90's Jams #3: Nirvana "Aneurysm" (1991)

Please forgive our use of "epic" in this case, since the term is virtually meaningless at this point due to its overuse in describing lolcats pics. However, the actual definition of "epic" is probably the best possible single-word description for "Aneurysm," due to its enormous build and release structure. It's simply Nirvana at their most massive, and probably the most perfect combination of metal and punkrock, existing about halfway in the middle of a civil war cannon battle between Black Sabbath and Sex Pistols. It was the logical next step after Nirvana recruited Dave Grohl, which Kurt Cobain clearly understood as it's one of the rare Nirvana songs to issue songwriting credit to all three band members. It would not be obvious until reading Come As You Are that the lyrics are yet another song written "about a girl.." Turns out there were a lot more of those than we thought. And based on the intensity of the music, this particular situation may have been just a bit frustrating.

It's also not typical for such a beloved track within a huge band's catalog to have no definitive version.. The b-side on "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came first and was the rawest... The BBC session take from Incesticide is what most people have heard, which increases the production value and sounds like they've been practicing it a lot. It was recorded in late 1991, a time when really any live version of "Aneurysm" could have been considered just as perfect, especially the Amsterdam version heard on Live! Tonight! Sold Out!