Outcesticide II: The Needle & the Damage Done cover

Outcesticide II: The Needle & the Damage Done

Nirvana · 1994

73 min · 21 tracks · alternative rock

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Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

41 /100
Lowland
Higher than 0% of albums we've rated

The alternate takes and rare performances offer worthwhile archival listening, but the source-hopping sequence is a bootleg collection rather than a shaped album.

What we noticed

  • The opening six tracks are alternate studio versions or early takes; track 9 then stretches Scentless Apprentice into an extended feedback version.
  • Tracks 10–12 move to acoustic performances, followed by a solo take and two live covers before the later studio tracks resume.
  • The 21-track sequence jumps between recording dates and sources rather than building a continuous performance or album-length arc.
Composition 25% of the score
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
5/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
3/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
2/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 2/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 In Bloom (unissued sub pop 7″ mastertape) (5/90) 4:29
  • 2 Imodium (early version of “Breed” with different lyrics) (11/89) 3:03
  • 3 Help Me (winter 1989) 2:35
  • 4 Oh, the Guilt (live version) (11/89) 3:10
  • 5 Smells Like Teen Spirit (1/93) 4:48
  • 6 Pennyroyal Tea (early version with different lyrics) (10/91) 4:14
  • 7 It’s Closing Time 2:37
  • 8 Heart‐Shaped Box (alternate lyrics) 5:26
  • 9 Scentless Apprentice (extended experimental feedback version) (1/93) 9:42
  • 10 Been a Son (acoustic rehearsal) (10/91) 2:06
  • 11 Something in the Way (in‐store acoustic gig) (10/91) 3:20
  • 12 Negative Creep (in‐store acoustic gig) (10/91) 2:01
  • 13 Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (Kurt solo at Castaic Lake) (9/92) 2:25
  • 14 Baba O’Riley (covering The Who in Rennes) (12/91) 3:12
  • 15 The End (Slaughtering the Doors in Belgium) (11/91) 2:20
  • 16 Lithium (mix six, unreleased studio version) (6/91) 2:54
  • 17 Dumb (2/94) 2:23
  • 18 Molly’s Lips (an early attempt at the Vaseline’s song) (11/89) 2:23
  • 19 In His Hands (circa Summer 1990) 3:07
  • 20 The Man Who Sold the World (electric version) (12/93) 4:34
  • 21 Smells Like Teen Spirit (live on The World TV show) (11/91) 2:57

What to play next

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Outcesticide II: The Needle and the Damage Done
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Outcesticide II: The Needle and the Damage Done

1994
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Reference: MusicBrainz · Wikidata