Retro Girl Album Review

By: Arianna Grewal 

In Utero by Nirvana

     In Utero was released in September of 1993 by the band Nirvana.  It was the last studio album to be released by Nirvana, winning a grammy award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1994. Rumors circulated that the record label was hesitant to the release because it was not “radio listener friendly.” This was because In Utero differed from their breakthrough album Nevermind.

     In Utero, in contrast to Nevermind, manifested a rougher sound, while Nevermind featured something more polished. But this was exactly what Kurt Cobain was looking for. He told Rolling Stone magazine in 1992, that he wanted the band's next album to show "both of the extremes" of its sound, and said "It'll be more raw with some songs and more candy pop on some of the others. It won't be as one-dimensional” (as Nevermind was).

     Despite whatever hesitation there was, the album immediately took off. It hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart. On some tracks, like Milk It, Cobain’s voice was “screamy,” producing a raw sort of sound.  This was achieved by allowing Cobain to be recorded while singing alone in the recording room. Additionally, this technique can be heard at the end of Rape Me.

     A lot of the reasoning behind In Utero’s rough and abrasive sound has more to do with just differing from Nevermind in general. It had a lot to do with showcasing Kurt Cobain’s emotional state before this album was released.  Kurt Cobain struggled with the sudden fame the release of Nevermind brought him and the band’s overwhelming success. He never wanted the responsibility of being the voice of a generation, he merely wanted to make great music.

     In Serve the Servants the lines “Teenage angst has paid off well/ Now I’m bored and old” was a reference to Cobain’s feelings following the success of Nevermind. There were personal references about his family relationships throughout the song, and plenty more throughout the album. Nirvana’s bass player, Krist Novoselic, thought the album’s tracks Heart-Shaped Box and All Apologies were transitional to that rougher, rawer sound on the rest of the album.

     Cobain told journalist Jim DeRogatis that when fans listened to the album, they would find "this aggressive wild sound, a true alternative record.” In Utero did a phenomenal job of displaying Cobain’s love-hate relationship with his publicized personal life and the success that came with their breakthrough album Nevermind. It contains a heavier, rawer, experimental sound which makes it a collection favorite to a lot of Grunge fans out there.

Editor’s note: 

     The millennials, a generation so heavily embedded in the idea of individuality, can also be characterized as a “throwback” generation, especially when it comes to music. In recent years, a  90’s resurgence has flooded the media, our radio stations, and our favorite clothing stores. The Retro Girl Album Reviews column, written by Arianna Grewal, will share with you some thoughts on prominent and sometimes more obscure albums that were popular in the 90’s. Get into the grunge and enjoy.