Posts Tagged ‘Nirvana’

h1

Album of the Week: Nirvana – "Nevermind" (1991)

2009/06/14

Track 5: Lithium:

I've already posted "In Bloom" as one of my songs of the day, but most of the album is worthy. Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl were musical geniuses to put together this sound and as I said in my "In Bloom" post, they are probably the most influential band of the 1990s.

They put a sound and a face to the angst and apathy felt by my generation. (Actually I think I speak for late generation X & early generation Y.) What else were we to do? We're NOT "the greatest generation", and we do not deserve the title. We did not fight and win WWII. We are a fraction of the size of the "baby boomers" who have pretty much called the shots as long as we have been alive. Most of us work in an office now I would think, essentially caught in a system not of our design or desire. Most of us are probably just trying to live as good a life as our parents did and probably finding it difficult to do in these times. Hard work only gets you so far. It often seems like you either have to get lucky or screw someone over to "make it", and why bother? Bigger house? Bigger car? More money? Will it will make you happy? Will it solve your problems or fix the world? We humans are never ever satisfied! "When you have everything, you want something more—more exotic, more perfect, more specific" – Agent Ballard in Dollhouse

I think we were right to be apathetic and angst driven. I think we still are deep down inside (or we're kidding ourselves).

Tie that to the fact that most of us are college educated and living a life our great-grandparents would consider spoiled in comparison. Most of us have food, shelter, clothing, and are not being drafted to go fight a war half a world away. I myself live in a house and a place that seems almost Utopian. As I type away on my laptop, in the office in my house, chomping on a bag of corn chips, I feel like a poser. Perhaps I am spoiled.

Whatever. Justified or not, I listen to Nirvana's "Nevermind" now and it still feels relevant and true.

Here are my 6 favorites from the album, with "Lithium" being my favorite. (I usually list 5, but "Drain You" is just too good to cut.)

Track 1: Smells Like Teen Spirit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPQR-OsH0RQ

Track 2: In Bloom
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/nirvana+in+bloom/video/x1pwt7

Track 3: Come As You Are
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/nirvana+come+as+you+/video/x7zge4

Track 5: Lithium
http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/nirvana+lithium/video/x1kpn

Track 6: Polly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdXy75VrQho

Track 8: Drain You
hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfgbV1ZB0Ds

Click here for other album suggestions!

Click here for more info on Nirvana – "Nevermind".

The MP3 album may be purchased here…

Leave a Comment | Posted in Album of the Week | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

h1

Nirvana – "In Bloom" (1991)

2009/04/26

The flowers are in bloom, but I highly doubt that caused this song to be stuck in my head this morning. Listening to Nirvana in the early 90s made be feel badass and I truly loved the music so there was no need to pretend on that level. The attitude of the music appealed to my teenage mind, and perhaps still does 18 years later.

I was sad and pissed when Kurt Cobain offed himself. We've all heard the stories of why and how, etc. I think he had the world and blew it. Instead he is forever idolized and stuck in time as a 27 year old. He must have had more albums in him too. Props to Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl for picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, moving on, and sticking with music. Anyway…

Nirvana. Highly recommended (even if you're not an angst filled teenager). Possibly the most influential band of the 1990s. Check them out if you haven't already.

Click here for more info on Nirvana – Nevermind – "In Bloom".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

1 Comment | Posted in Song of the Day | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

h1

The Polyphonic Spree – "Lithium" (2006)

2009/04/16

I love Nirvana's original version of "Lithium", but today I felt like something a little different. This cover by The Polyphonic Spree is totally awesome in my book. Some commenter on the youtube video above referred to the group and to cover as "gay". Really though, with the whole chorus of Polyphonic Spree singers belting out the lines, it has a sort of crazed mob feeling to it that the original lacks. In fact in some ways the group in this cover sounds even closer to the 'craking' point the song speaks of. And the instrumentation only adds to it with the blend of keyboards, violin, cello, harp, & slide whistles on the one hand, and horns, guitars & drums on the other. So many instruments and voices in a wall of sound at the climax of the song, it is an awesome sound and scene, on the edge of chaos, that I think pays tribute to the kind of thinking that led to the original song by Nirvana.

By the way, they say the white robes are there to provide the "image of purity, hope, and happiness", but really with up to 27 performers at times, I have to believe it is to clearly mark who is in the crowd and who is performing. Plus it puts the focus on THEM, their faces, instruments, and music, not on what each of the 27 members is wearing. I get that. Perhaps they'll let me be number 28?

PS: The FULL song can be heard here. The video above chops off the last minute or so where the song slowly fades one instrument at a time and finishes on a chord so full of optimism that it is hard to believe it is still a Nirvana song. I love it!

Click here for more info on The Polyphonic Spree – Wait – "Lithium".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

1 Comment | Posted in Song of the Day | Tagged , , , , , , , ,