In Utero

Nirvana

DGC Records, 1993

http://www.nirvana.com

REVIEW BY: Benjamin Ray

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/09/2006

This is one of the most difficult albums in rock history to listen to.

The first reason, of course, is that it was Nirvana's final album, and in light of what happened it's hard not to read in to the lyrics.

The second reason is that Nevermind set the bar very high.

The third reason is that it's consciously alienating, a deliberate attempt to go back to the punk sound of old and get rid of the hangers-on who didn't know what it all meant. Kurt Cobain's frustration with the media, with himself, with all of it, is evident in these tracks.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

Producer Steve Albini created a thin, dissonant sound for most of the songs that is a jarring shift from the relative warmth of Nevermind. Bleak lyrics, liberating screams, power chords...this is an exorcism of sorts, cold and distant, yet resonant in a way that a lot of punk rock never tried to be. It's the sound of a band reclaiming its spirit after it was snatched way.

"Serve The Servants" and "Scentless Apprentice"  typify this approach, and that's only two songs in. The classic "Heart-Shaped Box," an ode to Courtney Love, is a bit easier on the ears, though it seems like a backhanded compliment to Kurt's wife: "Hey, wait, I got a real complaint / Forever in debt to your priceless advice."

Cobain delighted in his sense of humor, evident on the mournful "Dumb" and "Rape Me," which both manage to be both sardonic and self-deprecating. The upbeat punk of "Very Ape," the annoying dissonance of "Tourette's" and "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter," and then underwritten "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge" and "Milk It" all add to the atmosphere. Of note is "Pennyroyal Tea," a dark and slow song about abortion.

But then "All Apologies" closes it out, hammering home the point to the listener. It's sad not only because Kurt is being so honest but in a sense blaming the fans for his downfall. He asks us what else he could say, write, be, and then offers apologies, presumably for not doing those things. He makes fun of the listeners ("I wish I was like you - easily amused") and throws in his usual deprecation ("I'll take all the blame"), then ends with the plaintive "All in all is all we are," which fades to black and ends the album.

In Utero is a raw, emotional trip through a tortured soul, told with sparse production and self-loathing. It's not an easy listen, which is, probably, what Cobain was hoping it would be.

 

Rating: B

User Rating: A-


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© 2006 Benjamin Ray and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of DGC Records, and is used for informational purposes only.