NIRVANA レコード& CD

Review: Nirvana's legacy is one of the most compelling of any 20th Century rock band. The voice(s) of a disillusioned generation weaned to sickness on processed culture, ending in tragedy, the ferociously powerful combination of music and message has understandably been long-lasting and still influences people today, but the albums-proper, and sad conclusion, usually dominate conversations about the group's work. Incesticide is proof of how much we're forgetting. Comprising demos, outtakes, cover versions, radio broadcasts, the 1990 non-album single, 'Silver', among other things, much of what's here was circulating among fans in low quality formats prior to the compilation's formal release in 1992, and goes some way to showing off the breadth and scope Nirvana were capable of. An education for the committed and unconvinced alike, grab it while you can.

Review: Despite the personal problems we now know Kurt Cobain was suffering at the time and which would eventually drag the band into oblivion, Nirvana sound pretty much on top of their game on this broadcast of a Japanese show from February 1992. The set list revolves around tracks from the international bestselling Nevermind album but anyone who thought global recognition might have seen the band polish up and bland out would be sorely mistaken - raucous, distorted and blessed by a vocal performance that veers from disdainful to hysterical, from opener 'Negative Creep' to the 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' that closes it, they're 100% chaotic punk rock energy.

Review: Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the third and final album from Nirvana should require little to know introduction. Repressed, remastered and redefined over and over again, the Steve Albini-produced, mainstream-eschewing swansong has only grown to become one of the ugliest left-turns the 90s grunge scene ever spat out. This super-deluxe three decade celebratory edition comes with two live concerts recorded in Los Angeles in December '93 and Seattle in January '94, five previously released B-sides, six bonus live cuts, as well as a removable front-cover acrylic panel with the album's iconic Angel; a 48-page hardcover book with unreleased photos; a 20-page newly designed fanzine; a Los Angeles tour poster lithograph by hot rod artist Coop; replicas of the 1993 record store promo Angel mobile, three gig fliers, two ticket stubs for Los Angeles and Seattle, an All-Access tour laminate, and four cloth sticky tour backstage passes: Press, Photo, After Show, and Local Crew!

Review: The third, controversial final album from Seattle's Nirvana should require little to no introduction. Repressed, remastered and redefined again and again, the Steve Albini-produced, mainstream-eschewing swansong has become one of the ugliest left-turns the 90's grunge scene ever spat up, and the subject of much heated internal fan debate over which is the definitive version. Celebrating its 30-year anniversary with a super-deluxe box set, boasting eight LPs made up of additional live performances as well as a myriad of memorabilia from the In Utero era, for the more lackadaisical collectors, there's this single LP gatefold pressing in a premium 'tip-on' sleeve similar to 2021's reissue of Nevermind, which comes with a bonus 10" of b-sides also featured on the monstrous deluxe edition.