Customer Reviews

Sliver: The Best of the Box By Nirvana

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(32)

 

 

This release represents the worst kind of record company greed. The With The Lights Out box set had about a disc worth of quality material and a lot of filler. Theoretically, a "best of the box" release would be a very good idea for more casual fans who don't want to sift through all of the garbage that shouldn't have been released in the first place.

The problem is that this release doesn't at all live up to its name. In fact, I would go so far as to say that what's here is almost the worst of the box! The only tracks here that definitely deserve to be here are: "Clean Up Before She Comes (demo)", Ain't It A Shame", "Old Age", "Oh The Guilt" and "Do Re Mi" (even though the sound quality is crap). You could make a case for a handful of the other tracks but that's it. What about "Pen Cap Chew", "They Hung Him On A Cross", "Grey Goose", "Even In His Youth", "Here She Comes Now", "Aneurysm", "Verse Chorus Verse", "D-7", "Scentless Apprentice" (the extended jam, which is fantastic), "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die", "M.V.", "Marigold" and "Sappy"??? All of these tracks are far better and more worthwhile than what is supposedly the "best of the box". It's a complete joke and an insult to the music buying public. But you know why they've done it like this? So that you can't just buy this release to get the really good stuff. So that you have to buy the box as well. Or if you've already bought the box (which you probably have), so that you can't offload it (with all its filler) and be content with this "best of". Thanks a lot guys.

Oh yeah, there are 3 more rarities on here to entice (or rather force) hardcore fans to re-purchase this rubbish. The 1990 demo of "Sappy" is here, but really it should have been on the box in the first place (along with the version that was on the box). The Fecal Matter "Spank Thru" demo is the most enticing thing here (and it is a worthwhile track) but why not put the rest of the Fecal Matter tracks on here as well? Or maybe some of the other rare tracks named in the liner notes of the box set which many of us have never heard? Instead we get yet another pointless version of "Come As You Are" - the "Boom Box Version", which sounds just as awful as the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Boom Box Version that was included in the box set (and amazingly on this release as well).

Given that the tracklisting is a joke, the new "Come As You Are" version is worthless and there is a version (albeit slightly inferior in my opinion) of "Sappy" already in the box set, the only reason to purchase this release is for "Spank Thru". But do you really think that the record company isn't going to release all of the Fecal Matter tracks along with some other rarities sometime in the not too distant future? Of course they are. Save your money until they give you something worth buying. This is trash and a cynical money-making exercise, nothing more. It has nothing to do with the fans or the legacy of the band or great music. It has everything to do with money.

"Sliver: The best of the box" is a compilation of material from 2004s four-disc box set "With the Lights Out." This new compilation, as its title suggests, curls the best material from the larger box set. Three additional songs, demos of "Spank Thru," "Sappy," and Come as you are" are also included.

The CD includes home demos, radio appearances, and live recordings. The CD flows chronologically, from Cobain's earliest demo with Fecal Matter, to demos recorded in 1994, right before Cobain's death. Some songs are studio demos, while others were recorded on just a boom-box; therefore the quality of these songs varies from poor to good.

"Sliver" both sees the evolution of Cobain as a songwriter, as well as looks at some of his best known songs in their embryonic stage. Some songs, like the stripped down "Sliver" are fantastic and rival the finished product. But even the songs that are of poor-to-fair quality are of historical importance and give the listener an inside look at the songs as works-in-progress.

"Sliver" contains some lost gems that never made it onto the studio albums, like the subdued "Clean up before she comes" and the off-beat rock-a-billy "Ain't it a shame." "Old Age" sounds a bit like a sped-up "Something in the Way," and is up-to-par with the rest of "Nevermind." A home demo of one of Cobain's last songs, "Do Re Me" had great potential. It's a little rough-around-the-edge, but could have been a classic if it had been touched-up and recorded in the studio. Other tracks like Fecal Matter's "Spank Thru" and "Oh the Guilt" don't quite measure up, but should be of interest to fans of the band.

Being mostly a CD of demos, these songs posses an atmospheric, eerie low-fi intrigue, akin to the sound of the Velvet Underground. While the finished songs are ultimately better, these demos are well worth a listen.

Both the demos and live recordings see the band at its rawest, it not finest hour.

If you don't have time and/or money to invest in the larger "With the Lights Out" box set, but are interested in Nirvana's songs as works-in-progress, this CD is highly recommended. The inclusion of the excellent "Old Age" and "Do Re Me," alone is enough reason to buy this album. Fans should also be interested in hearing Cobain's earliest recording, "Spank Thru" (1985) when he was still a teen.

If you have the box set or plan on getting the box set, do NOT buy this disc. It's not worth it, not even for the three 'new' tracks. The 1985 Fecal Matter demo of "Spank Thru" may have historical value, but it's awful. Cobain would grow into a great vocalist and a great guitar player, but on this track, he's still learning. There's some bad wankery on the guitar and the vocals are mediocre. In fact, the first minute or so has some dreadful singing, so much that Novoselic's ear for talent seems all the more remarkable.

The 1990 demo of "Sappy" is merely okay. The guitar and drum work seems rather tame next to the finished version included on the box set, and the vocals are less interesting and generally inferior than those on the finished version too.

The boombox version of "Come As You Are" sounds like a demo recorded on a cheap, single-mic tape recorder. (It may have been recorded on a boombox with a record function, hence the name.) Instrumentally, it's not a bad performance, and the vocals are pretty good, but this is a really lo-fi recording. The drums come in pretty clear, but the guitar and Cobain's vocals are way down in the mix. This early version of the song also repeats the first verse twice - Cobain would later write two more verses and use these on the finished version on NEVERMIND. I doubt I'll ever listen to this 'boombox version' again, especially when the album and live performances are not only better musically but available in better sound quality.

The rest of this disc is available on their box set "With The Lights Out," which is essential to any Nirvana fan (the DVD alone is amazing). If you're on a very tight budget, SLIVER: THE BEST OF THE BOX is an okay option, but ONLY if you have no plans to buy the box set. A few key tracks from the box set are here ("Opinion," "Oh, The Guilt," "Do Re Mi" among others), but there's plenty of good stuff that's only on the box set and not here.

Sorry to spam the site like this, but why the inferiority complex with Nirvana? I'd say Nirvana and Pearl Jam are pretty much on the same page in regards to critical acclaim and fanbase, so what's your beef with Cobain? Nirvana borrowed from the Pixies, sure, but you seem seasoned enough to realize Vedder & his crew borrow from Neil Young and some traces of Led Zeppelin. Your obsession with dogging Nirvana on this site is to the point of psychotic obsession (I rally against 50 Cent a lot, but that's a different issue; yes, it is).

You say that whoever buys this compilation is a "sheep," but you had no problem in recommending PJ's greatest hits package because of a few radio edited/remixed versions of songs widely available. Seems hypocritical. What's the difference? If you love a band enough, you're going to want to own everything they relese. You, above all, should agree with this. I understand your wanting to get enough Pearl Jam as possible, and that doesn't make you a sheep (in my opinion). So why should the script be flipped on Nirvana fans? Because YOU'RE not a fan of the band? Bite me.

Give Nirvana albums all the low reviews you want, but stop insulting the fans with your contradictory garbage. Meanwhile, I'll be comfortable enjoying both Pearl Jam's AND Nirvana's music.

As far as "Sliver" goes, get it if you're a fan. Again, sorry for spamming the site.

As any fan of Nirvana is well aware, Kurt Cobain had a fear that was close to outright paranoia about Nirvana's music being milked and exploited to make a buck. All of a sudden, that fear seems totally legitimate.

This is (basically) the 3rd "Greatest Hits" cd that's been released under the band's banner. Nirvana only had three studio released cds. Well ... four if you count 'Incesticide.'

If you're a younger fan and you want a terrific introduction to the band's work save your money from cd and save up for the 'With the Lights Out' box-set. It doesn't cost too much and is a great way to break into the band.

A true Nirvana fan understands that the only meaning behind this piece is dollar signs.

Kurt Cobain is Kurt Cobain, and I'm sorry if anyone disagrees with me but that is enough to give him five stars out of the gate. I would pay twenty bucks to hear the man sing the alphabet. And to a degree that is kind of what this album is. In case there are fans out there that are unfamiliar with the box set, "With the lights out" it was a collection of rehearsels and rough demos that Nirvana had accumulated over the years. The audio was extremely rough, but worth every penny. What this album is is basically taking the best of the best and repackaging them into a 22 song format.

Now, as a reviewer I feel that it is my responsibility to be honest. I love Nirvana more then should be humanly possible, but I was still a little dissapointed with this disc. For months I've heard hype about how this disc would have two new songs, and I was lead to believe that they would be of the same caliber that "you know you're right" was on the greatest hits disc. Not so. "Sappy" sounds decent, and is a very good song, in fact it could stand to be a good "new" song, if I haven't had it on CD for about three years now. (It comes on a B-side disc with the track "Laundry room" a great song that for some damn reason hasn't made it onto any of these albums, wonder why?)

The "come as you are" demo is cool for the first couple of run throughs but isn't amazing. What this release basically comes down to is this. THIS IS NOT A GREATEST HITS CD! The songs DO NOT SOUND LIKE THEY DID ON NEVERMIND, INCESTISCIDE, BLEACH, OR IN UTERO.There for casual radio fans of Nirvana need not apply to this release. This is a cd for the die hards, the ones like me who can get by the rough edge of the recordings and hear the talent that Cobain had. If you think you can do that, and don't have "With the lights out" then you should get this as soon as you can.

Finally I must say this, Cobain was a legend. Nirvana were musical saviors. So STOP! releasing albums like this for just the die hards. If somewhere in a vault there are tracks from the Nirvana album that never got finished because Kurt died, then mix those tracks and release them on an Ep, if they don't exist, then stop doing this to great music. Kurt would turn in his grave to know that his demos were being constantly regurgitated onto different discs so a group of suits can make as much cash as possible off of Nirvana. And the sad thing is that it will take awhile before that formula fails, because Nirvana meant so much to so many people, and they will contiuosly poor money into Nirvana in order to feel that connection again. And taking finnancial advantage of people like that is wrong. So please, just let the legend rest and don't taint people's view of Nirvna by releasing numerous DEMO discs.

Thank you for your time.

This album is meant for big Nirvana fans. You should only buy this if you don't want to shell out $40 for the box set (hardcore fans can just get the three new songs off iTunes or Napster).

This CD decently selects the best songs of With The Lights Out. But every fan has their favourites off the box set, and every person has a different "best of the box" for themselves. I thought the demo of "Dumb" and "Drain You" should have been on here.

The new songs are pretty good too.

"Spank Thru" gives a taster of the earliest Nirvana demo (Kurdt was the only real member in that version). Kurt's vocals are pretty funny, and it sounds a lot better than the live version on "Wishkah". The demo of "Sappy" is very good. Most say its sloppy, but it's pulled off very nicely. The boombox version of "Come as You Are" is a bit too similar to the studio version. They should have put on an earlier demo of it.

A strong album overall, but could have used improvement. Only buy this if you don't want to shell out $40 for the real box set.

The quality and selection of these bootlegs is crap, pure and simple. The people that give this Nirvana/pre-Nirvana compilation more than one star must be deaf, because this Best of is the worst Nirvana ever had to offer.

There are literally hundreds of hours of better unreleased Nirvana recordings and versions out there, like the version of "Sappy" from the Smart studio session from April of 1990. It's strange the record company included a far inferior and badly-played version of the song from the same year. To give you an idea of how high-quality and well-played the Smart session songs are, I must mention that it's the same session that yielded the version of "Polly" that was put on Nevermind. It's damn good. Unlike everything on here. The suits at Geffen and Interscope just want to milk Nirvana for every penny they can, and are making unsuspecting Nirvana fans pay for the cream of the crap (this supposed Best of the Box and With the Lights Out) when they don't have to. To any Nirvana fan that wants to hear better versions of the songs on With the Lights Out: Check the 'net. You can download the same Nirvana songs in better quality, in their entirety. For example, the whole live radio show that yielded "Opinion" has been circulating for years on the bootleg circuit, and actually includes the very funny and amusing banter with Kurt being interviewed by Calvin, the owner of Circle K Records. Kurt claims he wrote the lyrics to "Opinion" while driving "with one foot" on the way up to the interview. Then he does something several Nirvana fans have yet to hear him do: He laughs about it. To me, Kurt's very silly yet insightful conversation throughout the interview is much more interesting than the actual songs, which are played extremely sloppily. I guess Krist, Dave, and Courtney didn't want to let fans know Kurt had a funny side to him. Kinda takes away from his suicidal angst, which is what makes uninformed people buy this crappy set of recordings. Don't even get me started how worthless the boombox recordings and uber-sh*tty and very embarrassing version of "Spank Thru" are. Bottom line: NO record company should be putting this crap out. These kinds of songs are what you exchange blank cassette tapes and CDs for on the internet (hint, hint). Songs this bad are not worth spending money on.

There is no excuse for the CD to be made. I thought when it was first announced it would be HIGHLIGHTS from the box set and a couple other songs they didn't put on the box. This CD is overburdened with scraps, there were great (full) songs on With The Lights Out, but only a couple of them show up here. Once again, the Cobain estate is going to try to sap us as much as possible until they give us a complete rareties, compilation and b-side tracks set. Buy the box set and make your own compilation.

I still don't know why Geffen bothered to release this best of the box compilation, oh yeah, I forgot, more flow of bucks from the already cash stripped Nirvana fans. I'll try to keep it simple, if you are a true Nirvana fan, you'll probably save up to buy the real stuff, the Box, which really has a lot of rarities that are not available elsewhere, like Verse Chorus Verse or Old Age from the Nevermind recordings, or the Rio de Janeiro Sessions, and many other songs that are known to the bootleg community (like Endless Nameless and Dumb from the Peel sessions, Sappy from the In Utero recordings), but in this case the sound quality is much better.

This, apart from the already known songs from the box, has three new additions, Spank Thru from the Legendary 1985 Fecal Matter Demo, which is OK, and the Nirvana community is surely pleased about this. On the other side, Sappy is just...gross, I have heard over 10 different renditions of Sappy, both live and studio, and I have to say, this is the worst one, sounds very sloppy, just plain hideous. Better stick with the Sappy from the Smart sessions, or the Sappy from the No Alternative Compilation.

Regarding Come As You Are, apart from being an historic piece (since this song comes from the legendary 1991 rehearsals done for the upcoming album, Nevermind) there is nothing else to say, the quality of the song is not for putting in a product like this.

Overall, if you are a casual Nirvana fan, don't buy this, don't even buy the boxset, stick with Nevermind, In Utero, Bleach, and of course MTV Unplugged. For the rest of us, the hardcore Nirvana fans, I think Geffen is underestimating the fact that we could pay a lot for some stuff that is really wanted from long time, like the 1993 Sao Paulo concert, the Terminal 1 Munich show, and other nice live concerts, but they don't seem to realise that. Please stick with the bootlegs and the Net whenever you can.