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Album Club
30-09-2017, 21:52
This month's Album Club choice come courtesy of Oliver (Bigman80) with Nirvana's 'Unplugged'. As always please listen to the album in its entirety before you comment and/or vote.


Nirvana – Unplugged (Vinyl)

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61y2GWAIrsL._SY355_.jpg


I've spent 20 years with this album. I first heard it on a school trip to Germany in 1997. From that day to this I still love it. There's an eerie intimacy to this recording, dark but involving. It's very rare any singer would allow his vocals to be so exposed, no auto tune or redubbing of this album. Its just a raw performance.

For me, side two is where all the magic happens, a group riding high in the charts, selling out venues worldwide and a lead singer/songwriter battling the effects of drug abuse and a manipulative wife all seem to be portrayed as "therapy" into a haunting cacophany of emotive music. Winter seems to draw me to this album, lights lowered, fire on and it just me and Kurt Cobain, displaying his anguish beautifully.

Performance wise, the band are tight and well practiced. It's as good a performance I've heard anywhere other than "The Who – Live at Leeds" and there's a very simplistic quality to the performance. Nothing elaborate, just music in its purest form – Live

Have a listen, rate it and enjoy.........hopefully!

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https://open.spotify.com/album/5pbjLidJuoty9QUOy6X682

Sand Dancin Donkey Walker
02-10-2017, 20:37
Very good choice Oliver.
Had this on vinyl for a few years now and enjoy each time it is played.
Though I should spin it more often than I actually do.
I agree with your summary of the band and music.
Having played it all the way through (both sides) I would give it a strong 9/10

martian sunrise
02-10-2017, 20:51
Fantastic album. I am a couple of years older than you, Oliver, but it takes me back to a similar time.

Bigman80
02-10-2017, 20:57
I'm glad it's transporting you back in time as it does me.

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Bigman80
02-10-2017, 20:57
Very good choice Oliver.
Had this on vinyl for a few years now and enjoy each time it is played.
Though I should spin it more often than I actually do.
I agree with your summary of the band and music.
Having played it all the way through (both sides) I would give it a strong 9/10Thank you Andy.

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stairpost
03-10-2017, 20:12
Fantastic album!

A great excuse to have another listen to it.

A thoroughly good choice.

Bigman80
03-10-2017, 20:20
Fantastic album!

A great excuse to have another listen to it.

A thoroughly good choice.[emoji38]

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high.spirits
07-10-2017, 14:43
Thanks for the suggestion, I do like live albums. I have never listened to a Nirvana album, so a first for me. Must be something to do with my age and life moving fast when having a young family during that period.

It took a couple of listens / watches via the YouTube link, to get into it. I preferred side 2 and especially the Bowie cover - The man who sold the world. 7/10 cheers

Barry
01-11-2017, 15:06
Sorry not quite my 'cup of tea'. I would say that I found it all a bit of the same, and I didn't really like the singer's voice. But the complaint of it all sounding the same could be levelled at many of my musical tastes. I guess Nirvana is not my era.

However I'll score it 7/10 as I did like a few tracks.

Bigman80
01-11-2017, 23:59
Fair enough! It won't be for everyone. Still gets a regular at I'm my house.

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goraman
10-02-2019, 03:08
I had this on LP, and now on CD.
It seems a very honest recording but I thought UNPLUGGED MEANT NO ELECTRIC GUITARS?
A careful listen and you will find it is not truly unplugged.
I would rate it higher than a 7 but the lyrics are sometimes moronic and Kurt's vocals sound Quaalude influenced and ruff at the same time.
It has all the tempo of a funeral dirge and makes me feel depressed , The only thing more depressing would be going home to Cortney Love after recording this.:mental:

Bigman80
10-02-2019, 06:48
Well, if you're feeling depressed the album is obviously having an effect!

The album is an insight into how ragged and fragile he'd become. The addiction and turmoil he felt pours out into the recording and yes, some lyrics are nonsense but that doesn't detract for me. Show me a band from the 90s that didn't have garbage lyrics from time to time!!

An electro acoustic is still an acoustic in my book but listen to Kiss-Unplugged and they use electric bass guitars at times. That's a no no.

Any way, I still love this album.

goraman
11-02-2019, 01:03
Well, if you're feeling depressed the album is obviously having an effect!

The album is an insight into how ragged and fragile he'd become. The addiction and turmoil he felt pours out into the recording and yes, some lyrics are nonsense but that doesn't detract for me. Show me a band from the 90s that didn't have garbage lyrics from time to time!!

An electro acoustic is still an acoustic in my book but listen to Kiss-Unplugged and they use electric bass guitars at times. That's a no no.

Any way, I still love this album.

It's love hate for me at times, after his death I look at this recording differently and you nailed it , he is very fragile and broken, suffering in song if you will. Hard to listen to now.
The lead into Man who sold the world just sounds very electric to me for a acoustic body .
America's version of Sid and Nancy I guess,

Bigman80
11-02-2019, 08:30
It's love hate for me at times, after his death I look at this recording differently and you nailed it , he is very fragile and broken, suffering in song if you will. Hard to listen to now.
The lead into Man who sold the world just sounds very electric to me for a acoustic body .
America's version of Sid and Nancy I guess,Absolutely right. The two of them were toxic together. I am still convinced she played a part in his death.

The album was recorded in such an intimate way that he couldn't hide his "fragility"

It's brutal.