Review: Nirvana- Nevermind [Limited Super Deluxe Edition] Disc 3 (2011)

Band: Nirvana

Release: Nevermind [Limited Super Deluxe Edition] Disc 3

Genre: Grunge

Label: Geffen Records

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nirvana

Tracklist:

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit [The Devonshire Mixes]

2. In Bloom [The Devonshire Mixes]

3. Come As You Are [The Devonshire Mixes]

4. Breed [The Devonshire Mixes]

5. Lithium [The Devonshire Mixes]

6. Territorial Pissings [The Devonshire Mixes]

7. Drain You [The Devonshire Mixes]

8. Lounge Act [The Devonshire Mixes]

9. Stay Away [The Devonshire Mixes]

10. On A Plain [The Devonshire Mixes]

11. Something In The Way [The Devonshire Mixes]

Review: 6.5/10

Disc three of the Nirvana deluxe edition is the Nevermind album in it’s entirety, the difference being that this is the first mixing of the album, done by Nevermind producer Butch Vig. This mix was put together during production for the band to hear (which in the end they didn’t like) and was eventually done by mixer Andy Wallace, who had previously co-produced Slayer’s Seasons In The Abyss album.

In honesty, the differences are not very noticeable to the average listener, but to someone who has studied the band in depth (like myself) you can hear differences. The vocals on “In Bloom” have more of an unpolished echo and the bass is put together a little sloppily. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” instruments all meld together and clash a lot.

The guitars on “Come As You Are” are too deep and unpolished, drums are set too much in the background of the soundscape, and the vocals clash with the cymbals. One really cool thing here is that there are dual vocal echoes in the final song section that has only dual vocals, and I feel that should have been something that should have carried over into the final album.

“Breed” is noticeably sloppy and is missing the effectiveness of the punk sound that Nirvana was trying to achieve. If this mix would have carried over into the final song, then that song would not have had the same impact as it does today.

I could go all day with the differences, but I will just leave off here saying that this is essentially the same exact thing as the actual album with slight sound clashes. Overall, not too much of a big deal (other than the review of “Breed” of course).