Nirvana - Nevermind Album Review (Top 5)

As one of my favorite bands of all time, I've decided to review Nirvana's second (and arguably, most known) album, Nevermind. Although this album certainly drove the band to fame and popularity among America's youth, many true Nirvana fans will argue that this was one of their worst albums, sounding too "poppy" and mainstream, which is the opposite of everything the band stands for. But despite how popular this album became and how much Kurt Cobain resented it, Nevermind is still a quality album that helped create the legacy of grunge music for generations to come. While not their best album in my opinion, it is a must-hear.

Latinmetalhead's Top 5 Songs of Nevermind

1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
One of the most popular Nirvana songs (and songs of the 1990s, for that matter,) "Smells Like Teen Spirit" will forever be one of the most defining songs of the grunge era. With that unmistakable first riff, this song had teenagers head-banging all over the country when it became popularized and has ever since gained Cobain respectability among the nation's youth. Despite the slew of criticism from "true" fans about this song being too mainstream, no true music fan can ignore the power of this song when they first heard the lines "with the lights out, it's less dangerous." Personally, I still blast this song out loud in my room, and it still rocks as hard as it did before.

2. "In Bloom"
A classic Nirvana song. As the lyrics state: "he's the one who likes all the pretty songs, and he likes to sing along, and he likes to shoot his gun, but he don't know what it means..." this almost perfectly sums up many Nirvana listeners. They like "all the pretty songs" and they like to sing along to them, but hardly anyone knows what Cobain is trying to say (at least that's my interpretation). But regardless of what the lyrics mean, "In Bloom" has classic grunge riffs with a steady beat followed by great drums and Cobain's raspy vocals.

3. "Come As You Are" 
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. Somehow, Cobain saying "come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be..." is comforting to hear, especially with the base riffs creating an underwater-like effect. Not only will you find yourself singing along to the chorus  on a rainy day, but as always, the lyrics will make you think and self-reflect. Simply put, this song will make you want to put all your worries away and simply be as you are, whether it be "doused in mud" or "soaked in bleach."

4. "Lithium"
"Lithium" was one of the first Nirvana songs I ever heard, and its strange, off-kilter lyrics and simple guitar riffs somehow captivated me. In this song, perhaps more than others, you can tell how Cobain was going through an abnormal mental state, but I feel like the lyrics can truly resonate with many people. "I'm so happy, 'cuz today I found my friends, they're in my head... I'm so ugly, that's okay, 'cuz so are you, we've broken our mirrors..."for some reason, I don't think many artists will be able to top these lyrics in their simplicity and relevance, because if you're like me, they will become burned into your memory forever.

5. "Polly"
As many Nirvana fans know, this song was based on the rape and torture of a 14-year-old girl who was abducted after attending a rock concert in 1987. Haunting but beautifully sung in Cobain's crooning voice, "Polly" is a legendary song that tells a disturbing tale of domination and submission. With lyrics such as "let me take a ride, don't cut yourself...want some help to please myself," Cobain disturbingly captures the thoughts inside the mind of the torturer.