Nirvana - In Utero

If Nirvana was going to end on a good note - in terms of acclaim, popularity and craft - this is the best way to do it.

If Nevermind was ended up being a reflection of their entry into indie/mega popular status, In Utero both solidified their popularity and confirm them as anti-pop stars. Employing the engineering skills and noise sensibilities of Steve Albini, Nirvana create a work that is more cathartic, aggressive and confrontational. Here the drums and the guitars sound like assault machine guns going a blaze. The lyrics have cobra's venom delivered by a Cobain that alternates between resigned melancholy and scathing assertion.

The lyrics here reflected a Cobain who was on edge. He was dealing with his old fans who thought Nevermind put them in the sell-out category, his new fans who were more fair-weathered, the media in general, fame, success and his family. Strangely enough, there are some moments where he hits upon an exit to his downward spiral (the final lines of "All Apologizes" for an example) but this was someone felt so depressed and so clouded with negativity that he couldn't take it anymore.

Personally I enjoyed this album more than Nevermind and consider this to be one of their finest. While it's fun to imagine what Nirvana could have done in the long run, there's also nothing wrong with this album being the last album and a final testament to an important and intriguing group that became popular on its own terms.