Nirvana “Nevermind” Review: Expectations

Nevermind

Out of the list of albums I had to choose from, Nevermind, Nirvana’s second album released in 1991 caught my eye. I had throughout my life heard about Nirvana’s music, whether it be how great it was, how unique it was, or how simply groundbreaking it was to the classification of American music genres. However, the only songs I had ever listened to were “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Like every other teenager living elsewhere than under a boulder) and “Come As You Are” (thank you Guitar Hero). I was stricken with indecision while trying to choose either Nevermind or Led Zeppelin’s IV, however the allure of discovering the sources of intrigue surrounding Kurt Cobain (and the life and times of) were too irresistible. I find myself particularly eager to learn and listen to artists of struggle. And from what I know from pop culture and general knowledge, the suicidal front man was full of it.

My expectation of Nevermind is to be painted a portrait of struggle by Cobain, with the highly explosive sound of punk/grunge rock providing the medium for his outcries. As a celebrity who committed suicide at the height of his fame, and three years after the release of Nevermind, I expect and hope to discover some insight as to the battle he was going through, and through the deciphering of lyrics and interviews, I hope to come up with an idea of what Cobain was going through in the spotlight. I don’t expect to be blown away with displays of musical talent, because from what I’ve listened to, I don’t see any specific ability that the band members of  Nirvana possess that other good bands do not. However,  upon finding out that it was ranked 17^th in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I feel as though Nevermind was so highly regarded because of it’s innovation and influence. I predict that instead of hearing music that blows me away, I will hear  the cause of a teen phenomena and the start of a movement, like Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP did for teens of my generation.

Another reason why I decided to choose Nevermind was because what I have heard about the beliefs of Kurt Cobain. In Kendrick Lamar’s song HiiPower while speaking about the ills of American society and government says:

“Frightening, so fucking frightening
Enough to drive a man insane, a woman insane
The reason Lauryn Hill don’t sing, or Kurt Cobain
loaded that clip and then said “Bang!”, the drama it bring
is crazy, product of the late 80’s”

As a self-proclaimed critic of society, the U.S. and mankind in general, I’m very interested in the views of those who struggle to exist in a society they don’t necessarily support. Cobain appears to me as a person I could not only support, but hopefully learn from as well. As a highly scrutinized and prominent figure in pop-culture I would like to find out the beliefs of Cobain and hopefully hear it in his music. To get a better understanding on the links between the American system, Cobain, Nirvana’s music and the influence of Nirvana, I will be watching a documentary made in 2006 about Cobain called “About A Son” after my initial listen to the album.