A flawless and touching final release: A retrospective of Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York

There is nothing quite like seeing an artist perform live. Raw, unedited vocals, deafening instrumentals, and interaction with the artist themselves. Who could forget the Goo Goo Dolls’ heart-wrenching rendition of ‘Iris’ in the rain, Metallica’s concert behind the newly unfurled iron curtain, or Freddie Mercury’s electrifying performance at Live Aid? Live albums, on the other hand, frequently fail to live up to these expectations. Often, these albums are simple recordings of these performances; they lack the production and sound quality of their studio counterparts and miss the gravitas of the artist’s live rendition. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. Daft Punk’s Alive 2007 and Radiohead’s I Might Be Wrong are some of my personal favourites in this genre of album. However, the most famous exception to this rule is that of alternative rock band Nirvana with their live album MTV Unplugged in New York. It is no stretch to label this album as a work of art, one that has stood the test of time 31 years on from its release in November 1994. 

 Perhaps what set the band apart from the rest was the personality of the frontman, Kurt Cobain; a rockstar through and through

Nirvana were an American rock group, consisting of Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic, formed in Washington in the late 1980s. They are often commended for popularising the genre ‘grunge’ which was heavily influenced by heavy metal, hard rock, and punk music. Their work often consisted of powerful lyrics, normally touching on dark themes. They took the music world by storm, much to the band’s dismay, with their three albums Bleach (1989), Nevermind (1991), and In Utero (1993). Perhaps what set the band apart from the rest was the personality of the frontman, Kurt Cobain; a rockstar through and through. Not just an incredible musician and vocalist, Cobain was an outspoken advocate of gay rights and feminism, and famously expressed outrage at Madonna’s $75 dollar ticket prices.  

Their live album, MTV Unplugged in New York, was part of a tv series by MTV, showcasing acoustic live performances of popular artists. Nirvana’s acoustic performance was recorded right at the height of their fame in late 1993, before being released officially a year later in 1994. Nirvana were one of many artists who took part in this series, but the cultural impact of their performance was unprecedented. Not just because the band played a number of covers, including songs by artists such as David Bowie, but because, just five months later, Cobain tragically took his own life at the age of 27. The album became a staple of Cobain’s talent as a songwriter and vocalist, but also his down-to-earth nature, as he is often heard laughing and joking between the recordings of the tracks. The posthumous release of the recording became somewhat of a final goodbye to Cobain, not his final performance, but often considered to be one of the most influential releases in rock history. 

The distinct Nirvana sound transforms these tracks, providing an incredibly sombre and emotional performance

The album differed from most MTV unplugged performances, with very few of Nirvana’s most famous tracks being played. Notably, it missed out ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ‘Lithium’, and ‘Heart-Shaped Box’. It traded Nirvana’s distinct heavy drums and electric guitars for an acoustic and softer sound. An amp setup was still included, which you can hear in the background of several of the performances. The album included songs from all three of Nirvana’s studio albums, most notably ‘About A Girl’, ‘Come As You Are’, and ‘All Apologies’. The highlights of the album, however, are most certainly the covers of David Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Sold The World’, and blues singer Lead Belly’s ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’. These tracks are, I dare say, better than the original versions. The distinct Nirvana sound transforms these tracks, providing an incredibly sombre and emotional performance. Cobain even refused to do an encore after ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night’, believing he could never beat the performance he had just done.  

The album was an instant success and remains a mainstay of alternative rock music to this very day. And, while I, like many Nirvana fans, will forever be heartbroken that I will be unable to experience the band in a live concert, I can certainly take solace in the fact that a flawless live performance by the band has been immortalised in MTV Unplugged in New York.