This has to be the most under-rated Nirvana album. A lot of the material was written back in the early Nirvana days in Olympia and Aberdeen, WA, which is why most of the songs have the aggressive-raw-though sound, similar to the songs on the Bleach album. The album collects early singles, b-sides and outtakes. Like most compilation albums the songs are not as polished as a regular release, but this works very well for Nirvana since their music isn't meant to be over-produced anyway. It's Nirvana, so the sound is going to be raw, and since these are b-sides, there is a very grungy sound, and less of the pop side of it. I will also mention that there are a handful of little-known covers in the album. Enjoy the review. :)
1.Dive
This is one of my favorite Nirvana songs. Just can't get that chorus out of your head. It's a fantastic opener with a bass line that pulls you in from the get-go. It was originally released as a single in the summer of 1990. (With Sliver included). 5/5
2.Sliver
Sliver is a childhood portrait that is both amusing and mildly chilling, with a great flow. It's a great fast driven song. As I said earlier, it was a part of the Dive single, and as a matter of fact, the "Dive/Sliver" single was a huge turning point for Nirvana because it paved the way for the sound of Nevermind. 4/5
3.Stain
Stain is also a fine example of the transition from "Bleach" to "Nevermind." It's very interesting. I can really relate the lyric, "I'm a stain." It sounds like a more melodic version of a Bleach track. It was recorded at a BBC session AFTER Nevermind, in the fall of '91. 4/5
4.Been A Son
This song grows and grows on you the more you listen. "Been a Son" is a song obviously inspired by the Vaselines and has a great tune to it, and is very easy to sing along to. It was recorded at a BBC session in the fall of '91 too. 5/5
5.Turnaround
"Turnaround" throws you for a loop stuck between two rather upbeat songs, but is great in its own right. Good cover of a Devo song. It was recorded in late 1990 for the John Peel session in October of that year. 4/5
6.Molly's Lips
This is also a John Peel session recording. It's such an upbeat and happy song, definitely one of my favorites. It's extremely entertaining, not to mention a cover the Vaselines. I've listened to the original version of "Molly's Lips," and I'll tell you that Nirvana brought their music from a song with just potential to one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. 5/5
7.Son Of A Gun
This is yet another John Peel session song. Again, it's a cover of a Vaselines song (the third and final cover). I also have listened to the original Vaselines recording of this and I don't think it's as good as Nirvana's. Maybe I'm just being bias, but Kurt really makes this song his own. I LOVE IT! 5/5
8.(New Wave) Polly
If you didn't know, the original Polly (on Nevermind) was acoustic. This is a little different. It's an interesting song. New Wave means that it's basically just a punk rock version of the acoustic Polly. It's a strange trip indeed. I like it. 4/5
9.Beeswax
Now we are at the second half of the album, which are mostly outtakes from the Bleach recording sessions. Beeswax is sort of an experimental song, yet extremely catchy. It's cool because this song shows Kurt trying to do different things with his voice. 4/5
10.Downer.
This is also on most versions of the Bleach album. It's very fast. You can't really understand the lyrics, but I like this one. Kurt again, using some out of tune, alternate voices in this. It's exciting. 5/5
11.Mexican Seafood
Mexican Seafood is a short but sweet song. Mexican Seafood is also one of Kurt's first attempts at songwriting for Nirvana. You can tell he is a natural at it. The song is very similar to Beeswax, but a little better in my opinion. 5/5
12.Hairspray Queen
I f
ucking love this song, :) it is yet another experimental track. Hairspray Queen is awesome because again it shows Kurt trying to do different things with his voice. At some points in this song, his shrieking reminds me a bit of Black Francis, which is a compliment. "Hairspray Queen" will draw you in. When you first listen to it, you'll be put off by his strange way of singing in this song. But it's catchy bass line and riffs will draw you in and you'll begin to even enjoy his singing in this song, despite what you may think on first listen. 5/5
13.Aero Zeppelin
Aero Zeppelin is a tribute to the band's influences in the early days. Not much to say about this one, except that it is one of Kurt's first attempts at writing. I really do enjoy this song though. 4.5/5
14.Big Long Now
"Big Long Now" is slow and seductive during the verses, but soars high during the chorus. It is a mildly haunting song that keeps you listening as it drags ever-so-slightly behind the tempo. This is one of Kurt's best uses of the "soft verse-loud chorus-soft verse" structure that he was known for. For some reason it reminds me a bit of a horror movie. It's one of the standout tracks on the album. 5/5
15.Aneurysm
Here we go! The closer, "Aneurysm," ends the album with a bang, ending a remarkable, catchy album with a remarkable, head banging, brutally catchy song. At the closing notes of this one, you'll be going for the Repeat button on your stereo. I know that I do. 5/5 :chug:
Credits:
Jack Endino – Producer
Steve Fisk – Producer
Dale Crover
Miti Adhikari- Producer
Chad Channing – Drums
Kurt Cobain - Guitar, Vocals, Artwork
M. Engles – Engineer
Dale Buffin Griffin – Producer
Dave Grohl – Drums
F. Kay – Engineer
Krist Novoselic – Bass
Dan Peters
Charles Peterson – Photography
Butch Vig – Producer
Howie Weinberg – Mastering
John Taylor – Engineer
Robert Fisher - Art Direction
Do not be turned off by the fact that this an outtakes/b-sides collection. The lyrics are excellent, Kurt Cobain is a genius when it comes to song writing, even if you can't understand what he's saying, you still know it has meaning. I even think the band's outtakes from the Bleach sessions were a lot better than some of the tracks that were put on the album. Actually, many of the songs are some of the best that Nirvana ever did, and I would argue that this album represents their sound better than any of their other releases! The recordings found on Incesticide sound like a perfect bridge between Bleach and Nevermind, and for this reason and many more, this is my favorite Nirvana release. With all the hype Nevermind's had, it's easy to see how this got overlooked, but that doesn't mean that you should. This is Nirvana at their most honest, raw, and tentative 4.5/5
Album Art:
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[url]http://web.tiscali.it/mdc-wolit/Cover_Images/Storage/N_Covers/Nirvana/Incesticide%20RT.jpg[/url]
