Plus, when the Apple Music stream simply sounds right, with a more solid mid to low end, even I have to acknowledge that sometimes that is more than enough. While I acknowledge that other vinyl releases, based upon reviews, suggest sonic superiority, it’s a case of once bitten, twice shy. In essence, if you choose this particular vinyl reissue, you’ll experience this performance via your speakers rather than being enveloped in the performance itself. Additionally, you don’t get the sense that the band is in the room with you when listening to the vinyl counterpart an aspect that is most certainly present on the Apple Music stream. While Cobain’s vocal is front and centre, the instrumental backing is somewhat compressed and shriller than on the lossless stream. While I’ve been fortunate to own the 2008 vinyl reissue, this particular release isn’t as stunning as the Lossless Apple Music stream.
Regarding the sonic qualities of the recording, MTV Unplugged In New York has been reissued numerous times, especially on physical formats. This is less problematic when using headphones, but I feel it should have been omitted from the music-only releases of the performance. It isn't excessive, nor is it irrelevant, but the volume level is so low that the context isn't easily discernible. From The Vaselines to David Bowie to The Meat Puppets and even a Lead Belly cover, the songs were done so well that Nirvana made them their own.įlawless is certainly one way to describe this release, but if there was one criticism to make it would be that I generally dislike the conversation between songs. Similarly, the inclusion of covers made this particular performance even more memorable. Interestingly, this concert was less about Nirvana’s well-known chart-topping hits and more about creative expression and the exploration of deeper cuts that most people, had they not heard the albums, would have been unaware of. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it as Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged In New York impressively sold more than 10 million units and also won them a Grammy Award (their only one) for the performance. Showcasing some of Nirvana’s greatest tunes, and incredible covers, while also being one of the best live recordings ever made this is one release you should not ignore. Whether you agree, or not, with the above affirmation, there is no doubt that Nirvana’s 1993 live performance, MTV Unplugged In New York (released a year later, several months post-Cobain’s death, in November, 1994), is a no-compromise off-the-charts recording. This is especially relevant when listening to the dexterity in Cobain’s vocal range. Such a combination shouldn’t work, on paper, yet in retrospect, it isn’t difficult to suggest that Nirvana were ideally suited to the soft and/or folk-rock styles heard via this performance. Yes, fellow Nirvana fans, you may be offended by that declaration, and while I’m not suggesting that Nirvana weren’t an exceptional rock band and a highlight of grunge, punk, and alternative rock genres, there’s something magical about their MTV Unplugged In New York performance that can't be overlooked. The powerful, reverent covers of Lead Belly, David Bowie and (three) Meat Puppets songs sum up Nirvana as a haunted, theatrical and, ultimately, truly raw band.Experimenting with styles is a key motivator for most musicians, but who would have ever thought that Nirvana would perform unplugged and in the process deliver a recording that is superior to their studio albums? "Nirvana shine brightly on this striking live set because the volume is turned down just low enough to let Kurt Cobain's tortured vulnerability glow. Standout tracks include stirring renditions of the Meat Puppets' "Plateau," "Oh, Me" and "Lake of Fire," the Vaselines' "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam," David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" and Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" along with band classics like "About A Girl," "Come As Your Are," "Pennyroyal Tea," and "All Apologies."
However, the emotion and anguish revealed through the intimate performances here end up offering a new appreciation for the nuances of one of the greatest and most revered bands of recent times, one that may have been on the verge of discovering a new sound and style. Release date 06-11-2008(originally released in 1994)ġ994's Unplugged In New York was the last Nirvana collection recorded before the suicide of alternative-rock icon Kurt Cobain and its stripped down, neo-acoustic arrangements and bridled fury caught many fans by surprise. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab ( MOFI ) (MFSL)
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