Nirvana – Nevermind

What can I say about this album? This is probably one of my favorite albums of all time. I can still remember the first time I  heard it on MTV. I was like ‘I’m not sure what musical genre that is, but I need more of it’.

Before I listened to this album (and Pearl Jam’s Ten) I was heavy into 1970’s/80’s music specifically Queen, Bob Seager, Cat Stevens, CCR and the Beatles. I listened to that genre almost exclusively and the only exposure I got to other types of songs was via MTV.

That all changed once I listened to Nirvana’s Nevermind. Every track spoke to teen Tony in a way that I think most of my GenX peers would recognize. Socially and politically we were just jaded and this music was so angry and full of emotion that it tapped into the rebellious spirit and became a huge influence in how we dressed and acted (well, my friend group at least).

I’m not sure I could pick a favorite. Smells like Teen Spirit is overplayed but I still headbang every time it plays on my grunge playlist. In Bloom’s driving guitar made me pick up an electric guitar and try to figure out how to play it. Dave Grohl’s drumming in bread never fails to get me hyped – in fact his drumming across the album is simple yet serves the song perfectly. The stripped down acoustic on Polly is so different yet seems to fit into the album perfectly.

When you’re angry at the world put on Territorial Pissings and just scream along with Kurt – let the anger out. It’s such a good song to scream along to.

What this album makes me feel: Young again. Driving up somewhere with the cyber/chat crew in my falling apart Chevy Blazer with this album in the tape deck playing over the cheap stock speakers. Being different – engaging grunge in all it’s flannel glory and opening my eyes to a wide world of music that I wasn’t aware was even out there.

5/5 – I mean – what else can I give it? It’s a great album on it’s own but wrapped into the reshaping of my identity back then it’s influence on me continues to this day.