#311: MTV Unplugged In New York- Nirvana

Listened to: CD

The final words of the iconic Kurt Cobain are truly haunting ones, whether those last words are his infamous suicide note or this, the final album by Nirvana, the soundtrack to MTV Unplugged In New York. Though it’s hard to listen to this album and separate it from the tragedy surrounding it, or the poignant visuals of Kurt surrounded by candles and lilies, the album, in it’s own right, is brilliant. Comprised mostly of acoustic arrangements of lesser-known Nirvana tracks (the album opens with Kurt describing “About A Girl” as “off our first album. Most people don’t own it.”) and covers (the most memorable of these being David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” and a chillingly lingering “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”), Unplugged proves Nirvana was one of the great bands of the 90’s, and indeed in rock history. The use of acoustic (if at times amplified and distorted) instruments showcases Cobain’s songwriting talents, and his howling yawps during songs like “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” makes you miss a man you may not been have been alive to know.

It is unfair to review an album like this so briefly, but the truth is there is nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said. The album is worshipped by most critics, and tracks of it are staples on alternative radio. Most of these tracks are so ingrained in my memory and my life that to try and explain why this album is a classic is like trying to explain why eating is good. Haunting is the word I keep going back to, but to listen to a man bear his soul like that on record, to know that he crafted a funeral on stage and eulogized himself, you can’t avoid feeling the shivers down your spine.

When I write long reviews, it’s my attempt to convince you that these albums are worth their place on the list. But simply listen to the track “Pennyroyal Tea”, and you’ll see I need make no further argument. This album is a true classic worth not only listening to but owning.

-Mike

Next up, #104: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music by Ray Charles.