Nirvana - Nevermind (Super Deluxe Edition) (1991/2011)

Nevermind was never meant to change the world, but you can never predict when the Zeitgeist will hit, and Nirvana's second album turned out to be the place where alternative rock crashed into the mainstream. This wasn't entirely an accident, either, since Nirvana did sign with a major label, and they did release a record with a shiny surface, no matter how humongous the guitars sounded. And, yes, Nevermind is probably a little shinier than it should be, positively glistening with echo and fuzzbox distortion, especially when compared with the black-and-white murk of Bleach. This doesn't discount the record, since it's not only much harder than any mainstream rock of 1991, its character isn't on the surface, it's in the exhilaratingly raw music and haunting songs. Kurt Cobain's personal problems and subsequent suicide naturally deepen the dark undercurrents, but no matter how much anguish there is on Nevermind, it's bracing because he exorcizes those demons through his evocative wordplay and mangled screams and because the band has a tremendous, unbridled power that transcends the pain, turning into pure catharsis. And that's as key to the record's success as Cobain's songwriting, since Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl help turn this into music that is gripping, powerful, and even fun (and, really, there's no other way to characterize "Territorial Pissings" or the surging "Breed"). In retrospect, Nevermind may seem a little too unassuming for its mythic status it's simply a great modern punk record but even though it may no longer seem life-changing, it is certainly life-affirming, which may just be better.

TRACKLIST

CD1

1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. Nirvana - In Bloom (Nevermind Version)
3. Nirvana - Come As You Are
4. Nirvana - Breed (Album Version)
5. Nirvana - Lithium
6. Nirvana - Polly (Album Version)
7. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings (Album Version)
8. Nirvana - Drain You (Album Version)
9. Nirvana - Lounge Act (Album Version)
10. Nirvana - Stay Away (Album Version)
11. Nirvana - On A Plain (Album Version)
12. Nirvana - Something In The Way (Album Version)
13. Nirvana - Endless, Nameless (Album Version)
14. Nirvana - Even In His Youth (B-Side)
15. Nirvana - Aneurysm (B-Side)
16. Nirvana - Curmudgeon (B-Side)
17. Nirvana - D-7 (Live At The BBC)
18. Nirvana - Been A Son (Live At Paramount Theatre B-Side)
19. Nirvana - School (Live At Paramount Theatre B-Side)
20. Nirvana - Drain You (Live At Paramount Theatre B-Side)
21. Nirvana - Sliver (Live At Del Mar B-Side)
22. Nirvana - Polly (Live At Del Mar B-Side)



CD2

1. Nirvana - In Bloom (Smart Sessions)
2. Nirvana - Immodium (Breed) (Smart Sessions)
3. Nirvana - Lithium (Smart Sessions)
4. Nirvana - Polly (Smart Sessions)
5. Nirvana - Pay To Play (Smart Sessions)
6. Nirvana - Here She Comes Now (Smart Sessions)
7. Nirvana - Dive (Smart Sessions)
8. Nirvana - Sappy (Smart Sessions)
9. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Boombox Rehearsals)
10. Nirvana - Verse Chorus Verse (Boombox Rehearsals)
11. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings (Boombox Rehearsals)
12. Nirvana - Lounge Act (Boombox Rehearsals)
13. Nirvana - Come As You Are (Boombox Rehearsals)
14. Nirvana - Old Age (Boombox Rehearsals)
15. Nirvana - Something In The Way (Boombox Rehearsals)
16. Nirvana - On A Plain (Boombox Rehearsals)
17. Nirvana - Drain You (Live At The BBC)
18. Nirvana - Something In The Way (Live At The BBC)



CD3

1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Devonshire Mix)
2. Nirvana - In Bloom (Devonshire Mix)
3. Nirvana - Come As You Are (Devonshire Mix)
4. Nirvana - Breed (Devonshire Mix)
5. Nirvana - Lithium (Devonshire Mix)
6. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings (Devonshire Mix)
7. Nirvana - Drain You (Devonshire Mix)
8. Nirvana - Lounge Act (Devonshire Mix)
9. Nirvana - Stay Away (Devonshire Mix)
10. Nirvana - On A Plain (Devonshire Mix)
11. Nirvana - Something In The Way (Devonshire Mix)



CD4

1. Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam (Live At The Paramount)
2. Nirvana - Aneurysm (Live At The Paramount)
3. Nirvana - Drain You (Live At The Paramount)
4. Nirvana - School (Live At The Paramount)
5. Nirvana - Floyd The Barber (Live At The Paramount)
6. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Live At The Paramount)
7. Nirvana - About A Girl (Live At The Paramount)
8. Nirvana - Polly (Live At The Paramount)
9. Nirvana - Breed (Live At The Paramount)
10. Nirvana - Sliver (Live At The Paramount)
11. Nirvana - Love Buzz (Live At The Paramount)
12. Nirvana - Lithium (Live At The Paramount)
13. Nirvana - Been A Son (Live At The Paramount)
14. Nirvana - Negative Creep (Live At The Paramount)
15. Nirvana - On A Plain (Live At The Paramount)
16. Nirvana - Blew (Live At The Paramount)
17. Nirvana - Rape Me (Live At The Paramount)
18. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings (Live At The Paramount)
19. Nirvana - Endless, Nameless (Live At The Paramount)



All thanks go to the original releaser