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In Utero
Nirvana
DGC Records, 1993
REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 08/12/1999
After the smashing success of Nevermind and the rise of grunge as the "next big thing",one had to wonder what Kurt Cobain and Nirvana had planned fortheir follow-up. They were in a position that not many bands wouldwant to be in; how do you top an album that seemingly defines ageneration?
After a side trip to the vaults with Incesticide, Cobain, Chris Novaselic and Dave Grohl cameback in 1993 with In Utero, an album that left a lot of people scratchingtheir heads in confusion. Was this the same band that had riddenthe crest of popularity just a few years ago with "Smells Like TeenSpirit"? Had they abandoned their more pop-like sound in exchangefor a noise that demanded you accept Nirvana on their ownterms?
Fact is, six years after its release, In Utero has its moments, but it is a major disappointment.Cobain and crew do indeed turn their back on a more approachablesound (quite possibly generated by producer Butch Vig on Nevermind), and instead turn to ambient noise and chordsthat don't resolve, all under the knob-twirling of SteveAlbini.
The first single, "Heart-Shaped Box," seemed to be the firstsign of confusion, both for Nirvana and its fans. A track thatpartially embraced the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" approach (movingfrom gentler tones to all-out madness), it didn't seem like theobvious next step for Nirvana. While the song is good, it causedsome head-scratching. I remember thinking when I first heard thissong, "What is Nirvana trying to prove?"
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