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MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana
MTV Unplugged In New York

[Album]
31 October 1994
Grunge Rock

Wikipedia Discogs

Library Status Complete FLAC 16bit/44.1khz CD

'MTV Unplugged In New York' is the first live album by Nirvana. It was released nearly seven months following the suicide of Kurt Cobain. The album was part of the cable television series MTV Unplugged and features a mostly acoustic performance. It was recorded at Sony Music Studios in Hell's Kitchen on November 18, 1993.

TheBigBlack Review
(25 November 2023)

Rating - 5 Stars

To say Kurt Cobain had become an icon of a generation post-suicide was a big call, but actually somewhat an understatement. His ghost loomed in hard rock everywhere, and certainly any band out of Seattle couldn't even sigh without fans clamouring to find hidden meaning in their laboured breath. It was inevitable that the flood gates of unreleased Nirvana material would pour forth to the masses quickly, but this first release (around 6 months after Cobain's death, timed of course to cash in on the Christmas market) was not what was expected - but it was certainly appreciated. Cobain's songwriting legacy to the general public was the loud/soft dynamic of so many Nirvana singles, so this album was a perfect way to help the world appreciate the subtleties of his songwriting. It also allowed him to explore some of his musical influences. MTV were looking for a set of hit singles, but what they got instead was a range of lesser known Nirvana songs stripped back (not quite unplugged, as Cobain insisted on amping his guitar still) played with a unique charm. Cobain was mostly zoned out for the performance, reportedly suffering from heroin withdrawal at the time, but every vocal moment still shines magically. Nirvana mega-fans already knew a couple of the covers played from various recent performances, but for those hearing songs like The Vaselines' 'Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam' (with Krist Novoselic on piano accordion) and the epic Lead Belly closer 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night?' (something Cobain had toyed with for years) these were revelations. Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold The World' was also a very welcome surprise, but the addition of The Meat Puppets playing some of their own songs was like nothing in Unplugged history. It was a move typical of Cobain, once again showing that he played by no one's rules but his own.
Tracks:  
(1/1) 1.
Nirvana - About A Girl [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (03:38)
(1/1) 2.
Nirvana - Come As You Are [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (04:14)
(1/1) 3.
Nirvana - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / The Vaselines cover] (04:37)
(1/1) 4.
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / David Bowie cover] (04:21)
(1/1) 5.
Nirvana - Pennyroyal Tea [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (03:41)
(1/1) 6.
Nirvana - Dumb [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (02:53)
(1/1) 7.
Nirvana - Polly [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (03:16)
(1/1) 8.
Nirvana - On A Plain [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (03:45)
(1/1) 9.
Nirvana - Something In The Way [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (04:02)
(1/1) 10.
Nirvana - Plateau [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / Meat Puppets cover] (03:38)
(1/1) 11.
Nirvana - Oh Me [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / Meat Puppets cover] (03:26)
(1/1) 12.
Nirvana - Lake Of Fire [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / Meat Puppets cover] (02:56)
(1/1) 13.
Nirvana - All Apologies [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A.] (04:23)
(1/1) 14.
Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? [Live Unplugged, 18 November 1993, for 'MTV Unplugged', at Sony Studios, New York City, New York, U.S.A. / Lead Belly cover] (05:07)

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