Nirvana
In Utero

THE REVIEW

"Teenage angst has paid off well, now I'm bored and old".

The youthful anger has paid off well, now I am tired and bored. It begins with these words, a clear reference to the success of 'Nevermind' and particularly of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and its consequences, the third and final (unfortunately) studio album by Nirvana. The leader of Nirvana a year after the album's release that made him rich declares never to listen to it, to hate that kind of production and the bands with that type of production, and that the next album will be completely different.

And indeed, if the only album by the Seattle group you have listened to is 'Nevermind', forget it, the true face of the group is the one represented by this album (and the first, 'Bleach'). "In Utero" represents a return to the origins for Nirvana, a return to their true sound: dirty, hard, distorted, and corrosive.

Listening to this album is a unique experience, the Kurt Cobain after 'Nevermind' is a man frightened by the success achieved, stressed by the constant attention of the mass media, a man who has just had a daughter and will do everything to not have her taken away, due to persistent rumors of alleged drug use during pregnancy by his partner, the Hole leader Courtney Love. And all of this is transmitted to the listener through songs on the verge of cacophony, noisy, distorted, with the singer at times seeming to reach the brink of madness ("Milk It") and his voice appearing to lash out at the world ("Scentless Apprentice", "Tourette's"). But also through brilliant and captivating songs ("Heart Shaped Box", "Pennyroyal Tea"). This album is a masterpiece, one of the best albums of the 90s and beyond.

Listening to this album drags us into Kurt Cobain's chaotic world, a world where he lets out all the evils suffered, his fears, and his problems. This album is a sincere and passionate letter written by a man who absolutely is not happy, but who wants to continue living. In my opinion, the best songs are the three most chaotic and neurotic songs, "Scentless Apprentice", "Milk It", and "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" not because they are the most beautiful, but precisely because they convey something, they tell us the sensations experienced by a man and his state of mind more than the other songs on the album.

"Scentless Apprentice" is a song characterized by distorted sounds and in which the verses, recited in the form of a grumble and based on one of Kurt's favorite novels, "Perfume", are followed by a chorus yelled with a desperate voice, that goes "Go away, go away" ("Andate via, andate via"). "Milk it" is a schizoid song where the usual calm-verse-yelled-chorus formula is present, but strikes with the singer's interpretation, who seems insane and his out-of-control voice. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" is a song that has nothing "radio-friendly", full of jolts and jerks, supported by Dave Grohl's percussive base and Novoselic's bass lines. The chorus repeats "What is wrong with me?" ("Cosa c'è di sbagliato in me?").

"Heart Shaped Box" is an amazing song, with a grand chorus featuring a terrifying guitar riff that surprises the listener at first, but is then awaited with anticipation. Two other amazing songs are "All Apologies" and "Pennyroyal Tea" (it is a tea that is supposed to have abortive properties) an engaging and impactful song.

A great track also is "Rape Me", very simple but effective due to the energy of its chorus and the melody traced by the guitar. "Serve the Servants" is a typically rock track, where Cobain seeks clarity with his father, takes it out on those who attacked his wife and immediately makes it clear he has many things to say. The album also includes "Dumb", a delicate and very beautiful song, "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle", "Very Ape", two minutes of pure fun, and "Tourette's", the "sickest" song I have ever heard in my life.

If you do not simply want to listen to an album, but immerse yourself and live it completely, then this is the album for you.