Rolling Stone's 50 Greatest Grunge Albums

In Utero is a lot of things — brilliant, corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, most of them all at once. But more than anything, it's a triumph of the will.

They wring a lot of drama out of a few declarative power chords swimming in echo.

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.