the live recording version but still very good music
Have never been a fan of Nirvana, only ever heard their ‘big’ songs, this live album was an excellent intro to them. 4/5
Feels a little too much like Nirvana proving they know more than 3 chords.... they were a lesser band when they weren't raging but still a really enjoyable listen
So good for a live album. 9/10
Couple of a great tracks and recordings for the ages
Es un album increible, tanto que gente a ajena al genero igualmente lo disfrutan. Todo una hazaña del Kurt Cobain. Tiene covers increibles.
ich mag es trotzdem. die uncut aufzeichnung ist ein exzentelles dokument von kaputtheit.
Neben den B-Sides („Incesticide“) meine liebste Nirvana Aufnahme. Die Essenz der Song schlägt durch, ihre Schönheit vorgetragen, traurig ausgestellt, tolle Aufnahme. Ist das vielleicht schon der leise Urknall, der Beginn von quiet is the new loud ? „The man who sold the world“ jagt mir immer noch einen Gänsehautschauer ein. 3.9
4
A surprisingly pleasant look into the personality of Kurt cobain
Classic live album. Gives the songs a much more raw, emotional edge
Classic.
One of the few live albums I like. Cobain at his best. 8/10 1. About a Girl 2. Where Did You Sleep Last Night 3. All Apologies
great album
Sad and happy and sad and magical. It is so casual yet so well produced.
Guitars... emotion
Best Nirvana album, IMHO... such great renditions of classic songs, and love hearing them this way. Highlights: -Come as You Are -The Man Who Sold The World -All Apologies -Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Melhor performance ao vivo do Nirvana. (Não era muito difícil pra eles ter uma performance ao vivo, considerando que a maioria das performances dele ao vivo era uma bosta)
Aw kurt you're so cute
Oh Kurt. Reminds me of listening to this a lot as a teenager. Some of the songs are not as enjoyable in this setting, but there are some moments of brilliance.
Familiarity: 1/10 Notes: Although I've never personally endeavored to listen to a Nirvana Album, or maybe even a Nirvana song, yet I found myself humming and recognizing around half of the tracklist including covers. A rock classic, this band will always find a way to live on. Real Rating: 7/10
These stripped down, acoustic versions of their songs really shows off how fundamentally good a vocalist and songwriter Kurt was. I find it amusing that this is "unplugged" but he still sometimes plays with distortion with his acoustic amp. This Aussie gives it 4 jars of vegemite out of 5.
It's strange but I think my favorite songs on this album were the covers of other songs. Really fun album!
Surprisingly good sound quality for a live album. Reading up on Cobain's death makes this album significantly sadder. 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night', 'Come As You Are' are bangers.
Pretty good! Unsurprisingly
Looking forward to hearing Nevermind again.
Finally, something worth listening to. Brings a layer of maturity to their songs, and some expertly chosen covers - this might ultimately be what they become best remembered for.
Sounds great stripped down and the covers are dope
12/11 Smooth, less aggressive versions of a lot of their records and renditions of other's as well. Like the crowd reactions and band comments, adds to the vibes. Standout Tracks: About A Girl, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Polly
An excellent summation of the band, their catalog, and sound while still excelling in a different package.
Yeah, I know, Kurt Cobaine is an icon, he was suicidal, and you can tell. This is sad, but not my business. I listen to the music. Particularly on this record you can hear Nirvana's limitation as band, especially Kurt's as a singer.
Interesting listening to this one. It's getting so many 5s, I assume because of nostalgia. I've never heard any of these songs so I don't get the hype at all! I've heard comparable acoustic performances at my high school's art night.
legendary live album 💥jesus don't want me for a sunbeam 💥the man who sold the world 💥lake of fire 💥where did you sleep last night
MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana is obviously a huge cultural classic, but honestly? It was just okay for me. I really liked the opener "About a Girl" with Kurt's raw, desperate vocals, and their cover of "The Man Who Sold the World" is an absolute masterpiece. But a lot of the slower, acoustic tracks just didn't do much for me. I get why this live album is such a big deal, but overall it wasn't anything mind-blowing.
wow he can play on an acoustic guitar as well
Not a big Nirvana fan and this didn't cange my mind, although the cover of Bowie's Man Who Saved The World is very good.
Listened to before, all time classic, fallen off a bit, with age comes wisdom 3/5.
Decent album I guess. Not a big Nirvana fan so it’s hard for me to rate this.
Es ist schon gut, aber ich als nicht so riesiger Nirvana und Grunge Fan finde es leider für mich persönlich zu eintönig. Steinigt mich.
This live album is hailed for eschewing the hits in favor of covers and lesser-known tracks, and that does give us an excellent version of "About a Girl" and a great Bowie cover. But it also leads to quite a few lackluster songs. "Polly" and "Something in the Way" are minor songs in Nirvana's catalog that mostly sound like their studio versions. "On a Plain" is a deep album cut that's sapped of any power it had. "All Apologies" and "Dumb" also don't sound that different from their studio versions, but they're the best songs included so they're at least positive additions. The covers are mostly good, especially the Meat Puppets ones, though only "Oh, Me" improves on the original. The closer is a nice climax and provides some liveliness that the rest of the album lacks. In the end though this feels inessential next to their studio work since it doesn't drastically improve on any of it.
Defintley all lyrical songs. lo-ke makes me confused on what nirvana was going thru at the time. fav probably jesus doesnt want me as a sunbeam. buncha random topics too or i just dont know ball
no lo habia escuchado antes solamente los hits porque la guitarra se escucha tan a la izquierda en Jesus doesnt want me to for a sunbeam? El chabon avisa que la iba a cagar. Indefectiblemente se equivoca en el solo. Pero saca una version iconica. on a plain something in the way me sorprendio Plateau solida actuacion en general me sorprendio la fuerza del grito en el final/ avasallador kurt muy solido sabiendo que tenia quilombos
1) The Man Who Sold The World 2) Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam 3) All Apologies Least Favourite: Lake Of Fire
They're good at what they do. It's tight and clean, ironically. Nirvana has some good songs, but the best was Man Who Sold the World, so... It's just I've never got the overblown hype with this, and besides, it's meant to be watched. It's too slow and boring for a live album. I think you need to be solidly generation X and part of that whole MTV thing. I'm a little too young. It's decent obviously, but eh, it's not the 5 that people blowing smoke up his arse give it.
not a big fan of live albums, but this was pretty good. Not something that I would purchase, but I did enjoy listening to it
Alright? Nothing super special but also nothing really bad
First ever Nirvana album, honestly they kinda feel overrated.
some all timers not gonna lie! but also a fair amount of stuff that's just not for me
Never been a huge nirvana fan Best songs on this are meat puppets covers
Icónico.
Ovi sigurno ne znaju ko je Midž Uri
a bit too depressing
It was fine.
If you like unplugged, Nirvana sound great here.
I am not a fan of "live" versions of albums, so this was already on an uphill battle. It wasn't bad, and I enjoyed the tracks "Come as You Are", "Dumb," and "Lake of Fire." But overall, I don't think I would listen to this again or give it another chance.
I never "got" Nirvana. They had some good songs, for sure, but I did not comprehend how they could be such an extraordinary, genre-changing international success. This show didn't do anything to change that for me; other than "All Apologies" (a song I always liked), my favorite songs in this performance were the three Meat Puppets covers. It's a good performance, and Cobain was clearly a passionate singer, but it doesn't blow my mind.
Me gustó mucho más q el anterior
I’m torn. On one hand, the live versions of their songs are just worse than the studio versions. The covers, though, really make this thing worth it. I guess they will have to battle in a duel.
A huge change of direction. An atmospheric live recording mainly acoustic. A brave and enjoyable recording.
I mean, it's Nirvana. Singing often sounds like a mouthful of stones was used to create a bit of a mumble. I did think All Apologies was awesome. 3/5
Ita just some other nirvana songs live in one album
it was good, but I feel like its not my style. like nirvana is def talented but I found myself bored while listening like I can't jam out to ts. 3.6/5
6/10 Basicon, es bueno pero no me encanto
Nice listen with a much more intimate version of the band that is very enjoyable. Love Kurt’s voice
Sorry Nirvana, but I just don’t have the ear. I appreciate the music but find myself getting bored.
Listened to the acoustic version, so not a bad.
Good, but not great. Same repetitive hum drum from one song to another.
MEH
I think many point to this as one of the best live albums of all time, but really it’s just for my generation the most influential. I grew up with tracks from this playing the radio every single day, but never listened all the way through. In short, it’s good most of the time, great a select few times. God I love that Lead Belly cover though.
Is this really a show stopping top album of all time? Nevermind should be, and is, on this list but this?
I don't really care for live music albums. It's like yay, give me worse sounding audio than the original. Plateau and Lake Of Fire being sung live was pretty amazing though.
Something in the wayyyy
Really cool record. Made me want to watch it, as I imagine I would appreciate it even more. Bowie cover is cool, Meat Puppets covers are cool. Favorite part of the album is just the moments of Kurt talking I think.
I was dreading another Nirvana album, but this was surprisingly tolerable. Didn't give me a headache either which is always nice
I know a lot of people fell in love with them over this album, but I don't know if it really plays to their strengths like In Utero does. It was a good move for them, pointing to where they might have gone after this, but it's a little one note for me.
Dunno, not sure what this album says that Nirvana hadn't already said. It's a covers album at its core, so, question: Is it on the same plane as Johnny Cash's cover album?
It’s okay. I like hearing them chat about the songs, I’d have loved to have been there, but as an album it’s not my favorite. Maybe just my bias against this type of record :(
This has left me a little deflated. Not because of the album but because of the reputation this album has. I’ve seen and been told this is one of the greatest live albums of all time. But it really didn’t do much for me. I loved The Man Who Stole The Earth but I like Nirvana when they’re rocking.
I like the guitar again not my cup of tea but it’s definitely better than the sad country music nirvana is a good band
I enjoyed listing to this. It's a nice live album
Favs : About a girl The man who sold the world Polly Oh me Apologies Where did you sleep last night HM : Lake of fire & Dumb
This album has the historical sin of making the lame concept of an unplugged set look cool. Despite that, it is quite enjoyable although the best tracks are not theirs (the Bowie's song alone give it a +1)
Nothing crazy not bad tho
Really like the live instrumental acoustics Come as you are live acoustic on eletric guitar and bass guitar sound so idk how to describe it.
I had watched the recording of Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged in New York” live because my girlfriend at the time was a huge Nirvana fan. Back then, MTV had a series of unplugged concerts where well-known bands showcased their talent with a stripped-down lineup, and some of them were pretty impressive. That wasn’t the case with Nirvana, though, because that band didn’t have much to offer technically. As a result, the songs - admittedly strong songs - sounded relatively choppy, and the performance struck me more as a group of mediocre street musicians who had stumbled into the MTV studio by accident. For many, it was the ultimate revelation, but even back then I felt - and still do today when I listen to it - that Nirvana shouldn’t have played that concert. For me, it remains the ultimate symbol of the commercial sellout of this band, which had actually started out under very different circumstances.
One of the first albums I ever listened to, and one of my first cds Amazing Live album but Alice In chains just ever so slightly beats theres
Good overall, but lacked the bite that the studio versions had.
No value add to being unplugged.
While it's surprising how well Nirvana’s songs stand up in their acoustic form, there is no doubt to me that their music loses some dimension and edge when the distortion and bluster is removed. It is true that the band’s most appealing qualities lie in their melodies but for me there is a smaller but critical component missing from most of these arrangements which limits their impact and presence. Regardless, their material holds up well with the only total flop being the under-rehearsed Pennyroyal Tea. Where I do not agree with fans of this record is on the quality of the cover songs. The Vaselines and David Bowie are battered and bruised by the MTV Unplugged experience, detracting from the overall album. The trio of songs from Meat Puppets II fare much better thanks to the actual Meat Puppets being invited on stage but with the exception of Oh Me their songs don’t suit Cobain’s voice. I’d rather hear the other Curt (who is onstage!) sing them. Though it must be said how amazing it is that Cobain championed more obscure acts, or in the case of Leadbelly, introduced classic acts to a new audience. Nirvana only have four records: MTV Unplugged and the three studio albums. Unplugged and the iconic Nevermind firmly sit on the more accessible side of their catalog. This may be completely unfair, but I can’t help but feel that part of the overwhelmingly positive reception for MTV Unplugged was due to it both being released shortly after Cobain’s death and it being the band’s second accessible record. Fans of Nevermind (which is the largest subset of Nirvana fans) suddenly had a second place to focus their attention in the wake of Cobain’s death. For me it's a good listen, an interesting artifact, but not a classic record or a patch on their studio albums.
Nevermind is a landmark album, though I stray from the Cobain worship. This is gripping in spots, but difficult to listen to in others. Cobain's rasp is pained, the songs, at first, seem to gain something from the acoustic arrangements, but ultimately, start to lose momentum and I just don't love it.
There's a lot to like here, but it's just not for me. I dig how they pay tribute to their idols, especially by bringing out the Kirkwood brothers for their Meat Puppets covers. But I prefer the covers to the Nirvana originals, except for that first tune, which is pretty dope. But overall, I find this set pretty depressing in a way that doesn't speak to me. I never really connected with these guys, but Kurt was a real champion of indie music, so I respect that.