"In Utero" è l'ultimo album dei Nirvana, eppure Cobain disse che era come un ritorno alle origini...

Siamo nel 1993: i fasti commerciali di "Nevermind" hanno portato il gruppo ad assumere una popolarità mai vista per una band che veniva dall'ambiente alternativo. Ma dopo due anni, la speranza di Cobain, e cioè che la stessa popolarità, tanto maledetta, potesse almeno rafforzare la sua indipendenza artistica, diventa più concreta grazie anche ad un produttore come Steve Albini. In effetti, "In Utero" non è niente di ciò che potrebbe essere definito come seguito di "Nevermind".

L'album inizia già con una recusatio: "teenage angst has paid off well, now i'm bored and old..." ("La rabbia giovanile mi ha ben pagato, ora sono annoiato e vecchio"): in questo senso, dunque, traspare la volontà, da parte del gruppo, di lasciarsi alle spalle il carico di "Nevermind" per affrontare un nuovo discorso musicale. Se canzoni come "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Come As You Are", "Territorial Pissings" erano diventati inni generazionali, considerati espressione di un sentire comune, in "In Utero", quasi programmaticamente, come si evince dal titolo, non troviamo niente di tutto questo. I brani dell'album, in modo inequivocabile, esprimono soprattutto sentimenti e stati d'animo personali, che mai potrebbero essere considerati a livello generale o applicati a fasce generazionali.

"In Utero" è l'album di Cobain, della sua vera rabbia, del suo vero dolore, ma anche del suo vero amore: per sua moglie ("Heart-Shaped Box") e per sua figlia, della sua tenacia nel difendere questo suo piccolo mondo d'affetti, troppo spesso offeso dai media e dalla gente comune ("Rape Me"). I pettegolezzi su di lui, il ruolo conferitogli dalla fama acquisita, quel ruolo di "portavoce" di una generazione che Cobain volle sempre rifiutare, lo avevano messo fortemente a disagio. Non si riconobbe mai in quel ruolo, anche perché non era nella sua natura. A detta di molti, Cobain era piuttosto silenzioso. Non amava mettersi in mostra. Tutto il rumore intorno alla sua persona, alla sua musica, gli dovettero sembrare come una tremenda contraddizione. Uno dei motivi del suo suicidio fu certamente questo, anche se mai potremo capire il senso di quel gesto. Cobain aveva tutto per vivere felice, eppure non lo era. "In Utero" in questo senso, può essere considerato come un drammatico campanello d'allarme di quello che sarebbe avvenuto pochi mesi dopo.

L'album è pieno di riferimenti alla questione "fama", anche se il tutto viene circonfuso da sottile quanto amara ironia. Il titolo che era stato scelto in origine era "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die", ma poi venne modificato: Cobain disse che la gente non lo avrebbe capito, in quanto sarebbe stato un titolo del tutto ironico: si sentiva già uno stereotipo del rock 'n roll, a cui, come nella tradizione, non doveva mancare una tragica morte per overdose. Evidentemente, l'unico modo per superare lo stereotipo gli sembrò aderire allo stereotipo stesso.... Il suo suicidio fu un gesto ironico in fondo, seppur tragico, e allo stesso tempo, l'unica via d'uscita, di catarsi, l'unico espediente capace di annullare ogni cosa, di riportare tutto ad una primeva situazione di purezza: quella appunto rievocata dal titolo scelto in definitiva.

Dal punto di vista musicale, il disco si configura come l'estremo sviluppo del grunge, un genere, forse mai esistito e quanto mai ancorato al suo periodo di gloria, ma allo stesso tempo ne rappresenta il suo superamento. Lo schema è sempre quello: i Nirvana sono un gruppo punk-rock di base, che fonda la sua originalità nel servirsi delle molteplici esperienze musicali che hanno caratterizzato la storia del rock. E questo vale anche per il disco in questione, ma non completamente. Con "In Utero" infatti, ci troviamo di fronte ad un nuovo rock la cui raffinatezza si fonda, in alcuni casi, sulla sua estrema semplicità ("Pennyroyal Tea", "Dumb", "All Apologies"), in altri sull'estremo senso di straniamento tradotto da alcuni brani come "Milk It", "Tourette's", "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter": tranquillità e straniamento dunque, quasi ad imitazione dei moti interiori dell'animo, espressi da una chitarra distorta, cupa, molto più vicina al basso e ormai già molto lontana dai cliché del punk-rock.

È  già post-rock quello di "In Utero", il vero "denial" dei Nirvana, un disco che rinnegando i meccanismi che avevano portato in auge il grunge, pone fine al movimento stesso, cosa che diverrà poi definitiva con la morte di Cobain, la cui esperienza musicale e di vita è perfettamente sintetizzata nel disco: autenticità, purezza, voglia di vivere...come un feto nell'utero di sua madre.

Elenco tracce testi samples e video

01   Serve the Servants (03:35)

Teenage angst has paid off well
Now I'm bored and old
Self-appointed judges judge
More than they have sold

If she floats than she is not
A witch like we had thought
A down payment on another
One at Salem's lot

Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
That legendary divorce is such a bore

As my bones grew they did hurt
They hurt really bad
I tried hard to have a father
But instead I had a Dad

I just want you to know that I
Don't hate you anymore
There is nothing I could say
That I haven't thought before

Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
That legendary divorce is such a bore

Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
Serve the servants - Oh no
That legendary divorce is such a bore

02   Scentless Apprentice (03:47)

Like most babies smell like butter
His smell smelled like no other
He was born scentless and senseless
He was born a scentless apprentice

Go away - get away, get a-way

Every wet nurse refused to feed him
Electrolytes smell like semen
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers

Go away - get away, get a-way

I lie in the soll and fertilize mushrooms
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
You can't fire me because I quit!
Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit

Go away - get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get away, get a-way

03   Heart-Shaped Box (04:41)

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnet tar-pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black

Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Your advice

Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet
Cut myself on angel hair and baby's breath
Broken hymen of your highness I'm left black
Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Your advice

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I've been drawn into your magnet tar-pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn back

Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait!
I've got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Your advice
Your advice
Your advice

04   Rape Me (02:50)

Rape me
Rape me my friend
Rape me
Rape me again

I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one

Hate me
Do it and do it again
Waste me
Rape me my friend

Am I the only one?
Am I the only one?
Am I the only one?
Am I the only one?

My favorite inside source
I'll kiss your open sores
Appreciate your concern
You'll always stink and burn

Rape me
Rape me my friend
Rape me
Rape me again

I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one
I'm not the only one

Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!
Rape me!

05   Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle (04:09)

It's so relieving
To know that you're leaving as soon as you get paid
It's so relaxing
To hear that you're asking wherever you get your way
It's so soothing
To know that you'll sue me, this is starting to sound the same

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

In her false witness, we hope you're still with us,
To see if they float or drown
Our favorite patient, a display of patience,
Disease-covered Puget Sound
She'll come back as fire, to burn all the liars,
And leave a blanket of ash on the ground

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

It's so relieving
To know that you're leaving as soon as you get paid
It's so relaxing
To know that you're asking wherever you get your way
It's so soothing
To know that you'll sue me, this is starting to sound the same

I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad
I miss the comfort in being sad

06   Dumb (02:31)

I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone
But I have a light
The day is done
But I'm having fun
I think I'm dumb
Or maybe just happy

Think I'm just happy
Think I'm just happy
Think I'm just happy

My heart is broke
But I have some glue
Help me inhale
And mend it with you
We'll float around
And hang out on clouds
Then we'll come down
And have a hangover

Have a hangover
Have a hangover
Have a hangover

Skin the sun
Fall asleep
Wish away
The soul is cheap
Lesson learned
Wish me luck
Soothe the burn
Wake me up

I'm not like them
But I can pretend
The sun is gone
But I have a light
My day is done
But I'm having fun
I think I'm dumb
Maybe just happy

Think I'm just happy
Think I'm just happy
Think I'm just happy

I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb
I think I'm dumb

07   Very Ape (01:56)

I'm buried up to my neck in
Contradictorary flies
I'll take pride as the king of literature
I'm very ape
And very nice

If you ever need anything
Please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm to busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all
I was here first

Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt

If you ever need anything
Please don't
Hesitate to ask someone else first
I'm to busy acting like I'm not naive
I've seen it all
I was here first

Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the ground

Out of the ground
Into the sky
Out of the sky
Into the dirt

08   Milk It (03:55)

I am my own parasite
I don't need a host to live
We feed off of each other
We can share our endorphins

Doll steak!
Test meat!

Look on the bright side is suicide
Lost eyesight I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and/or sleeping

I own my own pet virus
I get to pet and name her
Her milk is my shit
My shit it is her milk

Test meat!
Doll steak!

Look on the bright side is suicide
Lost eyesight I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and/or sleeping

Doll steak!
Test meat!

Look on the bright side is suicide
Lost eyesight I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and/or sleeping

Protector of the kennel
Ecto-plasma, Ecto-skeletal
Obituary birthday
Your scent is still here in my place of recovery

09   Pennyroyal Tea (03:36)

I'm on my time with everyone
I have very bad posture

Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
I'm anemic royalty

Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld
So I can sigh eternally
I'm so tired I can't sleep
I'm anemic royalty
I'm a liar and a thief
I'm anemic royalty

I'm on warm milk and laxatives
Cherry-flavored antacids

Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
I'm anemic royalty

Sit and drink Pennyroyal Tea
Distill the life that's inside of me
I'm anemic royalty

10   Radio Friendly Unit Shifter (04:51)

- Hmmmmmm ... I just wanna know ... do you like me? - [Whisper]

Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starve without your skeleton key

I love you for what I am not
I do not want what I have got
A blanket acne'ed with ciggarette burns
Speak at once while taking turns

What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What is what i need?

I'm gonna do with what you think
If you ever think at all
Bi-polar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke

I love you for what I am not
I do not want what I have got
A blanket acne'ed with ciggarette burns
Second-rate third degree burns

What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What do I think i think?

Hate, hate your enemies
Save, save your friends
Find, find your place
Speak, speak the truth

What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What do I think of me ?

Use just once and destroy
Invasion of our piracy
Afterbirth of a nation
Starve without your skeleton key


What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What do I think of me ?

What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What is wrong with me
What do I think of me ?

11   tourette's (01:35)

- Moderate Rock!

Mayday every day, in my heart.
Could've had a heart attack, in my heart.
We don't know anything, in my heart.
We all want something fair, in my heart.
Hey!
Hey!
Heyyyyyyy!
Heyyyyyyy!
Heyyyyyyy!

Out of town, out of sight, is my heart.
Queen of lies, everyday, in my heart.
My heart, one more on the phone, my heart.
One more at the phone, at my heart
Hey!
Hey!
Heyyyyyyyyyyy!
Heyyyyyyyyyyy!

Mean heart, cold heart, cold heart, cold heart
Cold heart, cold heart, cold heart, cold heart!

Uhhhhhhh!

Other interpretations possible.

12   All Apologies (23:58)

What else should I be
All apologies
What else could I say
Everyone is gay
What else could I write
I don't have the right
What else should I be
All apologies

In the sun
In the sun I feel as one
In the sun
In the sun
I'm married
Buried

I wish I was like you
Easily amused
Find my nest of salt
Everything is my fault
I'll take all the blame
Aqua Sea Foam shame
Sunburn with freezeburn
Choking on the ashes of her enemy

In the sun
In the sun I feel as one
In the sun
In the sun
Married, Maried, Maried!
Buried!
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are
All in all is all we are

13   Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip (07:31)

It hurts when you have to press that dull little thing
That you're only supposed to use once and then discard
Where do you put it? In the garbage can, my honest friend
My shyness, pet her flow

She's only been five months late, even though we haven't had sex for a week

A meal a day, a meal, I say
And my heart's made my ...

Somebody else already used the word 'aurora-borealis'
She was tied up in chains, and Sam had helped her in the freezer

She's only five weeks late, but I haven't had a date forever ...
Ever ... ever ... forever!

Wish I had more ... more opportunity,
More chances to remember some things
So I couldn't have so much pressure on my ...
On my ... on my, um ... ah, on my ... um ... um ... head

We'd have so much more diversity,
And so much more input, so much more creative flow,
If we had someone in school, a 'GIT' ...

GIT ... geeks ... in ... town.
Ha! ... Come on, Dave, think of one ... !
- Girls with trouble
It should be GIC, geeks with charvels
No, GWC, fuck man this is a waste of time ...

{laughs}

One more solo? Yeahhhhhhhhh! Yeaaaahhhhh!

You're personally responsible for ...
The entire strip ... to be washed away ...
Cleansed ... as if gallons of, um, rubbing alcohol
Flowed through the strip and were set on fire.

It didn't just singe the hair, it made it straight.
And then Perry Ellis came along with his broom,
And his ... silk ...
And he ... he erected a beautiful city ...
A city of stars.

Carico i commenti...  con calma

Altre recensioni

Di  KurtTheFish

 La missione, a mio avviso, è assolutamente compiuta.

 Un album ingiustamente sottovalutato, per alcuni tratti superiore a 'Nevermind'.


Di  cameli11

 «In Utero sembra quasi un segno di protesta della band contro i discografici: vende metà delle copie del precedente, ma mostra il loro vero lato musicale e personale.»

 «Dolore, disperazione e voglia di essere felici sono i temi principali dell’intero cd: potrei prendere decine e decine di esempi, ma è emozionante ascoltare l’album per capire davvero.»


Di  hypnosphere boy

 "In Utero è, a suo modo, una sorta di manifesto conclusivo della scena di Seattle."

 "'Rape Me' è il senso ultimo dell’opera di Kurt Cobain: disperato tentativo di liberazione dal dolore di interrogativi squassanti."


Di  Sanjuro

 "Cobain ha scritto sempre la stessa canzone mediocre e piatta per tutti e 5 gli anni Nirvana."

 "Il grunge è un genere tradizionalista, anacronistico, elementare (non minimalista) che prende intuizioni geniali e le trasforma in una immensa rottura di palle priva di idee."


Di  tonu87

 La rabbia giovanile ha pagato bene, ora sono stanco e annoiato.

 Se non volete semplicemente ascoltare un album, ma farvi coinvolgere e viverlo completamente, allora questo è l'album che fa per voi.