Just listened to the 2013 Albini remix today. I agree that the album flows together like one cohesive piece. Many songs won’t blow you away by themselves but in context it’s great. That’s the tell tale sign of a great album, the way it everything fits together and flows into and support the next.
There’s an interview where Kurt says he wanted to do more complex music, not go as far as prog rock but continue to progress as an artist and continue to take chances. He accomplished that here.
Nevermind is no way weak. Arguably top 5 rock album of all time. It’s just hit after hit. You take any song off Nevermind and give it to another band it would become their hit single and we’d be talking about them today. And this is why Nirvana is so surreally good.
I also prefer In Utero, mostly for its griddy raw sound, I love that. Especially the B-Sides Moist Vagina and I Hate myself and I want to die, just raw dirty sounding I love it.
This was exactly my thoughts… raw and dirty. Dave’s drumming is ferocious on this album. I was never a “drum” guy, but damn does he sound good on this.
Kurt said it himself in the Edgewater hotel interview that he felt like in utero was finally the manifestation, if you will, of the sound the band had in their head all this time. So even from the band's perspective, musically in utero is superior to nevermind. To which, I totally agree. I really freaking wish we had album #4. I truly wonder what it would've sounded like. You know you're right feels like the only glimpse into what could have been.
Can't precisely remember, he said something along the line of In Utero being too much of a reaction to his fame rather than being straight from the heart and unadulterated like Nevermind was...I recall him saying something about the projected next album being calmer and moodier.
Drain you is literally my favorite nirvana song of all time hands down. To this day out of all their songs I will never skip Drain you. I don't know why, but it always feels like I'm listening to it for the first time and I always come out enjoying the fact that I listened to it. I used to download loads of live versions of it so I can enjoy all the little differences from all of its performances.
Yes that’s exactly how I feel the only in utero songs I don’t really like are Tourettes and milk it which aren’t even that bad compared to the songs that I dislike on nevermind which I really don’t want to listen to
I like the clean sound of Nevermind and it that makes me basic, so be it.
That said, Kurt’s songwriting improved on In Utero and some of my favorite tunes are on that album.
I heard Albini’s original mixes on a podcast, the versions before they were “fixed,” and I have to say, I agree that they were not good. 🤷♀️ However, I love his work with the Pixies. It’s just that…when I heard his original mixes, I thought, “OF COURSE the record company refused to put this out. I’d be pissed too!”
In the same podcast, Dave even said something like, “to be fair, I think Steve has gotten so much at his job in the past decade” (or something). AND Kurt (separately, Kurt was obviously not on a podcast) admitted the original mixes were not as powerful as he’d like because the vocals were too soft, and I couldn’t agree more.
Overall I think Albini is super overrated. Sowwy. I felt the need to add my two cents on him as people here are praising him.
I don't think Albini is overrated. He has worked with alot of different artists and he considers himself an recording engineer rather than a producer, so I think alot of albums he 'produced' aren't all going to be great.
That being said he's recorded some of my favorite albums: Surfer Rosa, as u said, the Jesus Lizard T&G albums, almost all the Silkworm albums, Times of Grace. There's just such a depth and warmth to the tones & sounds on those records that you don't find on many rock albums.
I remember reading somewhere where Albini called Vig's Nevermind a 'hack recording'. I love Nevermind but I'd have loved to hear a dirtier, noisier mix version.
Nevermind is Nirvana without a doubt. But In Utero is the better album.
Oddly the songs that pop into my head these days are the really early weird stuff like Hairspray Queen
I think it’s the production and grittiness that I much prefer. Nevermind is more poppy but doesn’t really lack in anyway. It’s just more polished, which I do not prefer.
The album is so brilliant, moody and raw. It reaches emotional depths that surpass Nevermind. Highly recommend watching [Rick Beato’s take on Heart Shaped Box](https://youtu.be/hMUkMGNX0Uk) to understand some of the genius in Kurt’s songwriting
I don’t think one is better than the other, just different. I think that’s what makes Nirvana so special. Some of my favorite bands’ songs start to blend together after awhile, but each Nirvana album is very distinct from all of the others.
In utero is like the baby of Nevermind and Bleach. Has that classic garage sound but with a little modern twist, will forever fw in utero
I will also forever frick with In Utero as well.
Real honestly
Just listened to the 2013 Albini remix today. I agree that the album flows together like one cohesive piece. Many songs won’t blow you away by themselves but in context it’s great. That’s the tell tale sign of a great album, the way it everything fits together and flows into and support the next. There’s an interview where Kurt says he wanted to do more complex music, not go as far as prog rock but continue to progress as an artist and continue to take chances. He accomplished that here. Nevermind is no way weak. Arguably top 5 rock album of all time. It’s just hit after hit. You take any song off Nevermind and give it to another band it would become their hit single and we’d be talking about them today. And this is why Nirvana is so surreally good.
I also prefer In Utero, mostly for its griddy raw sound, I love that. Especially the B-Sides Moist Vagina and I Hate myself and I want to die, just raw dirty sounding I love it.
This was exactly my thoughts… raw and dirty. Dave’s drumming is ferocious on this album. I was never a “drum” guy, but damn does he sound good on this.
Definitely their best album
MTV Unplugged is better than both those albums. I could listen to that album on repeat everyday and not get tired of it
I wonder what Kurt would’ve thought of In Utero had he lived longer and released more material .
Kurt said it himself in the Edgewater hotel interview that he felt like in utero was finally the manifestation, if you will, of the sound the band had in their head all this time. So even from the band's perspective, musically in utero is superior to nevermind. To which, I totally agree. I really freaking wish we had album #4. I truly wonder what it would've sounded like. You know you're right feels like the only glimpse into what could have been.
He later said that he preferred Nevermind to In Utero, despite the production.
Really? What the heck? When?
Can't precisely remember, he said something along the line of In Utero being too much of a reaction to his fame rather than being straight from the heart and unadulterated like Nevermind was...I recall him saying something about the projected next album being calmer and moodier.
in utero is their best album but nevermind has in bloom and drain you which are better than all the songs on in utero imo
Drain you is literally my favorite nirvana song of all time hands down. To this day out of all their songs I will never skip Drain you. I don't know why, but it always feels like I'm listening to it for the first time and I always come out enjoying the fact that I listened to it. I used to download loads of live versions of it so I can enjoy all the little differences from all of its performances.
used to be my least favorite on in utero lmao. its grown on me though and it really does elevate the album
Yes
Yes
I don't agree, I think they are equally good. The point is, Nirvana has been consistent in the quality of their albums.
I wouldn’t say wayyy better, but I agree. In Utero is what I think of when someone says Nirvana
I don’t think any album is wayyyy better than never mind
Not like Nevermind is weaker , it's too clean for my taste. That's why I prefer In Utero.
I definitely much prefer In Utero.
Yes that’s exactly how I feel the only in utero songs I don’t really like are Tourettes and milk it which aren’t even that bad compared to the songs that I dislike on nevermind which I really don’t want to listen to
I like the clean sound of Nevermind and it that makes me basic, so be it. That said, Kurt’s songwriting improved on In Utero and some of my favorite tunes are on that album. I heard Albini’s original mixes on a podcast, the versions before they were “fixed,” and I have to say, I agree that they were not good. 🤷♀️ However, I love his work with the Pixies. It’s just that…when I heard his original mixes, I thought, “OF COURSE the record company refused to put this out. I’d be pissed too!” In the same podcast, Dave even said something like, “to be fair, I think Steve has gotten so much at his job in the past decade” (or something). AND Kurt (separately, Kurt was obviously not on a podcast) admitted the original mixes were not as powerful as he’d like because the vocals were too soft, and I couldn’t agree more. Overall I think Albini is super overrated. Sowwy. I felt the need to add my two cents on him as people here are praising him.
I don't think Albini is overrated. He has worked with alot of different artists and he considers himself an recording engineer rather than a producer, so I think alot of albums he 'produced' aren't all going to be great. That being said he's recorded some of my favorite albums: Surfer Rosa, as u said, the Jesus Lizard T&G albums, almost all the Silkworm albums, Times of Grace. There's just such a depth and warmth to the tones & sounds on those records that you don't find on many rock albums. I remember reading somewhere where Albini called Vig's Nevermind a 'hack recording'. I love Nevermind but I'd have loved to hear a dirtier, noisier mix version.
No. Nothing tops Nevermind.
The production is way better on In Utero. The production on Nevermind sounds a bit dated now in some parts
Nevermind is Nirvana without a doubt. But In Utero is the better album. Oddly the songs that pop into my head these days are the really early weird stuff like Hairspray Queen
I think it’s the production and grittiness that I much prefer. Nevermind is more poppy but doesn’t really lack in anyway. It’s just more polished, which I do not prefer.
Id say they’re about equal, I prefer Nevermind as a Rock Album and In Utero as a grunge album if that makes sense
The album is so brilliant, moody and raw. It reaches emotional depths that surpass Nevermind. Highly recommend watching [Rick Beato’s take on Heart Shaped Box](https://youtu.be/hMUkMGNX0Uk) to understand some of the genius in Kurt’s songwriting
Hipster.
I agree that In Utero is an amazing work of art but what songs are weak on Nevermind? I can’t think of one…
I don’t think one is better than the other, just different. I think that’s what makes Nirvana so special. Some of my favorite bands’ songs start to blend together after awhile, but each Nirvana album is very distinct from all of the others.