Reviews (page 7 of 16)
Basic
I’ve talked before about legendary albums, or albums that came to define a band or even a specific sound. This is sort of similar—a band with a specific sound who takes their music and does something completely different in style and presentation. Unplugged sees Nirvana redefine not only their existing catalog in an acoustic style, but presents their take on some classic songs as well. Colbain takes a tender, almost vulnerable approach to these tracks, an opposite sound to the usual grunge flavor Nirvana operates in. It’s interesting to think about what the band could have done with another acoustic album, had the trajectory of Kurt’s life changed in 1994. If it were anything like this, it would be a success.
“What are they tuning, a harp? I thought we were a big rich rock band.” I have to admit that I hadn’t listened to this in full before. If I may be so bold, I think this is the secret sauce that solidified and guaranteed Nirvana’s legacy. ‘Nevermind’ was a monumental success, of course, but this collection of deep cuts, a couple of hits, and a bunch of covers puts their musicianship, ethos, and personality on full display. I would even recommend this to someone who’d never heard a lick of Nirvana before as an entryway. Kurt’s performance is magnetic.
I love this album!! I own this on vinyl. I love Nirvana, and this is my favorite album of theirs.
My favorite live performance of all time 9/10
Can I also give 6 stars?
A performance so beautiful it hurts, and so vulnerable it feels sacred. 😢🖤
One of the great progenitors of butt rock (this doesn't make them butt rock, just recognizing that we probably wouldn't have butt rock without them)
don't @ me bro
Amazing live album maybe one of the best!
I think this is Nirvana at their best. It showcases how well the trio works together, and highlights the strength of their songwriting abilities. The covers are absolutely some of the best versions of those songs out there. I am not a huge Nirvana fan, but this is an album to come back to.
Singlehandedly responsible for launching the "unplugged" aka acoustic sets into the stratosphere, and for a very good reason! It's the gold standard.
There wasn't a doubt before listening where this one was going to land but alwayd great to be reminded to listen to Nirvana. Great album with a really interesting mix of originals and covers. I enjoy the banter between songs each time. A definite 5.
This is a 5 just for a definitive, IMO, reading of Man Who Sold The World. The rest is just excellent icing on the cake. Great album all round.
Alt av nirvana høres ut som smells like teen spirit?
Jeg er ikke kjempefan av Nirvana, men det er et band jeg respekterer og liker mye av. Har aldri hørt denne før (utenom de åpenbare coverene (The Man Who Sold the World og Where did You Sleep Last Night)), og det er faktisk coverne på skiva som er de beste. Spesielt (i tillegg til de tidligere nevnte) Plateau. Kurt kunne faen meg synge, og det er et aspekt av Nirvana jeg føler jeg i hvert fall har undervurdert, men det er noe som denne skiva virkelig beviser.
Albumet føles veldig langt når alle låtene høres helt like ut
Dette er et prima eksempel på at noen ganger er det viktigste å være kul. Har aldri forstått denne plata, og gjør det ikke nå heller.
An album to savour. How could this not get 5 stars?
Tenint en compte el que penso de Nirvana, potser aquest és el seu disc més rellevant. La intimitat que aconsegueix és realment espectacular. Una meravella.
Maybe not the best, but the Nirvana album I come back to the most. Cobain's screaming through "Where did you sleep last night" summaries it for me.
Never been a big fan. Not a bad album but rather depressing after a while.
It was alright
Standouts 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 Where Did You Sleep Last Night
#113/1001. “Unplugged” Verse 1 Wooden strings, candle smoke, notes fall short, bend, choke. groan instead of climb, we follow the ache down. Chorus Groan it out, hurt is the song. Simple bones, bare not wrong. Verse 2 Bowie in a paper mask, Meat Puppets in a borrowed flask. Leadbelly digs through the floorboards, asking where vaseline has gone. Chorus Groan it out, hurt is the song. Simple bones, Fuzz is wrong. Bridge Silence rattles louder than the storm, pretty scars, too clean, too warm. What’s missing hides in the scream we never hear. Outro Groan it out, the beauty breaks. Groan it out, until nothing aches. With some help from good'ol chatgpt, I'm sure Kurt would have hated that.
They were truly something special.
Mooi, maar niet voor mij.
Much better than the last Nirvana album
Justifiably iconic. Practically perfect.
Solid album. Sounds great
Nirvana was a cultural zeitgeist. You couldn’t escape them in the early 90s. I vividly remember watching this MTV Unplugged episode. I’m a huge fan of almost anything acoustic, so this album really scratched an itch for me. The musicianship is top notch due to the enormous talents playing on it. I really like that the album includes some of the banter, which makes me feel like I’m right there with the band presently. The standout about this unplugged album is how interesting and colorful Kurt Cobain’s voice really was. The inflections and tones he displayed in this performance introduced me to a Kurt Cobain I didn’t know; a more emotive, tender singer. Too bad we lost him so suddenly. My actual rating is a 4.5, but I couldn’t justify bumping it up to a 5 due to the covers.
Awesome!!
There's not much else to say that hasn't been said about this one. I will say that I don't view this record as some massively important recording, but I see it as something relaxing. Hearing a band like Nirvana and a frontman like Kurt tone down the distortion and provide these raw passages is great. While I'm not head over heels for it, I highly respect it. (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)
Kurt not doing Smells Like Teen Spirit is wild, true grunge.
Funny enough, listening to this album turned into a really interesting research project for the future. Music preservation is a surprisingly powerful tool that allows us to listen to stuff like this. This album was released months after Cobain's death and it shows a pretty good side of him that isn't shown in his in-studio works. it feels a lot more stripped back and that brings out Cobain's singing a lot more. I pay more attention to the noisiness of Nirvana's works more than Cobain's vocals a lot of the time and this kind of environment brings out how unique of a singer he is. The covers were by far the best part of the album, really unique take on The Man Who Sold the World especially.
I’ve already heard this before, it’s pretty amazing. Sad, emotional, and interesting choice of songs and coverage to play. But definitely five star album.
I do love Nirvana but had never listened to this set all the way through, just seen individual songs. I always enjoyed those videos, but watching the whole show start to finish gave me a great appreciation for this set, the covers, the emotion, all of it. What an awesome relic to have from this shooting star of a project. Incredible band ripped from us way too soon. 4/5
Such an intimate performance. Definitely not surprised that this album is included on this list. 4/5
I saw this "live" on MTV when it happened. I was not a HUGE fan of Nirvana, I liked them OK but was also into a dozen other bands at the time so... Anyhow, when I saw this show I was blown away. It still remains one of the best live performances I ever saw (even though I was watching it on TV). In fact I can't imagine if I was a part of that audience how I would feel? I suppose I would be a super fan girl of Nirvana. As it is I gained a sort of mad respect and still think this performance is unbelievable. It is intimate and personal and just so "real." It is flawed and fractured and sometimes feels chaotic and thrown together... it is everything an "unplugged" performance ought to be. It is one of the best things ever to come out of the MTV universe.
Awesome. Loved this live album. Every listen I save another song from it. Could see this going to 5 stars.
10/10
Couldn't listen to, it was so whiney. I've never liked grunge.
Whenever I am alone in the house there is a high chance that I will sing the entirety of The Man Who Sold the World with a really exaggerated impression of Mr. Cobain so I think that says something about the cultural impact of this album
About A Girl - Pretty solid out of the gate. Could easily see some other band covering this. 6.5/10 Come As You Are - It’s “Come As You Are”. 9/10 Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam - Never expected Nirvana to cover a song like this. Surprisingly well done. 6.5/10 The Man Who Sold The World - Again, not a song you’d expect from these guys. Also surprisingly well done. 7/10 Pennyroyal Tea - Ah there’s that depression and pain I’ve been waiting for. 6.5/10 Dumb - Thought this one was about a guy who feels inadequate and how he tries to get over those feelings through the help of a partner of some sort. Then I remembered that Nirvana was singing it and realized that partner was drugs. Pretty nice arrangement. 7.5/10 Polly - This one probably has the most depressing story behind it so far. 7/10 On A Plain - “What the hell am I trying to say?” Same man, same. 6.5/10 Something In The Way - Batman. 8/10 Plateau - Nirvana’s gone country. 6/10 Oh Me - Personal favorite so far. Could probably relate to this one the most. 8/10 Lake of Fire - More pseudo-country stuff. 6.5/10 All Apologies - I forgive you Kurt. 7.5/10 Where Did You Sleep Last Night - That scream man. Damn. 7/10. Overall, very VERY decent. Feel like I might need to be a bit more depressed for this to hit as hard as I know it can, but I can’t deny how legendary of a musician Kurt was. You could tell all this music stuff actually meant something to him. Everything came from a real, deep place within him. The deeper he got, the better his art. And by god did he paint some beautiful art. Makes you wonder what else he could have given us today. 7/10
Interesting
My VHS recording of this from when it first aired was well worn - by the time the LP version of Unplugged In New York was released, however, I subconsciously avoided it. It was several months after the events of April 5, 1994, but it still seemed a bit too raw for me, a bit too much of a cash-in on Cobain's untimely death. Thirty years on (yikes!) I think I can look at this all a bit more objectively. We'll never know where Cobain might have gone next, but here he wears his influences on his sleeve, and interviews from the time suggest Nirvana would have evolved like his heroes The Beatles and Bowie. Unplugged supports this notion, with the acoustic setting showcasing Kurt's melodic pop sensibilites - I still feel it works better when accompanied by the visuals though, given Cobain was so particular about the dressing and staging of the recording. While I love the music, even after all this time, I still feel there is something slightly cynical about this release as an album - as interesting and enjoyable an epitaph it may be, for me Nirvana's real legacy lies in their studio output.
4 Stars (11/15)
An artist encapsulated in amber as he be, so he was. Generation defining performance.
Can't listen to this album without hearing it as either a crying out in pain or a farewell. Not looking to be pretentious or to over analyse, and I dont think Kurt Cobain was consciously conveying any message at the time, but its certainly an eerie record. Starts off relatively quiet, casual, mournful perhaps just a bit dark. Then it gradually feels more personal and intimate. The lyrics are all raw and fragile talking about isolation, identity, mortality and existentialism. Then it starts to feel less like a performance and more like a confession. The screaming in the last track, Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a devastating climax. Thats probably my favourite track although I get chills whenever the strings make an appearance. 9/10
Amazing vocal performance from Kurt and great to hear stripped down versions of normally grungy songs. The mistakes and imperfections in the performance are also quite endearing.
Perfection. I have loved this album since i bought a cassette copy whilst visiting my auntie in the summer holidays from school, so its fitting this soundtracked my return from an end of summer holiday trip to Alton Towers. This album showed quite how much more than noisy grunge merchants Nirvana were. In an acoustic setting the beauty of Kurt’s songwriting is even more apparent and my god Kurt’s cracked vocals are perfect both for his own tracks and those carefully selected covers
I know I’m supposed to like Nirvana, and I do like some of “the hits” - beyond that, I’ve not quite got the hype. And this album is, I think, made for those who get the hype. “Come As You Are” is a great song, and their cover of “The Man Who Sold the World” still holds up well, but the rest are deep cuts and very odd choices for cover versions. Add the often grating voice of Kurt Cobain to the mix and this just wasn’t for me.
Starting with the Unplugged album feels an odd first Nirvana album for the generator to throw out, no matter how famous it is. I was pretty much the perfect age to be obsessed with Nirvana in their heyday, but I was fairly unbothered by them, Come As You Are and Heart Shaped Box being the two tracks I actively liked. Of the songs I'd never heard before on this apbum, I liked Plateau a lot. Overall, I liked this, but didn't love it. It's a decent listen, but I don't think it's the album to win over new fans, more an album to give people who are already fans a different experience of the songs they love. 3/5
ALWAYS A GREAT ONE! LOVE!
Probably the greatest live recording of all time. Basically just a compilation of all my favourite Nirvana songs. Incredible. Perfect. Standout Songs: All of them.
Always a classic
Good live album
Oh yeah, they're pretty good. Not 100% my thing but when they have a good song, it's quite good. Especially adept at the creepy/weird stuff. "Lake of Fire" is on my Halloween playlist for a reason!
Always loved it.
Great music for skating (I don’t skate)
This album showcases exactly why Nirvana - and especially Kurt Cobain - were truly one-of-a-kind. Rather than giving in to pressure to perform their biggest hits or bring on mainstream guest stars, Kurt insisted on doing it his way: dim lighting, funeral flowers, Pat Smear on second guitar, and even the Meat Puppets joining for a few songs. He filled the set with deep cuts and amazing cover choices - from Bowie to Lead Belly - crafting a haunting, stripped-down performance that feels more like a wake than a concert. It’s raw, vulnerable, and unwavering in its vision. That refusal to play the game is part of what makes this album so powerful. Kurt held his ground, and in doing so, gave us something unforgettable.
look what we have here, an overrated album of an overrated band - but not by much. generally, i've enjoyed listening to it and the songs are way better than the studio versions but i haven't had any epiphany or sth...
Masterpiece
its killer
it was okay! I just think they're okay
Great album. I hadn't listened to it from start to finish in many years. The music holds up. Kurt's vocals steal the show. Great album.
Nice easy listen, even got it on vinyl afterwards 83/100
Pretty cool
Classic, say what you will about Nirvana but they wrote a lot of catchy songs and captured the masses, here they show more maturity with beautiful "acoustic" covers and renditions of their songs.
super je ovo, pogotovo obrada bovija
Pre-listening thoughts: I haven’t really enjoyed Nirvana in the past but I’m curious as to why they’ve earned a live album on top of the other albums of theirs on the list. Post/during listening thoughts: wait okay. This is kind of good chat. I like the banter with the audience, and I think they sound way better here than on their studio albums. It’s a way toned down sound and I really think it brings out the best in Kurt’s performance. If there was one Nirvana album on this list, lowkey, it should be this one. 7/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah Fav tracks: Come as You Are, Dumb, Polly Least fav tracks: Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Best Ever
Already listened to it
Brilliant
Perfección absoluta, uno dentro de mi colección de vinilos. De los mejores directos grabados. "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam" es un tapado de Nirvana que merece mucho mas reconocimiento.
When folks think of the greatest live albums of all time, the list is short - and Nirvana's unplugged is at the top. In one hour long live set, Nirvana vaulted to the zeitgeist of 90s, fueled by a punk aesthetic packaged in a lackadaisy grunge band. The genius of the record though is in the acoustic and slower pace which shows Nirvana's depth as a band. The playing is wonderful, and perhaps the best segments are the interactions of Kurt and the crowd. An all-star record, showcasing just how much impact Nirvana had on the world of music
This album started well and got progressively worse. I'd been planning a "pleasantly surprised" type of review but then Lake of Fire happened. Never really recovered after that.
kirko bane...
Peak 90s acoustic grunge
6.9 polly and plateau👍🏽
I’ve always liked this one. Listening to it again at my age brings back memories but also a depth I think I missed when I was younger. We were all kids then.
Fine album.
vihdoinkin muuta kuin haisee kuin teini henki
Love this album. It was such a huge part of my life when it first came out. Cobain's voice is harder to listen to now, though, so it gets downgraded to four stars. Still a superb album, of course!
A unique performance for Nirvana with some well above average song choices. Rather than just playing acoustic instruments with the same album arrangement, there's a different feel for most of the songs vs their album versions.
Heck yeah!
Forgot how good a song in the pines was
Haven’t listened to this for ages but it’s lost none of its power or poignancy. One of the all time great vocal performances. He was right not to encore after ‘where did you sleep last night’. How can you follow that!!?
I love how the band talks Sweet guitar and excellent vocals. Not a perfect album but I'll round the 4.5 to a 5 Favorites: Polly, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, About a Girl
LOVE THIS ALBUM. never listened to it fully through before!! but so many wonderful ones! listened to jesus doesn’t want me for a sunbeam and plateau for the first time and loved everything overall!!
Best unplugged album. Easy 5
Ezt az albumot min. 100x hallottam. Még kazin is megvolt. Tökéletes lenne a pennyroyal tea nélkül, de az instant skip. Azért a vergődésért egy nagy saller járna. Amugy szuper.
8/20/25. Classic for me, own the vinyl! Haunting yet beautiful, and Nirvana figured out a new sound that worked with their normally aggressive sound.
Reminds me of my fav Phoebe bridge's definitely need to do a deeper dive! Love the context surrounding the album and also the covers are really good!
-damnn this was a great performance. everything sounded so Crisp, i felt like i was there -i am finally becoming a sort-of Nirvana fan in the big year of 2025 -i wish they had played some more of my favorite material but this was still quite good. 3.5 stars -Favorites are About A Girl, Something In The Way, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night
This shows that they were more than loud music and sad lyrics
Doesn't sound bad for being live
probably the best unplugged and live album ever recorded. its legacy has long out lasted the show it was made on.
One of my favorite albums of all time..
Weird - I know this album pretty well, but never knew: a) it was recorded on my 6th birthday b) it was recorded so soon before Kurt died It's pretty great – as if we needed further proof of how strong Cobain's compositions are. They hold up so well to this format, and probably any other you'd care to throw at them. The covers are so well curated too. I was surprised though on this listen how a band so at the peak of their powers can be so sloppy in places? They’re out of their comfort zone sure, and it’s part of the warts-and-all charm of the set, but there are some really pretty dodgy moments here.
Live albums are great, you get to see the artist a little more "natural" and less "studio perfect". This album is no exception, from the first track to the excellent last one, it delivers the sound of Nirvana in a more intimate setting and allows Cobain some time to play around with songs from Bowie, Lead Belly and more.
finally, a live album that has absolutely earned its place on this list. i'd actually never listened to this before. intimate, warm, special.
incredible album, and one of the most quintessential live albums for this list. this is a dramatic recontextualization of nirvana's hard and heavy grunge music in an intimate, semi-acoustic setting. the raw emotion on some of these tracks is incredible. you can just feel it through the record. the covers are also interesting and help make this album what it is. absolutely stellar, easy five stars. favorites: all of them except maybe oh me and lake of fire
Couple hot takes maybe. I usually dont like live albums i think they usually sound bad. I hate cajons i think they always make things worse. I do love nirvana and i think its impressive that their songs hold up in this context. And its cool they did this. Dumb and something in the way were some favs, i think his voice sounds good and the cello is cool. Wasnt totally in love with it but here is something special and unique about nirvana that translates even in this arrangement.
I like Nirvana but I’m not sure what the live aspect adds.
Popular group, popular songs. As I already knew some of them, I wasn't excited about this album at all. Although there are great songs, I was bored by the acoustic atmosphere in the whole album. Great songs: Come as You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Something In the Way I also liked On A Plain
Jag gillar inte nirvana så mycket märker jag...
this tickles my teen spirit
This is a must listen, it shows the musicianship and quality of Nirvana and in particular Kurt’s vulnerability as a singer. I love the chatter in between tracks too. These unplugged sessions are all great and it’s tough to say which is the best…but this is certainly one of the greatest live performances captured on tape
When this came out, it meant everything. I remember skipping school so I could program the vcr to make sure it wouldn’t go unrecorded. Given the timing of the release, this was, for me, basically Cobain’s funeral. It is a performance tinged with brilliance and sadness. All of the cover songs are the real winners here, gutsy choices for one of the biggest bands in the world to not play some of their biggest hits. But who can complain with gems like Oh Me and Lake of Fire. This album is brilliant the best of the Unplugged series, and the best live album. Ever.
Sadly, the one record Kurt Cobain wasn't alive to listen before he died, you can notice his struggle and pain in a few of the songs, it's raw, it's powerful and sweet at the same time. Unapologetically him and made the concert and recording as good as it is. Recommended always.
I like Nirvana but I hated this. It just sounded poor.
This deserves a five just for the cover of Man Who Sold The World. Simply superb.
Possibly greatest live album ever
I just watched this like 3 days ago I don’t wanna again. Very good, I like the banter, the meat puppets are cool, it feels looks and sounds like a funeral, I love nirvana, shout out the cello player, yep. That lake of fire cover is insane, that man who sold the world cover is more insane, that Jesus don’t want me for a sunbeam cover is crazy. Where did you sleep last night cover is unfathomable. Just so good at making covers their own. Originals are all tight, mixing is textbook, banter again is important. I think that what makes this for me against my normal hate of live albums is all the covers and the mixing. Great recordings that come across as originals.
Maybe the most famous live concert released. Nirvana give us something different than just playing through their songs but acoustically. Two of the biggest highlights on this are the Bowie cover and the Lead Belly one. The Lead Belly one is probably my favorite song on this whole record, it's so good. There are times when Kurt's vocals really struggle, some see that as a positive, but I'm not sure. Sometimes he sounds too close to that Puddle of Mudd singer. Overall though this is a great live album and definitely essential listening, not just for Nirvana fans but really anyone. Deserves it's spot on the list. I have to give this a 5/5
Nice memories back to Grunge. A very special masterpiece.
All Apologies was meant to be played this way
Really cool
I wish they had adapted the songs for an acoustic set rather than just play them regularly, but on acoustic guitars and drum brush.
Nostalgic for me. Lots of lesser known songs and covers.
Best live album of all time
Legendary album that deserves its many flowers. Like any Nirvana project there's no misses in the tracklist, and it's doubly-so impressive for being one of the most iconic one-take live albums ever recorded. Love Kurt's raw intensity in his voice and delivery, Grohl's iconic drumwork, and Novoselic with one of the few acoustic bass performances that actually works. Really can't sing this one enough praises. Favourite tracks: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World
Iconic MTV Unplugged set from a band I have always felt were pretty overrated. It's telling that the stand out songs with the most emotional impact and nuance on here are covers, but you can hear Cobain struggling with the complexity of some of the vocals. A good album that, for me, highlights the weakness of Nirvana's own songwriting against better work.
it’s a good live album and it is iconic but not sure if it’s good enough to be on this list…….. still enjoyable to listen to
The best plugged-in unplugged album of all time. I mean honestly, Kurt Cobain's vocals carry this entire performance. The raw anguish seeps out of every pore as he pours himself into the microphone. +1 star for the enormous effect this album had on society and culture.
BEST SONGS: - The Man Who Sold The World - Come As You Are - Jesus Doesn´t Want Me For a Sunbeam - All Apologies - Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Utter nonsense and absolute garbage. Cobain is so overrated
Iconic
Mi yo de 14 años da volteretas con este álbum.
I too have very bad posture and am anemic royalty
Definitely one of my top albums from this decade, possibly all time for me. Every song is good whether a cover or a Nirvana original. Most of the Nirvana originals actually hit harder for me in this presentation than the original release album versions. Hard to pick favorites here, every song is worth consideration. Of the covers Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam and Man Who Sold The World really stand out.
dude. Dude. DUDE!!! i dont think i need to say that '94 is when music peaked but here i say it once again. i mean my favourite live album is still stop making sense but this is so peak. literally the best live album in every normie's sense anyway. and also this is my last nirvana album out of the 1001 and i was watching the video for this. tbh i laughed when kurt claimed that he doesn't have a gun. i am sorry. and i am today years old when i found out that krist can play the accordion. which is an equally hilarious fact due to his height and the compactness of the instrument which makes it really tiny looking. but i would favour john linnell and weird al over him at any time. but unlike linnell, who is 5'10 and might be a giant, krist is indeed a giant. *its pretty hard to describe it but you can see the hilarious scene at 10:39 of this upload:* https://youtu.be/pOTkCgkxqyg?t=639 but anyway i don't think i need to add more commentary but kurt's vocal on this is just so unreal. i mean i like his dynamic control and everything else. music truly peaked in '94. 5/5
Great live album. I loved hearing these live versions of their songs and some excellent covers including the famed Bowie cover. I preferred many of them even to their original editions.
I can only imagine how formative watching this on MTV would have been for young people at the time, just seeing a group of sincere, genuine dudes being themselves on a traditionally manicured TV program. 8/10
One of the most well known live albums ever. The guitar is crispy, the vocals have a raw edge. Would listen on repeat
A lot of pain in that set
I grew up with the music in this album, and even when I ended up a bit tired of it I still like it a lot.
☆4.5 Nirvanaの名盤TOP3に必ず入るアルバム。 既存曲ばかりで突出した楽曲はないが、普段聴くことはできないNirvanaを聴くことができる印象。 もとがテレビ番組だからか尖った曲は取り上げられていないが、 Nirvanaのルーツを感じるカバー曲が数曲収録されているのが良い。
40/1001 Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ I mean, what else is there to say about this album? It's got to be one of the best live albums out there. You get to see a completely different side to the band and Cobain. As a kid, I was obsessed with Nirvana but was never allowed to play them in the car until I purchased this. Whilst I think my parents probably tolerated it, it was my soundtrack to summer holidays in France. A truly special album.
Obviously...
Wow a great and quiet grunge record.
Brings me back to 1992-1993, listening to this (and watching it) with my then girlfriend (now wife) in Hamilton Ontario. Great songs, great performance and gave proof to the musicianship of Nirvana.
Pretty cool. Technically the first whole nirvana album I've heard. Really like Kurt Cobain's vocals
So vulnerable and sad and intimate. The beauty is in the imperfections. It is a rare moment of authenticity brought to you by the world's least likely source - MTV.
Pretty sacrilegious
This basically defined my childhood and kicked off a full-blown MTV obsession. Also? It totally justified my choice to play the cello.... finally, broody was cool.
I prefer electric to acoustic, but Kurt was wonderful and this is an undeniable classic.
Love the Bowie cover
Nevermind is a 5/5 album for me, but I've listened to this one a lot more. I love the choice of covers, and how relaxed Kurt seems throughout. It makes it all the more powerful when he lets rip on Where Did You Sleep Last Night - a performance that never fails to give me goosebumps.
Definitely the finest of the unplugged albums. Alice in chains nipping at its heels. Really a fun series and I'd love to know who engineered it. Fun hearing such a rough act o grew up with put on its first prom suit.
basically a nirvana greatest hits but unplugged with some unreal covers banging
An incredible performance from an iconic band, stepping out of their comfort zone. The covers are simply sublime, the transition from loud and angsty to intimate is disarming, but the band nails it. This is almost the perfect live album and given the context of what happened to Kurt Cobain only months later, the event seems all the more poignant. I could listen ten times in a row and still enjoy it.
Liked it, glad to hear Kurt's banter between songs
I've just never been able to get into Nirvana. I can't understand what they're singing and there seems to be a lot of angry or stoned or otherwise incomprehensible to them--both the instruments and the vocals. But this album was pretty enjoyable. Maybe it's the acoustic instruments or the slower-paced vocals instead of usual. For probably the first time, I can see why people like this group.
This was such an influential album! And one of the best live albums of all time! I think everyone had the poster to this album lol but it was just so good! And also it's nirvana and you can't go wrong with Nirvana
Another harsh 2 but I don't get the hype with this
Nirvana is one of the most overrated musical artists of all time, but this album takes me right back to my childhood, jamming out watching MTV. When one thinks of "Unplugged" on MTV, this album comes to mind. The casual nature of the band, as well as the casual audience adds to the ambience of the performance. There are too many cover songs for a five-star rating(yes, I hold the same standard for Led Zeppelin), but overall, it's a fun listen. Favorite Track: "All Apologies".
Remember the hype surrounding this when first televised. Quite like Nirvana and uni friend was a big fan. Not sure if this stands the test of time like other live albums? Singing seems a bit muffled. Although sone of the instrumentation is excellent.
It's all shit you've heard before in all the other Nirvana albums, but on MTV, great pick for 1001 albuns!
Just amazing that Kurt could do just as well in a minimalistic setup without distortion. The covers including Meat Puppets are insanely good. Tons of repeat listening value. 4.6
I doubt they ever made it big, should try plugging in and letting it rip
Traue mich kaum, das zu schreiben, aber ich halte Nirvana für überbewertet... Die aufs Akustische abgespeckten Fassungen legen dann aber doch das Songwriting etwas mehr frei, nicht uninteressant.
Probably one of the best live albums of all time.
I've always thought this was Nirvana's best work. The intimacy, the arrangements, the set list are perfect. Shame KC couldn't hold on, get better, and move in a direction he would have found fulfilling.
great live album that shows not just the versatility of the band, but also pays homage to the artists that inspire them. Genuinely a nice selection of songs, playing on the calmer side of the group and well fitting for the intimate stage they had.
Un classique que trainait dans la salle d’informatique François Artacho en secondaire 5. Un bon disque, on ne s’en tanne pas.
A legendary live performance, but I have to be honest - it's very uneven. Take side A, for example: it opens with two classics in "About a Girl" and "Come as You Are", but then soon after you have the underwhelming cover of "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" and "Pennyroyal Tea". Thankfully nestled in between, there's a great cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World". This trend continues throughout the whole tracklist - the highs are high, but it doesn't maintain that level during the whole performance. And honestly, while the more stripped-back versions are nice and offer a contrast to the more angsty and raw version of Nirvana, I think I mostly prefer the originals. There's something about Cobain's usual intensity that gets lost in translation when filtered through acoustic guitars and MTV's sanitized studio atmosphere. Still, I'd say this album's appeal is larger than the actual performance and the music on it. It's kind of the 90s packed in a CD, and serves as a great summary of Nirvana's career - capturing both their punk roots and their later career vulnerability. I will use a term that I usually hate, but applies really nicely here - the album has a sort of aura about it that transcends the actual auditory experience. 4/5
biased rating
One of my favorite albums! Sounds so crisp, mixed beautifully. The Man Who Sold The World is iconic. It's hard not to giggle at all of Kurt's quips.
An all time wonderful performance
This is a five star album. I listened to it all the time upon its initial release. Nirvana spoke to me in a way few other bands could, which I felt as soon as I heard “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Being someone who has dealt with depression and isolation, I understood his lyrics. What I love about this specific album, beside the awesome performance, is that Cobain and the band didn’t give a fuck about pleasing MTV with a hits driven show. It was a perfect example of who they were.
10/10
3.5
Half the distortion, all of the angst. Nirvana worked really well in this more intimate setting. The decision to play mostly deep cuts and cover songs paid off well. I was surprised by how familiar a lot of these songs were to me. I think I’ve heard about half of this on my local radio stations in the Seattle area. This album is also a good encapsulation of the MTV Unplugged phenomenon in general. People tend to forget how huge this was in the early ‘90s with artists like Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, and Tony Bennett making huge records from their appearances on the show.
Gooddddd
I legitimately don't understand why this is so popular and loved. Maybe I was just born in the wrong generation
Secret confession: I like this more than either In Utero or Nevermind. I think it's a really good, incredibly intimate, concert.
It's a very good album. I've enjoyed it since it's release.
The best unplugged album of all time
Perfect album, perfect time capsule of 1994.
The best Nirvana album of them all. Showed that a band with an edge can be more than distortion and feedback.
Great album. Better the more you read about it. Best performance: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Great live album, really, this was the last dance, and they went out with a big one, such a banger setlist of lesser known/cover songs that really put into perspective where the band's evolution and stardom had led them to, pure and unfiltered introspection, emotion and passion, the last burst of nirvana's short-spanned flame is forever pictured in this stripped back concert, that manages to sound bigger and more layered than it ever should have the right to, this concert shouldn't have gone as well as it did, and as we now know, the reasons it did, were the signs of the sudden end for the spark that made nirvana special in the first place.
so this is one i know very well. its what i call the iPod collection, meaning that window of time where people had more capable music players than phones, this album is on that list of "was on everyone's iPod" bands and albums. idk what other Nirvana albums are on this guy's list, but imo this particular record needs the context of their career to appreciate it. so if this is your first time hearing this group, i think this is mid at best. its beautiful but this comes at a strained point in the singers life, as well as this marks the last thing he would do. while i understand how awesome and amazing this record is, its a chapter in this long story. its really the only Unplugged anyone talks about, let alone Mtv. there are acoustic versions of songs that you are familiar with as well as some covers. its feels very practiced and methodical. as a band, they represent that 90's era of modern rock changing. its mellow but intense in the acoustic delivery, making some songs softer, and others more abrasive. against other bands and records, sure i prefer this over most, but in their own collection, i've never loved it that much. for some songs this format works, mostly for stuff that is new to this performance (shoutout Meat Puppets) like the cover of Lead Belly "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" i'm being a little bias, cuz i do know how loved and respected this piece of music history has been, but i say 3/5. its the culmination of the 90's live houseparty recording of a show.
10/10. Easy. I was like.. 5-6 years old when this came out. Just even seeing this gave me chills
Kurt Cobain was still amplified, so giving unplugged a 1/5 for historic accuracy. Jk, this album is one of the best live albums ever made and this is coming from the kid who in high school hated Nirvana because they killed Heavy Metal, maaan.
Pretty good
The unplugged format really expresses the personality of the artist, and this album probably symbolic of the series. Where did you sleep last night the perfect ending track
All artists should do this, acoustic versions of songs and interesting covers, shows a different side. This is probably the most I’ve enjoyed Nirvana.
I very typically hate live albums I feel they take away from what they created in the studio, but this album feels so different, it feels alive, maybe because it is still setup to be recorded really well for TV? It feels like a time machine and transporting to a time when Nirvana where the biggest band on the planet and grunge was king, all of the versions of the song are interesting, varied yet fir into the theme of the album it's an amazing set list. I just could not find myself not awarding this full marks.
3/5
Surely one of the greatest live albums ever! On repeated listens, some of the chatter and audience sounds gets a little old, but that’s a minor drawback. The performance is so, so strong. Maybe best of all, I appreciate the band’s focus on its deeper cuts. Highly recommended.
Heard this for the first time maybe 2 months ago, but decided to relisten. Wow I think this easily stacks up with their studio albums, especially as quite a lot of it is covers and non-nirvana songs, which keep it interesting, and definitely add different vocal styles. The softer instrumentations work so well for their songs, like the brush drums, even though quite a lot of the songs they played are the more quiet ones, as I guess you couldn't do a song like scentless apprentice or something in this. I think the cello works so well, and I think the version of something in the way on here is better than the original, as well as quite a few others I think. Favourite songs: all Overall around 9/10
They were meant to be an acoustic band
Ooh boy, I know this is a big one from the 90s but it just didn't connect with me. They really made this unplugged format their own, skipping many of their hits and throwing in a lot of covers but the problem is I just really can't make myself care about most of these songs. Come As You Are is very good as is the Bowie cover and Pennyroyal Tea. The second half bores me. Maybe I need to watch the DVD - but I probably won't. A product of its time because of Cobain's untimely death?
Masterpiece, shows a relaxed and social Kurt Cobain showcasing his delicate vocal skills. Includes a gut wrenching All Apologies and a declaration of freedom on About A Girl. Long live cardigans!
The Man That Sold The World is a 5/5.
They played there back catalog as well as some great unknown covers. Well done and set the standard for MTV Unplugged.
Very relaxed and intimate guitar album. Kurt's voice doesn't miss a beat and the minimal instrumentation really helps highlight the song-writing. Best tracks: Polly, On a Plain, Plateau, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Not worth the hype
Highlight Song/s: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Plateau and Where Did You Sleep Last Night I am a casual Nirvana fan not too big on most of their stuff, but I like some of their songs here and there. Prior to listening to this I've only In Utero (which was my first album) then just earlier this month Nevermind. Songs that I particular like from them are: Drain You, In Bloom, Serve the Servants and their cover of Molly's Lips. So some songs are completely new to me. I like to think some of the higher ups thought they would play all their hits - especially from Nevermind - but NO about 40% of the album is covers, which I am a fan of; It's just Nirvana appreciating their idols Now, about the songs themselves: The cello on 'Something In The Way' is incredible; I thought the Meat Puppets songs were pretty good, I definitely gotta check out their second album.
A very strong 4, may revise to a five
absolutely I am rating this as high as possible. This album is still just as amazing now as it was back when it came out. Something that shouldn’t have worked, a loud band like Nirvana, playing acoustic. The covers were amazing. Kurt’s voice is incredible here. Perfect performance. Perfect live album.
Overhyped but still very good.
jo eh
Always enjoyed this beast
Previously on me saying words at my screen about music or something of that nature: “When I finally get recommended the live album, I'm going to have a Nirvanaganza, where I will relisten to this album along with Nevermind in one last hurrah.” Ummmm, errrrrr, fuck. I don’t have time for the Nirvanaganza. Not after I activated weekend albums not knowing I couldn’t turn them off. Sorry, Nirvana. I’ll return to these albums sometime in the not-too-distant future. I promise. Yeah, this is pretty alright. The songs ultimately lose me as they go along, though I can’t deny that they’re competent performances. I don’t remember much about Nevermind or In Utero, but I appreciate Cobain’s vocals a lot more now that they’re in the foreground. The renditions of Come as You Are, On a Plain and Plateau are pretty good. Lake of Fire is another good cut. I like Cobain’s rockstar-esque vocals. Where Did You Sleep Last Night? is the best song and a good closer. I enjoy the build-up in tension – very gripping. The banter between the bandmates is pretty fun, too. I like the Lead Belly guitar story. I have been intensely anal about the inclusion of live albums on this list and shudder to think of how many I have left. However, I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to consult the book about their inclusion. They made “...the album no one thought a grunge band ever could – an acoustic album”. A bit of an embellishment. The album serves as a strong indicator for where the band could have gone. That’s all there is, really. I think this album is a good listen and a respectable inclusion for the list. I understand the “where could they have gone” angle and I think Kurt Cobain’s impersonal, countercultural persona is worthy of being preserved in a more intimate way. It also helps to have a familiarity with this band’s output before I listened to this album. Anyways, farewell Nirvana. It’s been a short time in the grand scheme of things, but I will try to give em a proper listen sometime down the line.
Nirvana but a bit quieter. Still struggled to hear the lyrics.
This is a great album, top to bottom. Feels like they are putting on a show in someone's living room just hanging out having a decent time.
My primary recollection of Nirvana as a live act was, well, they were kind of half-assed. Not bad, just usually in a rush to get the fuck out of there and/or destroy instruments. Kurt would opt for a just in-tune enough guitar, like he had just added new strings - so, lots of twang and rattle - none of Vig’s compression and smoothed-out distortion. Dave, as ever, was locked-in and Krist kept pace, but rarely stood out in the mix. The idea of them doing an all-acoustic set seemed like a poor fit - rockin’ drummer, muted bassist, haphazard rhythm guitarist - and by 1993-94 the MTV Unplugged show had taken on, if not a sophisticated posture, something very rehearsed, despite its appeal as a stripped-down, humanizing venue. Nirvana shied away from neither, delivering something almost ornate, but also very raw, putting Kurt’s voice front and center. At the time it felt like a crude cash-in so soon after Kurt’s death and I had no interest in listening to nor supporting it, but over the years a few of the covers made their way through and - especially the Lead Belly - really showed the power in Kurt’s singing. Likewise shifting song keys to make his voice strain even more was a good trick and hopefully demonstrates that this was not a diary entry, but a performance. It may sound like the former, but he was very much in control of this aspect of his life. Speaking of, as this is the last we’d ever hear from Kurt, it’ll always be hard not to play a guessing game of where he’d have gone based on this document. There are many hypotheticals one can draw up: band splits, he does solo work with Rick Rubin going further into the spareness of Unplugged, etc. The rest of the 90s were a total grab bag of trends and permutations of grunge (divided equally between the classic rock and angst-ridden branches), so imagining Kurt coming and going throughout the next 6 years with the likes of swing music, ska, electronica, Radiohead, pop punk, one hit wonder alt rock bands like Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Lit, and Sugar Ray, the rise of nu-metal, and the splintering of hip hop...well, it’s an awfully weird fit. It’s no wonder that in the depths of that I was always happy to see Everlong or My Hero pop up on MTV. Dave and the Foos didn’t make it into the next decade and beyond as something to keep checking out, but at least in 1998 it was always a relief to have that mix of not half bad rock and a goofy sense of humour. He could never carry Kurt’s legacy on and didn’t want to, but at the very least his quirky, generous spirit could still be felt whenever Grohl popped up.
Unironically my favourite Nirvana record. And that says as much about me as it does them.
Some nuggets of gold and some lumps of coal on this record. Cobain’s voice seems to desert him during some songs, and is absolutely stunning during others.
Great raw version of Nirvana. Legendary couple covers included.
Great!
This is always going to be one of my all time favourite albums. It introduced me as an impressionable young person to a variety of different music through exploring the covers done, which helped for a wide taste in music. Nirvana was an extremely influential band, and pushed the envelope when it came to their music, and by doing this performance without playing only their "hits" was a bold choice that worked perfectly
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It’s not just nirvana but every cover is amazing
Прикольно, но альбомные версии лучше. Хотя Lake of Fire классная
This is truly an album everyone should listen at least once in their lives
Heerlijk album! 4 reten. Helaas mn notes niet opgeslagen. Fav: come as you are, oh me, lake of fire
Great album, enjoy it several Times a year on vinyl and HiRes
Certified gold. Minds were blown. The vibe is immaculate.
The back half suffers a little from three Meat Puppets songs in a row, but beyond that this is complete and utterly fantastic. (I want to say Dumb isn't great, but plenty of people love it so?) 4* but like, almost a 4.5*?
Best live album of all time.
A perfect, heartbreaking haunting. Kurt providing the soundtrack for his own departure from this life. This record HURTS.
Insofar as the music, Nirvana’s Unplugged doesn’t have a whole lot to contribute to their discography (will qualify momentarily). During the time, everyone from REM to Pearl Jam and Jewel were doing Unplugs. Insofar as a retrospective, it was a gut punching look at a man teetering on the edge of his own sanity before suicide. Recorded just four months before his first suicide attempt and five months before his final the songs take on a very solemn effect, as if (I might be stretching here) he was singing to his own funeral. I don’t know if he actually knew he was going to kill himself but the energy on the album suggested a man lost in his own depression. Compare Dumb here to the studio cut or Something in the Way, or Pennyroyal Tea, and you can hear and feel it. Where Did You Sleep Last Night was him giving his all, literary. However, it was also the first time the world got to see the talents of drummer Dave Grohl as he slipped between bass and vocals, as well as respond person-to-person to everyone. Kris Novoselic also put in his two cents too on bass, accordion and guitar, showing how talented they all are. Favorite track, the Bowie cover Man Who Sold the World, which I actually like better than the original. Overall, this is a must-listen to understand Nirvana, Cobain, Grunge, and the early ‘90s. The music is good but the story behind it stronger.
Random thoughts: * As a proud gen x-er, this one is up there in the must own category. * I revisit this one ever once in a while and I'm constantly impressed by the yowl, musicality, and fragility of it all. * Some great cover choices here: Bowie, Meat Puppets and Lead Belly ("Where Did You Sleep Last Night"). * The ending with Where Did You Sleep Last Night is masterful. * No notes. Certified classic.
The atmosphere is undeniable, almost mournful and deeply melancholic. There’s impressive technical skill and musical presence throughout, yet it’s still a difficult listen for me. You can clearly sense that Cobain is struggling. There’s little joy or spark left; it feels like the light is dimming. That said, certain tracks stand out beautifully, Come as You Are, The Man Who Sold the World, Dumb, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night all shine in this setting. It’s a powerful performance, but one that’s hard to digest emotionally. 4/5
One of the best albums of all time
Un Nirvana muy acartonado, encorsetado. No parecen cómodos.
Definitely my favorite Nirvana album. You can totally picture them as an edgy folk rock trio in the 70s. The intervening years of punk is the difference between them and Bob Dylan. Could Cobain have been the Dylan for the new millennium...maybe? This is a good medium to examine his lyrics. A lot of covers on this album though. Good covers, probably my favorite songs on the album, but covers. Maybe Smells Like Teen Spirit didn't translate, but it's kind of odd they didn't include their biggest hit. This is definitely the best way to listen to Nirvana. Jack White listened to Plateau and decided he was going to be in a band. This is a great live album. Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a great closing song and the best song on the album. Lake of Fire, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a great way to end an album, maybe the best closing songs to an album ever.
Not a Nirvana fan in general. This performance demonstrated the magic they had managed to capture and proved why they were so loved and popular.
Enjoyable listen. Hearing the songs in acoustic gave them a different meaning. Kurt’s voice is incredible.
Excellent. Such emotion in Kurt’s voice.
Unplugging really shows Kurt's voice in an incredible light. I was not really feeling Nirvana today but that was more of a mismatch by me than anything. Will have to come back to it
3,7/5
En líneas generales me ha gustado a pesar de que en ciertas ocasiones la voz de Kurt Cobain se me hace algo pesada. Sin dudas, la interpretación de Come As You Are es la mejor del álbum. La versión de The Man Who Sold The World es buena, pero no llega a la original de Bowie. 3'5/5
Nirvana isn't my favorite Grunge band by a long shot, but this album in its entirety is very enjoyable.
Cool live album. Nirvana is not necessarily my style, but good music. Cool to hear crowd banter. 5.6/10
Banger album great covers Bowie meet puppets
Grunge pared down. I like hearing the convos between songs and then the real, raw, and on point performances. They went with some covers and lesser known hits too which is cool. This felt just as much in their element as a big on stage performance.
I think time has been kinder to this album than Nevermind or In Utero. A raw and emotional spin on their original songs and the covers are all bangers. One of the best live albums - truly a Performance and not just a live show running through their hits. Standouts: About a Girl, The Man Who Sold the World, Lake of Fire, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
So good
nice stuff
Not a lot I can say about this album that hasn't already been discussed ad nauseum. Mostly that's due to the timing of the performance in relation to Cobain's death, but also due to the way Nirvana performed the songs (and what songs they performed). I will say that I completely agree with it being on this list. It's got a lot of power, even though it's "unplugged" and acoustic (sort of). The vocals are full of emotion. I think it actually benefitted from using cover songs, though I'm not sure we needed three straight Meat Puppets songs. The Bowie cover is one of the best songs from the set. Their originals are performed with passion and evoke feeling in a way well emphasized by the format. There are some low points that bring it down a bit for me. And, like I noted for the Metallica/SFS suggestion, live albums just feel like you're only getting half of the experience since you can't see the visual component. Otherwise, I can't say too much negative. There's a lot to like here, even removing the Cobain death context. Overall: 3.6/5
The Man Who Sold The World is a treat to listen to, and I acknowledge that this performance is a significant part of music history, but without the appeal of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain (and his recent suicide) attached to the album, it's just kind of whiny grunge.
I think this is way overrated. They're better with a wall of sound. Favorite song: all apologies.
Top ten albums of the 90s.
The context around this album is obviously really important. Probably the most consequential and famous live album of all time. However, without knowing any of the history here, the songs very much hold up on their own merit. Unapologetic, art-forward, and uniquely their own - this is what music is about.
10/10
Genuinely one of the most overrated live albums of all time
Great ol' nostalgia trip. And looking at the dates it released not long after Cobain's death. So this was recorded only a few months before he died. Kinda weird and crazy to think about. The album itself has most of Nirvana's big hits, with one obvious, glaring omission of a song that I'm sure the band would have been sick of playing. But it would have been a mistake to play it, and I'm sure they knew that. Every song here is clearly carefully considered to work in the format. But it also has a variety of excellent covers. Their version of Man who Sold the World is brilliant. I feel a bit weird about greatest hits/live albums on this list but this one is undeniably a classic, and very significant in terms of music history, too. There's a bunch of cool details about the performance here! https://www.theringer.com/2018/11/14/music/nirvana-unplugged-oral-history-kurt-cobain
I was waiting for this one
Raw
Hardly unplugged but a good listen, powerful live recordings, pretty heavy going throughout though...
Varies between interesting to GREAT. Fantastic sound. Best thing MTV ever did. FSs: Man who sold the world, Come as you are, Dumb. But first place, “Where did you sleep last night?”
Wayyy preferred this to our previous outing. This is the Nirvana that endures for me.
Um dos melhores acústicos MTV já gravados!
Kurt's voice is amazing here. You can almost smell the alcohol he drank
It's really interesting to hear Nirvana stripped back. You can make out the foundation of their sound, and something that I think is common to their grunge peers, which is a sense of ugliness. Cobain held up a mirror and while he was a great percentage of what was reflected back, he also captured the casual disregard of nature and humanity. I was 16 when this came out. I remember exactly where I was when I first hear Nevermind. That album was profoundly influential to who I am. I'd slipped away from Nirvana for this and In Utero, even though Nirvana dominated MTV. Revisiting this brings back a ton of memories and I'm grateful for that. Hearing the nuts and bolts of what made this band with the added context of 30 years of being a musician myself is incredible.
a special moment in time
1. About a Girl (Live) - 9 Phenomenal opening track. The guitars sound so incredibly good on this track and the vocals are absolutely on point. Absolutely the definitely of what grunge/alternative rock is. The guitar's sound change on the bridge adds even more to it. Just incredible. 2. Come As You Are (Live) - 10 Just a superb track. Guitars sound so dirty, so incredible on this track. Cobain's vocals really delivery the song as the masterpiece as it is. Drum line does so well to lead the vocals into each line of the chorus. Just all around an all time classic on an all time great live performance. 3. Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam (Live) - 6 The verses do so well to highlight Cobain's amazing vocals but he is absolutely drowned out in the choruses. Instrumentally it's good but it sounds too much like a Renaissance piece the sound Nirvana are really known for. 4. The Man Who Sold the World (Live) - 10 Just an incredibly well written piece of music. The guitar is an incredible sound that I could listen to on repeat for hours at a time. 5. Pennyroyal Tea (Live) - 7 Cobain makes this song sound better than it lyrically is but it's a greatly enjoyable song either way. Guitar doesn't overpower him thankfully and it comes and goes from heavy to light all throughout, but not randomly to the point where the track just feels like a collection of randomness without purpose. 6. Dumb (Live) - 10 Just a phenomenal track. Short but with that great sound that the previous album has already provided. Excellent track to get lost in while doing a deep listen to the album. 7. Polly (Live) - 9 Very dark song with the imagery provided but sung superbly and with a great sound on the guitars on it, particularly the bass. 8. On a Plain (Live) - 10 Another brilliant track. Much like with Polly, there are very structured and timed pauses between in line of the lyrics but within those pauses, the guitar and drums are given a real chance to shine before the lyrics guide the song through. Absolutely excellent track. 9. Something in the Way (Live) - 9 Much slower song from Nirvana but still masterfully played and written. Lyrically it's a smidge too repetitive but it still sounds absolutely brilliant with how well the pace is maintained and amplified by the drums. 10. Plateau (Live) - 8 Complete tone change for the album and while it is not bad and the lyrics paint a wonderful metaphor, the song seems to lose itself a little bit around 2-2&1/2 minutes in. Very melodic but almost with a country undertone that doesn't really feel like it belongs on the album. 11. Oh Me (Live) - 10 Really great slow paced song that you could listen to on repeat many many times over. 12. Lake of Fire (Live) - 8 Chorus is great but the verse makes this feel like it could be a country track misplaced on the album. The sound of the guitar would be the only thing that makes it ensure it's not. The metaphor between the demons in the Lake of Fire and the 4th of July is outstanding. 13. All Apologies (Live) - 10 Very good track. A return to the classic Nirvana sound that opened the album. The fade into the repeated final line of lyrics is done so excellently it drives home the point of the meaning behind the entire song. 14. Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Live) - 10 Stunning ending to the album. The vocals and instrumentals are brilliantly written and they build in intensity for the whole track. You then get dumped into a quiet bridge that makes you wonder if the song will fade out or if you will get the crescendo you've been building to. The track does not disappoint and eventually delivers it to you, exceeding expectations of what it could be that you've been building for the whole first part of the track before coming back down to close. Best song on the album. Average Rating: 9.0 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 4.5 Rounded Up: 5 stars
Another stellar live album, a raw power comes from the acoustic versions of most of these Nirvana songs. I think it draws the most emotional version of Cobain's voice you can hear on some of these songs outside of being at a live performance of theirs back in the 90s. Of course, both the original version of these songs as well as these live versions are incredible in their own right. Fave Songs: About A Girl; Come As You Are; The Man Who Sold The World; Pennyroyal Tea; Dumb; Something In The Way; On A Plain; Lake Of Fire Worst Song: Polly
One of the greatest live albums of all time, up there with AiC/PJ Unplugged and other greats like Folsom.
Tough to say anything that hasn't already been said. The capstone project of Nirvana, one of the greatest/most iconic live albums ever. It's like the live album version of Joy Division's Closer. Don't know what else you could want from a live album. It provides an alternate take to their songs along with a great selection of covers. Most live album versions of songs are great because they are juiced up and full of more energy than their studio counterparts, while this album kind of operates in the reverse. 14th perfect album, 719 albums in. Rating: 5.0
This is pedantic but it isn’t really an album. It is excellent though. Interesting that a band famed for squalling guitar noise did acoustic stuff and still sounded like themselves. Some revealing choices for song covers too.
Pretty solid. Could do without a few of these songs. Pretty tough in spots but no denying Cobains songwriting skills.
one of the greatest bands and one of their best albums. loved hearing them “live”
A final beautiful gift from the band, reveals the talent behind the apparent mayhem. Wonderful tributes to artists who influenced them, a pure emotion evident in Cobain’s voice that also shows his ability to craft a vocal line. One of the best live albums ever.
I think Nirvana made pretty interesting music, but I think this does highlight just how much more interesting Kurt was as a person.
I give this a 4/5 only because I don't love live albums.
solid 4/5
Great album
One of the best live albums ever. Amazing to hear Nirvana in the prime, yet so close to their end. Some incredible covers on here, as well as some iconic tracks.
Dude doesn't always hit the right notes but he tried
The Good: Being unplugged in New York… The Bad: As it’s the city that never sleeps, we should have brought along some ac/dc… The Ugly: THE FUCKING CARDIGAN… There are people who will die defending this album, all about the rawness of it all, and that this is the way music should sound… which explains several of the other dreadful albums I’ve had the displeasure of listening to on this journey. The only real positive thing to be said about this performance was when the Meat Puppets joined for three of their songs! Actually, that’s not fair, as several of the tunes performed by Nirvana were not totally ruined by Kurts purposeful false screamin’ which needed work… I lived this period, have many wonderful memories of this time, and I am NOT one to die on the sword defending this album… Straight down the middle on this one 3*
A bit repetitive at times. A great live recording but not my favourite.
I am not a connoseur of 90s Grunge. I sure as shit don't like it as much as some other people. That being said, this album is perfect for what it is. Not becuase of its production. Not becuase of its setlist. Not because of the story. As a matter of fact, its perfect because none of these things are perfect. It is a raw, messy, and acoustic live set of a band that is counterculture to the norm of music. Someone described this as the "funeral of rock". These words ring true I guess, but I feel a resurgance in the world of music today, 30 years later. This presentation stands the test of time and speaks to the point of music itself. I must rate it a 9/10 and don't see that changing in the future.
Already listened
86/100.
wonderful
This is an album that I listen to regularly. It showcases the talents of Kurt Cobain. It also showcases the musicianship of the band. I really enjoyed the unplugged versions of most of the bands that MTV had on the show and this is no exception. I also have this one on vinyl so it’s very enjoyable to listen to.
Amazing live album! Requires 1 beer in hand! Cool unc energy!
Listens: 3 Standout tracks: The classics: (Come As You Are, Polly, Something In The Way), The Man Who Sold The World, Lake of Fire. Added To Library: TRUE This album is excellent. The inclusion of the audience (soundboard?) and the between-songs banter elevates the the album from just being an exceptional acoustic set to being highly intimate and equally casual. It doesn't sound like a big audience. It would probably have been amazing to actually be there. The premise of the set being acoustic means that the band isn't going absolutely ape-shit wild - something you might see at a regular grunge concert. Anyways, solid set. I do wish they played Smells Like Teen Spirit (I am a sucker for that song, and a bunch of covers of it (Patti Smith's in particular), for some reason). An acoustic rendition from them would have been amazing. 4.5
1. girl - 2.5 2. come - 4 3. jezuz - 2 4. zold - 3 5. tea - 1.5 6. dumb - 2.5 7. polly - 3 8. plain - 1.5 9. zomething - 2.5 10. plateau - 1.5 11. me - 1.5 12. fire - 2.5 13. apologiez - 3 14. night - 3
Auch dieses Album musste ich mehrmals höre, um Zugang zu finden. Tolles musikalisches Vermächtnis eines Lauten mit leisen, harmonischen Tönen.
Maybe one of the best live albums of all time. Amazing to have Nirvana, in the peaks of their success, play on the stage branded by the corporate greed of the thing they hated, and play a setlist of b sides and cover songs. Peak Nirvana and help solidify their iconic status in my mind.
Live albums aren’t usually my favourite, but this one is an absolute classic! I really appreciate the reminder to listen to this album more frequently!
Great album. First Nirvana album I ever owned. Every time I listen to it, it just sounds fresh and unique. Kurt's voice just plays so well with the acoustic guitar. Love this.
I was not looking forward to listening to this album. I've kind of been a Nirvana hater since I was younger, I think because I found them overplayed, and I usually find Kurt Cobain's voice grating. But this is an instance I'm grateful for doing this 1001 Album Generator because without it, I never would have come to realize why this album is so deeply loved. I used to just see this as an MTV cash-grab to exploit the popularity of the band, and a lame gimmick for a hard rock band to play their hits acoustic like this. Furthermore, this obviously was recorded only a few months before Cobain's passing, and I always wondered if people just thought it was good for sentimentality's sake. There is indeed something ominous about the stage being decorated as a funeral. Perhaps now that I'm older, nearly 10 years older than Cobain was when this was recorded, I can understand the sincerity and vulnerability in the performance. You can hear Cobain nervous and stiff at first and become more comfortable as the recording goes on. I do not know how much was being played up for performance's sake, but it felt very real to me. I enjoyed the latter half of the album more than the first. Some singing still felt grating to me, and I'm not a fan of acoustic-electric guitar sounds in general. Although Nirvana's songs translate surprisingly well to acoustic renditions (credit to good songwriting), I felt the most enjoyable songs were the covers (perhaps because I could just hear the Nirvana songs in their original and constantly comparing them). The Meat Puppets' performances and songs "Plateau" and "Lake of Fire" stood out, and I'm going to listen to Meat Puppets II shortly. I'll admit it, I cried a little at the end of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This album really gives a glimpse to what Nirvana could have evolved into, that they were not limited to just being a grunge band, and that is what makes this record so bittersweet.
Amazing album, no notes.
Always good but makes me sad
The amount of live albums I've had to listen to so far on this list is really annoying. That being said, I love this particular live album and have listened to it thousands of times. I was 21 when it came out and it really takes me back to a really great time in my life. The funny thing is I think the Meat Puppets songs are the standouts here. 4.5/5 #85
4/5. Fantastic album, although feel like the live recordings are cheating a bit. See Nirvana in a new light after this. Always liked a few songs from them, but this really hit the spot. Can see the early grunge influence and raw talent of Cobain
It was ok. Nice surprise. Wouldn't listen to again but it was more folk and chill than I thought it would be.
it's very good Will I listen to again: 100%
An incredible live album. A great collection of songs and an extremely powerful performance.
3/5. I don't think this is a great album but I respect the authenticity and the humility to sound worse on songs that he did not need to sound bad on. He changes the key just cause, and then strains his voice. This is a hard record to listen to with the context of his suicide. It seems like he does not want to be there, like his life is just a performance for others. And at the end, he breaks, moving past the bounds of the music and crashes. Like he has realized what he had to do and the concert was his thought process through it. It's a hard listen, and unfortunately doesn't sound good a lot of the time, purposefully and also not on purpose. I think you can really hate this record or really love it and probably for the same reason. Best Song: Where Did You Sleep Last Night, The Man Who Sold The World, Pennyroyal Tea
A must
Unbelievable live album, being able to make these heavy grunge songs sound quite beautiful on an acoustic guitar. 10/10 perfect. Best Tracks ->Come As You Are ->Man Who Sold the World ->Something in the Way ->Where Did You Sleep Last Night?