From The Muddy Banks Of The Wishkah

Recorded at random shows between December 1989 and January 1994, Wishkah captures the live firepower of this great Northwestern grunge band with all the raw emotion, bleeding guitar chords, and relentless, pummeling rhythms in place. Compiled by the surviving members after singer Kurt Cobain’s tragic suicide, Wishkah is very much alive with sonic blasts of incredible punk, pop and industrial power. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was the obvious anthem that no one could resist, but there are so many rewarding moments captured here, from the quick, desperate blast of “Sliver” to the Black Sabbath-inspired chording of “School” to the pleading underscoring the delicate emotions of “Polly.” In the end, however, it is Cobain’s parched voice, his inner frustrations executed so brilliantly that lead the group. “Negative Creep” is the sound of inner self-loathing taken to the extreme. “Drain You” takes its pop roots and turns darker. “Heart-Shaped Box” retains its foreboding power. “Scentless Apprentice,” “Tourette’s,” and “Milk It” expose the band’s uncompromisingly abrasive side. There’s no denying this band’s commitment to its material.