Nirvana - With The Lights Out
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Free Music Notes for With The Lights Out
Free Music Review: 10 Years Was Worth It
Hit: 5 Stars
Maby not exactly 10 years ago a "With The Lights Out" box set was in-mined but you could assume that a band that was in the middle of its short life (7 years)must of had some good material left over.As all bands start out not famouse and leave some hits behind.This is a tottally different case as Kurt didnt leave just old material from the days of "Bleach" ,but some studio stuff from Nevermind.AS you all know Kurt left us in a tragic ending but most don't know he left behind some of the greatist songs so close to being released on album it would of put In-Utero to shame.(And thats my favorite album)
It's alot like a story being unfolded as you listen to 1 song to the next ,as it shows Nirvanas earlier days before Bleach.With some notable covers like Led Zeppelins "Heart-Breaker".Though its not normal studio standards as you'll soon relize alot of the material on this set has been recorded on cassette and ported to CD.The story though is how it shows Nirvana starting out and Kurt trying out some new voices until finding his own unique comfortable sound and improvise upon it.Then at the end you'll hear it change for a final time to not just amazing but beyond there already stunning artistical sound.
Disc 1:This was Nirvanas earliest days.This is where the legend beggins where Kurt first performs and starts recording stuff for "Bleach" and some later released on "Insecticide".This disc has some brilliant songs like "Blandest" the original B-side for the Lovebuzz single as mentioned in the 64 paged booklet,and some even sarcastic and yet hillarious songs like "Beans".
"About A Girl" is on here with alternative lyrics and shows you that even back then Kurt had some creativity and a good sense for catchy pop riffs.
Disc 2:This is the disc should seem a tad but more fimiliar vocally wise.This disc is the rise of Nirvana and has alot of there most frequent herd songs from the album "Nevermind".Like "Lithium" amd "Smells Like Teen Spirit".
There are 2 smells like teen spirits on this disc there original before they were a ROCK ICON FOR THE GENERATION and the studio version that made them big.This disc features some acoustic material that was originally ment for the radio.Though that was Kurt not Nirvana, just Kurt.There are a great number of rarities and B-sides like "Pay To Play" originally released on DGC Rarities Vol.1 and "Curmudgeon" a B-side that only saw the light of day on the "Lithium" single."Verse Chorus Verse" should sound alot like the stuff from Nevermind as it was intended for the album but never made it.
Disc:3The final disc of the set and i found this disc to be fairly dark and no light at the end of the tunnal as it grew more depressing and darker.By the time of You Know You're right you'll of experienced some of the most talented song writting that music has to offer."Do Re Mi" is a fine example its not really the song writting for this one so much as it is the amazing amount of creativty put into this."Rape Me" is still here in all its glory but a rougher tone to it and you can even here his little daughter cry in the backround.There is a softer side too as right before it is the opening of this disc its an acoustic version of "Rape Me", fairly slow but still sounds good.MTV Unplugged was phenomenal and you get a brief flashback of its days when you here "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For Sunbeam"."Sappy" is another catchy Nirvana song that sadly never made it .This song was intended for "In-Utero" Nirvanas 3rd studio album.(Well 4th if you don't consider "Insecticide" a compilation".)"Sappy" had even some radio play after this sets release, showing you that this song does achieve Nirvana worthyness.The ending of this 3 disc set ends in the best finally available "All Apologies" as it seems like a sad comclusion,and it is.
Though the DVD is bassically some footage of of some early stuff from "Bleach"and the orignal "In-Bloom" music video and a few things from 1991-1994 it's still really good ecspecially "Seasons In The Sun".
This 3 disc set shows you the routes of Nirvana and how they were rockstars in the making and the climax of Nirvana,and the end of there days.That bassically sums it up.
Free Music Review: of course nirvana, but not rare enough
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a very good collection of nirvana tracks. But if you already have some nirvana bootlegs you'll find you've heard most of this stuff. They gave us a good collection, but still they are missing so much. I guess maybe they figure some things are still meant to be kept for bootlegs. But i thought that that was the point of this box set, so that i wouldn't have to buy more bootlegs. Nontheless I still enjoy it. The quality of the tracks are a lot more refined than the bootleg copies. Like the version of ," return of the rat." The bootleg version features a more raw take with kurt coughing in the song the end of chorus 1, the box set edited the cough out. There were only a few surprises for me on these discs. "anorexorcist, the jury sessions, the other improv, do re mi( total surprise!)" Disc one was the rareist. Disc two, not so rare, but still had good moments like " old age, here she comes now, D-7, verse chorus verse, etc." Disc 3 was really good was some good outakes of songs you know, " rape me" ( with the baby crying), " scentless apprentice"( very different version), " Milk it", " M.V.", " Serve the servants"(acoustic). They could have made room for other rare tracks and not have had two versions ( but one) of " smells like teen spirit, polly ( and) rape me". If your curious as to what this box set is missing, here goes some stuff I have and also stuff that i was hoping was on here but wasn't. One reviewer in the booklet wrote, "collect every Nirvana bootleg and you won't get this deep." Wrong.
RARE TRACKS THEY MISSED
Cocaine girl( not sure what this is, supposedly its nirvana and hole)
Montage of heck 1 ( one of kurts collages)
Montage of heck 2 ( This is actually a song, a few different versions are available. It is also known as ,escalator to hell.)
Bambi slaughter ( a short punky flavored one)
Suicide samurai ( 1st song kurt ever wrote)
Knowbody knows im new wave ( not sure what this is either, really rare!!!!!! Good bass on this song.)
Black and white blues ( either an original or leadbelly cover)
Asking for it ( hole song with kurt singing on live through this
part, totally rare)
It's closing soon ( kurt and courtney in rio)
The money will roll right in ( ok this should stay on bootlegs,
fang cover)
The priest they called him ( with william burroughs, pretty terrible guitar playing by kurt, but rare!!)
Buffy's pregnant ( an early one)
Class of 85 ( another early one, from the very rare Fecal Matter tape)
Me and my I.V. ( Talk about rare! From 94. Recorded in kurts basement. Also known as, Dough ray and me, Doctor and me.)
Drown soda ( This is rare. Another basement song from 94)
The son( No one quite knows if this song actually exists, except courtney)
Misery loves company( an early song)
Ode to beau( Really early song)
O.K. Check these out and heres a few more cool ones you can find
on rare tracks vol 2 and outcesticide vol's.
Lithium ( mix 6) Sounds good.
The man who sold the world ( Electric live)
Negative creep( acoustic!)
Smells like teen spirit ( with flea on trumpet- this sounds rare but it really doesnt sound too good.)
You will also find countless versions of smells like teen spirit,
like the one I just mentioned and " goth version" " live on the world tv show 91( kurt drops the f bomb on live tv to courtney)
A lot of nirvana song titles you think are different but some have the same titles - like -
Token eastern song also goes by junkyard, born in a junkyard
You know you're right also goes by on the mountain
Sappy goes by verse chorus verse which origianly verse chorus
verse was an entirely different song and that was origianly called, In his hands. Confusing!
This is still a good set, just missing a whole lot. It really shows what a good writer " kurdt" really was. And not just nevermind but so many b-sides and rare songs.
Free Music Review: ...It's Less Dangerous...
Hit: 5 Stars
This is Nirvana. This is the idea and sound I think Kurt Cobain was always going for. This would've been his proudest moment for this band. Completely stripped down, naked, raw, passion.
'With The Lights Out' is Nirvana's long awaited box set. 3 CD's, 1 DVD, 1 big, full color booklet.
Nirvana was the most successful musical act of 1990's. They left an impression on the music world that will never be wiped away.
Due to immediate and enormous success of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', by the end of 1991, Nirvana were the biggest thing since sliced bread!
Only releasing 3 studio albums, Nirvana didn't make it past the halfway point of the 90's. Like other flash-in-the-pan success stories over the years (Sex Pistols, Minor Threat, Operation Ivy, Joy Division, etc) Nirvana had something the other bands didn't. Mainstream super-stardom.
This box set spans the groups 6 or so years together. The first disc contains recordings from about '88 - '90 and features covers (Heartbreaker, Ain't It A Shame, etc) and obscurities (In His Hands, Anorexorcist) from around the time their first studio album 'Bleach' was being made.
I should take a moment and warn you, the music on these discs, although remastered for the set, is NOT the super-slick studio quality recording that is found on 'Nevermind' and to a lesser extent 'In Utero'. These songs are raw and stripped down more to the tune of 'Bleach'.
The second disc features music from '90 - '92, during the peak of their popularity (aside from '94, right after Kurt died).
It features a few acoustic recordings Kurt made at home (Lithium, Sliver, etc), a demo of 'Breed', an early performance form 1991 of 'Dumb' (which appeared later on 'In Utero') and an alternate 'rough mix' of Butch Vig's of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (which is amazing).
The third disc is the best one I think. Featuring most importantly, another home recording of Kurt's of a song called 'Do Re Mi', this is an extreamly beautiful song and a true testament to what a gifted and simple song writer Kurt Cobain was.
These recordings are from '92 - '94.
Another beautiful song is called 'Marigold', which first appeared as a b-side on the 'Heart-Shaped Box' single. This song is also significant becuase it was the only Nirvana song to be written and sung completely by Dave Grohl and is a testament to his skills as a songwriter and singer.
There is also an early version of 'You Know You're Right' a song released on the greatest hits package in 2002, which was originally supposed to be debuted with this box set to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 'Nevermind'.
Finally, a song called 'Verse, Chorus, Verse'. It is amazing this song was never released on an album considering it was kicking around the band's set list since 1990 in one form or another. This is a great song with Nirvana's framiliar use of the quiet-loud dynamic that served the band so well throughout their career.
The DVD is a home video featuring an early rehearsal at someone's house from 1988 or 89. It primarily features songs the band was practicing that were to appear on 'Bleach' and is funny to see Kurt Cobain singing into a wall a la Jim Morrison.
The DVD also features various live performances from different points in the band's career, ending with secret recording session song from Rome featuring Cobain on drums, Grohl on bass and Krist Novaselic on guitar. A Perfect ending.
Lastly there is a full color booklet, with notes from a critic and a friend of the band's form Sonic Youth (Thurston Moore), but, ultimately doesn't really tell us much we don't already know about the band. A good book anyway.
This set is such an amazing value at the price. Kurt always complained that Nirvana's studio albums sounded to slick and over-produced, I think these recordings would have suited him quite well. RIP Kurt and Nirvana.
CD's: 5 stars
DVD: 5 stars
Booklet: 4 stars
Free Music Review: NIRVANA'S BEST CD, BUT NOT FOR EVERYONE
Hit: 5 Stars
With The Lights Out is Nirvana's best release. Its combination of gritty home recordings, demos, b-sides and outtakes make any hard-core Nirvana fan love the band even more (if possible). But when I say "hard-core," I really do mean hard-core. With The Lights Out contains many unfinished songs, some poorly recorded, others too short or too long. Songs like Oh The Guilt and Curmudgeon were so overly grunge that they weren't released on Nirvana's maintstream albums. Very Ape, in the middle of a verse, was recorded over with Kurt Cobain randomly singing "A da da dum da da da da." This truly is Nirvana's greatest release, but for those who aren't regular listeners, don't waste your money.
For the fans, especially bootleggers, With The Lights Out is a dream. The set features the rarest of available bootlegs. Even the most avid bootleggers will only have 15 of these songs. Multiply that by 4 and you've got 60 extraordinarily rare songs, a bootlegger's heaven. I had only six of the tracks featured in the set, and i searched for hours. Most of the songs are better than those released mainstream. All the songs, rare or different versions, are amazing.
With The Lights Out serves two purposes. First, any songs that hadn't been released finally are. Second, it tells the short history of Nirvana. The first CD is filled with raw songs, horrible vocals and guitaring, and even worse drumming. The second CD is much better. Many of the songs are put together better and they sound great. The third CD is just as amazing, but it's also very emotional. As I listened to it, particularly You Know You're Right, Kurt Cobain's voice was incredible. The emotion in that CD, the knowledge that Kurt Cobain would kill himself, it makes listening madly depressing. When All Apologies (the last song) finished, I sat in silence for a really long time. It was the first time I gave serious thought to how horrible Kurt Cobain's life had been when he killed himself. In the songs near the end, he sounded weak, almost like he out-did himself and lost his voice. But he hadn't lost his voice. These songs were still unbelievably great, even in his depression. With The Lights Out is a great CD, especially if it can evoke such emotion.
Overall, the music is great, emotional, and explains a lot about Nirvana's history. Its poorly recorded songs, which so many people complain about, are only bad for about 10 seconds in each song. These rough parts are no worse than a CD with minor scratches that makes one song have a few pops for 2 seconds. I am not trying to defend Nirvana. Some of the rough songs are horrible, but it is so brief that there really isn't any reason to complain.
The DVD is horrible except for the last three videos which are awesome. It is horribly edited, terrible sound, etc. But the last three, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam, Talk To Me, and Seasons in the Sun are great. In Jesus..., Dave Grohl's symbol collapses in the middle of a concert. It is also profesionally recorded, so the sound is DVD quality. Talk to Me has good sound, and it was performed well. Seasons in the Sun is hilarious. The band spoofs it so much, pretending to get emotional. Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic are really funny. The DVD is screwed up at one point. The order is different than printed in the 60 page booklet. The In Bloom video isn't in the right place on the DVD. When i watched the DVD for the first time, I almost fell asleep. But the last three videos pull it back up to 5 STARS.
GET THIS CD IF YOU'RE A FAN.
Free Music Review: For Die-Hard Nirvana Fans - Warts and All
Hit: 5 Stars
If you are a huge Nirvana fan and want a better insight into one the most original, innovative, creative, and honest songwriters and rock artists ever, these 3 CDs and DVD are well worth your time! This is what box sets should be. It's NOT a retrospective or compilation of everything that fans loved about Nirvana (Neil Young has had a similar idea planned for years now. Releasing all the oddities knowing that most die-hard fans will not like everything - including Neil himself - but knowing that it's the only way to give a more intimate look into the artist, the human being). It's what was left behind, unfinished and unpolished, raw, stripped, unplugged. Nirvana was one of many great bands from this era. But they made it big without sucking up to the corporate crap that the negative reviewers here seem to long for, rehashing that old time rock and roll, technically perfect musicianship, speed guitarists, blues guitarists, tried and true formulas, which are all things that make Rock and Roll ROT!!!! Nirvana beat the formulas and heavy promotions with real art. That is why much of the hype surrounding Nirvana today is almost justified. If you want a glimpse inside Cobains head, heart and soul as an artist this set is a must have.
Another thing that helps to truly enjoy this set is to have experienced this era of music or at least to know what a horrible state popular music was in the mid 80's before Nirvana, and in the mid 90's, just after Nirvana. Nirvana was not promoted to death when Nevermind came out in order to make it big the way Springsteen was in 1975 with Born to Run, another album on the fringe and outside the mainstream for it's time (I'm a huge Boss fan by the way). BTR was marketed like crazy. In 1991, when rock was much more corporate than in 1975, Nirvana's Nevermind was one of a handful of albums ever that made an it big immediately without a huge marketing effort. All of a sudden the album and band were everywhere. They broke down the door for Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and all the other bands that had been waiting in the wings.
Those who rip Nirvana as "rehash of the Pixies" or a Pearl Jam ripoff don't know the Nirvana story and must have missed out on everything before, during and after Nirvana. Although, I loved the Pixes and respected Pearl Jam back then, it was Pearl Jam and a slew of other bands that 'capitalized' on Nirvana breaking down the corporate rock door. Although Pearl Jam rocked, their songs are far too pretentious. Cobain was 100% authentic, original. Nirvana was just the opposite of Pearl Jam in many ways. Outside of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and a few others no one in rock comes close to being a real artist like Cobain. A deeper insight into this is what makes this box set worth every penny.
I know this review doesn't give you much insight into the box set. You can find other reviewers providing details on each CD and the DVD. But I must respond to the ridiculous reviews some of the non-Nirvana fans are posting here.
How about this? If you are not a Nirvana fan or haven't sat down and focused on listening to this box set...then DON'T POST A REVIEW!