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MTV Unplugged In New York

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Nirvana's Unplugged remains one of the band's most majestic moments. Coming hot off the heels of the noisy In Utero album, the band decided to stop into MTV's studios in New York City and play an acoustic set that completely erased any notions that they were just a simple "grunge" band. Kurt Cobain seems completely relaxed throughout, and he gives some staggeringly beautiful vocal performances. Dave Grohl plays the drums with wire brushes and demonstrates that he was just as capable of subtle shading as he was at hard-hitting fury. Krist Novoselic proves himself to be a worthwhile musician as well, playing accordion on "Jesus Doen't Want Me For a Sunbeam" in additon to playing a very solid-yet-laid back acoustic bass. Add former Germs guitarist Pat Smear to the lineup, as well as a guest appearance by the Kirkwood brothers of Tempe band the Meat Puppets, and you have all of the ingredients of that legendary November 1993 night.

All of the most obvious choices from Nevermind are featured here, "Polly," and "Something in the Way" of course, but their acoustic rendering of "On a Plain" is both relevatory and surprising, since I would not have expected them to include this song, and what's more it actually works as an acoustic! The classic "Come As You Are" is given more subtlely and emotion here, and that flanged guitar solo sounds positively stunning on an acoustic (actually he was using a half-acoustic/half-electric hybrid). The band also delivers some of the most mature songs from In Utero, too. "Dumb" sounds both blissful and melancholy at the same time, "All Apologies" is one of the highlights here, and "Pennyroyal Tea" stands as one of Kurt's most emotionally naked moments (I actually like the version here better).

Like the Beatles before him, Kurt Cobain had the uncanny ability to take any cover song and make it his own. From Devo to Leadbelly, David Bowie to the Vaselines, Kurt made it sound like all of these songs were his own, and he does this beautifully here as well, especially on their rendition of Bowie's "Man Who Sold the World," and of course, Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night." The latter has to be one of Nirvana's most chilling moments of all time, especially near the close of the song, where Kurt is giving it his all. Then, with an impassioned cry of "SHIVEEERRRRR!" he pauses for a couple of seconds before finishing the line. At this moment, I have to say the silence is deafening and is absolutely haunting in the purest sense of the word. It seems ironic that a band who was known for noisy live performances could rip walls out (and hearts) with two seconds of silence. This, if nothing else, stands as a testament to Nirvana's gifts.

As life affirming as this can be to listen to, sometimes it can also be quite sad knowing that this is ultimately the last word from Nirvana before Kurt's untimely death. But if this was the band's (and Kurt's) swan song, it is certainly the best finale that one can have, and I would certainly want something this beautiful to be my farewell, too. Even ten years later (God, has it been that long already?), Nirvana's Unplugged session remains as fresh as it was at the time, and stands as one of their very best live performances (as well as their most unique). Whether you are a casual fan or a diehard, this album is not to be missed and you are doing yourself a grave injustice if you skip out. This isn't just an Unplugged session, it is an experience.

November of 1994 saw the release of Nirvana's first posthumous album, "MTV Unplugged in New York." The album was recorded just six months before the death of Kurt Cobain and released just six months after. Much like John Lennon's "Double Fantasy," (1980) it's hard to listen to the album and take it out of the context surrounding its tragic circumstances.

"MTV Unplugged in New York City" would be a somber enough album as is, but considering Cobain died shortly after it was recorded, the album takes on special meaning. The album possesses the tone and atmosphere of a funeral, although it's not so depressing that it becomes unlistenable. Rather, "MTV Unplugged in New York City" serves as a tribute and memorial to one of rock's most talented musicians. Much like "Double Fantasy," "MTV Unplugged in New York City" serves as an artist's bittersweet goodbye.

The Nirvana power trio of Cobain, (guitar, vocals) Dave Grohl, (drums, bass) and Krist Novoselic (bass, accordion, guitar) is joined by Pat Smear (guitar). Lori Goldston (cello) joins the band for many of the songs. Curt and Cris Kirkwood (guitar, bass) of the Meat Puppets join the band for three renditions of songs from the Meat Puppets "Meat Puppets II" (1984). A second guitar player thickens the sound and leaves Cobain free to solo. The added cello works very nicely, enhancing and enriching the songs. The added cello especially shines in "Pennyroyal Tea" and "Something in the way."

Stripped down renditions of songs from Nirvana's three albums, "Bleach," (1989) "Nevermind," (1991) and "In Utero," (1993) offer a subtler, but equally exciting take on the classics. While unplugged versions of songs can often yield mixed results, nothing is lost in the sparseness of these renditions.

There are several cover songs on this recording by artists including the Vaselines, the Meat Puppets, Leadbelly and David Bowie. Nirvana's adaptations of these songs match, perhaps even outshine the originals. As others have pointed out, Cobain takes other artists songs and makes them his own. While the album is interspersed with cover songs, nothing ever seems out of place. The album has an easygoing, soothing flow which never gets monotonous. It's the type of album that you can listen to again once you are finished.

"MTV Unplugged in New York City" was recorded live at Sony Music Studios on November 18, 1993. In front of an audience and off-the-cuff, "MTV Unplugged in New York City" offers a rare glimpse into whom Cobain was as a person. His chatter with the band and his interaction with the audience show him to be sensitive, articulate, meticulous, humble, and not without a sense of humor.

It's hard to listen to this album and not have Cobain's imminent suicide on the back of ones mind. "All Apologies" sounds especially poignant when placed in this context, knowing how much pain Cobain must have felt while performing.

While Cobain's early death was a great loss, his legacy and genius is immortalized on this recording. With "MTV Unplugged in New York City," Cobain should not be mourned, but rather his life and his music should be celebrated. This recording serves as a fitting epithet to one of rocks most tortured, genuine and gifted talents.

Hmmm....where does one start? Well, let's start by saying this; this album is one of the greatest albums ever, if not the greatest. Have you ever heard a song that you can hear a thousand times, yet never get sick of? We all have; but have you ever had an entire album that does that to you? Probably not. Kurt Cobain's talent was, to say the least, beyond anything mortal. It's just that it was always masked by the fury of punk; but you could still see right through that. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is one of the biggest songs ever, it launched Nirvana right out of this world; yet they didn't even play it. Just as well too, none of these songs are upbeat. Hearing "Come As You Are" in it's acoustic form is haunting, Kurt's guitar solo is practicly weeping; I gaurantee you you'll want to weep after hearing these songs. "Something In The Way" is dark and lush; which might be the two best words to describe the album, dark and lush. "About A Girl" is very beautiful, everything about it is perfect; just like the album. "Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam" is very mellow, the accordian migh seem weird for them, but it fits in beautifully. "Dumb" is anything but, Kurt should have retitled it "Genius". "Polly" and "On A Plain" are too much for words, especially "Polly". The covers of the Meat Puppets' songs are amazing, "Lake Of Fire" being the best. "All Apologies" is really sad, the end of it holds your breath. 'All In All Is All We Are' is one of the greatest lines in a song I have heard (my friend said if you listen carefully Kurt changes it to 'All Alone' a couple of times, he's right), the way Kurt keeps repeating it over and over. The final song, "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", sends chills up my spine. At the end of the song Kurt starts screaming, he stops, sighs, then carries on. Afterwords your jaw is left on the floor. The cello throughout the songs gives them all a more haunting feel then they already have, a nice touch. Sadly enough, these songs of depression were no idle threat. You can't listen to this album and not feel like crying, I think it's impossible. This album is perfect, anyway you look at it, not one bad song here. I also recommend getting Tori Amos' cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", it has the same kind of feel of this album.I'm not one to say what you should or shouldn't buy, but you need this album; break your piggy bank if you have to. This is a classic, and it has raised the bar to a height which isn't gonna be surpassed in our lifetime.

Although Nirvana's studio work was great (particularly In Utero), this live album of November 1993 solidified the band's legend.

The concept behind Unplugged was decidedly unusual. Here was an intense, loud punk band from Seattle playing acoustic. An odd concept indeed, but Cobain, Grohl, and Novoselic were more than up to the task with a beautiful 14-song set. To my knowledge, Nirvana was the first to play an entire Unplugged session in a single take, which makes the quality of the performance all the more remarkable.

Instead of just playing a list of popular hits (as Alice In Chains did in the Unplugged format), Kurt decided to pay homage to the band's indie roots with covers of the Vaselines (Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam), David Bowie (The Man Who Sold The World, featuring the only plugged guitar), and three selections from Meat Puppets II (Plateau, Oh Me, Lake Of Fire). All of these renditions are pure gold, and I consider them superior to the originals.

Their studio work takes on a new dimension without the electric distortion. About A Girl sends shivers up my spine, Come As You Are sounds even more impressive acoustic, Dumb is filled with beautiful stringwork, Pennyroyal Tea becomes a haunting solo ballad, and All Apologies changes from raw to meloncholy. Most of these songs are at least equivalent to the studio versions, with All Apologies being much better than the harsh In Utero version.

The best track of all though is the unforgettable Where Did You Sleep Last Night. In this Leadbelly cover, Kurt lets all the feeling hit home, especially toward the end with his piercing screams. I've never heard a more emotional song in my life, and I always shed a tear listening to it.

This one ranks as the best live album of the 1990's and among the best ever. If you love Nirvana, definitely buy this one. If you never considered buying a Nirvana album, this one will make you a fan. Trust me.

----RIP Kurt----

While working in my late twenties for 2 years in one of Seattle's largest music stores, I learned alot about the way people were affected by Kurt Cobain just by watching the sales of this CD.

I sold this CD to old and young alike, to frequent customers who had told me they would never purchase a Nirvana CD. This CD changed the negative stigma surrounding Nirvana's "grunge" image in Seattle.

Baby boomers told me that "this CD is the closest to the Beatles that you are ever going to get- it is raw, alive, and completley heartfelt in it's quiet and thoughtful honesty."

I think this CD represents the Cobain that we did not hear enough of on disc. It is more subdued and contemplative than Nirvana's other works. It is somewhat of an homage to their early influences. The few cover tracks are presented with such craft and dignity, that I came away feeling a newfound respect for those who can master the work of an idol in 5 minutes this professionally and flawlessly.

Admiring David Bowie as a kid REALLY worked in Kurt's favor on track #4. Cobain displays humility and even a bit of embarassment in his intro to "The Man Who Sold the World", his performance of the song remains brave and true to his Nirvana sound, with the classic Cobain shrill smoker/cough drop addict schreech, more reminiscent of Richard Butler of the Psychedelic Furs than Bowie. He sounds so much older than 27 years old both in style and in substance.

The original Nirvana material presented in acoustic form sets out to examine a mature, "Look, I'm a dad, now" ground, territory far removed from the youthful sprite and rampant guitar assault of Nevermind and Bleach. This is a composition of songs performed live that emphasize a band's ability to perform a well crafted blend of raw enertia, and humble, thoughtfelt contemplation all in the same performance.

I know from selling this CD that it's magnitude extended to every brand of audience and every type of individual, whi! ch is an admirable reflection on the fact that the music did not need a compass to direct it's genre.

The lyrics on this CD are simpler than the Beatle's were and contain less magic realism, yet the same exuberance and faith in the group's ability to execute a song and elevate it little by little into a explosive force by the song's end. They do this without seeming contrived or showy.

My favorite part of the CD is where Cobain stops, and respectfully asks the band if he can start a song over. This showed that he was a believer in his bandmates and I respected that moment on the CD; it was true egalitarianism in effect, and showed a quality I did not expect from someone his age.

The result is a balance of give and take that still resonates through my speakers as clearly and with as much raw emotion and honesty as the first day I played it. The overall feeling is that of a group who's coherence and balance in this live performance exude a feeling of friendship within the group. The song's themes range in topic from self-doubt, to immortality, to youthful blame, to redemption in oneself and in the eyes of others.

"Where Did You Sleep Last Night" reminds me of old Johnny Cash music playing in the back of a roadhouse saloon, It is a diverse area for Kurt to have ventured into, yet he executes the song in such a creepy, eerie way, that the song is my favorite on the CD merely for its delivery; for its representation of confrontation; of demanding an explanation from someone who may already be too far gone--and all that their answer to you represents. The dichotomy of past and present, and of the future between two people hanging in the balance.

It has been said that the true measure of a rock band is how they play their songs acoustically. In Nirvana's case, with "MTV Unplugged in New York," this seminal rock band proved that they were indeed the cream of the crop of their generation.

Nirvana performed this intimate show in November, 1993, just months before lead singer Kurt Cobain took his own life. Cobain had been dealing with many demons or years (drug abuse, medical problems), but in this performance, it is sometimes difficult to tell. Cobain, a true musical genius who was often misunderstood by the media, was surprisingly (to some) engaging throughout the show, often making the crowd laugh through self-deprecating humor. Before David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World," Cobain blurted out, "I guarantee you that I will screw this song up." After the song ended, his bandmates asked what the next song was. Cobain paused, then replied excitedly, "I didn't screw it up, did I?" This was a side to Cobain that many people weren't aware of.

Nirvana's versatility showed in "MTV Unplugged in New York." From the amazing blues rock of "Plateau" and "Lake of Fire" (both written by the Meat Puppets, who guest starred in this concert) to Bowie's aforementioned glam-psychedelia of "The Man Who Sold the World" to the Vaseline's folksy "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam," Cobain an friends showed that they were far more than simply a grunge band.

While it was often difficult to recognize Kurt Cobain's personal troubles during the MTV concert, his performance on the last song of the album-blues legend Leadbelly's menacing "Where Did You Sleep Last Night"- was absolutely chilling, and seemed a harbinger of events to come in the next few months. Cobain appeared to be both living and dying through the song, with his emotions gushing out of him into the lyrics. By the end of the song, Cobain was alternately screaming and whispering the lyrics, a la Jim Morrison. It was an unforgettably disturbing end to "MTV Live in New York," and one of the great moments in rock history. Unfortunately, it also marked the end of a transcendent rock band that would spawn hundreds of other rock performers throughout the 1990s.

-Marc Hurwitz

This would have been a better title for this album. Recorded before and released after Kurt Cobain's selfish final stand, this album truly showcases: 1) the enormous potential Cobain as a songwriter took to the grave with him, and 2) the brilliance of his songs and their pliabilty to other forms of performance. It would have been hard to imagine Nirvana's angry grunge translated to an acoustic setting, but this performance (done in one take) exposes Cobain's songs as they really are: great melodies wrapped in a grimy layer of distortion. This performance also showcases Cobain's influence through his choice of covers: disparate artists like David Bowie, Vaselines, Meat Puppets and Leadbelly all come together under Cobain's creative umbrella: Curt and Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets join Nirvana on stage for three songs, all very well played.
Cobain's own songs are really exposed as gems, some of the best written in the past 25 years: "About a Girl", "Come as You Are", "Dumb" and "Pennyroyal Tea" are especially fantastic and show just how good Cobain was. Let this album stand as an eternal tribute to not only their musical and pop sensibilities, but Nirvana's magic on stage with their "Wishkah" collection. Wonderful music.

Nirvana were known for their noisy guitars and distorted feedback, but as fans know, once or twice every album they would pull out a genuinely beauitful song. This performance gives non-fans a chance to recognize this element of Nirvana, and fans a chance to revel in it for 50-plus minutes.

The performance opens on the strong "About A Girl," from their debut album Bleach. Then comes a particularly good version of "Come As You Are," with that most ironic of ironic lyrics, "And I swear that I don't have a gun." From there, they move on to a gorgeous rendition of the Vaselines' "Jesus Don't Want Me For A Sunbeam." I am an atheist, and this song moved me to tears -- that's how powerful it is. Then comes David Bowie's "Man Who Sold the World," which everyone else seems to think is one of the albums strongest points, but I think is a bit weak and flat compared with other tracks.

Next Kurt Cobain does "Pennyroyal Tea" by himself. Some fans don't like this song all that much, but I am not one of them -- I love this song and I love hearing it in this stripped-down way. For some reason the out-of-tune guitar here adds to the charm of the song for me. The next two songs, "Dumb" and "Polly," are pretty much the same as the album versions, but good nevertheless. "On A Plain" is a bit surprising to hear toned down, but it's great -- one of their most underrated songs, in my opinion. "Something In the Way" is the same as the album version -- gorgeous, poignant song.

Then come the three Meat Puppets covers with the Kirkwood brothers. "Plateau" is terrific. "Oh Me" is not as good, but it picks right back up with the wonderful "Lake of Fire." It's so interesting to listen to Kurt's vocals on these tracks -- supposedly he picked them specifically because they would stretch his range. After these songs comes "All Apologies," one of my favorites. This version is better than the album version, as it feels like Kurt is truly singing it with a knowing voice, they way it was meant to be sung.

At last comes the grand finale -- and oh, what a grand finale. The cover of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" at first seems nothing special -- but wait a couple of minutes. At 3:01, Kurt lets loose with an anguished howl that chills the listener straight to the bone. It is haunting, beautiful, chilling, poignant, and unforgettable. The audience is absolutely silent -- they know that this is possibly the most impassioned performance he has ever given, and they don't want to ruin it. It is, without a doubt, the best song on the album and one of their best tracks, period.

In conclusion, buy this album. Stop reading this review, and click the order button. You won't regret it -- even if you think you're not a fan of Nirvana's screaming and heavy sound, you will love this album. It's perfect for anyone who likes emotional and impassioned music. Seeing as how this was Nirvana's final album before Kurt Cobain's death, it is especially poignant and affecting. Again, buy it now.

This is a towering, trandescent live acoustic performance that Kurt Cobain & the gang recorded for MTV in November 1993, just five months prior to Cobain's untimely demise. The band perform eight originals including "Come As You Are" and "All Apologies," as well as six cover songs, including David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World" & three songs by the Meat Puppets (who guest perform on the songs). Anyone who never heard the talent in Cobain's singing, songwriting, and guitar-playing on Nirvana's full-throttle studio records before, OR the talent of Cobain's bandmates Krist Novelselic & Dave Grohl, absolutely MUST give "MTV Unplugged In New York" a listen. The band's stripped-down approach to the material brings out the beauty in the songs for ALL to hear. Heck, you can even play this Nirvana album for your grandmother, and chances are she'll love it. It's a gorgeous live performance, and a powerful final testament to the talent & genius of Kurt Cobain & his band.

In the fall of 1993, the biggest band in the world at the time, Nirvana (made up of guitarist/singer,songwriter Kurt Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic, and drummer Dave Grohl), appeared for the first time in MTV's studios in New York to record what was to become the best and most memorable Unplugged edition in MTV's history.

Nirvana were at the top of their game, with millions of albums sold worldwide, and millions more the number of fans. Kurt Cobain, the band's troubled frontman, was the 'voice of a generation'. He wrote and sang songs that struck a nerve with the youth's conscience, from feelings of confusion, hatred of the world, self doubt and anger. The band had emerged onto the scene with such a huge impact just a little more than 2 years earlier when Nevermind was released to critical and public acclaim. Despite the success, the band and especially Cobain expressed their despise of commerical media and the exploitation of rock music, which explains the reason why they did not include their breakthrough hit Smells Like Teen Spirit in the Unplugged session.

During the entire session, Cobain can be seen crouching in his seat with his face pale, his hair greasy and let down on the sides of his face, his voice raspy, and his mood ranging between torn up and just plain bored. However, once the music kicks in, he sings and screams his heart out to a mesmerized crowd, while unintentionally making some humorous comments in between songs ("I gaurantee you I'll screw this one up..." he says before an outstanding cover version of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World). All of this can be heard on the album as the band play some of their best and underrated songs of their short career: the heartbreaking Dumb, the gloomy Come As You Are, the two-chord classic About A Girl, the elusive Something In The Way, the ditty Polly, the awesome All Apologies, and the twisted ballad Where Did You Sleep Last Night, not to mention the highlight of the evening, a version of David Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World, which is most definitely on the list of most downloaded songs on the Internet, and is way better than its original.

Only 5 months after the recording of Unplugged, Kurt Cobain was found dead in his house due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. As a result, Nirvana, the most remarkable band of the era, was no more.

Unplugged In New York captures the Seattle trio in their last session together as a group. It's a remarkable album, and quite possibly Nirvana's best compilation ever.

Recommended

A