In Utero

For the term used in biology, see in utero.

In Utero is the final complete studio album from the band Nirvana. It was released 21 September, 1993 (see 1993 in music). Produced by Steve Albini, the album was intended to secure Nirvana's indie credibility by not pandering to mainstream tastes. Albini actually refused to be listed as producer in the album sleeve, but rather as "recordist". Albini asked for $100,000 dollars to record the album, and was also offered royalty payments which would certainly be worth more than his requested $100,000, but declined them. Although the album did not sell as well as 1991's Nevermind, many believe it was the band's best album.

All guitar, drums and bass tracks were recorded in a two week period and all of Kurt Cobain's vocals were recorded in one sixteen hour session. Earlier in the year, they had recorded a one off single for Tim Kerr Records called Puss/Oh, the Guilt that premiered the harder sound that would later feature on tracks like "Scentless Apprentice." Obvious influences on the raw sound of In Utero can be found in Surfer Rosa-era Pixies, The Jesus & Mary Chain and The Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat album.

The alienated, bitter lyrics and atonal sounds make for a gloomy record, especially with the knowledge that it was the last album before Cobain's suicide. The album's opening line is particularly telling; "Teenaged angst has paid off well, now I'm bored and old." Beat writer William Burroughs, who had collaborated with Cobain on an EP called The Priest They Call Him, declared Cobain to be "Dead already" after reading the lyrics.

Cobain made the clay fetuses on the back cover himself (he was also a talented painter and draftsman) as well as writing a set of liner notes that were never printed in the cover. In the notes, he attacked the homophobic, racist and sexist jocks who now counted themselves amongst his fans. According to accounts, it read along the lines of, "If you are a racist, a sexist or in anyway an asshole don't buy my records and don't give me your money. Don't love me because I hate you."

In Utero went to #1 on Billboard's Top 200.

The singles "Heart-Shaped Box" (with "Milk It") and "All Apologies" (with "Rape Me") were released from the album. A third single, "Pennyroyal Tea", had been produced and was ready for release in April 1994. The single was aborted after the discovery of Cobain's body (one of the B-sides was called "I Hate Myself And Want To Die"). The song "Dumb" also appears on the Nirvana best-of album, though it was never released as a single.

In 1998 Q magazine readers voted In Utero the 63rd greatest album of all time; in 2001 the magazine named it as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time.

Track listing

1. "Serve The Servants" (Cobain) – 3:34
2. "Scentless Apprentice" (Cobain/Grohl/Novoselic) – 3:47
3. "Heart-Shaped Box" (Cobain) – 4:39
4. "Rape Me" (Cobain) – 2:49
5. "Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle" (Cobain) – 4:07
6. "Dumb" (Cobain) – 2:29
7. "Very Ape" (Cobain) – 1:55
8. "Milk It" (Cobain) – 3:52
9. "Pennyroyal Tea" (Cobain) – 3:36
10. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (Cobain) – 4:49
11. "tourette's" (Cobain) – 1:33
12. "All Apologies" (Cobain) – 3:50
13. "Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip" (Cobain/Grohl/Novoselic) – 7:33 (This "devalued American dollar purchase incentive track" was only on U.K. copies of In Utero. It is a jam recorded at Ariola Ltda BMG in Rio de Janeiro on January 22, 1993. It does not get a separate track position on the record; it starts about 20 minutes after "All Apologies" finishes.)

Charting singles

Billboard Music Charts (North America)

Personnel

• Nirvana
  • Kurt Cobain  – Guitar, Bass guitar, vocals, Art Direction, Design, Photography
  • Krist Novoselic  – Bass guitar
  • Dave Grohl  – Drums
• Karen Mason  – Photography
• Steve Albini  – Engineer
• Adam Kasper  – Assistant Engineer
• Scott Litt  – Mixing
• Bob Ludwig  – Mastering
• Charles Peterson  – Photography
• Bob Weston  – Technician
• Kera Schaley  – Cello
• Michael Lavine  – Photography
• Robert Fisher  – Art Direction, Design, Photography
• Neil Wallace  – Photography
• Alex Grey  – Illustrations

External link

• In Utero Lyrics – Nirvana