Nirvana: Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar); Dave Grohl (vocals, drums); Krist Novoselic (bass). Includes liner notes by David Fricke. All tracks have been digitally remastered. A Nirvana best-of that includes a previously unheard song; how much more of a no-brainer could you want? Admittedly, the trio that defined grunge--not to mention its contemporaneous generation of X'ers--wasn't around long enough to work up that extensive a discography. Still, who wouldn't relish the opportunity to have some of Nirvana's greatest tracks together on one disc (yes, completists, even the rarities collection INCESTICIDE ("Sliver") and the pre-fame album BLEACH ("About A Girl") are represented. And of course, such whisper-to-a-scream classics as "Lithium," "Come As You Are" and the ubiquitous, epochal "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are here. Things quiet down a touch on the UNPLUGGED tracks (David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World, the IN UTERO hit "All Apologies"), but the intensity doesn't lessen a single iota. "Wait," we hear you cry, "what about that chilling live rendition of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" or NEVERMIND's haunting closer (hidden track aside) "Something In The Way?" You'll just have to wait for Vol. II (Courtney, are you listening?). By the way, the "new" track "You Know You're Right" is great, if not exactly revelatory.
