Sadly,
MTV Unplugged stands as
Nirvana's last album. While it's an album of covers and old songs, it ranks as one of the band's most cohesive records. Instead of relying on the trio's overpowering sonic force,
Unplugged concentrates on
Kurt Cobain's subtly shaded songwriting and
Nirvana's deceptively simple musical power. Every version of their previously recorded songs, with the possible exception of "On a Plain," dramatically improves the original, and the covers reveal more about
Cobain than he intended. By the time
Nirvana close with a wrenching, spine-chilling version of
Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night," the emotional complexity of
Nirvana's music is clear. It's also clear that they could have made even greater music. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine