On this day 33 years ago, Nirvana released Nevermind, their groundbreaking second studio album, which catapulted the band to global fame and cemented its place as one of the best-selling albums of all time. To commemorate the milestone, we’re revisiting our original 1991 review of the album.
Originally published in Hot Press in 1991:
The album opens with a signature guitar strum from Kurt Cobain, soon joined by Dave Grohl’s punchy drumming and Krist Novoselic’s driving bass. Before you know it, you’re swept away by the infectious euphoria of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” one of the year’s standout tracks.
Nirvana’s second album is a triumph. Nevermind is imbued with a raw purity that’s almost impossible to describe. Every note feels essential, every song stripped down to its core, yet beautifully layered with catchy hooks and harmonies. Consider “Come As You Are”—a metronomic beat, a bouncing bassline, and Cobain’s invitation to “come as a friend”—it’s simple, yet perfect in its restraint.
Of course, the album also delivers the high-octane energy of tracks like “Territorial Pissings” and “Stay Away,” which burn with the intensity of a drag race, unstoppable until the very end. But above all, Nevermind is about the pursuit of perfection in form, the undeniable thrill that comes from the raw power of unadorned notes coming together.
There’s the melancholic “Something In The Way,” drenched in strings, and the haunting, drumless “Polly,” where Cobain’s gravelly voice takes center stage. Throughout the album, it is his vocals that provide the emotional depth—navigating the interplay between shimmering guitars and the steady rhythm section.
In essence, Nevermind blends the polished pop sensibilities of the Pet Shop Boys, the eclectic flair of the Pixies, and the introspective expertise of R.E.M., all with the ferocious energy of a modern-day Wagner.