Il is impossible to have missed the nervous riff that introduces the album. For many, « Smells Like Teen Spirit » is the disillusioned anthem of a generation; for others, it is the best rock song of all time. In any case, the energy (of despair) that guided the making of this record is found in each of the twelve songs, with the same genius for effectiveness and simplicity… punk. Indeed, how could one not find in Kurt Cobain this same desire to bring down the dinosaurs of the sclerotic pachydermic rock of the late 80s? To do so, the music of the power trio moves between energetic rock (Smells Like Teen Spirit, Breed, In Bloom), furious punk (Territorial Pissings, Stay Away) and acoustic folk (Polly, Something in the way).
Poisoned gift because of its success, « Nevermind » marks the beginning of the end for Kurt Cobain but a new beginning for rock.