Nirvana :: Nevermind...Well, Whatever (Unmastered Reissue Butch Vig and John Peel Mixes)

Nirvana :: Nevermind

Geffen

September 27th 2011

September 24th 1991

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The reissue of Nevermind was an event that almost went unmarked on the Mango Nebula calendar for a few reasons. As the band's major label debut, the album was what gave the band global infamy thanks to Geffen's hype machine, and almost assuredly started Kurt Cobain writing drafts of his suicide note. The album bears the marks of something built for the mainstream, the hit single first, close on the sad song, flawless production, and isn't as artistically constructed as its successor, In Utero. However, it's the production of the album that was always the most bothersome. For a punk rock inspired thrash metal band, the glossy production that excised the grunge from grunge of Andy Wallace's mixes never made sense and were markedly different from that of their first, Bleach.

So, when the news came out that the reissue would include Butch Vig's Devonshire mixes and Smart Studio Sessions, as well as John Peel's incredible live BBC sessions, it became a bit more interesting. It seems the most work was put into "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as it is the opener, and it sounds like it could fit right onto Bleach. Other most notable alternate mixes are the "Breed" demo "Immodium," the Smart Sessions "Lithium," and "Drain You" from the BBC. "Immodium" has an energy not present on the already insanely energetic Wallace mix. Cobain messes up the lyrics towards the end, as he often did on stage, but it seems to fit with the already switched around and jumbled words of the confused narrator. The "Lithium" version is incredible because the verses feature an acoustic guitar which slides with poor production into the electric chorus. The John Peel sessions all feature well rehearsed live material and are worth searching for on the internet. Particularly, "Drain You" has a fanatically romantic intensity and even features jangling pocket change and an air compressor or something in the bridge. It's a feat that is hard to figure how they were able to pull it off live. Along with the 'secret track,' "Endless, Nameless," which is a dark botched piece of debauchery also from the BBC sessions and not included on the reissue, these tracks form a different vision of Nevermind that is more consistent with the punk rock Nirvana that preceded and followed it.

Tracklist:
1. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
2. In Bloom (Smart Studios Session Take)
3. Come As You Are (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
4. Immodium (Smart Studios Breed Demo)
5. Lithium (Smart Studios Session Take)
6. Polly (Smart Studios Session Take)
7. Territorial Pissings (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
8. Drain You (BBC John Peel Sessions)
9. Lounge Act (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
10. Stay Away (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
11. On a Plain (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
12. Something in the Way (Butch Vig Devonshire Mix)
13. Endless, Nameless (BBC John Peel Sessions)

Get the tracks here.