Nevermind : Nirvana : Review : Rolling Stone

Despite the hand-wringing the fanzines do each time an indie-rock hero signs a major-label deal, righteous postpunk stars from Hüsker Dü to Soundgarden have joined the corporate world without debasing their music. More often than not, ambitious left-of-the-dial bands gallantly cling to their principles as they plunge into the depths of commercial failure. Integrity is a heavy burden for those trying to scale the charts.

Led by singer-guitarist Kurt Cobain, Nirvana is the latest underground bonus baby to test mainstream tolerance for alternative music. Given the small corner of public taste that nonmetal guitar rock now commands, the Washington State trio's version of the truth is probably as credible as anyone's. A dynamic mix of sizzling power chords, manic energy and sonic restraint, Nirvana erects sturdy melodic structures – sing-along hard rock as defined by groups like the Replacements, Pixies and Sonic Youth – but then at-tacks them with frenzied screaming and guitar havoc. When Cobain revs into high punk gear, shifting his versatile voice from quiet caress to raw-throated fury, the decisive control of bassist Chris Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl is all that keeps the songs from chaos. If Nirvana isn't onto anything altogether new, Nevermind does possess the songs, character and confident spirit to be much more than a reformulation of college radio's high-octane hits.

Nirvana's undistinguished 1989 debut, Bleach, relied on warmed-over Seventies metal riffs, but the thrashing Nevermind boasts an adrenalized pop heart and incomparably superior material, captured with roaring clarity by coproducer Butch Vig. Cued in with occasional (and presumably intentional) tape errors, most of the songs – like "On a Plain," "Come as You Are" and "Territorial Pissings" – exemplify the band's skill at inscribing subtlety onto dense, noisy rock. At the album's stylistic extremes, "Something in the Way" floats a translucent cloud of acoustic guitar and cello, while "Breed" and "Stay Away" race flat-out, the latter ending in an awesome meltdown rumble.

Too often, underground bands squander their spunk on records they're not ready to make, then burn out their energy and inspiration with uphill touring. Nevermind finds Nirvana at the crossroads – scrappy garageland warriors setting their sights on a land of giants.

IRA ROBBINS

(Posted: Nov 28, 1991)

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Give us your review of Nevermind

Review 1 of 20

3of 5 Stars

its 3 stars so it shouldnt b 17 on the all itme list so cobain is dead bo ho its grunge so its not music

Sep 17, 2008 16:23:34

Review 2 of 20

5of 5 Stars

Nirvana is my all time favorite band and obsession. Every track, literally, is the best music ever to be created. Nevermind is their best album, but in utero isn't far behind. Kurt Cobain is my idol and if anyone can think of a better than you're head isn't on straight. Nirvana is the best music there will ever be, nothing will ever amount to it. Ever.

Aug 25, 2008 17:18:35

Review 3 of 20

5of 5 Stars

wait so Rolling Stone gave it 3 stars but put it at #17 on their list of the greatest albums of all time?

Jul 20, 2008 11:50:30

Review 4 of 20

5of 5 Stars

my favourite album and the greatest album ever, kurt cobain and nirvana are sitll one of the best bands in the world and no recent album comes close to topping this. its funny how in 91 rolling stone gave this 3/5, then in 92 a 4/5 then in 2004 gave it 5/5, wats going on there, make up ur mind, it was 5/5 fromt he beginning

Mar 19, 2008 19:48:45

Review 5 of 20

5of 5 Stars

To me, Nevermind was a sign, and it led you straight to something new, and i like new. Nevermind is probably one of the greatest albums ever made, it was something different then what was going on at the time. Even though Nirvana's first album Bleach wasnt as good as this album, i still personally still like Bleach but it is not nearly as good as Nevermind, when Bleach came out people were not ready for Nirvana the idea of a screaming grunge band for seattle only some of fans couldve accepted. But Nevermind changed that, with Kurt Cobains unique lyrics with the soft singing then going to the screaming choas, and loud yet soft guitar playing, Krist Noveliscs hard and rhythmic bass lines, and Dave Grohls hard pounding loud and aggressive drummer, Nevermind was an artwork that only comes once and a decade. For the 60's it was the Beatles, For the 70's Led Zeppelin came into power, the 80's it was Metallica, the 90's it was Nirvana.

Feb 29, 2008 07:02:24

Review 6 of 20

3of 5 Stars

See what's funny is that most of you Kurdt worshipers have got it so completly wrong. If he was still here he'd tell you so, because if you know anything about him you know how much he valued honesty. You can't give this album five stars with out raising the scale to ten to review In Utero, the two don't even compare. That is kurdt's masterpiece not this glossy, reproduction of Nirvana. Not a bad album by any means but it really does pale in comparison, espicially if you are moved by who Kurdt was an an artist not just his art.

Feb 7, 2008 22:06:39

Review 7 of 20

5of 5 Stars

Nevermind is probably my favorite album on this planet. Rolling Stone review was a 3/5 and they said the most overated album but yet made it a 17 on there 500 greatest albums of all time... But any way i wan't ever a big Nirvana fan till i got this album and i fell in love wit hit Smells like Teen spirt is one of the best songs of the 90's...

Jan 19, 2008 13:44:20

Review 8 of 20

5of 5 Stars

i'm pretty sure that this review is the original review of nevermind. in 2004 rs rated it five stars if im not mistaken and regarded it as the 17th best album of ALL time, with smells like teen spirit as the 9th best song of ALL time. so dont get mad people, rs has showed its respect to this masterpiece. that HAS to be the original three star rating it recieved in 1992, cause this IS a musical masterpiece genius work of art.

Dec 14, 2007 19:59:26

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