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
-
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
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