In Utero
Nirvana
There is a lovely tune hiding inside much of In Utero. Sometimes Nirvana let it stand in the open. Sometimes they put a very unpleasant guitar sound directly in front of it. The tension between those choices gives their third studio album much of its force.
Serve the Servants starts with a rough edge but quickly reveals a strong, almost relaxed melody. Scentless Apprentice then makes the contrast impossible to miss. Dave Grohl's drums drive the song while Kurt Cobain pushes his voice into a harsh scream. The playing is tight enough that the noise feels directed, even when the surface sounds close to falling apart.
Heart-Shaped Box finds the most convincing middle ground. The guitar line is strange and memorable, the verses hold back, and the chorus opens into something much more forceful. Cobain doesn't have to choose between writing an accessible song and making the listener uncomfortable. He manages both, with the band keeping the changes sharp and purposeful.
Dumb is quieter and easier to approach, but it doesn't feel like a compulsory rest between loud songs. Its plain melody and restrained delivery make their own impression. All Apologies has a similar confidence in repetition, allowing the final stretch to settle around a vocal line that is difficult to shake.
Elsewhere, Milk It and Radio Friendly Unit Shifter make the guitar a much more abrasive presence. These passages are a large part of the album's appeal, and also the reason it won't suit everyone who enjoys the better-known singles. The changes can feel deliberately abrupt. There is very little effort to smooth the route from one mood to the next.
Steve Albini's recording gives the drums a particularly physical presence and leaves the trio sounding exposed. That setting suits songs with this much friction between melody and noise. In Utero has anger, dry humour and a surprising amount of tenderness, often close together. The quieter songs make the harsh ones more effective, and the harsh ones stop the prettier moments from feeling safe. Nirvana get a remarkable amount from that uneasy relationship.
