Reviews (page 9 of 15)
I have always enjoyed — not *loved* — Nirvana, but I've pretty much only listened to their biggest songs and one or two lesser known songs thanks to an old roommate of mine who obsessively listened to them. I think this has given me a new appreciation of Kurts raw vocals (which I'm enjoying much more live than the studio versions) and the simple yet engaging melodies. I can see why they were as popular as they were, even if I believe their music blew up much more after his tragic death. I decided to watch most of these songs as the videos instead of just listening which made them have a bigger impact, imo. I liked the little bits of him talking. He really didn't understand how good he truly was. My favorite songs - About a girl Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam Dumb Polly Something in the way All apologies Where did you sleep last night Rating 1-5 4
7 - GOOD
One of the best live albums for sure.
Hey, hey, my, my Rock and roll will never die Just hang your hair down in your eyes You'll make a million dollars
An iconic album in Nirvana's offerings
Already listened to before thhis but amazing live album and my favourite Nirvana Album
Go good!!
Obviously have heard of nirvana, never listened to this album. Not sure how I feel about acoustic but let’s see. Kurt cobain can fuckin sing. About a girl is really good. Can’t believe it’s live. Guitar solo is great. Come as you are is a classic. It’s crazy because it doesn’t sound acoustic at all. That guitar riff is just so good. “Jesus” is fine. Not my fave but good enough song. Woah what a rendition of the man who sold the world. Immediately makes me want to listen to the original then go back and listen to this one again. Pennyroyal tea is another really good song. Definitely had heard it prior to this. Great songwriting and guitar. Cello on dumb 🔥🔥🔥. Bass too is so good. Polly is fine. Nothing special. I feel similarly about on a plain, but I’d say the songwriting is really good. Woah I like something in the way a lot. Again the cello is so cool. Plateau was pretty cool. Not much more to say than that. I like oh me better. Good songwriting, good guitar which is a theme throughout. Lake of fire is another really good song. All apologies is one of the best nirvana songs without a doubt and I can’t believe they did this live. Sounds better than the real album version. Cello again is sweet. And I like where did you sleep as a closet. This is a really good album, and the story behind it adds to it as well. Will listen again. 3.9 stars.
Fun to listen to, waaaay more up my alley than expected. Would definitely listen to again.
Ya había escuchado algo de Nirvana, pero me sorprendió mucho lo bien que se escuchan en vivo. La voz de Kurt Cobain es increíble, y las guitarras y la batería suenan de lujo. Me sorprendió mucho este álbum, me gustó mucho. Me apetece seguir escuchándolo, siento que me puede seguir gustando más.
My first 1001 album review starting of with a banger. Having been a bit of a nirvana fan prior to listening this live album I had an idea of what I was getting into, I also already had a couple songs saved to my likes. That being said it is not much of a surprise that I liked this album however there were a couple songs that they covered which I had not heard before, but I felt are well suited to nirvanas style so enjoyed listening to them as well. I normally don’t particularly like live albums but this one I really enjoyed, what I did like is the raw sound of Kurt’s voice where you can really hear the emotion alongside the instruments, the recording is also super crisp which I think factors to my positive review. The songs from the album transition so smoothly into one another but that’s presumably because the recording was done all on one go, I rate it as personally I love that continuous sound. Standout song for me is definitely ‘The man who sold the world’ the gritty guitar riff is just amazing and I am considering buying the vinyl for this album.
Good Didn’t like how it was live
Yeah I'm sitting here singing along with "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam." This record was on constant rotation in my household when it first came out. I never play my old Nirvana records anymore, I guess I got a little tired of them and what I like to listen to has changed a lot since then. But I really enjoyed hearing this one again today. I think it feels fresher than the others because of the mix of covers and less-played originals and of course the acoustic setting. 4/5
There is no voice like Kurts. So much emotion, soul, pain. And the song choices are incredible. Bowie??? What an album. Wish I were alive for this moment.
soothing & fun
Pretty good. Chill album, a little longer than expected
great live album, i mean obviously it is THE mtv unplugged performance where did you sleep last night and the man who sold the world are standout tracks most of the other covers are pretty underwhelming
Kocham te utwory. Ale album na żywo nigdy nie zrobi na mnie wielkiego wrażenia. Szczególnie jeśli większość utworów już na tej liście było. 8/10
live albums are rarely good, and this one somehow manages to be charming even though the interludes are weirder than you'd normally expect and the entire concept of unplugged immediately goes out the window as they are playing decidedly not acoustic instruments. it feels almost lucky that this works as well as it does given the source material and how unprepared they seemed to be.
ooh wow the performance that helped get me into David Bowie because of the cover of "The Man Who Sold the World" but also the version of "Pennyroyal Tea" that I find most strained/hard to listen to. Overall a fun listen, really wish uhhh well that Cobain hadn't killed himself but you get what you get and you don't throw a fit, I guess
Yes cool
Pretty good
Nirvana has always been a fringe band to me. Knowing them from the radio but not deeper. My friend Said is a big fan and loves them.. I heard a story about how Kurt recorded a song and then everyone left the studio and he was laying on the couch with the guitar on him playing quietly and the producer made him stay there, moved the equipment into the room and re recorded it to get the raw heavy, yet gentle version. That song was something in the way… If you are feeling lonely or suicidal please reach out to someone. Even me if your reading this.
Possibly my favourite Nirvana album. I think the stripped-back treatment of the songs really suits (and enhances) their trademark uneasy chord progressions, and Kurt sounds great. The cover versions are great choices to sit amongst the Nirvana songs, too. I remember watching the MTV version occasionally in the 90s, and always found Kurt's performance magnetic. I'm not quite there for five stars but it's great.
“I think im dumb” - mood. A Polly é simplesmente um sequestro? “Im on a plain, i cant complain” uhum, os mamonas assassinas discordariam 💀 “And I'm living off of grass (…) t's okay to eat fish 'cause they don't have any feelings” - como vegetariana identifico me com a primeira parte. O mini solo de guitarra na “oh me” ✨✨ “Everyone is gay” - well não há muito a discordar Um álbum bem chill vibes Músicas que conhecia: - come as you are - The man who sold the world (não conhecia a versão dos nirvana) - Something in the way (nunca tinha ouvido com muita atenção)
Un album normal de nirvana, no soy muy fan de la banda pero personalmente me gustaron varias canciones que se presentaron
Iconic. I didn't realize the timing of this, released 4 months prior to his death. This was another album in the heavy rotation at my house growing up and at first glance i would have thought easy 5 stars, but didn't really blow me away on the re-listen. It is definitely impressive they sound this good with an "acoustic" set, but the self depreciation and silliness of the songs are clashing with the highly serious presentation. Cobain wanted the set to look like a funeral... I also don't think I would send any of these tracks to a friend "Have you fucking heard this!" Some cool moments - the cello and guitar solo at the end of Man Who Sold the World. Cobain missing the initial note to the riff was very relatable. Novoselic playing accordion with Grohl on bass, also cool. One less cool moment was seeing Cobain grinding his jaw, wonder if he was also doing uppers. Good album, probably the second thing I'd point to after Nevermind if someone asked why they were the best Grunge band or if they were overrated etc.
Det er sku et godt album med fede vers og mellemspilninger/outroer
This album generator has graced me with Nirvana appreciation. That doesn't mean I need an acoustic Nirvana recording, I think the mood for Nirvana rarely merits an acoustic version. This is still a lovely sound, and it's offering something special for the fans, authenticity and intimacy. I feel like Kurt fucked the intro to Come As You Are, but we're human, and his vocal performance is top notch everywhere else. We also see the interactions between the bandmates, the audience, the energy of the night, attitude and respect. It's probably my 2020s devolved cell-phone-brain, but visually this was a chore. I like this one, just because I'm a fan. I'm not super excited about the covers, I prefer their original work. I'm sure a lot of people could get into this project because it features a lot of quality Cobain poetry under a more generally accepted guitar sound. Otherwise, it's fun to see the body language, the cigarettes, the sarcasm. 3.8/5
Yes this is still very good.
Enjoyed this album. I understand why it is held in such high regard. Nirvana is iconic and this is obviously their best performance.
Great listen, live version of the Lead Belly cover is amazing. Love the stripped back approach, a wonderful record.
I used to love this album. Now it’s sad and strange. This is the version of Cobain that people wanted. The sensitive, troubled rock star in the frayed sweater, striped down, intimate, unplugged. But this was contrived. It feels like a proximate cause of Cobain’s death. The sanded-down anaesthetized version of the man they could put in the spotlight and make millions of dollars from. Still a decent listen though.
Lo volví a escuchar luego de mínimo 10 años y puedo decir que aún le guardo mucho cariño a este álbum. Agradezco haberlos encontrado a los 12 años y no hoy (porque sé que hoy no me gustaría), pero como crecí con Nirvana solo tengo buenas sensaciones al escucharlo. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I liked this album. Not all the songs tho. Since I've never listened to Kurt Cobain sing live, this was a new experience in the sense that i got to hear his raw vocals. That said, most of the songs I've liked on this album were covers of the Meat puppets songs. So I'll definitely give them a listen. The last song was amazing because he let all the rage out. The songs also taught me about his tragic life story where he drew most of the inspiration from. We'll see if i go back to it.
firre
Cool and nostalgic. Glad to have revisited
Another classic
Great album, captured the band really well. Prefer this to the studio albums
It's an iconic performance from the 90s. I'm not sure I can give it a 5, though, as I generally prefer the original album versions of each track.
It’s iconic, and I get why this album means so much to people
I don't think it's an unpopular take that Nirvana is the band that mastered the format of MTV Unplugged. While there have been some great performances since that day in 1993, when people think of Unplugged they think of Nirvana. Fresh off the release of In Utero, the band was arguably at their best, and playing a show combining some of their great originals with absolutely brilliant covers cemented their legacy. I believe in letting the covers shine above their originals, they really set this performance apart from others who have historically just "played the hits". The Man Who Sold the World and Where Did You Sleep Last Night steal the show, offering a completely new side of Nirvana and reinventing incredible songs for the modern generation. The track selection perfectly complements the acoustic environment combined with the roots of everything that made Nirvana so memorable. There's a good reason that this is THE MTV Unplugged recording and frequently considered among the greatest recorded live performances of all time.
After over 200 albums I've finally found one i actually owned at some point in my life. This is a great album.
love live recordings so personal and special
Spotify now has a feature where you can sometimes watch a video associated with the song. It was pretty cool to watch, especially unplugged like this. They still acted a bit like a house band even while playing such a big show
It’s always somewhat bitter-sweet reviewing albums that you thrashed in an earlier stage of life. This was still a great listen, but couldn’t quite recreate the highs of experiencing the record while young and impressionable
I like it but I don’t think the lyrics relate to me. Alternative.
3.5/5
Day 5 of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die with @marmeu. I honestly was expecting more. Just from how highly praised it is being one of the highest rated live albums of all time, but to be fair, I don't have much experience with live albums OR Nirvana. I liked the folk songs on this like Polly by far the most out of any track on this record. All the others seem so like, solid but a bit boring at the same time? Like I didn't LOVE it, but I still liked it quite a bit, this doesn't have a standout track like Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis had (Move), But it certainly had better consistency, so I'm giving it one more point then the jazz album, although this will probably change at some point if I ever decide to relisten to either, which probably won't be anytime soon. Overall great record, doesn't make me the most eager for more nirvana, but still great, not amazing. 86/100
surprisingly i quite enjoyed it!!
enjoyed it more than i thought i would!
Still don’t quite get the adulation for this album. Very good but not the perfection that some claim
Banger. 4/5
I remember watching this when it aired live on MTV. It really changed the public perception of Nirvana.
December 10, 2025 Album #830: MTV Unplugged in New York by Nirvana Genre: Alternative Rock, Acoustic Rock, Folk Rock Being one of the most iconic live performances of all time, I think it’s safe to say that Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged session would make for a very good live album. I’ve watched the performance before, so I didn’t mind giving the live album a listen. And what do you know, it really is a very good live album, haha. There’s so many good cuts off of this thing. Kurt Cobain really sets his stage presence in the opener, *About A Girl*. It sets the tone of the live set so wonderfully. The band’s Cobain’s performance is so iconic and charismatic, and that shows throughout the set. Whether it be on the superb and catchy Bowie cover, *The Man Who Sold The World*, the melancholic and moody *Dumb* with its haunting cello, the minimalist renditions of *Penny Royaltea* and *Polly*, the assortment of Meat Puppets covers, and many more songs. There’s so many emotionally resonant songs to be found here. The band really showcases their musical abilities here. The closer though, the cover of *Where Did You Sleep Last Night*, is absolutely legendary. It’s so coldly intimate and feels so personal and emotional. It’s my favorite song here out of many great songs by a long shot. As I said, Nirvana’s *MTV Unplugged in New York* is a legendary performance. I highly recommend watching it and giving this a listen. I’m very happy that I revisited it today, it’s really something, haha. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, Strong 8 to a Light 9 Favorite Tracks: About A Girl, Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Polly, On A Plain, Something In the Way, Oh, Me , Lake of Fire, All Apologies, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
well i already know i love this one and today, wed morning 12/10/25 AD, i wanted a 90s album. was actually listening to nirvana yesterday too so why not!
Bra album. Foretrekker nok ikk live men
Most of the live versions add some degree of uniqueness, giving this live album a rare fresh spin instead of just "relive a concert"
So special to have this much banter on the record. The best part to me was when Kurt says “I guarantee you I will screw this song up” and then delivers one of the greatest covers in history.
Nirvana was big when I was young. I was even a contrarian then. I didn’t like nirvana. I started understanding they were good from the Batman. Something is hard to listen to while walking and not thinking your Batman. After listening to the album I watched it on YouTube. This is a masterpiece, I’m excited to listen to a full nirvana studio album but I’ll wait till this app tells me to. Stand out songs Something The man who sold the world
Probably then at their height.
Surprisingly good but still not big on nirvana's sound
Classic. Little overplayed with obvious flaws. Covers are better than their own songs, so good choice. Fav: Jesus don't want me for a sunbeam
New nirvana for me this. Enjoyably soft
I bought this album when it came out when I was in college.
Class act
A very natural feeling, laid back sound and ambiance which I wasn’t expecting They sound so shy lmao Let’s go Nirvana The call to Seattle
Considering how long I've lauded Nirvana as the most overrated band of all time, I surprisingly enjoyed this.
This is one of the best stripped back live sessions recorded. But I do believe that the lore around it has inflated its quality slightly. I like the idea of one of the biggest bands in the world doing a show for the biggest tv channel in the world and not playing any of their hits and instead doing covers
Iconic beast live album
I was obsessed with this in high school. Original, I know.
I have this album in my collection having bought it very cheap at a charity shop (part of 3 CD’s for a £1). I’m not a big Nirvana fan so I must admit it was bought on the strength of the albums good reputation rather than an album I would play a lot. In fact after ripping it to SSD and then stored I haven’t given it another thought until today. I now realise what a big mistake this was. What I like about the album is that the acoustic versions of these songs have reduced the grunginess of them to something more palatable to me. So much so that I can actually hear the lyrics clearly. This is also owed to the good production which gives the songs a lot more width and air. So different to what I know of Nivana’s normal work which quite frankly is hard on the senses. This is what I expected of this album also but I was very pleasantly surprised. 4/5 23/11/25
Kinda great, espacially for a live performance. There are a couple of songs I dont vibe with, but it is an important archive in music history I understand why it is here.
That was nice! I liked the vibe of the recording
This was cool - soft melodic acoustics and the harshnesss of his voice together. I don’t love the Nevermind ‘secondary’ album tracks but the covers were great
Don't like Nirvana, particullary I don't like Kurt's voice. But I must admit that they are much better unplugged! I enjoyed some of the stuff here.
This was the only Nirvana CD I ever owned. I am/was a big fan of the unplugged sessions MTV produced back in the day, and I remember that many people were uncertain that Pearl Jam or Nirvana would make any sense in this setting. There is no getting around the tour-de-force nature of Kurt's performance. He does a great job, and the rest of the band just joins flawlessly into the moment. Good stuff.
Absoluut een klassieker. Ook erg leuk dat ik hem op cd kon luisteren, sinds ik hem al in de kast heb staan.
Love this
They were better electric
The world would be poorer without it.
Very cool. I guess I should watch the video version. I have tons of respect and awe for Nirvana and Cobain and the values and shifts in the industry that they represented, but I’ve never really loved their music. This is probably the most I’ll enjoy a full project by them. It sounds great; the mixing is super clear and the instruments sound rich and full. I really dig that they played a bunch of covers and only one of their own hits. Must-listen #247.
Like an all-time rock band playing their own funeral. Some of these are definitive versions of the songs for me. You're not crazy if this is your favorite Nirvana album.
Classic. 4.5/5
It's too seminal
Nice to hear this again after so many years. Still sounds great! Kurt always seemed to know where he'd come from and was so helpful to other artists he admired. I loved The Vaselines at the time, but they would have remained completely obscure without Nirvana's covers. I like to think that Kurt would have remained a decent guy if he'd lived. I genuinely can't imagine he'd be a MAGA numpty. A sad loss to music and humanity in general.
Unplugged sessions were supposed to be a chance for rock bands to prove they could play without distortion as a crutch—but Nirvana approached the format like a séance. Stripping away the noise exposes the fragile, beautifully frayed wiring beneath these songs, turning even pop-grunge staples into haunted folk confessionals. It’s not exactly an album you throw on to brighten your day—and knowing what would follow for Kurt Cobain adds a chill you can’t shake—but that uneasy intimacy is the point. “About a Girl” gets recast as earnest Brit-pop, “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam” benefits from Krist Novoselic’s wheezing accordion, and a solo “Pennyroyal Tea” feels like Cobain bleeding straight into the mic. Even “Dumb” becomes a slow-moving heart-bruise with cello swelling in all the right places. Their take on “The Man Who Sold the World” might sneak in an electric flourish or two, but the spirit remains: Nirvana turning quiet into an act of rebellion.
plug em back in
Great live album, classic songs
still good after all these years
Maybe one of the most important live albums ever released, they say. I get it. I'm not really a Nirvana guy, as we've established, but deep diving them has been fun (we did Nevermind a few weeks ago and I enjoyed it very much!) This is great and raw and important. Not a 5. Strong 4.
It's been a very long time since I've listened to this album. I'd grown a little tired of hearing the same 5 or so Nirvana radio songs for decades and had forgotten just had good this album was. Tempted to give it 5 but ultimately landed on 4 after sitting on my decision over the weekend. 👍About a Girl, Lake of Fire, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
I was hoping to be introduced to music I haven't heard 1002 times already. Love this album.
This is the first full Nirvana album I have listened to. I have heard some of the songs on the radio but wasn't really into it. In all, it was a good album. I wish the cellos could be heard as part of the melodies. It would have made this acoustic, unplugged album better (in my view). 4/5
this album has long been on my list of concerts I'd travel back in time to attend if I could. also on that list: -Alive 2007 (obviously) -Sinatra at the Sands in 1966 -at least half of the performances featuerd in "Desolation Center" (2018)
Hm, nicht ihre besten Songs :-/ Schwanke zwischen 3-4 Sternen, ich geb mal 4 weil mir eine Shotgun vors Gesicht gehalten wird.
sehr gutes Album generell, mag den sanfteren Stil. Ansonsten ist mir Nirvana teilweise zu aggressiv. 1-2 Coverlieder haben nicht so gezündet, daher nur 4.
8/10 - solid live album, watched the live performance as well as listened, great seeing a young Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain, and the whole group interacting with the crowd
Actually don’t get why this is one of the highest rated albums ever. Wouldn’t even call it best acoustic set ever. Still good though I guess.
3.8/5 (2.8/5 imho but there's people pointing guns at me 😅) I'm gonna make some enemies with this one. First of all, I don't hate Nirvana; I hate the hype around them and the people wearing their t-shirts as fashion and not as a representation of their taste in music. I never disliked the idea of exploring new musical ways, it's necessary for it to evolve. It just doesn't mean that the outcome is great all the time. This album (and the genre as a whole) is a good example of that. Nirvana was never a great band imho, nor was Kurt Cobain a great artist. Most of their songs sound very similar, carry a pretty depressive and bored sound with them. I just don't enjoy stuff like this. With all honesty, Nirvana got hyped into oblivion because they did something different and gave the 90s teens something to flock to. Cobain's suicide accelerated that. The way both the media and his then gf Courtney Love handled the situation was cringey and disrespectful. It made a whole generation cry cuz their idol was gone, but I'd cry as well if I'd only have Alice In Chains to listen to afterwards. This unplugged album was a big thing back in the day since it was released after Cobains self-unaliving. Regarding the overall ratings, it's save to say that there's many people here who absolutely love it. I don't share that opinion, but it's not as bad as some of the shit my ears had to endure the weeks prior. It's good enough to be background music for me, but it doesn't reach higher than that. Mediocrity in musical form. Also wtf are lines like "I'm on a plane/I can't complain"? Is this considered lyrical gold these days? Probably yes if I look at any lyrics of popular music today... So yeah, all in all not bad, not great either. Would I listen to this again? Probably not if I didn't have to. Did I make aeqnx and Daimon mad? Probably yes. Am I getting offered as a tribute in late December? Most definitely.
Emotional and powerful. ★★★★
A very good album, but it does suffer from The Curse of The Critics. Made when Nirvana were at the height of their fame, and Kurt could have made armpit noises, and the music papers would have praised it to the sky. But Nirvana put together a very good album, and the praise made it sound like The Rapture. The Bowie cover is the highlight.
Given Nirvana's short timespan of existence, they did not hand us many albums, and this as the only official live album they published in the band's existence. I've never listened to it in full before this, although I've heard over half the songs from this show many times. I'm making this review short: good album, kind of overrated (the Lake of Fire cover is horrible), probably belongs in the 1001+ albums (definitely more than some other albums I've gotten to), I only plead that people listen to other grunge music that isn't just Nirvana. The genre has plenty to offer.
4.07
Good grunge album, Kurt seemed like a lovely guy
I think that the Nirvana songs working so well acoustically shows how strong Kurt’s songwriting is, proving that grunge is way more than just noise. The covers being show off Nirvana’s ability to adapt songs, as they all fit well with the rest of the music. It highlights the band’s musicianship and Kurt’s singing ability, even if it isn’t a traditionally pleasant voice. 4/5
It's fitting to review Nirvana's Unplugged in New York right now, as it coincides with MTV's announcement that they're discontinuing their last dedicated music channels. This album is a monument to what MTV once was: a channel that could launch a culturally impactful event like the MTV Unplugged series. Originating in 1989 with acts such as Squeeze, these televised concerts, including this one by Nirvana, were defining cultural moments that the network promoted at its peak. Nirvana recorded their performance on November 18, 1993, the album was released November 1st 1994, nearly seven months after Cobain's death. My relationship with Nirvana's catalogue has always been a little uneven; I never disliked their music, but I didn't connect with it as universally as many others did. In a sense, I feel the same about "Unplugged in New York." It's a very good live album from a band whose output can sometimes leave me indifferent. Do I consider it a five star essential album? No, but I certainly appreciate its quality and why it resonates so deeply with others. Four stars. 1 "About a Girl" (5/5) 2 "Come as You Are" (5/5) 3 "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" (4/5) 4 "The Man Who Sold the World" (5/5) 5 "Pennyroyal Tea" (3/5) 6 "Dumb" (4/5) 7 "Polly" (5/5) 8 "On a Plain" (4/5) 9 "Something in the Way" (4/5) 10 "Plateau" (Meat Puppets cover) (3/5) 11 "Oh Me" (Meat Puppets cover) (4/5) 12 "Lake of Fire" (Meat Puppets cover) (4/5) 13 "All Apologies" (5/5) 14 "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (4/5) Total - 59 Average - 4.21 134/1001 68/134 albums reviewed were new to me.
Slow but a couple songs on there that I’ve already got favourited
perfect album for a misty autumn afternoon. a little bit of a hazy, tired, soft feeling seems to surround it. it melts into itself again and again.
It’s good but it lacks the shit kicking raucous intensity of Nevermind. It’s also not fully acoustic…
Excellent live and acoustic album
Sounds good but still whiny
Classic album. The sound of Cobain's voice on some of the tracks is so emotive.
Perhaps the best way to assess this record is forgetting what a new phenomena MTV Unplugged was (which only briefly preceded its becoming a cliche), ignoring the rest of the catalog and pretending one'd never heard Nirvana before. In that view, this is straight-up interesting on its own terms, a creaky-voiced though impassioned singer, playing brooding, sometimes raw, vaguely psychedelic folkie rock, with a few intriguing and well selected covers. (One's always been annoyed by the intelligence-insulting introduction of "Man Who Sold the World" as a Bowie song, though a charitable interpretation would be that KC was trying to be helpful to the benighted and wanting people to know bettter.) The cello adds depth (even if seeming slightly affected) and Greil Marcus is right that this gets deeper and more hauntingly musical across multiple listens. Certainly, it's more inventive than Pearl Jam's set and one likes it better than Nirvana's studio albums but then again one has always (then / now) found them to be pretty overrated.
Great
𝘔𝘛𝘝 𝘜𝘯𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 strips Nirvana down to their rawest form, showing a vulnerability that was often buried under distortion. The setlist is daring — cover-heavy and far from a greatest-hits showcase — and it works beautifully, highlighting Kurt Cobain’s fragile intensity. Knowing that just five months later he would take his own life makes the performance all the more haunting.
A couple of really cool songs, chill vibes
Sweet
Heavy.
In the 90s, this set was reverently mentioned like it was The Beatles playing Ed Sullivan. Even the phrase "MTV Unplugged" just kinda meant THIS set (never mind all the other artists who appeared on the show). As someone who only got 'plugged in' to Nirvana after Kurt Cobain's death, these tracks were always just part of their catalog of hits to me, even though most of them were obscure album tracks or covers. It's a little crazy to think about them doing this and NOT playing the hits; the fact that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" isn't part of this show is a wild (but very punk rock) move! I have deep respect for the consideration that went into this setlist, it's clear that they considered which of their songs would fit the setting instead of just strumming out their classics on acoustic instruments. Recorded just months before Cobain's death, this would be Nirvana's final act; a requiem for their short reign at the top of rock & roll. If anything, I think the earnestness of this set helped cement Nirvana's legacy - before Unplugged they were easy to dismiss as a bunch of angsty boys making noise, but this evening revealed a deeper musicianship that nobody really expected. And with no follow-up albums, this just pours gasoline on the "what could have been" fire. Had Kurt lived, I wonder what would have happened next. Maybe Nirvana break up anyway and we get Lennon/McCartney 2.0 where Dave Grohl goes off to do Foo Fighters and Kurt Cobain starts a new project too. What would that have looked like? I guess we'll never know.
Loved this!
bellissimo ma perché l'album della performance live quann ten'n certi fatt incredibili bo
enjoyed
Vabbè dai i Nirvana sono i Nirvana, anche se il loro mtv unplugged, osannato da tutti, onestamente è carino ma le versioni in studio dei vari brani sono decisamente superiori
I don’t normally enjoy listening to live albums, but there is so much raw emotion in Cobain’s voice that each song feels different to its studio version in a good way. The little ad libs in between songs are endearing as well. Only thing is listening to a bunch of Nirvana songs in a row gets kinda fatiguing.
Pretty cool.
íkonískt dæmi...vissi ekki að þetta hafi komið út eftir að kirk cobain féll frá
MY GIRL, MY GIRL, DON’T LIE TO ME
Wonderful stripped down live concert, really shows their country and rock inspirations. Definitely an album to listen to if you've been very critical of nirvana as a band
Love love
Très très bien franchement, la performance live est incr, mais il a l'air vraiment fatigué le pauvre avec sa voix cassée. Je comprends mais c'est pas un 5/5 pour moi.
Très bonne voix, instru sympa, il est bon le kurt
A classic
Classic amongst classics
classic
Authentic. Really shows off the range & talent that Nirvana had.
Kurt cobain a une voix titanesquement magnifique
oui oui
Classic
A good performance. I don't like it as much as I did when it came out, but it is still one of the better unplugged records.
For me, the perfect MTV Unplugged is the one Alice in Chains did. If that wouldn't have existed, this would be the best. This is an absolutely great performance though. I loved it a lot.
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.
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.
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.
#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.
Much better than the last Nirvana album
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.
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 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
Awesome. Loved this live album. Every listen I save another song from it. Could see this going to 5 stars.
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
4 Stars (11/15)
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.
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!
Great music for skating (I don’t skate)
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...
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
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
Already listened to it
kirko bane...
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
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.
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.
All Apologies was meant to be played this way
Really cool
Nostalgic for me. Lots of lesser known songs and covers.
Iconic
Mi yo de 14 años da volteretas con este álbum.
I too have very bad posture and am anemic royalty
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
A lot of pain in that set
☆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。
Pretty cool. Technically the first whole nirvana album I've heard. Really like Kurt Cobain's vocals
I prefer electric to acoustic, but Kurt was wonderful and this is an undeniable classic.
Love the Bowie cover
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
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.
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.
I doubt they ever made it big, should try plugging in and letting it rip
great live album that shows not just the versatility of the band, but also pays homage to the artists that inspire them. Genuinely a nice selection of songs, playing on the calmer side of the group and well fitting for the intimate stage they had.
Un classique que trainait dans la salle d’informatique François Artacho en secondaire 5. Un bon disque, on ne s’en tanne pas.
A legendary live performance, but I have to be honest - it's very uneven. Take side A, for example: it opens with two classics in "About a Girl" and "Come as You Are", but then soon after you have the underwhelming cover of "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam" and "Pennyroyal Tea". Thankfully nestled in between, there's a great cover of Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World". This trend continues throughout the whole tracklist - the highs are high, but it doesn't maintain that level during the whole performance. And honestly, while the more stripped-back versions are nice and offer a contrast to the more angsty and raw version of Nirvana, I think I mostly prefer the originals. There's something about Cobain's usual intensity that gets lost in translation when filtered through acoustic guitars and MTV's sanitized studio atmosphere. Still, I'd say this album's appeal is larger than the actual performance and the music on it. It's kind of the 90s packed in a CD, and serves as a great summary of Nirvana's career - capturing both their punk roots and their later career vulnerability. I will use a term that I usually hate, but applies really nicely here - the album has a sort of aura about it that transcends the actual auditory experience. 4/5
Half the distortion, all of the angst. Nirvana worked really well in this more intimate setting. The decision to play mostly deep cuts and cover songs paid off well. I was surprised by how familiar a lot of these songs were to me. I think I’ve heard about half of this on my local radio stations in the Seattle area. This album is also a good encapsulation of the MTV Unplugged phenomenon in general. People tend to forget how huge this was in the early ‘90s with artists like Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, and Tony Bennett making huge records from their appearances on the show.
Secret confession: I like this more than either In Utero or Nevermind. I think it's a really good, incredibly intimate, concert.
It's a very good album. I've enjoyed it since it's release.
All artists should do this, acoustic versions of songs and interesting covers, shows a different side. This is probably the most I’ve enjoyed Nirvana.
Highlight Song/s: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Plateau and Where Did You Sleep Last Night I am a casual Nirvana fan not too big on most of their stuff, but I like some of their songs here and there. Prior to listening to this I've only In Utero (which was my first album) then just earlier this month Nevermind. Songs that I particular like from them are: Drain You, In Bloom, Serve the Servants and their cover of Molly's Lips. So some songs are completely new to me. I like to think some of the higher ups thought they would play all their hits - especially from Nevermind - but NO about 40% of the album is covers, which I am a fan of; It's just Nirvana appreciating their idols Now, about the songs themselves: The cello on 'Something In The Way' is incredible; I thought the Meat Puppets songs were pretty good, I definitely gotta check out their second album.
A very strong 4, may revise to a five
Overhyped but still very good.
My primary recollection of Nirvana as a live act was, well, they were kind of half-assed. Not bad, just usually in a rush to get the fuck out of there and/or destroy instruments. Kurt would opt for a just in-tune enough guitar, like he had just added new strings - so, lots of twang and rattle - none of Vig’s compression and smoothed-out distortion. Dave, as ever, was locked-in and Krist kept pace, but rarely stood out in the mix. The idea of them doing an all-acoustic set seemed like a poor fit - rockin’ drummer, muted bassist, haphazard rhythm guitarist - and by 1993-94 the MTV Unplugged show had taken on, if not a sophisticated posture, something very rehearsed, despite its appeal as a stripped-down, humanizing venue. Nirvana shied away from neither, delivering something almost ornate, but also very raw, putting Kurt’s voice front and center. At the time it felt like a crude cash-in so soon after Kurt’s death and I had no interest in listening to nor supporting it, but over the years a few of the covers made their way through and - especially the Lead Belly - really showed the power in Kurt’s singing. Likewise shifting song keys to make his voice strain even more was a good trick and hopefully demonstrates that this was not a diary entry, but a performance. It may sound like the former, but he was very much in control of this aspect of his life. Speaking of, as this is the last we’d ever hear from Kurt, it’ll always be hard not to play a guessing game of where he’d have gone based on this document. There are many hypotheticals one can draw up: band splits, he does solo work with Rick Rubin going further into the spareness of Unplugged, etc. The rest of the 90s were a total grab bag of trends and permutations of grunge (divided equally between the classic rock and angst-ridden branches), so imagining Kurt coming and going throughout the next 6 years with the likes of swing music, ska, electronica, Radiohead, pop punk, one hit wonder alt rock bands like Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Lit, and Sugar Ray, the rise of nu-metal, and the splintering of hip hop...well, it’s an awfully weird fit. It’s no wonder that in the depths of that I was always happy to see Everlong or My Hero pop up on MTV. Dave and the Foos didn’t make it into the next decade and beyond as something to keep checking out, but at least in 1998 it was always a relief to have that mix of not half bad rock and a goofy sense of humour. He could never carry Kurt’s legacy on and didn’t want to, but at the very least his quirky, generous spirit could still be felt whenever Grohl popped up.
Unironically my favourite Nirvana record. And that says as much about me as it does them.
Great raw version of Nirvana. Legendary couple covers included.
Great!
Heerlijk album! 4 reten. Helaas mn notes niet opgeslagen. Fav: come as you are, oh me, lake of fire
Great album, enjoy it several Times a year on vinyl and HiRes
The back half suffers a little from three Meat Puppets songs in a row, but beyond that this is complete and utterly fantastic. (I want to say Dumb isn't great, but plenty of people love it so?) 4* but like, almost a 4.5*?
Insofar as the music, Nirvana’s Unplugged doesn’t have a whole lot to contribute to their discography (will qualify momentarily). During the time, everyone from REM to Pearl Jam and Jewel were doing Unplugs. Insofar as a retrospective, it was a gut punching look at a man teetering on the edge of his own sanity before suicide. Recorded just four months before his first suicide attempt and five months before his final the songs take on a very solemn effect, as if (I might be stretching here) he was singing to his own funeral. I don’t know if he actually knew he was going to kill himself but the energy on the album suggested a man lost in his own depression. Compare Dumb here to the studio cut or Something in the Way, or Pennyroyal Tea, and you can hear and feel it. Where Did You Sleep Last Night was him giving his all, literary. However, it was also the first time the world got to see the talents of drummer Dave Grohl as he slipped between bass and vocals, as well as respond person-to-person to everyone. Kris Novoselic also put in his two cents too on bass, accordion and guitar, showing how talented they all are. Favorite track, the Bowie cover Man Who Sold the World, which I actually like better than the original. Overall, this is a must-listen to understand Nirvana, Cobain, Grunge, and the early ‘90s. The music is good but the story behind it stronger.
The atmosphere is undeniable, almost mournful and deeply melancholic. There’s impressive technical skill and musical presence throughout, yet it’s still a difficult listen for me. You can clearly sense that Cobain is struggling. There’s little joy or spark left; it feels like the light is dimming. That said, certain tracks stand out beautifully, Come as You Are, The Man Who Sold the World, Dumb, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night all shine in this setting. It’s a powerful performance, but one that’s hard to digest emotionally. 4/5
Not a Nirvana fan in general. This performance demonstrated the magic they had managed to capture and proved why they were so loved and popular.
Enjoyable listen. Hearing the songs in acoustic gave them a different meaning. Kurt’s voice is incredible.
Unplugging really shows Kurt's voice in an incredible light. I was not really feeling Nirvana today but that was more of a mismatch by me than anything. Will have to come back to it
3,7/5
Nirvana isn't my favorite Grunge band by a long shot, but this album in its entirety is very enjoyable.
Grunge pared down. I like hearing the convos between songs and then the real, raw, and on point performances. They went with some covers and lesser known hits too which is cool. This felt just as much in their element as a big on stage performance.
Not a lot I can say about this album that hasn't already been discussed ad nauseum. Mostly that's due to the timing of the performance in relation to Cobain's death, but also due to the way Nirvana performed the songs (and what songs they performed). I will say that I completely agree with it being on this list. It's got a lot of power, even though it's "unplugged" and acoustic (sort of). The vocals are full of emotion. I think it actually benefitted from using cover songs, though I'm not sure we needed three straight Meat Puppets songs. The Bowie cover is one of the best songs from the set. Their originals are performed with passion and evoke feeling in a way well emphasized by the format. There are some low points that bring it down a bit for me. And, like I noted for the Metallica/SFS suggestion, live albums just feel like you're only getting half of the experience since you can't see the visual component. Otherwise, I can't say too much negative. There's a lot to like here, even removing the Cobain death context. Overall: 3.6/5
Raw
Wayyy preferred this to our previous outing. This is the Nirvana that endures for me.
It's really interesting to hear Nirvana stripped back. You can make out the foundation of their sound, and something that I think is common to their grunge peers, which is a sense of ugliness. Cobain held up a mirror and while he was a great percentage of what was reflected back, he also captured the casual disregard of nature and humanity. I was 16 when this came out. I remember exactly where I was when I first hear Nevermind. That album was profoundly influential to who I am. I'd slipped away from Nirvana for this and In Utero, even though Nirvana dominated MTV. Revisiting this brings back a ton of memories and I'm grateful for that. Hearing the nuts and bolts of what made this band with the added context of 30 years of being a musician myself is incredible.
Another stellar live album, a raw power comes from the acoustic versions of most of these Nirvana songs. I think it draws the most emotional version of Cobain's voice you can hear on some of these songs outside of being at a live performance of theirs back in the 90s. Of course, both the original version of these songs as well as these live versions are incredible in their own right. Fave Songs: About A Girl; Come As You Are; The Man Who Sold The World; Pennyroyal Tea; Dumb; Something In The Way; On A Plain; Lake Of Fire Worst Song: Polly
Pretty solid. Could do without a few of these songs. Pretty tough in spots but no denying Cobains songwriting skills.
I give this a 4/5 only because I don't love live albums.
solid 4/5
One of the best live albums ever. Amazing to hear Nirvana in the prime, yet so close to their end. Some incredible covers on here, as well as some iconic tracks.
Already listened
86/100.
wonderful
Listens: 3 Standout tracks: The classics: (Come As You Are, Polly, Something In The Way), The Man Who Sold The World, Lake of Fire. Added To Library: TRUE This album is excellent. The inclusion of the audience (soundboard?) and the between-songs banter elevates the the album from just being an exceptional acoustic set to being highly intimate and equally casual. It doesn't sound like a big audience. It would probably have been amazing to actually be there. The premise of the set being acoustic means that the band isn't going absolutely ape-shit wild - something you might see at a regular grunge concert. Anyways, solid set. I do wish they played Smells Like Teen Spirit (I am a sucker for that song, and a bunch of covers of it (Patti Smith's in particular), for some reason). An acoustic rendition from them would have been amazing. 4.5
1. girl - 2.5 2. come - 4 3. jezuz - 2 4. zold - 3 5. tea - 1.5 6. dumb - 2.5 7. polly - 3 8. plain - 1.5 9. zomething - 2.5 10. plateau - 1.5 11. me - 1.5 12. fire - 2.5 13. apologiez - 3 14. night - 3
I was not looking forward to listening to this album. I've kind of been a Nirvana hater since I was younger, I think because I found them overplayed, and I usually find Kurt Cobain's voice grating. But this is an instance I'm grateful for doing this 1001 Album Generator because without it, I never would have come to realize why this album is so deeply loved. I used to just see this as an MTV cash-grab to exploit the popularity of the band, and a lame gimmick for a hard rock band to play their hits acoustic like this. Furthermore, this obviously was recorded only a few months before Cobain's passing, and I always wondered if people just thought it was good for sentimentality's sake. There is indeed something ominous about the stage being decorated as a funeral. Perhaps now that I'm older, nearly 10 years older than Cobain was when this was recorded, I can understand the sincerity and vulnerability in the performance. You can hear Cobain nervous and stiff at first and become more comfortable as the recording goes on. I do not know how much was being played up for performance's sake, but it felt very real to me. I enjoyed the latter half of the album more than the first. Some singing still felt grating to me, and I'm not a fan of acoustic-electric guitar sounds in general. Although Nirvana's songs translate surprisingly well to acoustic renditions (credit to good songwriting), I felt the most enjoyable songs were the covers (perhaps because I could just hear the Nirvana songs in their original and constantly comparing them). The Meat Puppets' performances and songs "Plateau" and "Lake of Fire" stood out, and I'm going to listen to Meat Puppets II shortly. I'll admit it, I cried a little at the end of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This album really gives a glimpse to what Nirvana could have evolved into, that they were not limited to just being a grunge band, and that is what makes this record so bittersweet.
Always good but makes me sad
4/5. Fantastic album, although feel like the live recordings are cheating a bit. See Nirvana in a new light after this. Always liked a few songs from them, but this really hit the spot. Can see the early grunge influence and raw talent of Cobain
An incredible live album. A great collection of songs and an extremely powerful performance.
Bangers all over. Nice listen of a live album
I wasn’t looking forward to a live album as it had never been something I vibe with from artists I love (e.g. live in concert albums). However, I was pleasantly surprised as the set list was perfectly curated. My favourite was the David Bowie cover of “The Man Who Sold the World”. I think I will return to this album, a worthy 4 stars!
Quite good.
- Don't normally love Live albums, but this is an exception. - The band sounds just as good live as on the albums. - I forgot how much I actually enjoy Nirvana
I like this acoustic Nirvana more than In Utero. It was also quite haunting hearing Kurt Cobain’s banter with the audience knowing that he died before this album was released. Favorite Track: Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
I have this but it is has been many years since I have listened to it, so I was excited about revisiting. It’s an excellent album and is indicative of what made the Unplugged sessions great when approached correctly. A chance to represent yourselves differently musically, and Nirvana certainly did that. The coolest aspect is that they took some songs from other bands (the Vaselines, Meat Puppets) to bring into this session. It wasn’t just their original tunes. The best example: Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World is a definite highlight of this set. What keeps this from being an 5 star album for me personally is that there are some songs on here that just aren’t that good, such as Pennyroyal Tea or On a Plain. As a result, the middle of the set wanes a bit for me. But I had forgotten about how cool some of these songs come off like Oh, Me. That all said, while I have never been as enamored with Kurt Cobain as many others (despite totally loving 90s alternative music), he is undeniably excellent throughout this set. Strong and straining (in a great way) in certain parts, restrained in others. Meanwhile, Grohl shows he can strip down his bombastic drumming style and settle in the background amazingly well. A fantastic performance from both of them.
Даже в альбоме нирваны есть песня девида боуи, который в этом списке 1001 альбома встречается большего всего раз
Ein starkes Album - die Live-Atmosphäre, Cover-Versionen und wenig bekannte Titel von Nirvana. Mit der bedrückenden Stimme von Kurt Cobain. 4/5
Live albums hoe ik ze graag hoor. Ze proberen niet om de nummers precies te laten klinken zoals op de studio-albums, en implementeren een hoop nieuwe (akoestische) instrumenten. Maar ze blijven ook dicht bij de structuur van de originele composities, want dat is uiteindelijk wel waar de fans voor komen. Plus dat ze niet bang zijn buiten hun discografie te zoeken naar songs die óf precies passen in hun straatje, óf zodoende te herinterpreteren zijn zodat ze de grunge-esthetic omarmen. Maar toch prefereer ik de studio-versies van de meeste songs van dit iconische concert. De covers stuwen de kwaliteit van de show wel echt omhoog mijn inziens. 'The Man Who Sold The World' in een grunge-jasje is fantastisch gevonden, en de blues classic als afsluiter is perfect geplaatst. Die uithaal blijft legendarisch. Maar ook zeker het trio van de Meat Puppets ging er lekker in. Geweldige tribute en de fijnste flow van het concert. De korte monoloogjes tussen het album door zijn ook wel echt haunting, wetende dat Kurt een halfjaartje later het land der levenden verliet. 8/10 Highlights: The Man Who Sold The World Plateau/Oh Me/Lake Of Fire Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Well what can I say. Iconic songs, the vibe is on point. Just a classic. So chill and cool.
First let me say that this was a hell of a performance. It is shocking to listen to this knowing Cobain would be dead shortly after. But I must say I am in the minority of not liking this album quite as much as others. The covers were nice especially the Meat Puppets "Lake of Fire" and Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" but personally there was a lot of dead weight songs for my taste. I mean THREE Me Puppet Covers??? I suppose not wanting to include some of their hit singles was an "artistic choice" but from the first time I saw this on MTV as a kid I felt there absence. A few of those songs and this would easily be a 5 star review for mo.
about a girl- 7 come as you are- 7 jesus doesnt want me for a sunbeam- 6 the man who sold the world- i understand why people prefer this version over the original but i disagree. still good though. 7 and 8 pennyroyal tea- 6 or 7. im on warm milk and laxatives is the best part dumb- 7 or 8 polly- 7 on a plain- 5 something in the way- unfortunately, this shit always gives me echolalia. 6 plateau- 5 oh me- 5 lake of fire- 6 all apologies- he wrote this song to be a happy song. brother... 10. shout out to the cello where did you sleep last night- 9. original better but still good are there people out there who dislike nirvana? if so, i dont want to meet them. im not even a big nirvana fan but it feels like a standard of music
I'm not a massive Nirvana fan, I'm not convinced they would have stood the test of time were if not for KCs untimely death. That said, this is very good - leaning away from their biggest hits, dropping in some tasteful covers, reeling in the whole manic-depressive identity. It sounds so far removed from what you would expect from Nirvana, and maybe that's why it works so well. I do wonder what Kurt would have been like had he lived longer. I suspect he would have become a massive douche, but listening to this makes me think that maybe I'd be wrong. Fair play.
Such a fantastic record.
We all like Nirvana but there was just something extra about this album. I liked it!
Great to hear some familiar tunes stripped back and some great covers. It’s hard to better Bowie , but in this case …. Perhaps the pinnacle of the MTV unplugged?
Nirvana has never been my band. But I get them and their importance. This performance is a very very cool context to hear their songs reimagined. The highlight for me is the Bowie cover! I also like that Sinead O’Connor then covered All Apologies like the arrangement on this album.
Cool
Good
Love Nirvana, very good live recordings
Nirvana was better unplugged.
TBH my favorite thing Nirvana ever released
This one is a classic now.
Wonderful performance. Skip pennyroyal. Rest is stellar
All really well written songs lyric/Nirvana wise. I also just like them
Brilliant Album, a frequently listened to Album on my playlists. I wish you could rate inbetween the stars as I'd give it a 4.5
I am fairly ambivalent about the whole MTV Unplugged thing. A lot of the shows are enjoyable and there are individual moments which stick out - Pearl Jam's political sharpies, Neil Young's pump organ, I really liked Don Henley doing "Come Rain or Shine", and Nirvana doing "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (although had they done it with Mark Lanegan as planned, it would have shone). But there is a lot of mythologising about these concerts, and this one in particular, when the truth is that most of the bands featured would, and did, sound much better in their natural, amplified state. In fact, most of the guitars were not 'unplugged', they were amplified acoustic guitars with, as in the case of Nirvana's cover of "The Man Who Sold the World", are put through effects and fuzz boxes. That's not to say that this album is not enjoyable, it is. But is not the best Nirvana gig I have ever heard, nor is it one of the great live albums. Kurt Cobain's suicide 5 months later has little bearing on this recording. It should not need Apple Music to warn "It's Worth remembering and repeating: Unplugged was never meant to be Nirvana's final statement." of course it wasn't; it was a pleasant performance in a slightly unusual setting. Good. Not epocal.
Erinomainen esiintyminen, Kurtin ääni on ikoninen.
Basics. Gut Gut. Mullakin oli flanellipaita villakangastakki
Mieletön soundi on kyllä Cobainilla vaikka biisit voisivat tehdä sille enemmänkin kunniaa. Ikoninen esiintyminen myös.
Ah, we know this album well. Had the CD when we moved to Temec, and it got plenty of play time. Always liked Come As You Are. Great cover of Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World (actually better than the original.) All songs are good, no skippers. It’s a live album, but not the typical effort - the album is certainly 1001 Must Hear List worthy. L = (3.8*s) Enjoyed it, needed a cup of Pennyroyal Tea. J = (4.2*s) maybe just Fat, Dumb, and Happy.
I've always had a fondness for this album. It's a really approachable and satisfying album from front to back. It's got a ton of range as I've heard the likes of Nirvana die-hards to grunge-haters to grandparents from their first listen all chime in as to why MTV Unplugged is a great album. It accomplishes a very rare feat that it resonates with nearly everyone and is deserving of a play in almost all scenarios. While I hold MTV Unplugged in very high regard, I can't in my mind qualify it as an all-timer. I really enjoy it but I don't hold live albums in nearly as high a regard as the actual show/act is so much of what makes a performance special. MTV Unplugged however serves as a great glimpse from a different perspective that helps round out the band's reputation. You get some exposure to the character of Nirvana without the distortion and grunge production that made them famous. When I was younger I didn't realize so much of the albums are cover tracks (many of them improvements) but it doesn't detract from Nirvana's ability to assemble a really palatable song that stands the test of time. 4.05 stars
These songs work great stripped down, this album's version of these hits and covers are how I best know some of these songs. Standouts: Come As You Are, Man Who Sold the World, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
очень знаковая хуйня. мне кажется, это больше чем просто акустический концерт. при том что я в целом достаточно прохладен к нирване, здесь как будто чувствуется что-то неосязаемое. может чувство будущего краха
Was never a massive Nirvana fan but this album is really special.
This album does such a great job of stripping down the noise and showcasing what really made Nirvana special. I vividly remember seeing this on MTV way back when.
I was either a little too young or just not angsty enough to really appreciate Nirvana in the moment, but you can hear the power and rawness in full effect here and it's awesome
Listened before?: Yes, but not regularly What can I say, familiarity breeds affection. Copious exposure to Nirvana over my lifetime has just made them sound good to me and I loved this listen, front to back.
This holds up surprisingly well. Nirvana was never going to blow anyone away with their musicianship, but darned if they weren't super solid for this entire set.
I have not really heard Nirvana outside of their hits, I now understand why people like them so much and mourn the death of Kurt. Their grungy sound melds perfectly with his voice and lyrics and as always, I love live performances. Fav: Man Who Sold the World
RIP Kurt. You can kinda hear the sadness in the man as he talks to the audience. I have listened to all of these songs, but not in live versions. This is one of those live renditions where I do believe it adds to the experience rather than the master
incredible live album. One of the best live albums of any genre. I don't even much care for Nirvana, but this performance is great.
Parts of this album serve as a good reminder that rock drew influences from other genres like folk and jazz. The production is almost nonexistent, just voices and instruments, and some of the guitar parts are iconic for a reason.
Me tardé en entrarle a Nirvana, y eso que me tocaron en su prime. Sí, me gustaba una que otra, pero supongo que estaba muy chavillo. Este Unplugged me tocó en la secundaria así que supongo que me hacían falta varios años para entender el descontento y la rabia de Cobain. Y claro, ahora ya me gustan mucho.
Oh man, I wasn't that excited to see this pop up today. I'd just had Pearl Jam, Ten generated yesterday and reflected on how much I actually preferred Pearl Jam to Nirvana. It's just difficult to have a clear view of Nirvana as a musical prospect as they are SO famous and I know their songs so well. Cobain certainly had a knack for writing catchy vocal melodies and memorable lyrics. Nirvana must have had the highest clear hits to album tracks ratio of any of the grunge bands, and even though this is mostly B sides and covers you can hear why. It is so easy to hum the melody to most of their own songs here, I could probably have done it without just having re-listened through it. Their sound just isn't as interesting to me as most of their peers. It's a very stripped back and basic sound, really, more obviously punk influenced than some of the more "interesting" grunge, even stuff like Pixies. So I suppose the mostly acoustic set works well because it lets the vocals, the catchy hooks and the excellent construction of the songs really shine through. The choice to include so many covers, and some interesting instruments, also made this a much more interesting unplugged set than it might otherwise have been. And they are all very well-executed covers. I don't tend to love live performances but Nirvana were a brilliant live band. Cobain's vocals were so distinctive, technically competent and beautiful to listen to. Novoselic was a of course a great bassist. Of course Grohl was acknowledged to be a pretty competent drummer too. All the parts work together seamlessly here. No surprises today, just a procession of well written pop songs.
A very good live album. Some songs I knew, but most I didn't know. Really liked their Bowie and Vaselines covers. Much better live album than Live at Leeds.
After being gaslit by the other albums on this app, it was nice to actually enjoy music again.
Nirvana unplugged is the best version of this band to me. Lake of Fire, All Apologies and Where Did You Sleep Last Night are especially good, but I like all of the renditions of Nirvana songs at least as much as the studio versions & the covers are all great. And the fact it's from an intimate live gig really does add something to the listening experience, although Kurt Cobain's stoner drawl ('this was written by the vessaleeeenes') is a little grating when disembodied & the sound of the crowd is annoying in that tickets to this very small event almost certainly went to industry executives and their douchebag friends. I can get past these petty annoyances: this is a very worthwhile live album and is deserving of its reputation.
As a wise man once said: “Live albums are always a good time”. I couldn’t agree more. Though I’ve never totally bought into Nirvana, their pull is undeniable. At this album’s best, you get some of the most emotionally raw music ever recorded (All Apologies into Where Did You Sleep Last Night - holy shit what a closing combo). But at their worst, you get Kurt Cobain singing so far beyond his vocal range it physically hurts to hear. Deeply unpleasant at times. Listening to this Unplugged album I was surprised at how few of the band’s mega hits are present (Obviously Come as You Are is amazing). But, it’s a great opportunity to hear the band’s classic sound stripped of its distortion and wailing vocals. You get way more of a sense of Cobain as a songwriter from his warm growling vocals. There is a lot to love about this live album. As a snapshot of one of the most iconic bands at the height of their power, it’s a remarkable record. For my money perhaps one of the greatest covers of all time in Bowie’s The Man Who Sold The World. I’d put Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt a notch above it though. A high 4 for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This album has very unique and raw versions of classic Nirvana songs. The unfiltered vocals of Kurt Cobain give a powerful emotional edge to the albums already amazing tracklist. The album provided a cohesive tone and appeal throughout. Though there were no weak songs, there were several that were noteworthy. Specifically the cover of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold the World as well as the last three songs (lake of fire, all apologies, and where did you sleep last night).
This grew off of me a bit from high school. It's still great, and all the cover songs arguably outstrip their original counterparts (that's saying a lot as a huge Bowie fan... And not much as a Meat Puppets hater), but it lacks the euphoric loudQUIETloud dynamic of Nirvana's albums that gave them such a strong emotional core. I still love this, but I find myself reaching for their studio work more
Gotta say, probably my favorite Nirvana album. Most of the originals sound better here than on the original albums, and the covers are great. Not the biggest Nirvana fan, but this is really good.
Plateau is not...good, but do thoroughly enjoy most of this album. Polly is a great song.
Very high 4*. If this album stays in my rotation, I might come back to give it 5* 4/5
Really great live album, I can remember as a kid how great this was. Set the standard for “unplugged”.
This is probably the best of the unplugged series. I haven’t listened to it in years. I was instantly annoyed by Kurt’s comment about how most people don’t own their first record. That dude hated that people liked him. He really wanted to be this underground figure who wasn’t appreciated in his time cause people just didn’t “get it” yet. But people got it and they loved it, and for good reason. There’s a reason people still talk about nirvana the way they do. These are great songs and the covers are almost all better than the originals. And there was some light and funny banter so I shouldn’t be too salty about how whiny Kurt could be. It just annoyed me out the gate, but the rest of the album redeeemed him.
Just so sad. The whole album. The pain you feel.
one of the 1st unpluggeds - and a more dramatic detachment to hear Nirvana (love Clapton but this was more intense) w/o amps. Disarming, totally new perspective on the artist. lovely
What could have been. This really shows a path forward once Nirvana/KC tired of the limitations of overdriven guitars. So much expression in his voice. And the sturdiness of the songs is really highlighted. These unplugged albums were usually nothing more than a can in/promo but Nirvana really use the format. Almost half unconventional/instructive covers that don't come off as stunts - this really elevates the medium.
good live set, 4 star. Nothing ground breaking
Great live album, classic grunge.
4.5