In Utero

É tão progresivo. Não entendo bem seu significado, mas é tendencioso.

Too heavy for me

So awesome! Not my favorite album of Nirvana's, but still super good. Love that sweet skinless angel lady on the cover. Some weird and aggressive sounds on this album but duh. Every song is good but Serve the Servants, Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me (takes the cake for worst song to play around your parents), Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies are my favorites. And that's, like, half of them. Iconic album for a reason.

С юности знакомый альбом, многими почитаемый лучшим альбомом Nirvana.

I had written a pretty extended review of the album. Kurt playing and control of feedback is top notch(especially on Radio Friendly Unit Shifter). Scentless Apprentice might be the best drum take by Grohl in Nirvana. 8/10 https://youtu.be/riIWXeCYJvw

just doesn't hit me the same as nevermind

I've never been one to give a toss about Nirvana, and to be honest, I still don't really care for them much. But after giving Utero a proper listen, I've got to admit this album is a bloody impressive piece of work On the positives side, the raw energy on display is absolutely mad. The guitar work is pure dynamite, Eddie's riffs are as inventive and explosive as ever, and they really make you sit up and take notice. The mix is phenomenal, every instrument from the pounding drums to the rumbling bass and those blistering guitars, comes through loud and clear, creating a wall-of-sound that’s both powerful and immersive. Even the vocals, while characteristically mumbled and rough-edged, have this raw charm that manages to capture the gritty essence of Nirvana's sound. That said, there are some negatives that I can't ignore. Some of the tracks get a bit repetitive and, frankly, overlong. The relentless noise sometimes feels like it's too much, and while I can appreciate the sheer force of the sound, it occasionally leaves me feeling a bit bogged down. The overall vibe remains stubbornly grungy and moshpit-ish, which if I'm being honest doesn't exactly win me over. Despite all the technical brilliance, it doesn't do enough to change my overall opinion of the band; I'm still not a massive fan of Nirvana in general. In the end, Utero stands as a testament to Nirvana's raw talent and unfiltered energy, even if it doesn't quite convert me into a die-hard fan. It's a well-produced, electrifying record that commands respect, and while it might not be my usual cup of tea, I can't help but appreciate the sheer skill on display. A solid 4.3/5 stars, respectable even if it doesn't change my tune about Nirvana.

I like it but the best song isn't on the album officially i really like alcohol i really want to make songs and album. Also hi gamers i hope you're having a fun time it's nice fun i hope we

A smattering of blue link classics I know very well and a few songs I've never really heard before for seemingly good reason. I think I prefer Nevermind.

9/10 I’m stuck with a thousand yard stare sort of feeling when listening to this album, I of course love and personally prefer Nevermind, a much more cynical and addictive album than In Utero which gave a voice to a lot of discomfort and nihilism for 90s youth, the sort of youth that would be soundtracked by Grunge, Nu Metal and Industrial music for a decade until its death on April 20th, 1999. I think anyone who tries to negate Nirvana’s legacy by calling Kurt Cobain a hack or a lousy player sort of misses the point of why this dude became a martyr for Grunge music, a mythologized figure post-ironically propped up like Jesus Christ, with the most hardcore zealots stopping you on the street to force you to “name 5 songs”, but that’s as far as it goes, art is never that serious. In Utero probably does take it far however, it’s why as much as I think this album is excellent and understand the acclaim, I think I just get mentally snagged on the context, like I can’t listen to this without being in a psychological purgatory. It’s unavoidable, you can’t listen to this album without knowing that they prompted Kurt blowing his brains out, you’re sitting with the final words of a dead man, it’s not stated, it’s not completely direct, but you know that this was going somewhere. It’s not the final words of someone who’s lived a tortured life and inevitably dies from an overdose or an accident, you’re just sort of forced to accept the outcome, the inevitability of it, there was not saving Kurt, because everyone loved it, and if he didn’t do it, he’d be seen as a phony. It’s that discomfort that I can’t help but dwell on this, but the album is indulgent on that feeling. Steve Albini’s production guides this album’s nihilistic ethos with a violent and searing viscera, you can’t help but be engulfed by fiery guitar tones and pitch black hollowness. Talk your shit, say they’re overrated, say they’re garbage players, it doesn’t really matter, your input is just as hollow as the commercialization and oversaturation of their image and sound, there’s no negating what actually occurred here, and it’s an uncomfortable reality. After the cultural reset of 9/11 we’ve now reached another irony poisoned nihilistic state in our culture, maybe we can martyr Charli XCX to be our Alt-Pop Jesus Christ and we can bully people on the street to name 3 songs off Pop 2 for the next decade until we’re engulfed in flames

All Apologies, Heart-Shaped Box, and Dumb are clear standouts. Though not the strongest song on the album, Scentless Apprentice has my drummer side feeling giddy.

No me gustó el disco

If she floats than she is not. A witch like we had thought. Most babies smell like butter. He was born a scentless apprentice. Forever in debt to your priceless advice. Rape me my friend. I'm not the only one. It's so relieving to know that you're leaving. I think I'm dumb. Or maybe just happy. If you ever need anything please don't hesitate to ask someone else first. I am my own parasite. Sit and drink Pennyroyal tea. I'm anemic royalty. What is wrong with me? Heyyyyyyy! Heyyyyy!Heyyyyy! What else should I say. Everyone is gay.

Nirvana! A pleasant surprise for my Gen X husband, who has to deal with my eclectic tastes and my decision to take on the 1001 albums. 😅 Scentless Apprentice is brutally unpleasant to listen to. The other eleven tracks range from fine to excellent, but the screeching. The screeching! Extremely skippable track. I know this is the final finished artistic product of a tormented mind, but eeeeeeesh. Love the Albini production, love Albini's snarky dismissal of Nirvana as a band. I was 9 when this album came out, and I liked MTV back then (before it turned into a reality show dumpster fire) so a few of these tracks are woven into the soundscape of my youth. I have my biases. Four stars. Yeah, Scentless Apprentice is that bad.

All time classic, arguably the best Nirvana album. Top 3 grunge album.

I didn’t like Nirvana when they came out in high school, and I still don’t like them now. I know, I don’t know what’s wrong with me either, but I hated listening to this. I’m not gonna go as far as to say it’s BAD, but man. I just don’t get it.

Fine

in a word: awesome

I felt I couldn't appreciate the messages of the album fully due to the rock feeling overly hard and the lyrics difficult to understand. Favorite Track: All Apologies

Not the best Nirvana album but that makes it still awesome

Nirvana's response to their commercial success was to push their sound back to something closer to their original Bleach sound. Most of it works well with Cobain sounding more aggressive and grating with his vocals. Overall, a classic in my opinion though I can understand if some are turned off by the abrasive nature of the vocals.

I got two songs in. It was all I needed to know.

Nirvana is bad. 2

my first repeat album from my other group, and it's a doozy. The songs get a little too repetitive for me, but bonus points because sonically it has that signature Nirvana excitement. Also how does Nirvana have only like 2 albums yet they still repeat guitar riffs? 2.5/5 down to 2

Not what I like.

I have been depressed, I have lived in Washington state most of my life and boy do I sure not like Grunge. Much love and respect Kurt but not my jam.

The best Nirvana album. Nevermind gets all the praise since it had the hits but as far as musical ability goes this far exceeds it. 10/10

Yes, just yes. I mean it's Nirvana! 5/5

Netural, i love Kurt Cobian and Nirvana sometimes.

I was born and raised in the Seattle area, so I speak with some authority when I say that the only thing more Seattle than Nirvana is telling out-of-towners "not everybody here is into Nirvana." Personally, I just could never really get into them. I think Nevermind is a very good album, but I wouldn't list it as one of my favorites. In Utero is even farther down the list for me. It goes on too long, the tracks aren't as memorable ("Rape Me" is the only one most would recognize), and its position in musical history is due more to its proximity to Cobain's death than to its musical merits. Worth a listen as an "important" album more than as an "enjoyable" album.

Absolutely not for me

3- Stars (7/15)

Incredible riffs, catchy melodies, energetic, chaotic and one of the greatest vocals in music history

Heart-Shaped Box is not only my favourite Nirvana song but one of my all time favourites in general. Alongside Dumb, Rape Me and All Apologies. This album is up there with the best. Easy 5 from me!

Eh gut

wasn’t extremely impressed but good album and heart shaped box is still one of my fav guitar hero songs

The noise rock stuff is great

i'm not gonna be the guy that sighs eternally because of leonard cohen. because who the fuck cares about the guys that kurt sings about? music is everything that we should care. 5/5

This album is one of the all time greats! Almost every track on the album is hugely popular and influential. The production on this album is shockingly clean, and the lyrics are as raw as it gets. Genuinely one of the best albums ever, if you haven’t heard this album go listen to it.

This album is harder and angrier than I remember, but I suppose that makes sense in hindsight. I enjoy this a lot more than I remember, maybe it’s a sign of our current times and my current mood.

All Apologies is amazing Iconic punk album. Screaming not in my taste but love what Nirvana did for punk

Competent entry into a genre I don’t find particularly compelling

Top 100 album

Not as good as Nevermind but still damn good.

Not as good as Nevermind but it grew on me over the course of the listen.

A standard in my house.

Didn't particularly like Nirvana at the time (I'm sure I've heard the whole thing before), and I still don't. Not an album to listen to when you have a headache already, and honestly couldn't get through it. That said, i can see how it's something important - just not for me.

Nothing special, kind of zoned out

Bro wtf

даже не заметила как весь послушала. Пока лучший из тех что были

Super good rock album. Does so many new things and does them right. not a single miss.

Amazing rock record. Intense and not super accessible. Lyrics are minimalist, but they are intense and often profound, also very intense/angry/depressing. Struggling between 4 and 5 for this one. Maybe a couple songs aren't quite as strong as others

I wanted to like this more than I did given the Nirvana of it all but couldn't get there :( Heart-Shaped Box is good, but overall just a really aggressive, unsettling and kind of disturbed quality to the music and lyrics. Sad to think about Kurt's mental state writing this album. Need to listen to earlier Nirvana albums though to get the full appreciation for the band.

Always thought this band was a little overrated - and this disc is a good example of that. Decent but certainly not exceptional.

Rape Me is such an unfortunate song title but so so good. That and Dumb are the standouts here but the whole things is really solid. High 4.

I wish that I liked this album better than I actually do. Most of the songs are very harsh and really encompass Cobain's inner turmoil. Very hard to follow Nevermind. Clear standouts are Heart Shaped Box and All Apologies.

Obviously not as fun to listen to as Nevermind, but I do respect what Nirvana was doing here. Kurt Cobain had clearly had enough of being a "pop star" and wrote an album intentionally designed to alienate people (kind of like Yeezys imo). That said, there are still some really catchy melodies here b/c Kurt remained a Beatle head through and through.

Gran disco del grunge No tiene ninguno de los exitazos de Nirvana y aún así es increíble

Well done. Deeper as they grow. Tragic for what Cobain could have developed.

A few top notch songs, the some that left me flat.

if I've learned anything from this list it's that Nirvana is actually the only good grunge band

Прикольно, кто нибудь вообще понимает о чем сука поется блят? зато звучит пиздато, груздновато так, мне нравки 5/5, и я знаю, что это мнение пизда какое заезженное, но мне поебать

As I write this I feel like shit

Sound is too raw, lyrics too emo, still worth listening to

Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Used to love Nirvana. Milk It is great!

Fantastic album, but I feel like this has songs that are not that good all in all to weigh up against classics like Heart-shaped Box or Rape Me.

Cosmo's Factory en In Utero na elkaar... Ik weet niet waarom ik dit verdien, goeie karma ofzo? Ja, what can I say? Dit is Nirvana op z'n best, maar dat is zo bij alle drie de albums. 5.0

Music that sounds like you're getting jumped down an alleyway. If Cobain wanted to shed some of the new fans the band had made after the success of Nevermind, he should have made the songs on this album worse. If that was the idea, the only song he succeeded on was Tourettes, which is terrible. The rest are great. In the top tier of 90's rock albums. 5 Stars.

My first interaction with Nirvana was via a hoody. I was 11 or 12, early into my first year of secondary school and for the first time rubbing up against a subculture with a dress code that wasn’t just “the latest Manchester United kit”. Soon after that I got hold of Nevermind, which was hidden in the bottom of my parents’ wardrobe for a month waiting for Christmas. And then, after Nevermind, it was everything I could get my hands on. The next year or two a frenzy to acquire as much Nirvana – albums, bootlegs, both respectable and entirely unofficial biographies about Kurt, the band, whatever; greeting “You know you’re right” and the journals like a second coming (rather than an invasion of privacy) – as I could carry home from the record fair, the HMV, the shops that stank of incense, wherever. It feels significant to me – and not just because I can still imagine the burning hot shame of being accused, accurately, of wearing a Nirvana hoody without knowing any of their songs; the spotlight that lingers over those preteen and early adolescent years becomes an X-ray in the decades that follow – that Nirvana has always been a puzzle for me. It wasn’t that big a jump in time between working out the identity of the band represented by that cool smiley face thing I liked wearing, to trying to work out why someone who could write songs and lyrics that stuck in my psyche like gravel sticks in the waffle soles of skate shoes would choose to ever stop doing that (“Heavier than Heaven”, another six months later, got me to understand how little a role “choice” played in all of it). A gap of maybe a month between overhauling my identity in reaction to a clothing trend, and reflecting on the real existential jeopardy that might break cover at any moment. “In Utero” sits right in the centre of my Nirvana puzzle. Let alone the fact I didn’t know what a “Radio friendly unit shifter” might be (I suspected something mechanical, which I guess was sort of right) and struggled to fully get across most of the album’s themes, the primordial soup of angst, anger and antipathy from which “Scentless Apprentice”, “Tourettes”, “Rape me”, “Very ape”, “Milk it” and even “Heart shaped box” emerged was a swamp I was willing to get bogged in. As the years rolled on, I found that “In Utero” jagged and caught on my loose threads in a way that Nevermind didn’t. I’d come back to find “Serve the servants” – for me arguably grunge’s greatest song - had clicked, or suddenly with a start realise that “Frances Farmer…” had a story with energy and intensity to match its bombastic middle-8 freak out. I’d listen to “All apologies” bleed into “You know you’re right” on DIY playlists and pretend they’re part of the same breath. I’d discover Leonard Cohen entirely because “Pennyroyal Tea” told me to. Throughout all this – 20 plus years of my life – there sat at either end of “In Utero”’s emotional polarity “Dumb” and “RFUS” – the first a song that lets itself be “just happy” and the other a song that demands to know “what is wrong with me?” Two totally contrasting attitudes to life, incompatible to the point of mutual annihilation – fittingly, completely sonically distinct (vale Steve Albini) from one other too. “Dumb” is dipped oneiric syrup and conjures pastel shades of diaphanous colours; it weighs you down while it lifts you up. “RFUS” is noise as geometry, wave forms crashing atop one another; an exhibition in art punk overseen by a mumbling, desperate, anxious, aggressive, defeated curator. Poles apart in almost every possible sense, then – but here’s where we come back to the puzzle. Because for a thinking, feeling person the idea that the contrasting perspectives of “Dumb” and “RFUS” ought be mutually incompatible will make logical sense, but also won’t ring true in the slightest. We’re all in moments one or the other, sure, but we’re all also often both. 23 years after I first heard “In Utero” I know that. I know that ambivalence is a fact of life; I even suspect that learning to self-regulate might be the whole point of it. Kurt perhaps didn’t, and certainly never had the chance to offer himself that kind of grace. It’s a puzzle, all this.

Rock graffiante struggente a tratti psichedelico

I'm a casual Nirvana enjoyer, but this one is a little chaotic for me. But I do love the mellower tracks - Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, and of course All Apologies.

One of my favorites albums. Lots of memories of the 90s Arizona state fair $5 GA show

I'm a Bleach fan, but Dumb is great song. Kurt is very relatable.

My least favorite of nirvanas but still solid music and lyrics.

My favourite Nirvana album

Groundbreaking, respect

-Serve the Servants — was okay, didn’t stand out particularly but was fine to listen to. -Scentless Apprentice—had to skip, too loud and screamy -*Heart-Shaped Box — was enjoyable. The chorus was angsty and rough while the verse was whispery, calm, intelligible and touching. -Rape Me — first, why? Interesting beat and melody. Skipped because I don’t want that stuck in my head. -Frances Farmer…—“I miss the comfort in being sad”, good vocals and guitar solo -*Dumb — love the guitar on this. The lyrics hurt which is the point. “I’m not like them, but I can pretend” -Very Ape—meh -Milk It—nope, I’d classify as explicit -*Pennyroyal Tea—one of the rougher ones that I can still tolerate. Cobain’s vocals are great alternating between the soft and hard -Radio Friendly…—meh, interesting but didn’t strike me as overly special. The guitars are making very interesting sounds so there must have been a lot going into that. -Tourette’s—not a fan of the delivery on this one, I guess it’s simulating Tourette’s but I don’t want to listen to that lol -*All Apologies—goooood; “all in all is all we are” said that 50 times and took me forever to get it; guitar is pleasant, contrast in Cobain’s voice is nice. Like this one I appreciate the talent of Kurt Cobain in his lyrics and also his delivery. His difference in tones and then, as mentioned, his soft singing and more rough/gritty delivery. The songs are emotionally intense in a frustrated kind of way. And because I know his name, Dave Grohl’s drums come through nicely without being overwhelming. Nirvana isn’t my cup of tea but I was able to enjoy some songs which I think can prove their great ability as musicians and lyricists *would download 3/5 or 6/10

Back in college, I made it a point to listen to all three Nirvana albums. I remember liking "Nevermind" the best of the three, though I know that's a basic take to most. Still, I liked them enough. I didn't like all of what I heard; some was too bizarre or metal for my liking. But it was hard to deny the meaning behind any of the work, the pain and emotion included in it, or the sonic cohesiveness of each album and of all three taken together. Nirvana had a sound, and they stuck with it. Maybe it would've evolved more if Kurt had lived. Maybe they would've found a new direction to follow. We'll never know. But how did I like this in the year 2025? It was good. Nothing really blowing me away here, and there were moments of either intense weirdness ("Scentless Apprentice," for example), or otherwise metal sounds ("Milk It") that I just couldn't vibe with. If you can get into the vibe of the album, try to get with the sound and the go with the flow, go where they take you, it works. But it can take some effort to do so. Overall I liked this, and I'd be happy to relisten to other Nirvana albums as well. I'm assuming "Nevermind" is on here, so we'll get there at some point. Three stars Standout Tracks: Serve the Servants, Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, Very Ape, Pennyroyal Tea, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, All Apologies

I can see what they were doing by moving away from the “commercialism” of Nevermind but a step too far for me!

All the screaming

Standout: Heart-shaped box

Hacía tiempo que no escuchaba el disco! Una verdadera maravilla volver a oirlo. Ruido y melodía a partes iguales

It's hard to pick a favorite Nirvana album. But Serve the Servants is among my favorite Kurt Cobain lyrics (Teenage angst has paid off well; now I'm old and bored. I tried so hard to have a father; but instead I had a dad.) Scentless Apprentice is among my favorite Dave Grohl drum parts. The oft underrated Krist Novoselic does a lot of heavy lifting, especially on Pennyroyal Tea. And the whole album represents Kurts best guitar sounds, achieved with the help of engineer/producer, Steve Albini. In Utero sound is decidedly abrasive, its lyrics are dark; and as such, it had the bare minimum number of songs that could have gotten regular play on the radio. But it remains among the band's best work.

Loud. Quiet. Loud. Quiet. That's pretty much how this album goes. It's solid, without being too spectacular. A couple of these tracks must've seemed edgy back in the day. In Utero is perfectly listenable and I like the roomy production. I'm fine with this.

It's hard to not read this album as one long suicide note so that clouds it for me. It's their most cohesive, but least hooky record. It always makes me feel the next Nirvana album would've been the one.

To say that I listened to this a lot in my teenage years is an understatement.. I may have been about a decade late to Nirvana, but I still wore the knees out of my jeans and wore flannel in the humid Upstate NY summers of the late 90s/early 00s. I was very much looking forward to giving this a listen for the first time in years. Would I enjoy this if I hadn't gone through a grunge phase? Dunno, but I'm enjoying it now. To this day, on the rare occasion that I get to sit at a drum kit, I inevitably bang out the Scentless Apprentice intro.

Final albums are often a chance to cement a legacy. Few stick the landing as perfectly as Nirvana. An album that perfectly encapsulates the darker sides of the human emotional spectrum that concludes with one of the best album closers in any genre, made all the more tragic by Kurt Cobain's suicide 7 months after the release of the album. Best track: All Apologies

It's a shame that Kurt couldn't get the help he needed, but as far as final albums, this one is pretty hard to beat.

overrated

To be honest its to loud for me and it doesnt really catch me. I like Heart Shaped Box and Numb, i guess im just casual. I understand why it is in this list tho

Fuck it, 5 stars. I was too young but I get it, ya know? This one, I get it.

Exceptional

Maybe if if was 12 in 1991 I'd have got really into Nirvana. But by the time I was getting seriously interested in music in 1999/2000, it was hard to separate the actual songs from the cultural phenomenon. In the early 00s those lyrics of alienation, anger and pain seemed to clash with a fanbase of popular kids, rugby boys and bullies, with the very worst twats at school wearing that fucking hoodie. Tried a lot of times to get into this album and others and it's never really happened.

Just class

Grudge I can get on with

Try to imagine this In the time of Christmas Sitting round the table It sure is no fable Playing the Top2000 out loudly For this you can't blame me From the speakers out proudly The cute and quiet guitar from Rape me

I just noticed that the guitar intro to “Rape Me” sounds a lot like the riff to “Teen Spirit.” Much of this album sounds like a reaction to the life-altering success of Nevermind and the weight of expectations (“I miss the comfort in being sad,” Kurt sings). There’s a stark contrast on this album between bitter and brutal tracks that seem almost purposely designed to alienate large segments of Nirvana bandwagon fans and tender, melodic songs that betray a growing maturity and songwriting sensibility.

Music overall has an experimental feel mostly uses minor scales and relies on the percussion instruments to drive the music forward. There were sporadic synthetic notes / sounds that perhaps reference psychedelic experiences. Vocals are coarse and sometimes quite repelling; screams are frequently featured again with repelling effects. Lyrics convey strongly of angst and dread and despair, often simple and of little literary merit. The narratives conveyed in the lyrics are incomplete or tangential. The repeated lines however conveys very relatable sentiments .

My ears just got raped

Resonates more in 2025 than it did when it came out. Brilliant album.

Pretty good noise music for workout. More chaotic than Nevermind? Serve the Servants: classic rock guitar riff, hard to focus on words with drums. Scentless Apprentice: loud everything, not a fan of whatever is happening with the vocals. Heart Shaped Box: sounds familiar, moody guitar, subtle vocal harmony, build to classic Nirvana chorus. Rape Me: obvious tie back to Teen Spirit in guitar, drums and lyrics/story. France's Farmer: not sure what's happening lyrically, but I like the drums and guitar- again it seems to harken back to Teen Spirit. Dumb: also a similar progression to Teen Spirit, cello?, I prefer this style of vocals (cause I can understand the words...), slower tempo and more contemplative. Very Ape: dissonant vocals again, more sonically structured compared to other tracks. Milk It: I'm probably wrong but I feel like I'm hearing the same rhythm guitar. Pennyroyal Tea: acoustic guitar?, slower tempo but still loud as usual, nice bass in verse after chorus, still can't tell you what's happening lyrically, nice structure in guitar. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter: no to whatever that sound is at the beginning and the screeching beep, drunk vocals again, repetitive chorus. Tourette's: crashing drums, incomprehensible yelling, and rough electric guitars. All Apologies: bowed bass/cello, strummed electric guitar, slower tempo initially, rock chorus.

First album I got here that I already heard before. I think this is a lot of fun. Raw and genuine rock. Even with the out of tune guitars or clashing chords at times.

Good

The first few songs had me disappointed but from dumb onwards I really enjoyed it and I think it gets up to a 4 star

Are the released and well known tracks that much better because they're just better - or because of nostalgia? Doesn't matter. Angsty teen energy in full effect and I want to live in that place again when I listen to this.

Need to come back to this one. Only listened to the first couple of songs but is good so far. Not something I would listen to regularly but I do enjoy it.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 👼🫀🌱 Production: 🥩😊👌 Music: 🥀🤬🆘 Rating: ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹/5

Some absolute bangers. Very loser-coreo

I think this is my favorite Nirvana album. Something about the emotion in Kurt's voice always gets me. Makes me feel all kinds of ways. Easy 5 stars for me.

Not my favorite album of theirs but still an easy 5.

Dumb is a good hangover song on a bad hangover album. Cobain has a few musical ideas that he does well. He would totally vote for Trump if he were still alive.

There's a line I remember about this album — and don't ask me where I got this line from, but the way I remember it going is, basically, "IN UTERO was made with the purpose and intent of losing every fan Nirvana had made with NEVERMIND." Whether or not that's exactly true, it's always been the lens through which I've understood this album. It's not an entirely unreasonable assumption. You listen to the noisiest tracks off of NEVERMIND and there's a level of polish present in them so that they won't scare off people who bought the CD for "Smells Like Teen Spirit". The guitars are heavy, and the drums can do machine gun fills, but none of it's mixed to be too loud or abrasive. Meanwhile, you contrast that with a lot of the songs on this album, with its whining feedback, up-to-eleven fuzz and distortion, confrontationally descending riffs... Goodness, just how Kurt screams a lot of the lyrics. There's hardly any concessions to mainstream appeal beyond, like, one or two songs — and you could argue that they're only there because the album couldn't be 100% noise. They're not The Jesus & Mary Chain, after all. But, I mean, even the big lead single, "Heart-Shaped Box", doesn't strike me as exactly the friendliest sound for radio. Honestly, listening to NEVERMIND directly after IN UTERO, I can really understand why some people in my group said pretty quickly after the album was revealed that it was Nirvana's best. NEVERMIND, despite how good the material is and how important it is to popularizing grunge, can sound like a compromise when placed next to how raw and punk IN UTERO is. It can feel like NEVERMIND is only considered Nirvana's best album because it has the big pop hits, overshadowing the true genius found in songs on IN UTERO like "Milk It", "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" and "Radio-Friendly Unit Shifter". For my money... I will say, I actually am inclined to agree with that to an extent, although I would still say NEVERMIND is my favorite. See, I'm someone who likes polish and big pop hits. "In Bloom" and "On A Plain" might not have that raw punk sensibility of abrasive noise, but damn it, they're killer songs with great hooks. NEVERMIND isn't as acclaimed as it is for nothing, after all, and I can't front: polish and hooks are more often than not I'm gonna return to first over anything else. I mean, I don't think it's not nothing that besides the songs that were released as singles, the track I return to the most from IN UTERO is "Dumb", an outlier in the track listing for being a mellower song with a cello. The rest, let's be real, can blend into the mush of "noise." But as for IN UTERO as Nirvana's best album, meanwhile — y'know, I wanna start off by making something clear about my perspective. When I say that this album was made to lose all of the fans they'd gotten with NEVERMIND, there's sometimes a part me that subliminally extrapolates that to their **entire** fanbase. As if this album was supposed to be their equivalent of Eminem's ENCORE or Bob Dylan's SELF PORTRAIT; just a giant middle finger to the fans, the critics, the label, the expectations, everything and everyone. Clearly, though, they did still want people to **like** this album; I don't think you'd have the mellower songs like "Pennyroyal Tea", "Dumb" and "All Apologies", and I don't think they would've left off songs like "I Hate Myself And Want To Die" if that were the case. What it's more about is that this album was designed, from its conception, to be the kind of album the band would like to buy. So, y'know, y'still got your share of pop-ish moments (Kurt **did** love MEET THE BEATLES!, after all), but it's louder and way more unrestrained. And if we're to view this album, then, as the band's "true sound," unchained from concessions... Yeah, in that sense, absolutely, it's the best thing they ever made. So, despite my small reservation about this album falling into "noise for noise's sake," I can't give it any less than a 5 like I gave their other two albums on this list. It's incredible, from Kurt, Dave and Krist's performances, down to Steve Albini's decision to get out of the band's way and let them make the sound they wanted to. I don't reach for it as often as NEVERMIND, but I don't hafta in order to recognize its greatness. All in all, that's all it is. Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) Steve Albini (1962-2024)

Kurt was a once in a generation kind of artist, and this album shows it in spades. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 4.5 – I’ll have to talk my brain one way or the other. This is my first time listening to In Utero in full – much like Nevermind, I knew the bigger hits, but everything in between was a mystery to me. Granted, some of it was on the MTV Unplugged album we got around 350 days ago, but it’s been a while, you know? When I finished Nevermind, I thought I had a real sense of clarity about the hype behind Nirvana, and specifically, what Kurt Cobain really and truly meant to a rabid generation waiting for their sort of musical messiah that would inspire people and lead a counterculture revolution of sorts. Obviously, I’m exaggerating a bit, but from the way he’s still held up as this sort of mythical figure in the 27 Club and all that, it’s hard to not perceive him as something at least close to that. In a way, I’m very glad that this album is all about trying to deconstruct that image as much as possible – this is not the radio friendly unit shifter that Nevermind was. This is Nirvana, as a group, led by Kurt Cobain (but not defined by him), openly rejecting the MTV-driven movement that made Nevermind a monster smash success. This is riding the wave of what grunge would soon become, and what would soon be picked up on by Alice in Chains, the Smashing Pumpkins, and others – fuck the refinement of it all & make something raw that speaks to the soul and comes from the heart. There’s not anything like Smells Like Teen Spirit or Something in The Way on here, and it’s honestly kind of welcome. That’s not to say that the Nevermind style goes away; the tracks that do lean back into that style are fantastic, and the highlights of this album for me. However, this album still shines rather bright whenever it accepts its grungier, heavier, more gritty, and less polished sound. At its core, this is a raw album, and while Kurt Cobain’s lyrics tell the stories of each track, his presence feels less notable here than on Nevermind from a vocal perspective. Let me put it this way – imagine if Freddie Mercury just stopped belting, and just sort of… sang, without any of the showmanship that made him famous. It wouldn’t sound bad, but it would be noticed, and it would certainly feel different. That’s what Kurt does here – gone is the extreme polish, and in comes a man battered and wounded by the effects of global fame. Don’t get me wrong, his voice still has great standout moments, and his presence is unmistakably there, but it’s tinged with a combative tone, and that combative tone spread to the rest of the band, and arguably, to the rest of the genre following his suicide. That’s all preamble about Kurt – what do I think of the actual attempt, musically, to shift away from Nevermind’s style and introduce a grittier, more “raw” Nirvana that would still sound fresh and innovative? Well, I’d say it worked – I really do like the unpolished feel of this album. Dave Grohl’s drumming is still fantastic, but the overall feel of each track is looser, more reminiscent of the garage punk bands that inspired Kurt in the 80s. “Serve the Servants” is a great opener, and the album doesn’t really slow down from there, though it falters a little – stuff like “Rape Me” and “Milk It” didn’t quite mesh well with my tastes but they’re still solid tracks. I bounced totally off of “Radio Friendly Unit Shifters” & “tourette’s”, though I didn’t hate them – just a little too out there for me, even for Nirvana. Ultimately, while I don’t think it lends itself to the same knockout consistency of Nevermind, I also don’t think they wanted to achieve that at all. As far as how it translates into a full album, that’s where I’m stuck between a 4 and a 5, because I can’t really get a grasp on how much I liked the album for itself, and how much I liked it for the attempt to reclaim their own image. I don’t think it’s as good as Nevermind, but it’s still Nirvana, and some of my favorite songs from them (Heart-Shaped Box, Dumb, All Apologies) are on this album. I think, just based on the strength of those tracks (and most of the others), as well as the (mostly) successful attempt to disavow the idea of Kurt Cobain as a musical savior, that I’m gonna bump this up to a 5. God bless Kurt, though, man. Gone too soon.

Probably their best.

This is Nirvana album #3 for me on here (Nevermind and the live album have come before). I'll skip most of the detail, this is their third and final studio album. I can never quite pinpoint exactly what I like about Nirvana, because other music in the same rough genre usually isn't really my thing. The simple answer is probably just Kurt Cobain's talent, but I feel like there's something more. They manage to pull off this incredible sound of intensity and desperation, and I don't think it's just him. I think my favorite Nirvana song is the last one on this album ("All Apologies"), which feels a bit fitting as it's their song on their last studio album. It makes me wonder what more there was to come that never happened. It's fairly soft (comparatively) and has a simple beat, but the delivery is so powerful and I think captures what made Nirvana so great. The other standout on here is "Heart-Shaped Box" on the front half. I really like this album a lot, but it's definitely a bit harder than I really like at times, so there's a few stretches that I struggle with a bit. Steve Albini produced this, and his whole thing is basically abrasiveness, so it makes sense. Apparently Albini didn't really like Nirvana previously, was a bit abrasive while making this, and they re-mixed some of the songs on here (including this two I mentioned above) which pissed him off. I think this is a half-step below Nevermind to me, though at it's best it's incredible. I actually think my favorite Nirvana album is the Unplugged album, which does have a lot of covers from this one. This is borderline 5 territory, but the few down stretches pull it back a bit for me. Favorite song: All Apologies Other: Serve The Servants, Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle, Dumb, Milk It, Pennyroyal Tea 1/20/25

Listened to the album. Think I’m just happy.

Amo😍 Ya conocía a Nirvana y este álbum es mítico, pero esta bien escucharlo de vez en cuando, ya que este tipo de música te ayuda mucho a liberarte y soltarlo todo 🤘🎸 Perfecto para amantes de los gritos y del rock (c vuelve emo 🖤)

3.5 / 5 rounded up I had to get used to the vocal delivery on this album but started to enjoy it more throughout. Might appreciate it more on consecutive listens.

No complaints but nothing I liked that much either

7+

Heart shaped box is iconic but not good enough to be saved. All the other songs are just really not my style. Didn’t even finish the album.

Already listened to before and I wish I had this as the next album instead of FGTH.

Couple of stinkers but a couple of greatest evers

Really good album. Heart Shaped Box and Dumb are two excellent songs

Veldig kul og angstfylt plate. Bra til løping, ikke kosemusikk

Just really only like the singles.

I love this album

Day378 - the anticipation for this album was crazy and it mostly lived up to all the hype

Sonic storm of lost love, pain, and wanting to be oneself. Fabulous work of art.

I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I imagine this music played in a small club full of sweaty guys jumping off the stage and it works.

Kurt Cobain.

Kind of goes through different genres finding a sound. Very garage rocky and less grunge which feels more raw. I can see this putting people off as maybe not as polished. Even heart shaped box feels this way. Favorite song Tourette’s, felt it fit the bands personality and sound best, ie. played to their best features.

The songs get a little too repetitive for me, but bonus points because sonically it has that signature Nirvana excitement. Also how does Nirvana have like 2 albums yet they still repeat guitar riffs?

-1 for sounding like off-brand Pixies, but without their distinctive weirdness and humor--like what if you sucked their soul out and replaced it with horny teenager energy. Not very original. I guess heart-shaped box is pretty good, but if it's the hit meant to redeem this album, it's woefully insufficient (All Apologies is also good, but better when covered by others). But in "rape me" (a dubious song to begin with) they quote the "smells like teen spirit" riff--which they already stole from Pixies U-Mass! Makes me wonder if Nirvana really just put everything they had into Nevermind, with no ideas left for the rest of the work

Grunge was a particular time in the American music scene. It should stay that way.

I was anticipating Nirvana’s 2nd album Nevermind making this list, and maybe it did, I’ve never listened to In Utero all the way through. What a vibe shift. The production quality feels cleaner, I’d argue this is more hard rock than grunge but not in a “gone mainstream” sense. Really enjoyable listen.

I think my distaste for the album was partially due to listening to this in the morning. Not sure how I felt about it, to be honest. The riffs were jarring to me, but maybe that's the point.

Great album. Not my favorite from Nirvana

Not quite as good as Nevermind but still 4.5 stars

Unplugged versions are better

I should be Nirvana’s prime fan base - I was late teens when they blew up, was a metal-head, and I like grunge … I just don’t really like Nirvana. They’re ok but I never got the hype, and this is missing the big singles that lifted Nevermind. It’s fine, but I’m unlikely to go back.

I know. My rating is probably blasphemy. Nirvana created modern rock but...for so much effort that they put into these tracks, some of these songs are just....terrible? Like unlistenable? I think that's why the unplugged session was so popular. Great lyrics, great music, but...I'm really...Tourette's? Radio Friendly Unit Shifter? Apparently Cobain wasn't happy with the success of Nevermind. Well, fuck man, then don't write listenable music.

I still stand by the fact that Nirvana would be a forgotten band in the 21st Century if Kurt Cobain was still alive. Other than three songs, the album consists of moaning, depression, depressive-moans, more moans, and grunts(which pretty much consists of the entire history of Nirvana). One of the most overrated bands of all time. Favorite Song: "All Apologies"

I Respect the importance of this album, but I could just not get behind it. I know a lot of the songs because i have heard them multiple times over the years, but I just dont like grunge. It is not a record I would have in my collection

this one is tough because obviously this album is very famous and considered iconic to 90s music history but at the same time i can't help but wonder how much of that is as a result of Kurt Cobain's death and if we would view the album differently if he hadn't killed himself. obviously he was going through a lot and felt that it was important to use this album as a kind of exorcism or outlet, and you can definitely hear that in the songs, but that doesn't automatically mean that i like them or think he was doing anything unique or profound in the way he chose to express his pain. i didn't like when John Lennon screamed on Plastic Ono Band, and i don't like the screaming here either! there are some nice songs on the album, and i have a feeling that if i went more into Nirvana's back catalog i think there would be things i would like a lot more, but unfortunately for the most part this just wasn't for me

It's difficult to overstate how important this album is. It's obviously iconic but it changed the grunge genre and the music landscape as a whole. That being said, it's not quite my taste. It's an incredible piece of work, but in terms of listening to it on my own volition, it's not something I gravitate toward. It's an abrasive album, but it's incredible.

Better than expected, I just wish I felt OK saying the names of some or my favourite songs on here

I’ve gone back and forth with this band over years. LOVED them when I was younger, disliked them in my late teens and 20s, and now I’m just indifferent. They just don’t do a whole lot for me. It’s a pretty good album, but very sad at the same time considering the circumstances. All Apologies hits hard as a closer too. Richard Cheese does a better version of Rape Me.

Chill para una tarde de verano

Great music. Not for me.

Klassiker

I was an angsty teenager who loved grunge, of course this album gets 5 stars. Amazingly I remember all the lyrics despite not listening to this album in years. The big thing with this list is figuring out which of the 5 star Nirvana albums is my favorite.

Serve the Servants - 9.0/10 Scentless Apprentice- 8.7/10 Heart Shaped Box - 9.7/10 Rape Me - 9.2/10 Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle - 9.4/10 Dumb - 9.3/10 Very Ape - 9.1/10 Milk It - 8.4/10 Pennyroyal Tea - 9.5/10 Radio Friendly Unit Shifter - 8.6/10 Tourette’s - 8.5/10 All Apologies- 10/10 OVERALL - 9.1/10

All Apologies is my favorite song from this album, I've heard this before though

Kurt Cobain's delivery is brutal. There are a couple of interesting musical moments outside of that, but overall just not my style. Favorites - All Apologies

A rawer and angrier album than Nevermind, almost like a rejection of that album’s success. I can’t say I enjoy it quite as much, but I do appreciate its darker tone and rawer emotions. Strong production and dynamics, and of course, Cobain’s ear for melody is still here and strong ever. Best song: Heart-Shaped Box

I have no respect for steve albini

I was debating this one. It's my least favorite Nirvana Album. The highs are great but I find some of the songs to be just Okay. Really what I think happened is that I've heard the best songs on the album too many times. This album is great and it's no one's fault that I can't listen to it with fresh ears again. It's a 5 star album. What Nirvana did was revolutionary.

I’m not sure I like this album more than Nevermind but I do still enjoy it quite a bit. The sound is the tiniest bit more evolved as is the songwriting and performance. There’s still plenty of raw anger (Scentless Apprentice, Pennyroyal Tea, Milk It) and nearly every song has the quiet-loud-quiet-real loud dynamic but for whatever reason the songs sound musically more advanced than previously. It’s still very much a Nirvana album but judging on the pure amount of “I have to listen to this again” songs I think Nevermind edges it out. That said I’m comparing a great album to another great album. I like all of it. Its awesome. It’s the slightly more sophisticated side of them and it makes me sad that we’ll never hear what would’ve come after.

Nirvana's third album is great. While still having the formula that made them famous they seem to do all they can to make it less popular. It feels less produced and speaks less to the band being the front of teenage rebellion and more like they are old and wizened and jaded from their 2 years of fame. The singles are standouts as could probably be expected but the b sides are all solid. I like Nevermind better.

I was familiar with some of the songs from the MTV album which made it easier to get into this album. Pretty good, but an insignificant number of songs that were too abrasive for my liking. Interesting to read that they got the guy who produced Surfer Rosa for this. Low 4.

Scentless apprentice was too loud for me. The rest of the album is like really good.

6/10 - pretty decent gym album. I knew a couple of songs. A decent amount of screaming which I did not enjoy that much.

Nirvana is another one of those bands where there’s not a whole lot I can say that hasn’t been said. Great album

Nostalgic

At least I got a good album today. The songs were all great, no duds. Not good enough for a 5 star rating, but still awesome. It's a shame that "In Utero" is Nirvana's last album. I'm still yet to listen to "Bleach". 4 stars for "In Utero".

Probably my least-favorite proper full-length by Nirvana but still lots to like here. They knew what they were doing. Even if they didn't.

It's taken me a long time to admit it, but this is a great album. The success of Nevermind pushed me away from Nirvana pretty quickly and despite knowing the radio hits from this album I never really spent time listening to it as a whole. I totally get why people regard it so highly now.

Their best album, for me. The choice to return to Steve Albini for production really paid off here because this doesn’t sound like a band that hit the mainstream at all. It’s raw and it is gorgeous.

this was fun

- Did not hold up ..... a few good tunes but somewhat boring. -

I think this is the third Nirvana album I've had on this list. Whereas Nevermind blasted the band into international stardom, it's not so obvious to me why this album is so essential.

Nirvana - In Utero Near perfect album that Nirvana has made. What an album to finish a short yet impactful catalogue that this band had in the past. From start to finish, this album goes really hard and it shows the strenghts that the band had, it's a shame that they stopped making music, imagine the great albums we could've gotten later on. This album is great! R.I.P. Kurt Cobain 1.- Serve the Servants = 10/10 2.- Scentless Apprentice = 9/10 3.- Heart-Shaped Box = 10/10 4.- Rape Me = 9/10 5.- Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle = 8/10 6.- Dumb = 9/10 7.- Very Ape = 8/10 8.- Milk It = 8/10 9.- Pennyroyal Tea = 10/10 10.- Radio Friendly Unit Shifter = 8/10 11.- tourette's = 8/10 12.- All Apologies = 10/10 FINAL SCORE: 8.9/10

4.25

9.5/10

Massive album. A couple of my favorite Nirvana tracks are on this one. If you weren't around when this was released, internet search 'Waif Me' to see how much controversy this album caused.

Big sound, consistent, dynamic. Poppy, heavy. No filler.

Love nirvana but hadn’t heard this album before. Great songs x

This is the best of it's genre and an extremely important album to boot. It's style, sound, and substance was huge, managing to enjoy mainstream success while also resonating with music nerds of the day (and today). To top it all off, it managed to do this while being the follow-up to the darling Nevermind, and it still rocks. 4⭐️

I'd have given this a 1, but there were worse albums. Also, I'm biased and hate this band.

Pretty good, attractive, even for an album composed of a lot of aggressive riffs and a lot of shouting. Knows what it's trying to do. Nothing really stood out for me as great though. My biggest problem with it is that it feels like it's trying to conclude a few times, and even with it's unorthodox feeling, it's throwing me off too much.

Favorite Track: All Apologies

I have a strange relationship with Nirvana, because I don't think that I 'like' the band, and yet they have a good dozen songs I could listen to on repeat all day every day. 'Heart-Shaped Box' is absolutely one of the best songs I've ever heard, though not the only one here worth mentioning. 'Dumb' and 'All Apologies' are also certified classics. It's a great listen all around, but it could stand to be a song or two shorter by the end of it.

Of the big 4 grunge groups (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden), Nirvana is solidly at the third rung, mainly due to their overwhelming presence. I have heard the front half of Nevermind a countless number of times, and will never be fervent in wanting to go back to it as long as I live. I never gave In Utero a full shot, however. I knew Heart Shaped Box, Rape Me, and All Apologies, as those are the big songs from it, but I never gave the full album a listen until now. HSB is in a similar spot to Smells Like Teen Spirit and the other hits from Nevermind, where I'm fully exhausted on the track, but the other songs I mentioned are still quite solid to my ears. I also got a kick out of Very Ape, Serve the Servants, and Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, but it all still remains a peg below Soundgarden and especially Alice in Chains. I know comparing like this is kind of cringe, but they're all from the same scene and it makes the most sense to me to draw similarities. I may get more into In Utero eventually, it's certainly got a better outlook than Nevermind, but as of now I'm not over the moon.

If nevermind didn’t come out prior, this album would get more love. It’s good and shows cobain’s ability to evolve. I only wish we got more music from them. I don’t know if I’ll come back to this much, maybe I’ll give it a chance again later

There are those who criticised some of the albums on here for being too polished. Well that isn't the case here. I base this opinion on the fact that you can't polish a turd. For that it what this album definitely is. With the one exception of Heart Shaped Box, this album is the biggest load of crap I have listened to in a really long time. Compered to yesterday's offering, well it's a case of from the sublime to the ridiculous. Can only be a 1, because there is no zero. Apparently this was a statement against producing music purely for commercial purposes. Fair play you're allowed to do that. But if you're not bothering to play the instruments to your talents, and you are just screaming at the microphone instead of using your sining ability I'm still going to say it's a steaming great turd.

This album felt like a test for those ‘new fans’ that got caught up in the wave of popularity from Nevermind. I absolutely loved (and still love) the comparitively harsh and punk elements of the album. Distortion, feedback and eye-widening lyrics. There’s still smatteings of the softer poppy side of Nirvana. The simple and haunting guitar intro and riffs on ‘All Apologies’ is just stunning. This is a 5 star all day long. No debate needed.

This was the best way to stick two fingers up at the corporate music industry. You hire one of the most scary of sound engineers to record the follow up to what is probably one of the biggest rock albums of all time, those Geffen Execs must have been shitting themselves when the name Albini was mentioned. For good reason, the influences are all there, hardcore Big Black with ‘Scentless Apprentice’, what a track! I remember buying ‘Heart Shaped Box’ and playing it stupidly loud about 12 times in a row (how my parents must have loved that), it’s probably the only Nirvana song I cannot get bored of. Plenty of loud/quiet Pixies influenced stuff. But the big middle finger to the millions of Nirvana fans who have never heard of Mudhoney, etc, is ‘Radio Friendly Unit Shifter’, not exactly what it says on the tin. What a follow up to the shiny Nevermind, the masses lapped it up, but I have no idea why. It’s not your average rock album is it? Musically it is a complete smack round the head, I can imagine it made the average listener think they were really cool, without really understanding they were being mocked. Bless them all and I wonder if they still own or even play it? It’s a massive 5.

Feels like they were just getting started :( it’s a great album nonetheless. Excellent and abrasive, Kurt sounds strained on some of the songs, and it suits the album’s sound well. Wish we could’ve gotten more

Better than Nevermind

Great. 4.5

Not a big Nirvana fan, I like Nevermind more than In Utero but I still like this too, it's a slightly heavier sound, it's darker and probably more well rounded lyrically, but doesn't initially grab me as much by comparison maybe. Think it'd be one that stayed with me more on subsequent listens though, a high 3 for now.

Definitely less accessible than Nevermind, it's even throatier and the vocals get closer to screamer stuff on a couple of the tracks. The music is a bit less polished, too, and I think it loses a little bit because of that? Don't think that you can say that Nevermind was overpolished in anyway, so this falls a bit short of that; there's also nothing as catchy as Come As You Are or Lithium, let alone Smells Like Teen Spirit. Squeaks a 4.

Love that Nirvana got to make the album they wanted, not the album the studio wanted, and shoutout the band for having the balls to land that ship. Not all noise needs a purpose.

4.8 - Pretty stunning album tbh. Loved the grittiness of it

So much worse than Nevermind in my books. But it still has a lot of highlights. Fave Tracks: Heart-Shaped Box, Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies 3.5/5

Some great songs, some mediocre songs. I think the idea of departing from Nevermind was a good idea but just didn't quite come together right. Still a decent album 3.5*

"All apologies" is a classic. The rest is good.

It's more up my alley than Nevermind is, as much as I like that album too. This is noisy and abrasive, shoutout to Albini on the production, rest in peace.

love this one; super raw and powerful. a perfect follow-up to the polish of their previous album. the more i relisten to it, the more gems there are to find :D

im not a nirvana megafan, kurt tbh took an embarrassingly long time to fully grow on me as a songwriter, but im glad i eventually got there! this clicked semi-recently for me as a viscerally enjoyable piece of music, and now having settled into that i actually started to rly dig my paws into the emotional experience and general Mystique here...only for me to tbh have nothing to say that would be appropriate for a public forum. im sure u understand. there are probably a couple parts here that count as a tiny bit of a psychohazard for me, and ill mind that in the future. on a lighter note then, love the production here as much as anyone, but im starting to wonder if nevermind actually has the cooler and more unique sound...theres a lot of distinctive touches on there esp as far as instrument balance goes that makes it unlike almost anything ive ever heard, and while i dig steve albini i already kinda Know What An Albini Joint Sounds Like every single time yaknow hgjsdhgs. wonderful wonderful record, and despite its inevitable retrofitting as a self-conscious swansong (i dont know how i feel ab that tbh it feels intrusive), it certainly suggests kurt and co had a lot more avenues to explore and offer if they ever had the chance. Moderate Rock.

I like this more than Nevermind. Tourette's is my favorite Nirvana song.

Grunge isn’t necessarily my favorite but growing up in Seattle you have to like Nirvana and this had some of my favorites “Heart Shaped Box” and “Pennyroyal Tea”

A couple of good songs and a lot of noise.

This has always been my least favorite Nirvana album. Being a big fan of them growing up, it lacks quality throughout the entire album for me.

really solid album, i like the sound

"its a 1 for me" - Mum

Being able to read through Kurt's lyrics while listening to this album is a gamechanger. It's always been my favorite of theirs but now it's a lot more sad.

I've spun this album so, so many times. It's basically my mid-late teenage years distilled into music. It hits hard. It’s grungy and unpolished, raw and angsty, like a basement show that gets out of hand. It’s all heart and no cleanup.

Not Nirvana's best - that distinction belongs to "unplugged". In fact, it is rather dreary and tedious. 3/5

It will forever be bookended and overshadowed by Nevermind and Kurt’s death, which is a shame considering this, for me, is Nirvana’s best record. A spiky, introspective record that manages to walk the almost impossible balance act between attacking the idea of making a record for a mass audience while also making a bunch of really catchy, unforgettable songs. A miracle.

Ciekawe, w którą stronę poszłaby Nirvana, gdyby nadal tworzyła… Ta płyta pokazuje, że jak w każdym z nas, w Nirvanie są dwa wilki. Jeden chce grać łagodne, może nawet popowe kawałki, a drugi wydzierać się jakby go obdzierano ze skóry. Ja kocham oba. Wychowałam się na tej muzyce nie mogę dać mniej niż 9/10

The worst thing I can say about this album is that it’s not Nevermind.

Good but screaming

I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I simply do not connect with Nirvana. It sounds amateur with production, you can't understand a single lyric due to the mix and Cobain's complete lack of enunciation and the guitar sounds like a tin can full of wasps and doesn't work to be in a way that works for me. I think Cobain was an okay to good writer but never found the way he delivered them to resonante with me, I tried to listen to the entirety of this album but just couldn't.

My teenage angst has been stirred.

Feels like they were just getting started. Kurt had an ear for melodies and my favorites are the "softer" tracks like Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies

Hey! Wait! I got a new complain!

One of my favorite albums of all time - currently practicing "Heart-Shaped Box"

Well done body of work that just about marked the end of the grunge genre.

Pish

Just as good as Nevermind, if not better. Depends what you’re looking for. Great experience. Standouts: Everything but Rape Me, Fraces Farmer Will Have Her Revenge, and Tourette’s.

Great album; It has real songs and fine vocals from Kurt. One of the few noteworthy albums in the 1990s. It has great energy but doesn't let this compromise the flow and clarity of the songs although 'Scentless Apprentice' gets close to losing it! ... but then 'Heart Shaped Box' brings it back to a more disciplined and melodic state (just because its loud dosn't mean it isn't disciplined). Too many of the songs have a very similar structure/tempo for my liking though.

I love this album, me encuentro repitiendolo aún cuando ha terminado... Es poderoso, violento y suena sucio... Me fascina

Everything they make is gold. Great album.

I don't think this is a perfect record and never did, but it is very good, and it had a large impact on so many people. At the time, I was more into Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam and some other bands in the scene, and while I liked In Utero, it wasn't my favorite of the genre. Listening to it, now, I still see the brilliance in so many of the songs, but, again, it's not some perfect album or something that I think completely reinvents the wheel. But it is very good rock and roll that did push some boundaries and expanded Nirvana's and the grunge style.

Don't listen anymore but would still recommend teens listen to this.

Revisiting a favourite from my teens. Stands up well today

Verstehe den Erfolg und den Einfluss auf die Musik(geschichte), kann mich dann aber trotzdem nicht restlos für das Album begeistern. Einige gute Tracks, einige die versuchen an die anderen anzuknüpfen und einfach nur scheitern.

Ein Album voller super Songs. Definitiv ein Meilenstein!

For some reason I had it in my head that all Nirvana's hits came from "Nevermind" but obviously that was incorrect. Lots of good stuff here from one of the seminal bands of the 90's. 3.9

The video for Heart-shaped Box messed me up as a religious kid. I appreciate them now, but I'm not clamoring to listen.

I don't actually like Nirvana past Nevermind, I guess. The hits are the hits, and I can't separate them from nostalgia, but I didn't really care for any of the deep cuts. I guess I'm a fan of the outcome of grunge, in that it pushed rock in a direction that I prefer over the hair and glam of the 80's, but I can't help to think that it also pushed the transition of rock to what it is now, disparate sub-genres that are working hard to isolate themselves both from mainstream music and themselves. I'm not blaming Nirvana or grunge, but it does seem to be the beginning of the end of rock as a top 40 genre, and it seems to have fractured into ever smaller subcultures that will criticize an indie act for mixing in some pop, or a funk band for adding in some guitar fuzz, or even a death metal band moving toward prog metal. This is a whole lot to put on one album, and it's definitely not the cause of it, but I can't help to think that the "myth" of Nirvana has been detrimental to music. It's obviously not the beginning of the "only tortured souls make good art" phenomenon, but it's the cornerstone of the modern meme, especially solidifying the 27 Club, and the general consensus that your music is automatically a masterpiece if you died young (the credit given to posthumous releases by XXXTentacion, Pop Smoke, and Juice WRLD by critics who previously despised them is hard to ignore). I don't know if this is really relevant to this album, but I'm sure I will have more on-topic things to say when Nevermind eventually comes up. (Nevermind is on this list, right? If not, this album's inclusion deserves a whole lot of criticism.) Ultimately, it's a serviceable, if a bit disappointing, followup to arguably the most important album of the 90's. I'll keep All Apologies, but I don't think I'd notice if I never heard the rest of this album again.

a couple compelling songs, but not as fun as Nevermind

“Nevermind” may be the commercial breakthrough but this is THE essential Nirvana album. Not only does it cement Cobain as a one-of-a-kind talent, it also proves that Steve Albini is a one-of-a-kind producer/engineer. Rest in peace to both of them.

pretty cool

I’m not really a fan of Nirvana I guess.

Solid offering from Nirvana with several good songs. I'll forgive some of the others as Kurt's rebellion against the commercial success of Nevermind. No need for two Nirvana albums though.

Remember on Lost when Jack was having another breakdown and drove around blaring Scentless Apprentice? Love that!

Rocking. Love everything about it. Drums, guitar, bass, vocals. All rocking. Not even my favourite Nirvana album (Unplugged just pips it) but still a rock solid 5 star classic.

I know I'm supposed to like Nirvana and all... but I just never have... Some would assert they should be respected, if not merely for their importance in music history... OK, but I'd argue the Huns were pretty important in European history - does that mean they deserve respect for it? Still, I'll give it a 2 since Eric Clapton didn't have anything to do with its production.

I respect Nirvana, and will give all the accolades they deserve. This is not my sound, and I will never choose to go back to it. But you can’t deny there is something great about what they were doing.

There are a few very good songs on here, but mostly it sounds like a man in a great deal of pain, which he verified with deadly force not long after its release.

Amazing! It’s crazy how good this is

Dude. What can I even say about this album? I had very high expectations going into In Utero. I already knew I loved Nirvana, so I definitely knew I would like In Utero as well. I actually relistened to Nevermind pretty recently, and loved it even more than the first time. So, how do I feel about its followup? Is it better or worse than Nevermind? I don't know. I genuinely don't know. Both albums are excellent, albeit in different ways. Of course, there are things that both albums have in common. Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic show off just as much musical talent in this album as they had in the past. If anything, there's even more talent here, especially from Kurt. His writing in this album is just excellent. I think the biggest think that makes In Utero stand out is the production. Steve Albini had a very different vision for this album in comparison to what Butch Vig had for Nevermind. This is a much rawer album in sound, but given the more personal nature of the writing, I think it works very well. Besides, it's not like the production's bad. It's still quite good, just in a different way. This album has some amazing songs. "Heart-Shaped Box" has always been one of my favorites. There's something about it that's just mesmerizing. Some songs really lean into the aggression like "Scentless Apprentice" and "Tourette's," while others are much more somber and personal like "Dumb" and "All Apologies." "Rape Me" is another standout track, largely for the lyrical matter. The song caught a bit of flack upon release, but Kurt made it clear that it's an anti-rape song, and I can definitely see that that's what he was going for. That song's pretty neat. Overall, In Utero is an outstanding album, and a great swansong for one of the most influential bands of all time... unless you count MTV Unplugged, but we'll get there when this website decides to give me that one. In Utero is amazing. 5/5.

yeah i love this

Heart shaped box is a banger.

Great band

I’ve always been a big fam of this album. It’s somehow darker and funnier than Nevermind. I enjoyed going back and listening to this one again, probably haven’t played the entire album in 15-20 years. Bleach is probably my favorite Nirvana album, but this one holds up well for being 30+ years old.

I’ve found over the years since this came out that I respect it more and more. Setting out to make an album you (the band) want to make instead of the album the record label wants (nevermind II !) takes some determination. Steve Albini was the right choice - he wasn’t going to bully or change the band at the urging of the suits (or for his own tastes). Sure there was some compromise for singles edits and what not. But, this is Nirvana 2.0 and if you don’t like it, fuck off and go listen to a Warrant album instead. Now, is this the Nirvana album I’m going to gravitate toward? Usually not, it’s still nevermind. However, there’s an amazing album here and I need to not forget that. Teenage angst to all in all is all we are. A triumph indeed, I wish we’d had a few more opportunities to hear other chances this band might have taken.

This is still a good album! This album is also a good reminder of how much of the Nirvana sound, to me, is Dave Grohl’s drumming!

Zero complaints. Not just a great album but, with cultural touchstones, impossible to listen to and not find yourself contemplating history, what might have been, and what we gained or lost. Sort of like The Wall in that way but even more accessible. More every-day. Nirvana did such an impeccable job of never feeling sold out. Always feeling like the throes of a flu fever. My mother woke me up with breakfast the day Kurt topped himself. My brother and I are came to the kitchen table and then she handed us the paper and simply said: "guys, I'm sorry. I remember how I felt when Lennon died. It's ok to be really sad." We were.

The impossible task of a perfect follow up was achieved before tragedy set in and elevated it further.

A great album that I've always thought was not meant to be great.

p711. 711. 4 stars. Well, he knew how to write a riff and tune. The lyrics need work though. Still yards ahead of the rest of the pack.

The pinnacle of grunge and sadly the last LP by Nirvana. Cobain's raspy voice really adds to the grittines and raw quality of the songs. Short, yet poignant lyrics, at times enigmatic. The stark contrast in the dynamic amplifies the bipolarity of the album. Standout Tracks: Scentless Apprentice, Heart-Shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

Weaker album than Unplugged or Nevermind, but still pretty good as an album. Heart-Shaped Box is awesome, I don't love the other hits on here (Rape Me, Dumb, All Apologies). Probably a 3.5.

flott lög. dálítið uppfyllingarefni.

Serve the Servants Scentless Apprentice Heart-Shaped Box Rape Me Dumb Pennyroyal Tea All Apologies

01) Serve the Servants - 8,0 02) Scentless Apprentice - 7,0 03) Heart-Shaped Box - 10,0 04) Rape Me - 10,0 05) Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle - 9,5 06) Dumb - 9,5 07) Very Ape - 9,5 08) Milk It - 9,0 09) Pennyroyal Tea - 9,5 10) Radio Friendly Unit Shifter - 9,0 11) Tourette's - 8,5 12) All Apologies - 10,0 TOTAL: 9,13 (91/100) Current ranking: 28/378 Hey, wait! I got a new complaint! Ljubljana is only two hours away from my home... I was 15 and a half years old on February 27th, 1994, when Nirvana played their second-to-last show at Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Maybe I could have been at that show if things had been different back in 1994. But than again, maybe if things had been different, maybe Nirvana would have had more concerts since then. Some 25 years later, in a different two hours away city, I did see a Foo Fighters show, so that's at least some kind of consolation. Right? Oh, yeah, did I mention that the album is a solid A?

"In Utero" by Nirvana delivers a very deep and personal mindset from Kurt Cobain, beautifully matched with the music. The drums are at their peak, driving the sound forward, while Kurt's vocals are incredibly deep and emotional. The album captures his struggles and thoughts, creating a raw and powerful experience for listeners. It's a remarkable reflection of his inner world, making it one of the band's most impactful works.

3.5

Ohhhh nostalgía. Frábær plata. Svo mikil angist. Ekki margt sem ég get sett út á. Svo gott production. Hrátt og in your face.

Alveg geggjuð plata. Snilldar pródúktjón þar sem hrár krafturinn og sálarangist Kurt ristir inn að beini. Nirvana eru indie pönk ekki grunge.

A juggernaut album that somehow balances a polished sound with utterly raw anger and emotion. Nirvana's clearly mastered their craft here and are confident enough to come out with guns blazing and hearts asleeve. It has an entirely different sound to its predecessor, Nevermind, despite being in the same genre and technically involving similar instrumentation and textures. These three guys create a huge sound over some truly great (and catchy) compositions, including Heart Shaped Box ("Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint"), Pennyroyal Tea ("I'm anemic royalty"), and the mature closer All Apologies ("All in all is all we are..."). I wish we'd gotten more from this band other than the three studio albums and the incredible MTV Unplugged live album, because this is some gritty stuff. Cobain's vocal is at its finest in this album. The drumming and guitarwork is maybe a little less radio-friendly than in the band's earlier catalogue, but it's played to perfection. There are a few tracks that could be considered smudges on the otherwise rock-solid setlist that is In Utero. Scentless Apprentice verges into death metal, which isn't everyone's cup of tea – it definitely isn't mine – and it's best to tune it out. The "token death metal track" of the previous album, "Endless, Nameless", is better placed at the end of the album, where it doesn't mar the listener's expectations essentially right from the get-go like Scentless Apprentice does. Tourette's is also a rough listen, though fortunately it's well under two minutes. Songs like Milk It and Radio Friendly Unit Shifter are maybe a little questionable, but all the remaining ones are excellent. And don't you forget it! 5/5 Key tracks: Heart Shaped Box, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, All Apologies

That kid on the drums is pretty good.

Mostly noise, what a few good songs.

loved this when i was 13

This is why I hated Nirvana. It's a bit of a mess. Seems he was trying for two albums one was a single friendly album in the vein of nevermind and the other album was a "sticking it to corporate greed" album and it just makes anything good in this just unlistenable as an album. I think by the MTV unplugged he had sort of resolved those two impulses. So it would have been interesting to see what the next album could have been. But this is just awful.

Nirvana sucks. Stop mythologizing this overrated high school garage band.

Well-made but not particularly enjoyable to listen to. My favorite song by far was Heart-Shaped Box. Without it this might have been a 2 star.

I wish i could eat your cancer when it turns black.

Angsty.

I completely reject the idea that Nirvana are only to revered today because Kurt Cobain died early, and this album is the reason why. Nirvana were a part of the grunge scene in the early to mid 90s, and like many "scene" genres, grunge was destined not to last. If you look at another grunge band like Pearl Jam for example, they are still going to this day and they have been stuck making the same album from a dead genre for 20 years because they never evolved their sound. But Nirvana were never going to fall into that cycle. Even though they had such a short run, they evolved their sound with every album. And with In Utero, they start to take influence from noise rock (a slightly more timeless genre), and mixed with their grunge roots it sounds amazing. It's a real shame that Kurt died so early, I would love to have seen what Nirvana managed to achieve after this.

Nevermind never really did it for me, but I always loved this album.

I always leaned toward Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees, but I recognize the quality here.

A few good songs, but overall, it's meh for me

given the name its crazy that this isn't the one with the naked baby on the cover

это менее подходяще для меня, тут уже без сюрпризов

it's a good album. All Apologies is a brilliant tune

Not as good as Nevermind but still great

Nirvana doesn't have a bad album. I'm a huge fan of Kurt Cobain and his songwriting and musical arrangements. It seems so trite to write that, but, Nirvana shaped and continues to shape my musical tastes - what I listen to, what I play, how I play it, etc. Heart Shaped Box, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, and All Apologies are among my favorite songs.

It's only natural for a band to want to keep evolving their sound, especially after the massive success of a record such as "Nevermind", for example. In Nirvana's case, there was an obvious artistic choice to gear the sound and production more towards the abrasive side of things (i.e. the band's earlier releases). Enter producer Steve Albini, noted hater of the mainstream music industry, to help carry out this vision for the group. How do you follow up a record such as "Nevermind"? Capture the essence of the band, get personal, no frills. I will agree that each member of the band somehow sounds more present here. Albini liked to showcase each member & instrument in their purest form in his productions. That's prevalent here with Novoselic's bass, Grohl's drums, and Cobain's guitar playing & especially raw/vulnerable vocal delivery here. The singles here, while some of Nirvana's best, don't really represent the album's overall sound & production. It all makes for an interesting result, as I would argue that the rest of the album is not very radio-friendly. Not really a knock (though I'd consider a handful of these songs "duds") but rather an indication of the group's maturation into their sound. It's a shame that we never got to see what came next of Nirvana, but their legacy is still very apparent.

4.1 2x prefer "Nevermind" but still good

Always felt Nevermind was the most front loaded album I've come across; then earlier this year I gave this one a proper listen. Perhaps it's the sequencing but I find this much better overall, even if it starts off a bit keen. The middle section (tracks 3 to 6) is incredible and the album ends beautifully. Ultimately the best thing they released is the lowest rated of their three entries on here.

Still holds up well.

I don’t know why I didn’t like this. I guess I waited too long to listen, and now I’m too old.

Hard, edgy, brilliant

Decent

Nirvanas peak

Fantastic

I mean its nirvana

Nowhere near as good as I remember it. Still a couple of standout tracks (Heart-shaped Box, Pennyroyal Tea, Dumb & Rape Me), but the rest haven't aged well, unfortunately.

I'm dumb is my anthem

5/5

This is damn close to being better than, Nevermind. Certainly better than Bleach. The grittiness is there. The simple melodies with haunting lyrics. The Dave Grohl perfect drum track for each song. The way he goes from batter head to rim shot in Heart Shaped Box is genius. You can tell that their sound was getting to a master level. They don’t try and do anything outlandish outside of what and who they are, but they are getting really close to perfecting it with this album. Heart Shaped Box is an underrated song for these guys and All Apologies is such an acoustic classic. This is a 4.5 for me but since we don’t do half stars I’m giving it a 4.

It's hard to imagine just how big of an impact Nirvana had on music in the 90s. To the point that I genuinely got tired of hearing All Apologies multiple times every day for years. That said, it's still an enduring part of the American music landscape, as is Heart-Shaped Box, and to a lesser extent, Dumb and Pennyroyal Tea. The rest of the tracks on the album are, well, not quite as memorable or as enjoyable. But on the whole, the album is as genuine an experience as you can have.

yay

Total