In Utero

Another formative one. Albini's (RIP) production is on point. And man such lyrics and hooks, which with such a powerhouse rhythm section makes Nirvana stand out still, despite prior overexposures. Lot's of great lines, apparently lyrics were a bit of an afterthought for young boy, but man he came up with some memorable bits. Always in that sweet spot of relatable vs specific. And man, not my observation but the tortured screaming in Scentless hits harder than any nerd future subdivision of metal ever would. Come back as fire, burn all the liars

I'm completely biased as it's on of my formative albums as a teen. It's not perfect but it's damn close. Just a total peach.

An evergreen bottle of 90s angst and rage. Fuck you.

Wieder ein ikonisches Album. Klasse gealtert.

Great

Honestly, I didn’t even need to hear this again before rating, but I did because I love this album so much.

Released after the immense success of *Nevermind*, *In Utero* is the album where Kurt Cobain settles the score for once and for all, just as he displays the full scope of his songwriting genius. *Nevermind* had the punk-rock hits and the iconic grunge-pop earworms, sure. But *In Utero* is quite a different beast. Indeed, while still having its fair share of instantly catchy cuts, Nirvana's third album is also a much more interesting and, most of all, much more *intense* affair, where the whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts. Going from "Serve The Servants", a gnarled, knotty, tortured-yet-melodic opener all children of divorced parents will obviously relate to, to the tragic beauty of the cello-enhanced and delicate closer "All Apologies", Nirvana also explores apocalyptic post-metal turf oozing to the brim with molten lava ("Scentless Apprentice" and its massive rhythmical pattern suggested by Dave Grohl; "Milk It and its demented screams chilling you to the bone ; or the full noise attack -- yet also very driven -- "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", whose title tells you everything you need to know about how Cobain envisioned his band's sudden commercial success). You also have a couple of essential snarling rockers. First the self-referential parody of "Rape Me", aping the band's former international hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with a perverse twist... But also the ominous feminist revenge fantasy of "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle", where a plume of smoke, ash and red-hot embers spurted forth by the St Helens volcano cover the titular city to punish it for having doomed the silent film star. Before all that, first single "Heart-Shaped Box" is a grunge ballad for the ages, where Kurt's admiration for the Beatles shines with a reddish glow that could only be his. "Dumb" picks up the folk-rock, valium-soaked thread left hanging by "Polly" and "Lithium" on the previous album. And "Pennyroyal Tea" is probably the most devastating song ever written by Cobain, which speaks volumes given his usual output and artistry. The deep, abrasive sound and uncompromising aesthetics provided by Steve Albini for the recording of the album haven't aged a day (contrary to parts of *Nevermind*), and the whole record serves as a tantalizing journey into the tormented mind of Kurt Cobain in the very last years of his life. His loss was tragic. But he left us with such a singular LP here, whose dark star will probably shine for decades and decades to come for fans of 100% authentic, devastatingly sincere music. Now that my review proper is done with, I must confess something: I've met Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl twice as a teenager, under circumstances I won't elaborate on here. Just know that I was a very lucky kid who had had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it simply changed my life. When I first met them, they had just finished recording *In Utero*, and sure, that personal memory does explain parts of my enthusiasm for this record, very much intact to this day. Was it not for them, I wouldn't be here using this app to explore albums from the last seventy years or so three decades later. Yet in spite of those very subjective memories, I do believe that, *objectively speaking*, Nirvana single-handedly changed the course of music history. And it's in *In Utero*, where they were at their rawest, most creative, and most emotional, that you can grasp the full scope of their eternal legacy. Number of albums left to review: 73 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 399 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 231 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 298

A classic for sure, fell in love with some Niravana songs i had forgotten about like Pennyroyal tea and radio friendly unit shifter

"In Utero" is the third and final album by American rock band Nirvana. The band hired Steve Albini as the producer seeking a more complex and abrasive sound. The song lyrics appear to draw heavy allusions to lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain's personal life and struggles although Cobain denied it. There was a struggle between their record label, DGC, Nirvana and Steve Albini on the finished product which resulted in smoothing over of several songs by Bob Ludwig and Scott Litt. The album had commercial success, #1 in the UK and US, and critical success with the raw and unconventional sounds and Cobain's lyricism. Drum sticks, an off-kilter guitar and we're off with "Serve the Servants." Drums forward. Cobain sounds resigned of the band's fame. Drums, a great guitar riff and "Scentless Apprentice" roars to a start. Hard rockin' and the band at their most most raw. Cobain's guitar climbing the scales resulting is his scream.....awesome. The song is based on Patrick Süskind's book "Perfume" about a killer who takes in his victim's scent, before he kills them, trying to make the ultimate perfume. Hey, I read that book: a great book and my favorite song on the album. The first single was "Heart-Shaped Box." A slower start. Bass in the forefront and melodic guitar. An edgy guitar and a bass that sounds like a buzzsaw. It's about kid with terminal cancer. A great outro with the drums and feedback. "Rape Me" has a guitar strumming sounding very much like their big song from their previous album. They use the soft-loud-soft dynamic. They'll use that a few more times. Cobain screaming "Rape Me" seemingly about his struggles with the media again. The last single with was released posthumously after Cobain's death was "Pennyroyal Tea." Cobain's strained vocals. Loud instruments. The title is a reference to a medicine used to induce an abortion and Cobain makes it seem like a place beyond depression. The album closes with "All Apologizes." A song that stays with its great melody and builds. Cobain says this was a happy song for his daughter but it's hard today not to think there were others reasons to apologize. I think one of the reasons that I like this album so much is its raw, edgy, guttural crunch in both the music and vocals. The lyrics all seem to deal with death and disease and appear very personal to Cobain. Some may find the lyrics tied to his suicide but I never really did and don't now. They do nail the soft-loud-soft dynamic. I do appreciate the details with the instruments and sounds. I will seek listening to the original Albini mix since the rawness is part of the reason this album is so good. A tremendous album and my favorite Nirvana.

So, so good and such a great example of grunge. Is this Nirvana's best album, no, but is it still straight fire? Absolutely. All of the songs on here help showcase and channel all the angst and snarl that was in Nevermind and then let it off the leash. "Dumb" remains one of my favorite Nirvana songs along with "Heart Shaped Box". Kurt does a really good job of channeling his emotions into each and every song and lyric which makes it even more tragic that his death wasn't prevented.

Despite how much I like the Nirvana songs I do know, I have never really checked their albums out. I really enjoyed this one. I can definitely understand why they are considered so great. Kurt Cobain's voice mixed in with the music and the imagery of the lyrics is magic.

Nirvana. Don’t need to say more.

Remarkable that this album follows nevermind. Usually the follow up to the breakthrough album gets softer, more commercial, or at least less angry. In Utero goes the other way but with the production and talent of the biggest band in the world. A testament to Cobain’s talent and maybe why there was never going to be a 4th album. I’ve never considered myself a nirvana fan but each time they’ve come up on this list I’ve found myself listening to and thinking about them for days afterward.

4.7 Is kinda crazy how an album like this can go and sell 15 million albums. I didn't know Steve Albini passed away this year, RIP.

Great album.

One of the best albums of the 90s

Less famous and flashy than its ‘91 sister, but packing no less of a wallop. Pure elegance in its quiet moments; pure elegance in its abject screaming. What I love most about this album is that, despite coming on the heels of a huge hit, it’s even less overblown and celebratory. It’s not the problems of sudden fame; it’s that nothing has changed at all, or ever will.

Often hated by nirvana purists, I honestly find In Utero to be my favorite album of theirs. Its a strange album, but man, its still raw and has some really screechy, head bangin rock that is still unique today. I could see how Cobains depression is laid out on the album - “teenage angst has paid off well, now im bored and old”.

I was 13 when this album was released. I've owned a copy ever since. I adore this record more now than I did then.

Forgot how great this album was. Don’t listen to it often enough. Hard to rate this objectively when it was such a huge part of my youth.

John Beck: "Annual reminder: In utero is not a good album." Dave Romano: "I love in utero, easily my favorite album of theirs." JB: "What’s your favorite part? The terrible melodies, lack of hooks, or the awful lyrics? DR: "All of the above! Really I love the artwork, the production, and the lyrics. Serve the servants, Dumb, Frances Farmer, All Apologies have great lyrics." There are so many things that John Beck has right and Dave Romano has wrong, but this take was not one of them.

Some of my favorite Nirvana songs on this album. So good!

this album helped shaped how i played with words, sounds and lines. could i write poetry to this? Y

No need for discussion here. It's a favorite of mine. Five stars, hands down.

Not my fav nirvana labum but still amazing

In Utero is not as polished as its more famous predecessor, but still an absolute masterpiece.

Raw, top listen for anyone. Long live Kurt

My favorite Nirvana album. Brutal, painful, and some kind of perfect. Highlights: Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle, Milk It, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

Nirvana had the unenviable task of following Nevermind and created an album that stands alongside its predecessor. There's certainly a raggedness that Nevermind doesn't have, and some of the guitar riffs sound more metal than grunge as anger and disillusionment is expressed through the songs. They're combined with some of Cobain's rawest and most emotional lyrics; when you hear him sing things like go away, I think I'm dumb, I miss the comfort in being sad... you can't fail but directly observe a troubled artist's inner thoughts. A fascinating insight into one of music's most tragic stories, In Utero fucking rocks but it's a hard listen in context

Love it

"Of course, they want another Nevermind, but I'd rather die than do that. This is exactly the kind of record I would buy as a fan, that I would enjoy owning." Kurt Cobain Highlights: Serve The Servants, Heart Shaped Box, Rape Me, Frances Farmer Has Her Revenge On Seattle, Pennyroyal Tea, Tourette's. In a nutshell: rough and raw. Just the way the band wanted. Taking the "punk-ish" approach to recording and enlisting Steve Albini (vale you fucking legend) was the right decision. In Utero is a confronting and unintentionally personal album. I'm glad I was oblivious to grunge and Nirvana's fame as a youth (I was 10 when Kurt died) because I appreciate their music more now than I would have back then. In saying that, I prefer this album over Nevermind, as it feels more authentic. Overall: 9/10

A classic album really, every song is good and the high quality is obvious in every song.

Very close to being a perfect album. I'd take it over Nevermind any day, it's the much more adventurous album and has such a considerably larger impact on me - the guttural screams in the chorus of Scentless Apprentice, the dissonant chord that opens the album, immediately establishing itself as a noisy, angry powerhouse. Albini's production does such a huge service to the album (I'd also recommend listening to his original mix as well, it's somehow even more raw). Despite most of my favourite things about this album being the noisiness and rawness of it all, my two favourites here are arguably the most poppy songs - Heart-Shaped Box and All Apologies. There's a certain contrast between the melancholy atmosphere at the start of Heart-Shaped Box and the unassuming, almost uplifting riff on All Apologies, but they both start with just a guitar. These are two songs that, in my opinion, absolutely master the quiet-loud verse-chorus dynamic, Smells Like Teen Spirit is nothing compared to either of these. Considering the band's direction here, also hinted on You Know You're Right, "all in all is all we are" is unfortunately Nirvana's equivalent to "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make". Kurt's passing does hang over this album in many places, certain moments feel like a means of expressing whatever pain he was going through in the form of music. It's almost difficult to listen to in those parts, not because of how visceral it is, necessarily. I listen to much harsher music casually, but it's just how expressive Kurt is on this album - it's almost like the anger unleashed on Converge's 2001 album Jane Doe, but with an almost defeated feel to it. R.I.P. Kurt Cobain and Steve Albini 9.5/10

This is not super accessible, but I think it is artistically better than Nevermind.

Like duh

What can I say, the final album that of the band that started the grunge revolution. Not many bands that stand on the same pedestal as Kurt and Dave, let alone Nirvana. There are some songs you could easily hate, you know what, I get it, fair enough. But the ones that hit are undeniable rock greats. I was gonna skip listening to this album another time but I thought, 24 carat baby, let’s go. Pennyroyal Tea All apologies Heart Shaped Box Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle Dumb

Alberto’s fav

I think this is a better album than never mind. But in 1001 albums do we need more then never mind. A lot of the love for nirvana is the potential that was never to be realised. Not all of it of course. He could write songs and the band was incendiary. But should it be here? Still, I think it a better album than nevermind. But never mind is the one. Gets five stars though.

Its breaks through your musical defences. Nirvana perfectly illustrates that abrasive sound, lean hoarse vocals with repellent themes can be transfixing. Intimate and comforting – and somehow moving, oddly relatable or catchy in a way you least expect. While 90’s grunge rock + poetical angst + troubled devotionals aren't going to happy, it is painfully, stunningly good art. I don't do album sized chunks of grunge. I wouldn’t call it a ‘pick me up’, but it rouses something. Perhaps our bestial bits. Nirvana did make uniquely arresting and memorable music; I literally stopped by the side of the road the first time I heard them, it was “Smell like teen spirit” and I needed to know what it was. “Heart shaped box” is another inimitable work in the grunge from – it taps some kind of magic formula, I suspect. Maybe a classical transcription reveals it. What a sound – like a pied piper who found the magic harsh note that calls to an angry teen. I think at least one Nirvana disc has to be here so people hear and feel what they do (and how unexpected that can be, no matter your taste in music, it works). A solid entry to the list for all the right reasons.

9.5

I was thirteen at the time In Utero got released, and this album truly was everything to me. It played such a huge part in my teenage years that I can't possibly be objective about it. As cliché as it is to say, it defined who I was at the time.

Kurt is really Grunge's golden boy. Not as flamboyant as Nevermind, but what a ride!

Nevermind is the commercial success, but In Utero is really what the grunge is to the very core : sad, pessimistic, noisy and raw, apathetic, destructive... and so on! A masterpiece of the genre.

Now we're talking! I was fearful that this album wouldn't hold up. I was afraid it would just make me nostalgic. It did make me nostalgic, but I also think these songs are still very good. I heard a message this time around, or maybe a bit of a theme? Maybe I'm just older and read into things nowadays

although i'm not as familiar with the "greater" nirvana discography, i have listened to 'nevermind' and some select works that dave grohl did afterwards. this was my first time listening to this album in full, and i have to say, i think i like it more than 'nevermind,' - which i'm not sure is a hot take or not. although obviously their breakthrough album is an incredibly important album for the evolution of popular music in the 20th century, i actually find this album more appealing with its more rough-around-the-edges sound and kurt cobain's more personal lyrics dealing with his experiences with fame. outside of the songs that i would consider "famous" from this album, my favorites were, 'serve the servants,' 'frances farmer will have her revenge on seattle,' and, 'radio friendly unit shifter.' to me, this album is one that takes the momentum of their first album and combines it with a more rough around the edges sound that works extremely well.

Nirvana's fury, documented by Steve Albini. Beautiful, imperfect, tender, raucous, hungry, cynical, emotional, viscerally sincere Nirvana. An abrasive caress. Kurt Cobain's true legacy. I need to rest after I listen to this.

A stone cold fucking classic that cemented Nirvana as one of the greatest bands of all time and not just a cultural phenomenon. Such an intense album. Huge respects to the band for releasing this emotional rollercoaster of a record in the middle of being the most popular band on the planet. Super strong 9/10.

The production on this is so unbelievable, credit to Steve Albini (RIP). I have been listening to a lot of Shellac this year and some of his other credits, and I’m so pleased that the sharp/abrasive percussion and morose but mathy guitar riffs carried over into this record by a band this massive, one that I’ve honestly taken for granted, I think. Born from a perfect moment, sort of, and obviously that much more tragic given the loss of Cobain soon after… kinda surprising myself here - and it’s maybe like a 4.5 - but this hit for me today/this year!

had me at moist vagina

I’m surprising myself with how much I have to say about this. Scattered thoughts follow. The good: -This rougher sound suits them better than the glossy production of Nevermind and over the years this has become my favorite album of theirs (some hipsters will say Bleach, but I don’t think the songwriting there was quite as consistent). -Kurt’s fascination with ailments, illness, sickness, and medicine is always so fascinating. Offers a glimpse of what he was going through even at his young age. -“There is nothing I could say / That I haven’t thought before” is chef’s kiss. -“scentless apprentice” is the drum part I worked the hardest at learning when I had a drum set. I could play the bass and snare part consistently but it was tough throwing in the hi hat too. Dave’s fills on “all apologies” are also great. The bad: -I hear “rape me” as a song about the pressures and trappings of fame. Musically, I love it. Lyrically, maybe choose a different metaphor. -Although I don’t hate it, I don’t think the album benefits from “Tourette’s.” Going in, I knew it would be between a 4 and a 5, and I probably am there still after listening. Essentially a 4.5. I was curious if it was on my ongoing “fav albums” playlist and it was, which felt like a tiebreaker. I’ll give it 5.

Nirvana at its rawest & finest

I love Kurt Cobain's opening line to Serve the Servants (from In Utero), after the enormous success of Smells Like Teen Spirit (from Nevermind): Teenage angst has paid off well Now I'm bored and old Self-appointed judges judge More than they have sold And then he's done with it. I don't spend a lot of my time comparing In Utero to Nevermind; to me, the two are quite a bit different. But if I had to pick, I'd say In Utero reflects the true spirit of Nirvana.

I listened

Moeilijk, maar fantastisch album. Zoveel geweldige nummers, een paar wat mindere doen daar niets aan af.

Amazing follow up to Nevermind, and every bit as good...maybe even better. Darker, edgier, more personal, at times primal. Everyone knows Heart Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies (maybe Nirvana's best track, along with Smells Like Teen Spirit)....but, hell, I didn't realized EVERY track on here is perfect. Do yourself a favor and listen to this while reading the lyrics and soak it all in. You will find Cobain baring his soul to us. Trapped, confined, and alienated in his newfound celebrity, angst-ridden and unable to reconcile his sudden success with his apparently self-loathing identity (this was his last release prior to his tragic suicide), it feels almost voyeuristic and intrusive to witness his raw emotion and honesty. Such a shame that he left us so soon...In Utero is proof that Nirvana was only beginning to hit its stride musically and had so much more to offer. What a loss! And what a moving experience!

Heavy, classic grunge feel. Can’t go wrong with Nirvana

I..I get it now

nirvana's last album, this one as dark, dreary and impactful as all the others in their discography. something about kurt's depressed and acceptant voice and lyrics tugs at the heartstrings. it's grimy, shocking, and it's possibly one of the greatest grunge albums out there.

An absolute BANGER of an album, but Nirvana never fail to disappoint. One of the best of the era and unfortunately we lost a legend too soon. It would have been very cool to see what direction the band/Kurt took after this. Based on the demos that have been released/leaked I have no doubt there was a lot of fanfare still left to come out. Sadly we'll never know. Focusing on this album however, we're immediately assaulted with noise from the beginning notes. The angsty in-your-face aggression assaults your senses and demands your attention. Betwen Grohl's heavy-handed drumming, Kurts screeching guitar and wailing vocals and Krists relentless bass, you're in for 41 mins and 27 seconds of pure rock. All Apologies leaves you on a more somber note and is a fitting bookend to a very raw, very abrasive rock album. One of the bests. Standout Tracks: Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, All Apologies

nice

I may now be bored & old, but this still kicks a whole lot of ass. RIP Steve Albini.

Fire album. 1 questionable song but otherwise mostly great

Amazing and influential album

Brilliant album! Masterpiece!

Great

One of my favorite albums from the 90s. To me, this was Nirvana's best studio album, aided significantly by Steve Albini's (R.I.P.) production processes. In some sense, it's a marriage of the roughness of their debut, 'Bleach' with the commercial success of 'Nevermind'. Cobain thought of the album as using a handful of singles to grab the attention of mainstream kids who didn't have access, or just didn't know, about more experimental and abrasive music being made. They'd buy the album and be exposed to something that they never heard before. Well, it certainly worked on me. 'In Utero' opened up my musical horizons in a major way. It sounded fearless, emotive, and completely uncompromising, despite the occasional radio friendly song. I was so into this album that I remember hunting down the German import singles to get my hands on the b-sides (now all easily accessible on streaming services). Cobain claimed that there's nothing personal within the lyrics, but whether he knew it or not, the songs are seeped in his personal experience. The themes of birth, disease and death are unmissable and surely must have reflected the conflicted feelings of the birth of his daughter and the dark clouds gathering within his mind through his final year. The lyrics still manage to shock because Cobain was never trying to shock anyone. He was simply giving us a window into his mind. I was young when Kurt Cobain took his own life. It was the first time that I really thought about death seriously when I saw the news late night on MTV. I didn't really have a concept of depression yet, but it taught me a lot about mental health. 'In Utero' is in a sense a powerful reminder of that to me. In another universe, this album was also a signal of where the band may have gone next, if they'd had a chance. The other hint was their MTV Unplugged appearance, but I'll save that for the another review when the time comes.

10/10 I own it. I love it. 6-5-2024

With today's album, the notes are written quickly and in advance of listening to the whole thing. The album is great. I was belatedly excited about Nevermind at the time, the album was hard to get at my usual retailers. That's when In Utero fell into my hands. I was thrilled. And I still am. 5/5

Nirvana’s best album

Ωραία μουσική όχι ιδιαίτεροι στιχοι

Great album.

LIFE CHANGING

Great album

Heart-shaped box! Vet så lite om Nirvana men de är bra

5. Can't believe I hadn't heard this in full. Some songs are less abrasive than I expected, really interesting melodies. Can see myself listening to this as much as Doolittle by the pixies

One of the best albums of the 90s hands down. So raw, visceral, and emotional. There is also great production and songwriting to boot as well. This album is amazing.

Kyllä se vaan tämäkin Nirvanan lätty multa täydet saa.

Like a lot of people I loved Nevermind, then, probably like a lot of people was kind of surprised when the follow up In Utero had such a more raw sound. Turns out that is what Kurt wanted after not liking how polished Nevermind was and he gets that in the second track "Scentless Apprentice", "Milk it", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" and even the guitar solo to the radio hit "Heart-Shaped Box". Speaking of the raw sound, RIP Steve Albini. Oh, and yes, I love the album

Favorite Nirvana album, recorded famously and quickly in Minnesota by Steve Albini (RIP). There’s a grip it & rip it feel to some of the songs here, but All Apologies & Pennyroyal Tea showed they could also produce sweet melodies if they wanted. Kurt was gifted.

An all time great album. A band that found itself at the top of the world with a singer that didn’t really want it. It rails against everything, including itself. Beneath all the fuzz and anger, there are smart lyrics and brilliant hooks and melodies.

It's so relieving To know that you're leaving As soon as you get paid It's so relaxing To hear that you're asking Whenever you get your way It's so soothing To know that you'll sue me Starting to sound the same I miss the comfort in being sad Yeah, this is a pretty amazing album. 5/5

I'm so happy to get this album. Every song is good. One criticism. Maybe it's just me, but the drums sound muffled. I prefer Butch Vig's production on Nevermind. Grohl's drums sound so in your face on that album. Here, they sound like they're stuffed with 20 blankets. It's a minor criticism. Overall, it's a classic.

All Apologies but this album kicks ass

Day 1: An album I've already listened to before. But I've given myself more time to analyse it and really get into it. It's definitely better than Nevermind with each listen I give it.

I wonder what Nirvana would sound like today if they stayed a band. If they had, we might not have the Foo Fighters. Nevertheless, we are left with this album, which displays raw energy and talent it never gets old listening to this.

Great album

This album shows the depth of his pain and we all just watched it happen.

When I started dating Marianne, I told her I was a huge fan of Nirvana even though I never listened to it. To my surprise, it was one of the best thing I ever listened to and started my life long love for anti-consumerist music and low fidelity recordings.

Not as polished as nevermind, but in a way it makes it more of a proper grunge album. Tons of hits still, can't go wrong, 5 star

What a truly exceptional album. Had listened many times before but it had been some time. The lyrics, vocals, music... This is a top album.

I like the production, very raw compared to Nevermind but the songs are strong.

Not as good as Nevermind, but a stellar album none the less.

i loved this album - the combo of the grunge with almost a hardcore influence was superb.

I live next to Steve Albini. That is all.

Dude, I really really wish we had half star ratings. This is not technically a 5 star record, but its also not a 4 star record. It is the third best record by Nirvana and really highlighted the lyrical songwriting. By this time grunge was in full swing and everyone was on board.

The best album from the most i.portant band of the 90's. Steve Albini Jesus Lizard wall punching Keystone Light drinking music.

Du kan ikke fucke med et mesterværk!

Støjende, skramlet og råt. Men samtidig viser In Utero også at bag Nirvanas grunge/punk lyd er der en gudsbenåedet popsmed i Kurt Cobain. Albummet er det ene mesterværk af et nummer efter det andet. Hvis jeg presses vil jeg fremhæve Very Ape, Milk It og All Apologies. Men jeg kan ikke finde et nummer herpå jeg ikke knus elsker. Klart i top 3 af Nirvanas studie LPer 😜 Og kan vi så lige snakke lidt om de sange der ikke klarede cuttet. Der er så meget guld der. Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol…, I Hate Myself… og ikke mindst en af Nirvanas bedste sange overhovedet. Heldigvis kom Sappy med på 2013s 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition udgivelse

Maybe their best

This bloke needs therapy

Abrasive and darker than other Nirvana stuff and it holds up imo

one of my favorite songs by nirvana is only on the deluxe edition (marigold - demo). it's a classic.

Classic.

Not the best Nirvana album, but still solid.

Well If this isn't perfect. Gritty. The songs rip. So good.

As one of those who remember when Kurt Cobain walked with earthly feet (and witnessed the band fucking destroy Dayton's Hara Arena), the resonance of this now swan song is the old soul resignation of its poetry and the fury of the sound. If your songbook contains a line like "Give me Leonard Cohen afterworld/So I can sigb eternally" you have transcended space and time, the apotheosis artist to something new. Too bad, we would learn it would be the same old. And we are impoverished now. Not for the want of the Star, nor a Legend, nor a Generational Spokesperson (what we call those we draft to destroy) but some one poignantly telling us about the world.

#15 Nirvana - In Utero (1993) Grunge, Noise Rock Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock An album that just gets better and better the more I listen to it. The best combination of noise rock with mainstream music ever made. RIP Kurt. Favourite Tracks: Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, All Apologies, Rape Me, Frances Farmer... Least Favourite Track: Milk It

Yes. Oh yes.

Incredible album.

I think this a perfect harder rock record from this period. Just perfectly encapsulates where alternative rock was, but also still being “popular music.” Just kind of crazy this, Nirvana, that is, was popular music, when you look at where the mainstream went from here.

Een paar bekende topnummers, een paar minder bekende ook topnummers en af en toe net wat teveel herrie. Volgens mij stak ome Kurt niet onder stoelen of banken dat ie fan was van Pixies en ik meen dat op dit album duidelijk te kunnen merken. Zo'n Pixies-achtige combinatie van schurend lelijk met vreemd catchy, zoals 'Tourettes'. Een aantal nummers die hier op staan zijn sonisch misschien wel de mooiste Nirvana nummers, zoals Dumb en Heart Shaped Box. Of het gitaartokkeltje en de strijkers op All Apologies. Nevermind is als geheel wat beter, misschien ook omdat het net wat vriendelijker is voor de oortjes. Ik kan echter ook deze voor m'n plezier meerdere keren per jaar luisteren, dus ga ik zonder schaamte op de 5 sterren drukken.

Fantastic. In my opinion it’s Nirvanas best work

yesss finally. some bangers on this one.

not nearly as immediately appealing as nevermind but still very good 6/7

Nirvana's last album is a love it or hate affair. Often harsh, at least compared to Nevermind. Kurt Cobain growls more than he howls which gives the album an uneasy feeling. Many of the songs seem designed to not only make a point, but to cause discomfort. Rape Me and Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle (about the actor who was forcibly given a lobotomy) can be hard to listen to. The album's only radio friendly song (to the extent any Nirvana song can be called radio friendly) was Heart Shaped Box. There is no Smells Like Teen Spirit on In Utero. Even the album cover can be described as disturbing. And yet... there is a lot to like. The pure expression of angst. The obvious pain that emanates from Cobain, with help from the rest of the band. These are not comfortable, but they make you feel. The silliness of some of the songs on Nevermind counterbalanced the anger. In Utero purposely doesn't do that. You are meant to feel the full weight of the anger and anguish of Cobain. This is not an album for lazy Sunday listening but listen to it you must. It is compelling.

5/5

I can't be picky with anything. Everything clicks. Nirvana have found the way of the 90's rocking. It's like they've achieved... nirvana...

Thoughts before listening: Huge album for me growing up. This came out when I was 12 and was just starting to pay attention to music. At one point I would have said this was Nirvana's best album, but it definitely is not as good as Nevermind. This is a darker, more punk rock album that unfortunately was Kurt Cobain's final studio recording. Review: Yeah this is great. I have a ton of nostalgia for Nirvana and these songs meant so much to me when I was a teenager. This would have definitely been one of the first albums I ever bought for myself. "Heart Shaped Box", "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle", "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter", and "All Apologies" are favorites that are going on the playlist. 5-star album.

An old friend

Its a great album for Grunge rock

One of my favorite albums. Always makes me wonder what could’ve been. Teenage nostalgia

"I tried hard to have a father But instead I had a dad." The Michael Jordan of alternative/ rock. There will most likely never be another band within this genre that captures this kind of energy and feeling in a way that connected with a world audience.

considering I've listened to it thousands of times for the last ~25 years and I was still genuinely excited to give it a listen again today, this is forever a 5. the drumming is powerful, the lyrics and vocals, the signature grungey distorted guitar. "dumb" was my favorite for years, but "milk it" is the one I've kept going back to. honorable mention to "radio friendly unit shifter".

Not sure why they picked In Utero instead of Nevermind, but either way, it's good stuff.

I grew up listening to Nirvana, and this is another stellar album. Angsty, full of rage, sentimental, sad, Seattle grunge rock at its finest. Classic.

A really good album, and a great response to hitting the mainstream from the previous album. Heavy and abrasive, and excellent writing (for the most part; not a big fan of screaming "R*pe me"). The hits coming from this album are also deserving of their popularity.

Not as big as Nevermind, still amazing

My preference over Nevermind overall, which is saying something. It's not as accessible, because there's no Teen Spirit anthemic moment, unless you count Rape Me, which Kurt Cobain might have preferred. But it's tighter and more complete. The band sounds more in control of their sound, or they give the impression they clearly knew where they wanted to go. Do yourself a favor and listen to the 30th Anniversary Super Deluxe edition and listen to the many gems recorded during these sessions. This band had a lot more to give the world, at least something better than whatever the hell Dave Grohl kept trying to force upon us over the last 25 years.

Best drum album

heavy as hell, really good, no bad songs

Alltime Classic

own

Nirvana was one of the first alternative bands that my young ears were exposed to at 12 years old (starting with their MTV Unplugged album), so I may be a bit biased in my rating here. That said, after having sat with Nirvana's catalog for more than 27 years now, I consider In Utero to be the absolute best studio album that Nirvana ever recorded, without question. More than Nevermind. The production and musical choices across the entirety of In Utero are stunning, occasionally harsh but intentionally so, and there are so many amazing tracks on In Utero that still hold up today. Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea and All Apologies still hold my complete attention years after first hearing them on the unplugged album and then the studio version here. As we all know this was sadly the last album before Kurt's death in '94. It makes me wistful to think about what would have come next as the band came into their own even more as a popular group. Interesting facts from Wikipedia: *Cobain originally wanted to name the album I Hate Myself and I Want to Die, a phrase that had originated in his journals in mid-1992. At the time, he used the phrase as a response whenever someone asked him how he was doing. Cobain intended the album title as a joke; he stated he was "tired of taking this band so seriously and everyone else taking it so seriously". Novoselic convinced Cobain to change the title due to fear that it could potentially result in a lawsuit. The band then considered using Verse Chorus Verse—a title taken from its song "Verse Chorus Verse", and a (at the time current) working title of "Sappy"—before eventually settling on In Utero. The final title was taken from a poem written by Courtney Love. *The cover of the album is an image of a Transparent Anatomical Manikin, with angel wings superimposed. Cobain created the collage on the back cover, which he described as "Sex and woman and In Utero and vaginas and birth and death", that consists of model fetuses, a turtle shell and models of turtles, and body parts lying in a bed of orchids and lilies. The collage had been set up on the floor of Cobain's living room and was photographed by Charles Peterson after an unexpected call from Cobain. * "Pennyroyal Tea", planned as a single prior to Cobain's death, was released in 2014 and reached number one on the now-defunct Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. * Steve Albini (whom Nirvana chose to record In Utero with) originally dismissed Nirvana as "R.E.M. with a fuzzbox" and "an unremarkable version of the Seattle sound". However, he accepted the job because he felt sorry for them, perceiving them as "the same sort of people as all the small-fry bands I deal with", at the mercy of their record company. * In February 1993, Nirvana traveled to Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota...The group stayed in a house on the studio grounds. (Nirvana bassist Krist) Novoselic compared the isolated conditions to a gulag; he said, "There was snow outside, we couldn't go anywhere. We just worked." Standouts: Serve the Servants, Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Frances Farmer..., Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

This album is gold. Even the screaming songs are melodic. It's impressive that Nirvana was able to put together multiple albums of this caliber.

Impossible to be objective. Too formative of an album. Glad to it holds up and continues to scorch earth.

Knowing 'Nevermind' is out there makes it hard to rate In Utero objectively. But this album is full on amazing on its own with very few misses (especially when you compare it to other 90s knock off dreck on this list like HMS Fable and Copper Blue). Frances Farmer is a stand out, but added many other tracks I knew less well to my rotation.

Amazing Legendary Album!

Honestamente lo odie la primera vez que lo escuché, le di una segunda oportunidad por ver que tan apasionados Vencent y Yopo eran por el álbum. Me senté, lo escuché, me enamoré de Nirvana. Una banda que ya conocía relativamente bien antes, y ahora me encuentro siendo un fanático y un crítico de los acontecimientos que sucedieron. Realmente trágico en varios aspectos lo que pasó y ni sabía. La autenticidad de este álbum es algo que no puedo procesar, hay casi que NADA DE PRODUCCIÓN POST EN ESTA MIERDA IRS SO RAW, just 3 people playing. Absolute banger, but say no to heroin please.

After giving In Utero a good listen, All i can say is "Wow". This is such an amazing album. I don't think there is one song that i did not find amazing on this album. The guitar work was absolutely amazing and Kurt's voice was the cherry on top. This is definitely one of the best albums I have looked at for this project. Best Song: Milk It Worst Song: Dumb

Though some songs were obviously meant to be off-putting they were still clever and interesting and the highs lift the rest to five stars

although i really like the rawness of this album in comparison with nevermind i just cant stand some of the screaming moments. i find myself liking the more pop songs on the album. guess im just a poser nirvana fan, because i like nevermind more. this is a 5 anyways for me.

Все хиты. Предпочитаю Nevermind, но есть поинт, что этот альбом чувствуется более как Альбом, и при этом более разноплановый, что вообще-то звучит контринтуитивно, но в самом деле ощущается именно так. Лучшая песня - Rape Me.

The grunge era, Nirvana as a band, and this record where really important to me in my early youth. Th shift in tone from Nevermind to this took me some time to like then, but as an adult I find this record as an album a lot more interesting. Gone are the multitracked vocals an super catchy song structures stolen from power pop. Instead there are angsty whispers and angry screams, and a piece of art that on one hand has mellow and calm songs like Dumb and All Apologies, and on the other hardcore blowouts like Tourettes. And still this is the most cohesive record, and one that I can play from start to finish without skippping, and then want to hear it again.

Goat

Although Nevermind is by far the more iconic album, everyone agrees that In Utero is better. It’s more streamlined, it has better lyrics, better hooks. I’ve always been amused that Kurt Cobain seemed to be a fan of Leonard Cohen. Artistically, they’re more similar than people would think, but as people they’ve got completely different energies

On of the greatest albums ever recorded. Nirvana has been my absolute favourite band for many years now. Heart shaped box is one of my all time favourites songs. Amazing screams from Kurt on Tourettes. 100/10

Being in high school in the 90's, I will never overcome a pro-Nirvana bias. But knowing what I know now about performance and production, how did this ever get made? - A lot of the guitar playing barely counts as guitar playing - You hear every sloppy note and squeal - Half the singing is screamed into a blown-out mic And IT'S AWESOME. Kudos to whoever had the sack to let Nirvana be Nirvana and put it on a record.

it was good, but I didn't realize I'm one of those people who only listens to popular Nirvana songs.

I've heard it before. One of my favorites.

Every song is emotional, this was my first time listening to this album and loved most of the tracks.

Messy, raw, and emotional. Fantastic album, maybe their best. Wonder if that drummer would ever be in another band?

5. It's perfect.

A última arfada do rock alternativo que sustenta a satisfação para querer sempre escutar mais e mais, rock. Reforça o ciclo de viver envolvido com a energia do rock.

One of my favorite bands. From my time of becoming

Nothing needs to be said, love this album.

If only heard Nevermind before this so obviously this had a stupid high bar to live up to, and it delivered imo. It’s like a polished grime, nasty in some places and beautiful in others. Exactly the kind of sound I love.

Their best album. Probably the closest they ever got to the sound in Kurt’s head. The album I bought with my own money as a kid.

A band trapped in time at their prime. I like Dumb and many of the others.

The boys knew what they were doing, eh? Fave tracks - "Heart Shaped Box", "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle", "Pennyroyal Tea", "All Apologies"

best album eva probably

Catching up on several albums in a row it’s easy to get distracted but this hits you like a freight train

Brilliant

1.1.24

One of the best of all time

Better album than remember it being. Very sad album.

What a banger. Might start listening to Nirvana a bit more.

NIrvana geht (fast) immer :-)

Nirvana is always a 5 star rating for me. This album is a pent-up release of poisonous hateful thoughts and raging frustration, but it's also a sardonic middle finger to the masses who gave Kurt exactly what he wanted, to breathe the rarified air that only those who attain superstar iconic fame do. As the old adage goes, be careful what you wish for 'cuz you just might get it. A lot of people feel Nirvana is overrated and overplayed, but to me, they will always be my musical nervous system; reaching into all areas of my form and able to elicit pleasure or pain depending on how it hits. Kurt was a troubled man, but a brilliant artist and musician. I will always respect that, and I often wonder to myself how the 2020's would have sounded to him were he still around and making music. If only he'd been able to evolve and get help for his painful personal shit. RIP, Kurt - you were a gift and I love you.

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

It's really hard to separate nostalgia from reality on this one, as every song has some sort of personal meaning from various points in my life. So we're givin er the ole 5 stars, but you may feel differently.

Classic. One of my all time favorites since the day it came out. I love Kurt Cobain. It's raw, yet soft and comfortable to me. Feels so good.

Serve the servants - 4.9/5 a very very strong opener Scentless apprentice- 4.91/5 literally the best fucking drum intro ever Heart shaped box - 4.97/5 I cant possibly find any flaws Rape me - 4.91/5 i dont think mtv would let us play that Frances Farmer... - 4.63/5 Dumb - 4.87/5 maybe just happy Very Ape - 4.83/5 Wailing goes hard Milk It - 4.85/5 What a perfect capture of dissonance being musical Pennyroyal Tea - 4.89/5 the crazy echoflanger solo makes me want to spend $800 on my own Radio Friendly... - 4.65/5? Intro and feedback are over the top but "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?" 🗣️ 🗣️ Tourettes - 4.55/5 too short, HEYYY!! All apologies - 4.98/5 so precise and gentile yet so sharp. Cellist on this album was THE call I consider these from the later compilations of this album faithful: Gallons of Rubbing... - 3.8/5 I enjoyed the bonus song "Endless Nameless" from nevermind more but it was an anomaly to the style of the rest of the songs on the album. This one holds the style better, but strays a little too much with dissonance to be considered musical at times. Vocals are also definitely only one take and not mixed or recorded to the same standards Marigold - 4.1/5 it's a dave grohl demo, he wrote and performed everything but the bass so it's basically a foo fighters song. Not enough confidence/skill yet from him though Sappy - 4.92/5 Phenomenal "underground" song unless you bought this AIDS relief album or until the first box set. This guitar tone gives me chills and I would sell my first born to get it Moist Vagina - 4.3/5 almost too dissonant for my liking at times, barely before that line. Almost felt aimless too. I love the vocal fry thing he does I Hate Myself and Want to Die - 4.4/5 second most in utero sounding bonus song Overall in my top 3 favorite albums overall, and without glazing an easy 4.9/5. I really really enjoyed doing a full in depth review finally.

An amazing album. Raw, uncomprimising that grabs hold and shakes you around really never lets you go. 5 stars

Absolute masterpiece, rivals Nevermind with everyone of its songs

When I get was 13, an older boy made a fortune taping his copies of Nirvana albums and selling them for a pound to the younger kids. In Utero on one side and Nevermind on the other. I listened until the tape wore through. I'm not able to accurately judge this as it's wound through my teenage years like raisins in a Danish pastry.

While I do believe that Nevermind is Nirvana's magnum opus, I'm still quite shocked at the vast difference in rating between the two albums. Are you guys all hearing the same In Utero as I am? What are y'all docking points for? Perfect third album by one of the most iconic bands…

Great album of a Great band!

Easily their best album. Feels like this is what Nirvana was always intended to sound like but this only came together once due to budget and creative restraints. Classic.

Nothing ever was quite the same after Nirvana. In Utero sounds relevant today, but enough time has passed between 1993 and 2023 where it's revolutionary sound has come to dominate the alt rock charts and then become tired. It's irreverence has become cliched, albeit a loved cliche. I feel as if I've seen this sound live and it's electric. Heart-Shaped Box is still a bop, but it feels the most commercial of songs on the album. Rape Me probably wouldn't be able to made today, and I love it.

DET definerende Grunge bandet, med et tilnærmet likt perfekt album (om man liker slikt)

Ælsk Nirvana❤️

Heavy, melodisk, dypt, rått

Nevermind slightly better but still an absolutely incredible album

I LOVE nirvana!! i have listened to this album many times. its so good. nirvana is one of my favourites and in utero is so pretty.

Just great. I miss the comfort in being sad. All apologies

My first favorite alternative album

After the massive success of "Nevermind," igniting the grunge movement, Nirvana decided to actually make an album that sounded like grunge. Kurt Cobain sounds exhausted and this isn't the entire album of radio friendly songs that I am sure the record company thought they would get. "In Utero" isn't a rejection of grunge, but a full embrace of it and features Cobain screaming as much as possible. Even when this album came out, I remember thinking this album has the attitude of "You want grunge, here you go," as opposed to turning away from the sound that brought them fame, Nirvana essentially insisted "Nevermind" wasn't grunge and now this is what really is. The album starts off with two songs that are not what is to be expected and then it just goes from there. I really wish I knew what Nirvana would have done after this.

Best follow up to a classic album ever?

Amazing album. Possible to distinguish the time when it was made, but it also has aged well. Production is great, vocals are great, overall sound is great!

Formative in my teenage years

I love Nirvana, and this album is just so, so good. "All Apologies" is one of my favorite songs, and it's a great ending to this album. Every track is great, but "All Apologies," "Rape Me," "Heart Shaped Box," and "Dumb" are probably my favorites.

Perfect time to listen to this, as it is the 30th anniversary of this incredible album by one of my all-time favourite bands!

Amazing album, a classic

So angry, so much angst. Absolute banger of an album, Heart-Shaped Box and Rape Me are legendary IMO. All apologies is a perfect closing track. 9.5/10

NIRVANA is 🔥

Darn good album

Powerful, beautiful, dark, artistic, one of kind.

El último álbum de Nirvana ingeniado por Kurt Cobain. Con un claro cambio estético en comparación a su entrega anterior, In Utero propone un paisaje sonoro mucho más crudo y explosivo, con letras sombrías e interpretaciones sumamente furiosas. Sin embargo, la banda no pierde su sensibilidad pop, creando una mezcla perfecta de frecuencias que da vida al LP que probablemente, sepultó el concepto del Grunge.

Nirvana is awesome.

Really good, very Jim-ly

Great follow up to Nevermind. It's a shame will never know where this band would have gone. This album doesn't fall into the trap of trying to replicate past success. They continued on into the punk/heavy genre for most of the songs. This album definitely influenced future grunge acts, and rock acts to come

Amazing album, especially for it being Nirvana's 3rd album and released "on schedule." Punk elements, hard rock/metal, and the prototype for grunge. Every song feels unique and the whole album is highly digestible while feeling both raw and polished at the same time.

The best Nirvana album. Wonder did Frances farmer get revenge.

I’ve listened to this album countless times. It’s heavy. It’s gritty. It’s weird. I love it.

i don't even know why i'm SURPRISED that i loved this. this album was deliciously nastier and a lot punkier than other material i've heard from nirvana, which was absolutely lovely. (side note: "rape me" may be great, but the subject matter is. preventing me from putting it on my playlist)

It'sa bit hard to put my thoughts about this album into words. In some ways it's an improvement over Nevermind, it's certainly a "purer" Nirvana sound at least, but it's undoubtedly a much, much harder listen for most people. Hell, it's a step down from Nevermind in most people's minds, no doubt about that. But I am not most people. I am built different.

I just love it. Everyone loves Nirvana but my gosh there's a reason for it. Their sound is just so damn good I love it all. I really love these bands who came up with such a new, niche sound for the time and then became hugely popular. Bands that came up with new sounds and became the front of a whole genre are just great, imagine just being some dirty weirdos at school and doing something like that. Mad.

10/10 love love

Love this album. Obviously, it's not as coveted as Nevermind but still contains classics in Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea and All Apologies. I am glad that this gave me a reason to listen to it through again, because it really is a great album. A true shame that Nirvana didn't see old age.

The culmination of Kurt’s short career. If Nevermind was a critique on society, In Utero was Kurt digging deeper in himself. A tragic final studio album that evoked everything that made Kurt Cobain who he was.

hard af. Sad undertone

Raw grunge. Such a clean break from the polished big hair/glam rock of the 80s.

hell yeah

So it’s like like the last song of Nevermind, “Endless, Nameless”, but actually more palatable. I think it’s well known that Kurt Cobain did not enjoy the meteoric success of Nevermind and more of Smells Like Teen Spirit. So basically he did a 180 and gave the largest middle finger to people who wanted a more cleaner image of Nirvana and I think it’s very commendable because this sounds like a nervous breakdown. Also I think it was hilarious that Rape Me started out with the same melody as SLTP but is immediately juxtaposed with the lyrics of the song being something about a very serious and disturbing tale.

au top

a viscerally angry album. nirvanas magnum opus. i wish kurt was still here

This album was better than I remember. I played it repeatedly throughout the weekend and feel like it is a much more cohesive record than Nevermind was. This gets a rare 5/5 from me

People probably should have been more concerned about Kurt Cobain after this album. After the first two songs, hearing ‘Heart Shaped Box’ is a relief, and that song is super bitter. That’s kind of how this album functions: super loud songs followed by poppier, but definitely not Nevermind-esque songs. It’s great. I’d list songs, but I like all of them (and it’s uninteresting to read). Bye.

Beatles/Pink Floyd/Nirvana Three best 2Album runs of all time.

Two ez 5’s in a row. Nirvana is Alfa. I connect with Kurt with his sad lyrics.

Wow. Only ever listened to Nevermind before. This is a great record, made even better with Albini's trademark production. Favourite tracks: Heart-Shaped Box, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle, Very Ape (which The Prodigy sampled with 'Voodoo People'!), Milk It.

It's kind of hard to rate this album, as I've known most of these tracks for quite a few years now, into my single digits, so to critically rate them is hard to do as something fresh. I used to think that this album went too far off the deep end compared to Nevermind, but listening to this now, while I'll still say this is lesser to Nevermind, this is also fantastic. You can tell Cobain and crew were much more into the music they were making here, and the creative variety really shines here. I could see why some may see this as too much, but that's exactly what makes it so fantastic. It's that first Nirvana album mixed with the commercial success they tasted from Nevermind, making just hit after hit, turning out an album in which a song like "Rape Me" could become a relatively mainstream hit. No other band could even dream of doing that. Kurt's voice is fantastic, the drums are great, and it'd be hard to discredit anything here. It's like Endless, Nameless becoming a full album, and just like that song, it takes a few listens, but then it truly becomes something fantastic.

One of the best albums of all time. Have always been a huge fan of Nirvana and this is a classic through and through.

Odd that this was the first album served up to me as I’d only listened again for the first time a few days ago after finding the CD in a charity shop Really liked this album as a kid when it first came out and time has only improved it

One of my favorite albums of all time

Awesome classic rock album.

insane

Nice one!

One of my favorites from the 90s and in my opinion, the best Nirvana album. Albini’s production gives the album such a raw feel compared to Butch Vig’s layered, polished production on Nevermind. A must listen for any fan of grunge or 90’s culture in general.

Iconisch, stevig, geniaal

Haven't listened to this in a long time, but I loved it as a teenager and it holds up really well. I love the tonal feel of this album; I know Steve Albini caught lots of shit for the mix when this came out, but it makes the album fit better with Bleach and Incesticide, as does the songwriting itself. I think the sound of this album was a nice gateway to listening to more experimental artists. It's not perfect, but definitely deserves a 4.5/5.

Super great album. Doesn't quite reach the heights of Nevermind for me, but it's very close. 4.5/5

5 The Nirvana album that separates the men from the boys. No, it’s not their finest hour - that’s MTV Unplugged - but far and away the best of their studio albums. Bleach was a solid debut, albeit a tad one-note and directionless, and Nevermind an overproduced effort at bringing alternative rock to the mainstream (which it succeeded… and then some). But In Utero? In Utero strikes the perfect balance between the two. Admittedly, Nirvana wears their influence on their sleeve here the most of any of their records - not only does it sound like a Pixies album, but it’s quite literally produced by Steve Albini, producer of Surfer Rosa, an album Kurt once named as his second favorite of all-time (behind Raw Power by The Stooges). As it turns out, he was just the guy the group needed after dissatisfaction with their former release. Famously no-bullshit and a former punk himself, Albini was able to take the charm of Nevermind and strip it down to its core, removing all the fluff and instead choosing to highlight the genius of Nirvana with an unabashedly honest lack of polish - a sound the group was always best suited for. “Teenage angst has paid off well/Now I'm bored and old” The opening line of Serve the Servants greets you with an immediate acknowledgement of the counterculture revolution the group had ignited just two years prior, and more importantly, their desire to separate and move on from it. This album isn’t setting out to be Nevermind 2, and as if that line wasn’t enough to convince you, the following track Scentless Apprentice makes it damn well clear that the commercially palatable stuff is out the window. To me, this is the band in its purest form, and songs like Milk It, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, and Tourette’s are reminders that Kurt’s idols weren’t the kind to write radio hits. Of course, this is still Nirvana we’re talking about, so despite its rougher exterior, the album still had its fair share of commercial success. However, even the hits have a certain raw, sincere energy to them that fits contextually within the album, which has resulted in me coming back to songs like Heart-Shaped Box and Rape Me more than I do Smells Like Teen Spirit or In Bloom. As a whole, the pacing and song placement is excellent, resulting in an album that flows seamlessly despite a stark difference between songs like Dumb and Milk It. I do want to give a shoutout to Post Malone for opening his Nirvana cover set with Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle, as it’s one of the group’s most underrated tracks and quite possibly the best on this album - though it’s hard to beat a concluding track like All Apologies. The song is absolutely fantastic by its own merit, but there’s something hauntingly beautiful about it being the bookend of Kurt Cobain’s studio career. All in all is all we are indeed. If Nevermind is a required listening, then I would argue this album should be as well. It has all of the genius without all of the polish, and while I admit that might make it a little less accessible, I believe therein lies its charm. The definitive Nirvana studio album for me.

The magnum opus of the most influential band in the last 30+ years. Once albums turn 10+ years old, “influence” it has is typically a large contributor to the hindsight of how good/important that album is. I’d say the countless failed attempts to mimic the raw but still crispy mixing, distorted strings, blunted drums, and vocal-chord shredding Cobain-isms are more flattering than just having a string of records (positively) influenced by In Utero — this record ruined a generation of artists and (in my opinion) basically birthed butt-rock because no one else is capable of making this sound work. Your Puddle of Mudds, Bushs (post Sixteen Stone), Disturbeds, Breaking Benjamins, Nicklebacks of the world are all trying to do this sound (and awfully-so). If this album didn’t click because of its rawness, check out Nirvana’s MTV unplugged set (it’s on Apple Music and Spotify). A good chunk of that set is stripped-back acoustic versions of these songs that can let you appreciate the songwriting and musicianship that a lot of people fail to appreciate because of how loud and abrasive this album is. I’d also encourage you to watch https://youtu.be/R3XIGon2RjY?si=x6t-Q2ifgFwg9oRs. There’s a reason why chunks of this record openly mock its predecessor Nevermind — In Utero is Nirvana’s defining album: abrasive, different, boundary-pushing, angry, and a general fuck you to anyone that wanted 15 tracks in the style of Smells Like or Come as You Are again. Best: Heart Shaped Box, Frances Farmer, Milk It, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter Worst: n/a

Some really good songs on here. Great album, but not their most solid. I feel like Nevermind is a 5 and this is a 4.5. Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies get it to 4.5. Don’t think I ever noticed the strings on All Apologies. RIP

Powerful classic!

It’s been at least 10 years since I’ve heard this one. I had the memory that the back half was pretty abrasive and not very pleasant to listen to until the last song. I expected I would have given this 4 stars. This one is not nearly as difficult as I remember. I don’t think the production actually does it any favors. Very good album with all songs firing.

A very challenging listen but pretty much every one of the difficult songs are dripping with passion, energy, and biting lyrics. The album shows how easily they can shift between ballads and approachable tracks (pennyroyal, all apologies, rape me, heart shaped box) and their brand of energetic noise. It is impressive and moving.

Incredible album. I love the raw power of it. They sound amazing as a band here. Those drums are huge on “Serve the Servants” and “Scentless Apprentice.” And the bass throughout the album has this ominous, nefarious feel. These guitars solos are sick too. Wild, sloppy shredding that matches the pained screams of Kurt Cobain’s vocals. Great songs, awesome in-your-face heavy sound. I love this album. Okay this is an association that is just for me but this album reminds me of teenage summers by the pool in my friend Steve’s backyard. Us and another friend all got into Nirvana at the same time and we would spend all day in the pool blasting these CDs. Listening to it now definitely takes me back to those hot summer days. I can picture that backyard so vividly right now. Also, ask me to show you the music video I made for “Tourette’s” for my final project in media class freshman year of high school 😂

What an incredible opener- one that I haven't heard in years and years. I love that discordant first chord, and then the much lighter riff that plays right after it. Great start to an album. This was produced by the legendary Steve Albini and it definitely has a more metal / hard rock sound to it. Every time Nirvana comes up on this list I write about that album having my favorite Nirvana songs on it and this one coming up is no exception. I LOVE "Heart-Shaped Box", "Rape Me", "Dumb", and "All Apologies". "Pennyroyal Tea" is amazing too but I think I like the unplugged version better. Out of that list I don't think I can even chose a favorite but I guess every Nirvana album contains favorites of mine. I really particularly love the guitar solo on "Heart Shaped Box." It captures the staggering back and forth dance that you would often see Kurt doing on stage and I always thought that was really cool. It's also so funny to me how the guitar cuts off at the last held out note in the solo and then they punched-in recorded the last hit (this last hit coming in at 2:58 ish). It's so obvious that it's a punch in and I think it's an interesting choice to leave it in. This record has some really interesting, confrontational, and standoffish lyrics. "Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb back up." "Rape Me" is so straightforward that there's not much to interpret. I always liked this song as it's so catchy and sad for a heavy rock song but the lyrics really perplex me because there isn't enough like.. poetry in them to try to make deeper connections or understand on a deeper level. "Dumb" is so good. This is a song that is pretty consistently on my rotation of random songs to hum while I'm doing the mundane- like grocery shopping or going for a quiet walk. The cello in the chorus is so pretty and is a wonderful contrast. I really love the vocal / falsetto flip thing that he does at 00:44 into the song on the word "float" - "we'll float around". I never know what this technique is called but it sounds like an intentional voice crack. "All Apologies" is the real hidden gem on this album. I love Nirvana. This song is so beautiful and sad and weird and lovely. More tasteful strings! The chorus that blends into the guitar solo- man that is so perfect. By the time I start to hear the start of the fadeout "all in all is all we are" I'm already starting to miss Nirvana. It's a shame that we only got 3 full length studio albums by this band. Another easy 5/5 for me.

Believe it or not, the first Nirvana song I ever heard was off this album. Thanks to Guitar Hero, I’m pretty sure I heard Heart Shaped Box before anything off Nevermind. I did really enjoy Nevermind, so it’ll be interesting to listen to this from front to back and see how it compares. Songs I already knew: Heart Shaped Box, Rape Me, All Apologies Favourites: Heart Shaped Box, All Apologies I really enjoyed this a lot. It seemed more angsty that Nevermind, embracing dissonance with Kurt making sounds that just had to be painful on his voice. The bass and drums would often hold the song together while Kurt noodled the guitar, and Krist and Dave would really stand out as the bones of the music. Overall, I think I’d ever so slightly say that I preferred this over Nevermind.

It sounds super raw and I get why other people wouldn't enjoy it, but this shit rocks hard. Fave song this listen = Very Ape

Obra maestra

perfection, i think i like in utero more than I like nevermind or bleach.

Love this album.

part of me thinks Kurt would have been absolutely miserable growing old in this world; part of me is sad that we don't get to experience the art he might have made in it.

Milk it, up there as one of my fave nirvana songs. Album is great, prefer the raw sound over nevermind, arguably doesn’t have as many big songs although depending on my mood I think it’s their best album

I love this album. Kurt tried to be less pop this time, but it's just as catchy as ever. God, I think this one may be a 5/5 too.

One of the greatest rock albums of all times.Three guys making an oppressive wall of sound.Dave grohl drumming here is amazing especially on scebtless apprentice.Kurt cobains vocals are amazing.Just pure emotion.there are like three not good songs on this album,milk it,unit friendly unit shifter and Tourettes.But I’d gladly listen to those songs over most other rock songs.The rest of the album is BANGERS.I just love the angst and frustration of this album.

while this isn't my favorite nirvana album, I think it's still excellent. the songs have an almost indescribable balance between being written, recorded, and produced well while still conveying a grungy, punky, DIY aesthetic. cobain's lyrics here are some of his best, and the singles from this album have very much stood the test of time. favorites: heart-shaped box, dumb, very ape, scentless apprentice

this is a quantum leap forwards from Never Mind - the songs are stronger, the arrangements and playing is better, the whole thing is more consistent. Twelve amazing, brutal, heartbreaking tracks.

The advanced press on this was that it was no Nevermind so I wasn't exactly looking forward to it when I asked my brother for it for my birthday. However, I put it on and I was hooked from the opening JANG! Great stuff. The rumbly bass bits are even more rumbly. The angst is real. Love it.

I know this one so I’m not gonna listen — loved this one in middle school/high school, perhaps even more than Nevermind. An easy 5.

Love the stripped back and raw approach of this album. I used to prefer Nevermind because it has all the Nirvana hits but these days I prefer In Utero. A certified classic, hard not to give it 5/5.

Finally! I've been waiting to get this album on here to actually listen to it all the way through. Out of the albums of theirs that are actually on the list, this might be my least favourite of the three? Maybe? That being said, still a five! It took longer for some of the tracks that aren't the hits to grow on me, but I still enjoy them. I've probably said this in previous reviews, but I love the grittiness of his voice. It perfectly fits the anger and angst of the music. The album can be a bit abrasive at times, but I think part of Nirvana's appeal is that their music can be abrasive in a satisfying way. I guess I'm done with the Nirvana albums on here, which is kind of sad to be done less than 300 albums into this thing, but it's been nice listening to them, so I won't complain. My favourite song was Francis Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle.

What else could I write? I don't have the right... RIP KURT.

So much better and long lasting that Never Mind. It could be that every single song on the former was absolutely played to death and only some of these were. But I definitely played this to death too and it still sounds fresh. From the very first discordant chord you know this is a break from the commercial, polished sound of the predecessor. And it's just so good. If I come back to Nirvana I come back to this.

Banger, absolute classic

5 stars no question. There is nostalgia bundled up in this as well - this record came out when I was 13 and really getting into this music scene. BUT this is still a phenomenal record and I still love every twist and turn, every shiver and shake, every haunting space, every performance by every player.

Listened to it, wow suggestion

I've been a big Nirvana fan since I discovered their music when I was in middle school. Still really love their music and this album is great. 5/5. Didn't plan on calling every track a standout beforehand but as I listened through again found that I genuinely like every song on this album. Standout Tracks: Serve the Servants, Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle, Dumb, Very Ape, Milk It, Pennyroyal Tea, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Tourette's, All Apologies

How does a band follow up a seismic cultural juggernaut like Nevermind? By embracing a harsher sound, being completely honest about how much celebrity sucks and makes their problems worse-and crafting another masterpiece in the process, even if it takes years to be seen as such.

Absolute belter. Not everyone's favourite Nirvana album, but I remember waiting for it's release with eager anticipation, and played the CD over and over again for weeks. Still love it some 30 years on. Damn, I'm that old...

The best

You're welcome

Buried beneath all that visceral, bleeding noise is a smart, tuneful, totally original band. Cobain’s grotesque, anatomical, sarcastic yet sincere lyricism is so real and raw you feel it in your gut, and Albini’s fervent, abrasive production suits it excellently. Not just a great guitar band, they have songs too! Standout Tracks: Scentless Apprentice, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

Last Cool Nirvana's Album

Perfect album

Beter dan Nevermind! Geweldige plaat.

Dit album is de blauwdruk voor veel wat ik daarna ben gaan luisteren. Nirvana was (en is nog steeds wel een beetje) een bijna ongezonde obsessie voor mij. En dit vind ik veruit hun beste en spannendste plaat.

Not my first listen to this

This was the first album I bought with my own money. When I was 12, most of the music I listened to came from borrowed tapes. A friend passed me a cassette with the Unplugged in NY, but put a couple of additional tracks after Where did you sleep last night. I loved those 2 songs! They were raw and melodic. Obviously, I assumed they were Nirvana’s, and started chasing them. After saving for a couple of weeks, I went to the record store and got In Utero. Nirvana was not mainstream where I lived, at least in the 90s. They only played Smells like teen spirit and that’s it. So this was my first time listening to this album, and boy… what a thing! The artwork was impressive, not only the angel in the cover, but the collage with fetuses, body parts, and flowers in the back, the photo shoot was cool too, with Cobain with purple hair and a bearded Novoselic. All screamed rebelión. Can we pay attention to one of the best opening lines in recent rock history: “Teenage angst has paid off well. Now I am bored and old.” Unfortunately, the songs I was chasing were not in this album! However, I listened and relistened this one to death. There was something in it that didn’t want you to like it, didn’t want your approval, but was charming at the same time. It got printed to my teenage DNA. It is my favorite Nirvana album. Later I knew the two songs were Hollow and This Love from Pantera, but who cares when you got In Utero.

“Teenage angst has paid off well, now I’m bored and old”. What a fucking opening line! I miss you Kurt, and I miss your cynical view of the world!

Obviously love this, he’s practically my toxic soulmate 😍 C+K=🖤

Obviously this is amazing.

Was obsessed with Nirvana when I was a teenager. Probably still one of my favourite bands now, though don’t tend to listen to them that often, so good to back over this masterpiece, what a follow up to Nevermind and a complete u turn of any attempt to go more mainstream. Given what was to happen all apologies is one of the most chilling album closers of all time.

banger but already heard 10/10

Just a fantastic album start to finish. Hard to put in to context the power this band had 30 years when this album was released. Always love revisiting this album.

Holds up well. Some really good tracks on this. Nirvana was such a big part of my teen years that it's hard to rate this album.

If you want to say that this is Nirvana's best album, I won't argue with you. If you want to say it's their 3rd or 4th best, I probably wouldn't argue with you there either. The album is amazing, a middle finger to the industry that made them a household name. Yet, despite Cobains best efforts, still managed to be an extremely successful album. For many years, Nirvana was my favorite band, and when I get to listen to one of their albums again, I am reminded why.

5/5 keine Frage

Grew up on this album. Always fun to listen to again.

I’m listening to the Steve Albini mix.

Good memories of this one when it came out. I remember it being a little divisive since, while the album has the same structure of Nevermind, more or less, this one explored deeper into the developing nirvana style. Heart shaped box was a great single, and Tourette's remains one of my favorites. Then Kurt died.

A total classic. A staple of my late teens, and still absolutely class. Perfect blend of grunge and punk. It’s only now I can see the massive influence Steve Albini had on this too - especially the noisey, off key bits. Nirvana’s best album.

Yeah it's mint, not sure I've listened to this all the way through before, was much more varied than I expected. Flew by, definitely listening again.

Don't think I had listened to this whole album before but its fantastic. This is a proper good grunge rock album, it might even be my favourite of theirs. Although I haven't listened to Nevermind for a while. So many highlights: Scentless Apprentice Heart-Shaped Box Rape Me Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle Very Ape

Never really called myself a Nirvana fan, Was too young when they were huge. Obviously know them just never really went out of my way to listen to anything that wasn't on mtv2 or the radio. I knew that I would like this but thought I would probably give it a 4. But there are so many good tracks on this album. I think the only one I'm not a fan of is scentless apprentice. Everything else is really good. All apologies is the best track but serve the servants and dumb are fantastic too. Can't give it anything but a 5

This is another album that had a massive impact on my life. It's far darker and grittier than Nevermind, but also still maintains that pop sheen that made Nirvana popular. I don't really know what to say about it other than that it's great, but also represents the high water mark for the music era that most shaped my taste in music 5/5

Fantastic album from start to finish - lots of my favorite Nirvana songs on it as well. 9/10.

Yes. Just yes

Nirvana fucking rules. Many love Nevermind more…it is more iconic but for me this is their best album. Top to bottom the filler doesn’t feel like filler here.

Such a classic...has been an internal debate for me for a long time if I actually like this one better than Nevermind. Not nearly as many radio friendly unit shifters on this album, but that may be why it was more influential on my musical tastes now. 5/5

Old fav.

Classic! Second best Nirvana album. No notes needed

nothing much you can say about this that hasn't been said.

Mummy hmmmmm I've pooed my nappy again. Please pass me a napkin, you disgusting trollope.

Can see these guys moving on from this, going a bit commercial and one of them blowing their brains out.

Their best album, a must listen. Cobain writing his epitaph

As fabulous and omnipresent as Nevermind is, my heart will always belong to this final studio album. It has so many bangers and heart-wrenchers, equally fun to belt out catchy melodies in the car as it is to get your mind melted by the raw Albini production. Such a classic.