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Tuesday, November 18, 2003
Really fucking fantastic piece on In Utero from Tim Grierson, editor of The Simon. It's a wonderful little piece of personal criticism. Check it:

In Utero powerfully made the case that he would be his own man, goddamnit, but that he wouldn't destroy his talent in the process. It was a rare show of defiance that doesn't come across as petty or smug. But, lord, is it angry. The songs are still there, and they've survived intact. But it divided people at the time, and still does. Nirvana fans who get tired of the fairweathers going on and on about Nevermind cling to In Utero as their badge of honor, as proof of their true band loyalty. I wouldn't put myself in that category of supporter, but I do prefer In Utero simply because I feel like it still isn't finished telling me things about Cobain. Nevermind feels almost too perfect: It's lovely rush of hooks and ennui can almost pass right through you, especially as the years accumulate. In Utero keeps punching people in the nose; you can't wash dishes or pay bills when it's on. You keep checking back with it to see if it's lost any of its aggression, to see if it's decided to kiss and make up. It hasn't.


IU is similar to Lightning Bolt's Wonderful Rainbow in that it manages to make noisy, harsh music sound awfully tuneful and appealing. WR is noisier and IU is catchier, to be sure (seeing as how Kurt did have a bunch of actual songs in there) but I think the lesson, rarely learned, is the same: noise is easy but noisecraft is hard, and it's that noisecraft--very similar, in its own way, to songcraft--that makes for truly great music.