The multi-format reissues arrive October 27th
To say that Nirvana’s third and ultimately final studio album In Utero was one of the most impactful records of the modern era would be an understatement. Originally released September 21, 1993, the album’s unadorned sonic rawness was received by critics and fans with equal measures of shock and elation, as Steve Albini’s recording laid bare every primal nuance of the most confrontational yet vulnerable material Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl would ever record.
With its 1991 predecessor Nevermind having sold some 30 million copies and causing a seismic pop cultural shift, In Utero was essentially the first record Nirvana would make with any expectations from the public. So from the opening quasi-shamble melodics of “Serve The Servants” through the bittersweet closing strains of “All Apologies,” In Utero was the sound of the most incredible yet conflicted musical force of the era at the peak of its powers coming to terms with a generational spokes-band mantle they’d never seen coming—and ultimately surmounting these struggles to make the record they needed to make.
In Utero went on to mark Nirvana’s first No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 6x platinum in the United States.
Geffen/UMe commemorates the 30th anniversary of In Utero with several multi-format reissues, arriving on October 27th. Configurations include a limited edition 8 LP Super Deluxe box set, 5 CD Super Deluxe box set, single LP + 10-inch edition, 2 CD Deluxe edition, and a Digital Super Deluxe edition.
The three Super Deluxe Edition releases comprise a total of 72 tracks with 53 previously unreleased tracks. Among the unreleased material, two full In Utero-era concerts, namely Live In Los Angeles (1993) and the band’s final Seattle performance, Live In Seattle (1994), are included in addition to six bonus live tracks from Rome, Springfield, and New York. Seattle producer and engineer Jack Endino—who helmed the band’s 1988 debut Bleach—reconstructed the live tracks from stereo soundboard tapes for this year’s reissue. Additionally, In Utero’s original twelve songs, along with five bonus tracks and B-sides, have been newly remastered from the original analog master stereo tapes by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Services—who assisted Albini as the only other engineer at the original sessions.
The physical Super Deluxe Edition box sets also boast a removable front-cover acrylic panel with the album’s iconic Angel; a 48-page hardcover book with unreleased photos; a 20-page newly designed fanzine; a Los Angeles tour poster lithograph by hot rod artist Coop; replicas of the 1993 record store promo Angel mobile, three gig fliers, two ticket stubs for Los Angeles and Seattle, an All-Access tour laminate, and four cloth sticky tour backstage passes: Press, Photo, After Show, and Local Crew.
Available exclusively at online stores at uDiscovermusic.com and Sound of Vinyl and limited to 3000 units worldwide, fans who buy either Super Deluxe Edition will receive a Nirvana acrylic stand to display their angel-on-acrylic panel included in both boxset configurations.
Nirvana recorded In Utero over the course of six days in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota with Albini.
The 8 180-gram LP Super Deluxe and 5 CD Super Deluxe Edition feature the original album plus 5 B-sides and bonus tracks newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog master tapes, two complete concerts from Los Angeles ’93 & Seattle ‘94 plus six bonus live songs from the tour – 72 total tracks – 53 unreleased tracks. Bonus items include an Angel-on-acrylic panel; a 48-page book with unreleased photos; a new 20-page fanzine; LA gig poster litho; two ticket stubs; replicas of the promo Angel mobile, three gig flyers, all-access tour laminate and four backstage passes.
The 2 CD Deluxe Edition features the album newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog master tapes plus 14 previously unreleased live tracks from the ‘93/’94 In Utero Tour. Each song on In Utero is represented with a live performance from Los Angeles, Springfield, Rome, New York & Seattle plus two cover songs widely played throughout the tour: The Vaselines’ “Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam” & David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World.” Housed in a softpak with a newly designed 20-page booklet.
The single LP is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and includes five B-sides and bonus tracks pressed on a 10-inch. All tracks have been newly remastered from 96kHz 24-bit transfers of the original analog tapes by original album engineer Bob Weston. Original album artwork has been expanded to a premium tip-on gatefold jacket for the first time with new 10-inch jacket art.
CD 1: In Utero (Original Album Remastered) and Bonus Tracks
1. Serve The Servants
2. Scentless Apprentice
3. Heart-Shaped Box
4. Rape Me
5. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
6. Dumb
7. Very Ape
8. Milk It
9. Pennyroyal Tea
10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
11. Tourette’s
12. All Apologies
13. Gallons Of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through The Strip [Bonus Track]
14. Marigold [Bonus Track]
15. Sappy [Bonus Track]
16. Moist Vagina [Bonus Track]
17. I Hate Myself And Want To Die [Bonus Track]
CD 2: Live in Los Angeles – Great Western Forum – December 30, 1993 [Previously Unreleased]
1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
2. Drain You
3. Breed
4. Serve The Servants
5. Come As You Are
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit
7. Sliver
8. Dumb
9. In Bloom
10. About A Girl
11. Lithium
12. Pennyroyal Tea
CD 3: Live in Los Angeles – Great Western Forum – December 30, 1993 [Previously Unreleased]
1. School
2. Polly
3. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle
4. Rape Me
5. Territorial Pissings
6. Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam
7. The Man Who Sold The World
8. All Apologies
9. On A Plain
10. Heart-Shaped Box
11. Blew
12. Feedback Jam
CD 4: Live in Seattle – Seattle Center Arena – January 7, 1994 [Previously Unreleased]
1. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter
2. Drain You
3. Breed
4. Serve The Servants
5. Come As You Are
6. Smells Like Teen Spirit
7. Sliver
8. Dumb
9. In Bloom
10. About A Girl
11. Lithium
12. Pennyroyal Tea
CD 5: Live in Seattle – Seattle Center Arena – January 7, 1994 [Previously Unreleased]
1. School
2. Polly
3. Frances Farmer Will Haver Her Revenge On Seattle
4. Milk It
5. Rape Me
6. Territorial Pissings
7. Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam
8. The Man Who Sold The World
9. All Apologies
10. On A Plain
11. Scentless Apprentice
12. Heart-Shaped Box
13. Blew
14. Serve The Servants (Live in Rome)
15. Scentless Apprentice (Live in Rome)
16. Heart-Shaped Box (Live in Rome)
17. Very Ape (Live in Rome)
18. Milk It (Live in Springfield)
19. Tourette’s (Live in New York)
