Nevermind

Do I need to explain what this album is?

This album defined what the 90s sounded like. This era of music was truly something else. Grunge in the 90s is basically what Punk was like in the 70s. It was a musical renaissance. You cannot deny the impact this album had on music as a whole. I mean, the naked baby in the pool is one of the most iconic things in music culture.

In September of 1991, Underground Seattle Grunge Band Nirvana released an album that carved the face of what grunge was. The Nevermind album is a piece of art through and through. This album doesn't pull any breaks. Every song here is amazing. After the hard as fuck filthfest that was Bleach, Nirvana got themselves better production, better lyricism, and better sounds across the board. Bleach was amazing, mind you. But the band truly evolved their sound here in every aspect. It redefined what alternative rock could be like, and it put the sound of grunge into the mainstream. How could you not enjoy this album?

Smells Like Teen Spirit. What do I even have to say about it. You know it. I hope you love it. It is catchy, and it is the face of grunge. You could say that it's a bit overplayed, but you cannot deny the impact this had in culture. It pushed this sound into the mainstream, and boy it has got to have one of the most iconic riffs of all time. Following this, In Bloom is such a great song as well. It's also a bit funny of how ironic this song is. It's one of Nirvana's more popular songs, but it reflects on how Kurt Cobain felt about the influx of new followers they had who he thought were basically posers of everything his music stood for. “He’s the one who likes all our pretty songs”, “But he knows not what it means”. With that said, this song is too good to not enjoy.

Come As You Are is the second most popular song in this album, and it deserves that praise. That riff is unforgettable. This shit won't be leaving my memoria. Breed invokes so much energy — it's infectious. Following that with Lithium, which is my second most popular track here is a treat. The prechorus of that song reminds me of what pop punk kinda sounds like though, but the second half of the riff where it diverts from that pop-y chord progression keeps that Nirvana flair, which segways perfectly to the chorus. Boy I just love Lithium.

Polly is underrated. I don't even know if that statement applies since this song is infamous for it's lyrical contents, but even with that aside I absolutely love the riff here. This song is simple, but oh boy it's so catchy and I love his MTV Unplugged rendition of this song. Territorial Pissings feels like a reprise of Breed. It's the most energetic song I've heard that's basically about Xenophobia, and I love it very much. Drain You is probably my third most favorite song here (tying with the song after this one). The riff here is just so good man. In terms of lyricism, this is probably one of my more favored ones here. This song just has that feeling y'know. Lounge Act has got to be my favorite riff in this entire album. That bass riff is unforgettable and boy this song is just so good. I also like how in Spotify, it's naked Dave Grohl swimming which is being previewed on this song. Yeah.

These next two songs are my least favorite songs in this album, but that doesn't mean I dislike it. This album really is just that good. Stay Away has a memorable verse. The “I Don't Know Why” together with the guitar voicing that phrase is something man. On A Plain is probably the song that reminds me most of Bleach. This being the last song he wrote during the recording kinda makes sense. He was definitely tired of writing shit, and because of that this song kinda reminds me of the meaninglessness of the lyrics in most Bleach songs. With that said, this song is about something, and its probably the most meta song here.

Something In The Way is my favorite Nirvana song, and arguably one of my most favorite songs. It's notoriously simple, being a simple 2 chord structure, but it makes me feel something that not alot of songs give. From what I heard, Kurt used a 5 string acoustic guitar here he bought at some thrift stores, and pairing that with the unique tuning that sounds very dark, this song is simply the best song here. The lyrics are very simple here too. It's just a verse and a chorus repeated without change — but still, it tells you something that evokes a feeling unlike any other. This song was about him living under a bridge, and the lyrics punch hard. I first heard this song in The Batman trailer. Yeah I know, it probably takes away from the credibility of what I feel about this song, but man. Seeing it in theaters just made me love the song more. I didn't even know it was by Nirvana back then. Ever since then, it became one of my most favored Nirvana songs.

Endless, Nameless is the hidden track in this album, and boy it is something. Maybe it's a bit unfair to review this since it was a jamming session born out Kurt's frustration with recording Lithium, but even then this song is worth listening to. This is probably the rawest form of music you'll hear from the band.

Overall, this album really is the masterpiece people say it is. Bands like Nirvana are hard to come by. They did their thing, and the things they did were amazing. I can't believe I put off listening to this album for a long time, but now that I've listened to it, I feel very happy and content with life. Rest in Peace Kurt Cobain. He was a truly a genius. Wish I could be brainwashed and relisten to this album for the first time again. Amazing album.

Fav track: Something In The Way
Least fav: On A Plain