Disco de Nirvana: “From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah”

People put down "From The Muddy Banks" because it's not one big live show. But, the songs do blend well together contrary to what some people think. Nirvana put out so much emotion into these songs. I'll give a song by song review since each song deserves it: 1. Intro: If you're having a bad day, crank this up and scream along with it. 2. School- Better than the version on Bleach in my opinion. Very hardcore and raspy. 3. Drain You- Much more hardcore than the version on Nevermind. It's just as good or better. 4. Aneurysm- Better than the Incesticide version. Much heavier and complex guitar work. 5. Smells Like Teen Spirit- a good version of it but the original captures more emotion and sounds better with studio tweaks and tune-ups. 6.Been A Son- Very sloppy vocals. Album version better. It' s ok though. 7. Lithium- Very powerful and raw performance. Great! 8. Sliver- Tuned down to low and the vocals can't match the lowness. 9. Spank Thru- a song not many people have heard. It's better live than recorded for a demo. Great song. 10. Scentless Apprentice- Powerful intro but it goes downhill after that. Not enough power screams. 11. Heart Shaped Box- the vocals are better on In Utero. Kurt should've cleared his throat before he did this one. And the guitar is also kind of sloppy. 12. Milk It- This version isn't that great but it still sounds ok if you loved the original Milk It. 13. Breed- A mediocre slopfest. This shouldn't have been included. Vocals aren't that good except for in the chorus and the guitar is too all over the place. 14. Polly- Very loud and hardcore version of Polly. It rocks! 15. Tourette's- I like this version better than the studio version. His screaming sounds better live for it. And the guitar solo is extended. 16. Blew- This song sounds great raised an octave higher. I also love the solo they threw in. A great rocking performance.

All in all, "From The Muddy Banks" succeeds more than it fails so get this if you are a Nirvana fan who appreciates what they did. This was the first nirvana album I ever got and I loved it. I guarantee satisfaction. Those people who only like the backstreet boys should beware though. This is punk/alternative/rock/grunge at it's best and hardest.

I've heard so many mixed reviews of this CD.Personally,I really liked it.I feel SO fortunate to have seen the band play something like six months prior to Kurt Cobain's passing.Back then,I just KNEW Nirvana wouldn't last.As a band,they were JUST too good and too intense.There's a total of seventeen cuts here and the stand outs are "Drain You",their signature tune "Smells Like Teen Spirit","Lithium","Spank Thru","Heart-Shaped Box" and "Blew".These tracks were recorded live,anywhere between 1989-94.Comes with a ten page booklet of live photos and tidbits of interesting facts.

The main gripe with this album seems to be its sloppy playing or its track selection. Yes, the versions of 'Breed' and 'Heart-Shaped Box' are a little off. Maybe the studio version of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was better. 'Scentless Apprentice' may not have had the same quality vocals as the studio version.

That was intended by Grohl and Novoselic. Unplugged was a GREAT release. Just about every magazine and music website recommends that you own it. It was very polished but it was very downbeat; 'Muddy Banks...' is the exact opposite. It's full of life, it's sloppy, it's LOUD, it's what Nirvana should be remembered as. Nirvana didn't break into the music industry as a depressing, acoustic band to touch our hearts. They were faster, louder, more emotional, and better than all that worthless pop that dominated the charts in the early 90s. Dave Grohl and Kris Novoselic wanted Nirvana to be remembered like that, and they did a great job of it.

As for the song selection - maybe it wasn't what everyone wanted. There's no such thing as a perfect compilation cd. I'm sure lots of people wanted a live version of 'Rape Me' or a better version of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.' 'In Bloom' would've been great and maybe some more tracks from 'In Utero.' Unreleased stuff would've ben equally as nice! The song selection on here is a good representative selection of (except for a couple songs) Nirvana, including mostly uncommercial songs like 'Negative Creep' and 'Milk It' (meaning people who only liked 'Teen Spirit' won't like this release a whole lot except for that one song). THIS IS ESSENTIAL Nirvana material, anybody who says otherwise is wrong. Oh, and check out that punked-out electric version of 'Polly.'

Well, ive read some of the reviews on here, and i totally disagree with what some of the people have said. This is a great album, with great versions of their songs. Nirvana always had a reputation of being a better live band than a studio band, and this album is evidence of that. This album shows you what great musicians can do, a great sound of the instruments and a great voice of Kurt Cobain. Teen Spirit has to be the best performance, the distortion, drums and bass are quality and Kurts vocals are brilliant, the crowd show their enthusiasm as Kurt starts the song, they errupt at the end because, it was a great version. All the songs on here are from their whole career, from Bleech to In Utero, as they progressed they got better, brilliant versions of Scentless Apprentice, Heart Shaped Box and Milk It. If you dont know much about Nirvana, then this is all you need to be convinced that Nirvana were a great rock band. All the songs on here will make you feel free, just turn it up full blast and try to re- live Nirvana as they were and as they will be, listen to this album. Nirvana? It comes damn close.

Let me get staight to the point, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is the greatest song ever. Live though, it's beyond perfect, more like sonic perfection at it's best. I'm sure everyone's heard it by now (smack yourself if not), but the song is a lot more faster than the "Nevermind" version. The guitar solo makes your jaw drop. And to think, that's only one song. Some of these songs come of wonderful here like "Heart Shaped Box" and "Negative Creep". Others didn't, like "Milk It" and "Scentless Apprentice". The majority did though, even if Kurt's voice comes off raspy remember, this is punk. Or is it grunge? Maybe alternative? Who cares, it's brilliant. This and "MTV Unplugged" are all you need. Nirvana still rock like nobody's business, I'll never forget Kurt and co. Let me just shut up, so the reader can stop reading and click that button above, do so now.