“From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah” by Nirvana – Review

I have a conspiracy theory. The Nirvana guys must have seen a little bit into the future when they started assembling From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. In their shared gut they foreknew all the bland greatest-hits compilations that Courtney Love and Geffen Records would release, centering “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Heart-Shaped Box” and a few other mealy radio hits from Nevermind, and they resolved to take action. And to maximize its nastiness and to hide their handpicked greatest-hits compilation from the Dee Gee Cee, they disguised it as a cash-in live album.

Originally it was supposed to be sold with the Unplugged show as a double-CD called Verse Chorus Verse, and would’ve featured “Dive,” “Serve the Servants” and a few other tracks that didn’t make the final cut. Had they followed through and released this version — I’m not kidding — you would never really need another Nirvana CD. As it is I’ll hang onto my In Utero and that rarities compilation with the horrid name, but only lightly, with my fingernails. I don’t listen to them much anyway.

Honestly these versions aren’t as good as the studio ones, especially vocally, and the recordings are even more limited than soundboard tapes usually are because of the band’s crappy equipment. But I’m fond of these deficiencies because they give Wishkah a homey feeling — it’s like a mixtape made by a friend who knows quite a bit about Nirvana but has his own distinct taste. And who’s better prepared to make this mixtape than the members of the band? People will tell you that “Sliver” and “Aneurysm” are neglected classics, but how many Nirvana fans, even those in the know, had heard “Spank Thru” before Wishkah introduced them to it? (I had, but that’s beside the point.) Given discretion over the project I would’ve added “Serve the Servants” and “Frances Farmer,” and cut “Polly”; but then I’d just be a lonely schlub with his perfect Nirvana comp. I’ll take Krist and Dave’s instead, for commiseration’s sake.