Nirvana
Nevermind

It would take a book to describe this complicated journey narrated to us by Kurt Donald Cobain's music in this album. This album was born in the early '90s and is the second album from what was then considered by critics to be "the boys from the outskirts of Seattle," Nirvana. The group consists of Kurt Cobain (guitar and vocals), Chris Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums and backing vocals), who replaced Chad Channing, who played on the first album alongside Cobain and Novoselic.
But let's talk about the album; the title already says a lot about the content of the record, Nevermind, which returns in the last verse of "Smells Like Teen Spirit," the first song on the album. Cobain's "nevermind" isn't just any "doesn't matter" within the song, but it is a significant proof of his awareness (which is also that of his entire generation) that his personal outcry certainly won't change things, that everything after that song will be the same as before.
In my opinion, Kurt did not want to be the spokesperson of his generation's discomfort, but rather the spokesperson for his personal discomfort within society. His songs are the result of his fantasies, his emotions, they are the mirror of his thoughts; this is what makes this CD so special and full of emotions. In many songs, it almost seems as if Nirvana is speaking directly to you, that they know how you feel; every song gives you an emotion.

Musically, Nirvana is not as technical as other bands (e.g., Dream Theater), but it is in the simplicity of their harmonies (Novoselic said in an interview: "We made sure our songs were as simple as possible... like songs for children") that they convey a different emotion to each person who listens to them. In "In Bloom," the group mocks those who, inevitably, will hum their songs on the street but will never really hear them, those who will listen to Nirvana's songs for fashion but will never grasp the message; it is Cobain's personal thank you to the herd-following fashion sheep. "Come As You Are" is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful songs on the CD, a very sweet and melodic song, within which Cobain's voice fits perfectly, although to hear the true essence of this song, you should listen to the version contained in the album "Unplugged in New York". "Breed" is a cute song, but certainly below the group's possibilities. "Lithium" is the only danceable song on the CD, it has a very catchy and fun rhythm; a beautiful song that leaves a smile on your lips.
"Polly," on the other hand, is a very beautiful song musically that tells the story of a girl from Seattle kidnapped by a pedophile who raped her in his camper; the girl, to free herself, pretends to enjoy it until she gains the trust of her captor. Kurt had read an article about this girl in a Seattle newspaper and was very shocked, so much so that he decided to write a song; the amazing thing about this song is that the perspective is that of the abuser and not the girl. "Territorial Pissing" is a song about youth discomfort as beautiful as the more famous "Smells Like Teen Spirit". The song starts in the best way "When I was an alien, cultures weren't opinions ("when I was an alien, cultures weren't opinions")" it is a song with a frenetic and contagious rhythm, one of the best on the CD. "Drain You" is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful love songs ever written, it tells the story of a boy and a girl who are very friends; during the song, you understand that the girl falls ill, and her friend passes chewed food from his mouth to hers. The press of those years called the song indecent and Cobain a pedophile.
Worthy of note is the last song on this CD, "Something in The Way," where Kurt tells of the period when he lived under the bridge of Aberdeen (his hometown) on the banks of the Wiskah River. Very emotional, this song brings nostalgia as soon as you hear it, it is slightly out of tune because Chris and Dave didn't manage to tune perfectly with Kurt, which makes the emotion even stronger. In the chorus, the two voices give a sensation of almost surreal melancholy and transport you under Cobain's bridge; extraordinary.

A very beautiful CD for those who want to get closer to the world of grunge and the Nirvana phenomenon. For those who, instead, want to hear the true Nirvana, I recommend buying Incesticide or the box set With The Light Out. An excellent CD nonetheless, which made punk rock history; whether you like Nirvana or not, this is a CD that should not be missing from your collection.