Review Summary: Incesticide is an album that shows a different style of Nirvana. It features a few other drummers than Dave Grohl. It's a good album, and represents a more earlier side of Nirvana, before they were selling out shows, and were known all over the country. A
Nirvana was an amazing band, and for me one of my personal favorites. Alot of people were experienceing Nirvanamania around the time Incesticide had first came out. Nevermind had been out for a year, and "Smells like teen spirit" had been dominating the airwaves and was played countless times on MTV. Incesticide is a completely different album compared to Nevermind. When I first got into Nirvana I had listened to Nevermind and then put on Incesticide and I thought it was a completely different band almost. Incesticide is an b sides and rarities album, full of demos. It takes a few listens to get used to but after you do you see a different side of Nirvana.
Dive- This is a great song along with most other songs on Incesticide. It has a great bass line, and is a catchy song. Kurts vocals are amazing, and this song is no exception to that. When listening to this cd you'll hear kurt scream and wail more often than you do on Nevermind, and right from the get go Dive lets you know that.
Sliver- This is a short funny song about a boy being dropped off at his grandparents house and wishing he was home. The lyrics repeat "Grandma take me home, Grandma take me home" throughout the song. Then the boy wakes up in his mother's arms and is satisfied. It's only about 2 minutes long but none the less another great track.
Stain- Stain sounds like the tracks from Bleach, a more heavy in your face Nirvana then usual. The guitar riffs are great in this song, and Chris (or Krist) bass is a good steady backround to the song. It's a little longer than Sliver but not by much, it's an okay song but not one of the tracks I listen to frequently when I listen to this album.
Been a Son- This song was a part of the Mark Goodier session along with others on Incesticide. The song is about someone talking about their daughter and suggesting most of the things she does are wrong, like being born for one, and she should have been his son. This might be a shot at sexists, but either way you look at it its a pretty good song.
Turnaround- One of my favorite songs on this album, its like Stain with a great guitar riffs, but with better vocals. It's a cover of Devo's turnaround, new wave ish. Like the previous songs on the album turnaround is pretty fast and catchy. Definitly a great song, and worth a listen.
Molly's Lips- The lyrics in this song repeat alot, similair to sliver. Just like Turnaround Molly's lips had been played on John Peel's radio broadcast in 1990. All three of the John Peel tracks had been put on a b sides and rarities album called Hoarmoning, but it wasn't released in America. Another shorty, and again a good song with different sound.
Son of a Gun- The last of the trio of John Peel session songs son of a gun is less repetative but not by much. Kurts vocals basically kept low most of the song, and he wails very little at all. The guitar riffs are strong, but the drums are a real force in this song.
(New Wave) Polly- Another song from the Mark Goodier session. Polly is a song about a girl who was raped after a punk rock show. She was hung in a mans trailer home by her feet and sexually harrassed. She acted like she liked it then escaped. Polly is on Nevermind but shows up on Incesticide sped up alot more. I personally like the regular Polly but thats just my opinion.
Beeswax- This song is a sloppy song. The guitar wails almost as much as Kurt. It's a pretty fast pace song. At parts Kurt almost speaks the lyrics, then immediately goes back into a fit of crazed screaming once more. Overall not the best song on Incesticide, but not that bad either.
Downer- Downer shows up again just like Polly except its not changed. It was on Bleach, and is a great song. Fast, good guitar, and has its own type of sound. It's under three minutes like a good number of tracks on Incesticide, and worth a listen if you dont already own Bleach.
Mexican Seafood- Kurts vocals are almost a mirror image to his vocals in Beesewax. Jumping up and down dynamics and pitch wise. The guitar is mostly steady, and doesnt change a whole lot like in Beeswax though.
Hairspray Queen- The bassline for this song is just as good or better than Dive. Kurts vocals are all over the place like Mexican Seafood and Beeswax but not as much. The drum beat is good in this song, played hard and fast. Nirvana had quite a few drummers, until they found Dave Grohl so I dont know who was they're drummer for each song. This song ends on a heavy note, with Kurt almost grunting. Definitly a mix of Nirvana styles but a good mix.
Aero Zepplin- Finally a semi long song on this album. Lasting almost two times longer than the previous tracks its a different style too. It's not as fast, Kurts vocals aren't everywhere, but still change once or twice. The guitar riff is pretty heavy, like most tracks on Bleach. The song picks up speed as it goes on, and Kurt's vocals change more, but still not as much as most tracks on Incesticide. A different kind of song but a very good one too.
Big Long Now- Even longer than Aero Zepplin, Big Long Now is similair to it in some ways. The guitar intro is great, one of the best on Incesticide. Kurt's vocals stay at lower pace also like Aero Zepplin, but he doesn't scream as high in Big Long Now. The song doesn't pick up much speed unlike Aero Zepplin, but that doesn't make it bad, it just makes it different. Probably my second or third favorite song on Incesticide, definitly worth a good long listen.
Aneurysm- Wow what a great song. It's the best overall everything on Incesticide. Guitar riff is amazing, I love it. It's one of those songs you replay once or twice when you first hear it and it doesn't take long at all to get into. Aneurysm was also on a session for Mark Goodier's BBC radio show, the last of the three on Incesticide. It's not as long as Big Long Now or Mexican Seafood, but not by much. It's got alot of Nirvana's styles in it, Kurts wailing vocals, that change throughout the song, a great catchy guitar riff, nice steady bass, and good pounding drum beats. Definitly worth a few good listens, and the best song on Incesticide.
