In Utero

For the term used in biology, see in utero.

In Utero

LP by Nirvana
Released	September 21, 1993
Recorded	Pachyderm Studios, February 14 - March, 1993
Genre	Grunge
Length	41 min (US Version)
Record label	David Geffen Company
Producer	Steve Albini
Professional reviews
Q	4 stars out of 5	August 1993 (http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=122742&resource=122742&fixture_artist=146000)
Allmusic.com	5 stars out of 5	link (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Aqv59kectjq79)
Nirvana Chronology
Incesticide (1992)	In Utero (1993)	MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)

In Utero is the final studio recording 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.

All guitar, drums and bass tracks were recorded in a two week period and all of 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 "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 Kurt 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 Kurt to be "Dead already" after reading the lyrics.

Cobain made the clay fetuses on the back cover himself (he was also a talented painter/drawer) 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.

Contents

Track listing

"Serve the Servants" (Cobain) - 3:34
"Scentless Apprentice" (Cobain/Grohl/Novoselic) - 3:47
"Heart Shaped Box" (Cobain) - 4:39
"Rape Me" (Cobain) - 2:49
"Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle" (Cobain) - 4:07
"Dumb" (Cobain) - 2:29
"Very Ape" (Cobain) - 1:55
"Milk It" (Cobain) - 3:52
"Pennyroyal Tea" (Cobain) - 3:36
"Radio Friendly Unit Shifter" (Cobain) - 4:49
"Tourette's" (Cobain) - 1:33
"All Apologies" (Cobain) - 3:50
"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.)

Personnel

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

Charting singles

Billboard Music Charts (North America)

1993	Heart-Shaped Box	Mainstream Rock Tracks	                No. 4
1993	Heart-Shaped Box	Modern Rock Tracks	                No. 1
1994	All Apologies	        Modern Rock Tracks	                No. 1