My 1001 Albums Journey

To me, this is the most perfect live record that has ever been released. While Nirvana is known principally for their roles as pioneers of the grunge movement with their loud, abrasive punk rock roots, this recording shows their sound goes beyond that. There are raw, emotional lyrics (mostly written by late great Kurt Cobain) and beautiful melodies that exist beyond their signature sound. Though Cobain doesn't have the most angelic voice in the game, his power and angst at lead vocal fits like a glove for the songs they write and perform. There is a good mix of stripped-down versions of songs from three of their studio albums, but the most notable tracks from this concert to me are the covers. In a stroke of genius, they didn't cover other over-played rock tracks like a cover band at a dive bar. Rather, Nirvana did a version of the Christian song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam", a traditional folk song "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", and for me the masterpiece of this record which was a David Bowie cover, "The Man Who Sold The World". A lesser band could've rested on their laurels and simply played only their monster hits like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (which didn't even make it on the setlist). But this dynamic recording skirted those expectations and it paid off. My favorite artists are always ones that can sound as comfortable in an acoustic setting as they are absolutely shredding, and this album is no exception. This session solidifies their short but iconic reign at the top of the rock landscape, and made them an all-time influential band. 10/10

This is an absolutely top-tier singer-songwriter album in my eyes. Real feeling an emotion behind the vocals, simple but beautiful hooks, and and evokes calm with some tracks and raw vulnerability with others. I'd never heard of Beth Orton before this, but this record makes me want to research her discography much deeper. Notable Tracks: - Stolen Car - Couldn't Cause Me Harm - Pass in Time - Central Reservation - incredible song - Feel to Believe 9/10

This is one of the few albums I haven't been able to finish since I started this project. Not because I really disliked the music, but because it was so boring I couldn't stand it. The verbal monologues at the beginning of the tracks were a little interesting, but after that it was just repetitive backing tracks to a 2000s action movie DVD menu screen. Couldn't bother listening to the whole thing. 3/10