Sit And Drink Pennyroyal Tea
When Nirvana released In Utero in September 1993 they were at the absolute height of their power. This grittier and rougher album was a reaction to the massive explosion of fame in the wake of releasing Nevermind. Whilst Nevermind was the hit-heavy 'classic', to many of the die-hards, new and old, In Utero has developed to become the more favoured release. So here we are twenty years later, and in celebration of this anniversary DGC Records have unveiled a real treat. The scope of this box set is staggering; re-mastered tracks? Check. Bonus tracks? Check. Unheard material? Check. And there's more. As well as all of the stuff based around the recordings of In Utero, fans are also treated to a live album accompanied by a DVD.
It's not all about the music with this pack as well. Within the box-set there is a brilliant collection of rare unseen photos as well as shots of Cobain's hand written lyrics for several of the tracks. Truly and honestly for any fans of the band this is an absolute must-buy. You could end up losing an entire afternoon just engrossing yourself in everything this has to offer. In the build-up to writing this I re-visited the set a few times, and each time I found something new.
The re-mastered versions of the tracks sound great, and don't lose any of the gritty edge or integrity. Serve The Servants sounds just as crunchy and Very Ape just as savage as the original release. The new mix actually helps blow up certain aspects without obnoxiously intruding on the music. The fact that Grohl, Novoselic and Smear oversaw proceedings means so much as well. This isn't just a quick money making re-release. This is a meticulously worked powerhouse of a collection which maintains the memory of both the band and the album. The previously unheard recording Forgotten Tune is a real gem. Who knew they'd ever get the chance to hear anything 'new' from Nirvana? Of course, it's not anywhere near the finished product, sounding more like a jam than anything but still exciting nonetheless. Its groove fuelled jazzy feel is really interesting and leaves the mind really wondering how it might have ended up. The various demos also showcase the raw edge the band had at the time before being exposed to studio tweaks. These rare little insights into the song compilation process prove to be phenomenally powerful as you're ultimately left to dwell over the tragedy that befell this band. But this is a celebration of Cobain and the band's last recordings and should be treated as such.
Very often, anniversary re-releases come around and all we get is a tweak in the production and a bonus track. But this is how it should be done. This is an absolutely brilliant re-introduction to an absolutely extraordinary album; fans will be left salivating over everything that is on offer. For a band that has been out of action for just under twenty years now you can't really expect much more from an anniversary box-set, truly stunning.