With the Lights Out cover

With the Lights Out

Nirvana · 2004

282 min · 81 tracks · alternative rock · grunge

A raw and unfiltered collection of early demos and live performances, capturing Nirvana's formative energy.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • raw energy from live performances
  • captivating early songwriting explorations
  • wave-like pacing with surprises
  • nostalgic vibes for dedicated fans

Maybe skip if you want

  • seeking polished studio productions
  • prefer concise, radio-friendly tracks

Where this album fits

Themes
punk influences· raw energy· youth culture· Cobain's vulnerability
Career context
Released in 2004, 'With the Lights Out' comes a decade after Kurt Cobain's death and serves as a posthumous compilation of Nirvana's early work. At this point, the band had already become a cultural touchstone, with Cobain's influence extending far beyond music into art and youth culture. The album presents a treasure trove for fans, showcasing the band's evolution from raw sound to commercial success.
Stylistic neighbors
Soundgarden· Alice in Chains· Pearl Jam
Sounds like this from elsewhere
Houdini by Melvins — Shares a raw, heavy sound and punk ethos that influenced Nirvana's early work.
Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement — Captures a similar lo-fi aesthetic and youthful disillusionment present in Nirvana's demos.
Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden — Embodies the same grunge energy and emotional vulnerability found in Nirvana's formative recordings.

Tracklist

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

Disc 1

  • 1 Heartbreaker (live, 1987) 2:59
  • 2 Anorexorcist (radio performance, 1987) 2:44
  • 3 White Lace and Strange (radio performance, 1987) 2:09
  • 4 Help Me I’m Hungry (radio performance, 1987) 2:41
  • 5 Mrs. Butterworth (rehearsal recording, 1988) 4:05
  • 6 If You Must (demo, 1988) 4:01
  • 7 Pen Cap Chew (demo, 1988) 3:02
  • 8 Downer (live, 1988) 1:43
  • 9 Floyd the Barber (live, 1988) 2:33
  • 10 Raunchola / Moby Dick (live, 1988) 6:24
  • 11 Beans (solo acoustic, undated) 1:32
  • 12 Don’t Want It All (solo acoustic, undated) 2:26
  • 13 Clean Up Before She Comes (solo acoustic, undated) 3:12
  • 14 Polly (solo acoustic, 1988) 2:30
  • 15 About a Girl (solo acoustic, 1988) 2:44
  • 16 Blandest (demo, 1988) 3:56
  • 17 Dive (demo, 1988) 4:50
  • 18 They Hung Him on a Cross (demo, 1989) 1:57
  • 19 Grey Goose (demo, 1989) 4:36
  • 20 Ain’t It a Shame (demo, 1989) 2:01
  • 21 Token Eastern Song (demo, 1989) 3:21
  • 22 Even in His Youth (demo, 1989) 3:12
  • 23 Polly (demo, 1989) 2:36

Disc 2

  • 1 Opinion (solo acoustic, 1990) 1:34
  • 2 Lithium (solo acoustic, 1990) 1:49
  • 3 Been a Son (solo acoustic, 1990) 1:12
  • 4 Sliver (solo acoustic, 1989) 2:09
  • 5 Where Did You Sleep Last Night? (solo acoustic, 1989) 2:31
  • 6 Pay to Play (demo, 1990) 3:29
  • 7 Here She Comes Now (demo, 1990) 5:01
  • 8 Drain You (demo, 1990) 2:38
  • 9 Aneurysm (demo, 1990) 4:47
  • 10 Smells Like Teen Spirit (rehearsal demo, 1991) 5:40
  • 11 Breed (rough mix, 1991) 3:07
  • 12 Verse Chorus Verse (outtake, 1991) 3:18
  • 13 Old Age (outtake, 1991) 4:20
  • 14 Endless, Nameless (radio appearance, 1991) 8:48
  • 15 Dumb (radio appearance, 1991) 2:35
  • 16 D‐7 (radio appearance, 1990) 3:46
  • 17 Oh, the Guilt (B‐side, 1992) 3:25
  • 18 Curmudgeon (B‐side, 1992) 3:03
  • 19 Return of the Rat (outtake, 1992) 3:09
  • 20 Smells Like Teen Spirit (Butch Vig mix) 4:59

Disc 3

  • 1 Rape Me (solo acoustic, 1992) 3:23
  • 2 Rape Me (demo, 1992) 3:01
  • 3 Scentless Apprentice (rehearsal demo, 1992) 9:32
  • 4 Heart‐Shaped Box (demo, 1993) 5:31
  • 5 I Hate Myself and I Want to Die (B‐side, 1993) 4:03
  • 6 Milk It (demo, 1993) 4:34
  • 7 M. V. (demo, 1993) 1:56
  • 8 Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip (B‐side, 1993) 7:34
  • 9 The Other Improv (demo, 1993) 6:24
  • 10 Serve the Servants (solo acoustic, 1993) 1:36
  • 11 Very Ape (solo acoustic, 1993) 1:52
  • 12 Pennyroyal Tea (solo acoustic, 1993) 3:30
  • 13 Marigold (B‐side, 1993) 2:34
  • 14 Sappy (B‐side, 1993) 3:26
  • 15 Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam (rehearsal demo, 1994) 3:57
  • 16 Do Re Mi (solo acoustic, 1994) 4:24
  • 17 You Know You’re Right (solo acoustic, 1994) 2:30
  • 18 All Apologies (solo acoustic, undated) 3:33

Disc 4

  • 1 Love Buzz 2:33
  • 2 Scoff 0:28
  • 3 About a Girl 3:05
  • 4 Big Long Now 4:21
  • 5 Immigrant Song 1:57
  • 6 Spank Thru 3:03
  • 7 Hairspray Queen 3:38
  • 8 School 2:54
  • 9 Mr. Moustache 3:47
  • 10 Big Cheese 3:15
  • 11 Sappy 4:28
  • 12 In Bloom 4:31
  • 13 School 2:33
  • 14 Love Buzz 3:41
  • 15 Pennyroyal Tea 1:55
  • 16 Smells Like Teen Spirit 6:17
  • 17 Territorial Pissings 2:45
  • 18 Jesus Doesn’t Want Me for a Sunbeam 3:31
  • 19 Talk to Me 3:33
  • 20 Seasons in the Sun 3:22

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata