Nirvana

1	You Know You're Right previously unreleased 3:38
2	About a Girl 2:49
3	Been a Son 2:23
4	Sliver 2:14
5	Smells Like Teen Spirit 5:01
6	Come as You Are 3:39
7	Lithium 4:17
8	In Bloom 4:15
9	Heart Shaped Box 4:41
10	Pennyroyal Tea previously unreleased / Single Mix 3:38
11	Rape Me 2:51
12	Dumb 2:34
13	All Apologies Live 3:47
14	The Man Who Sold the World Live 3:47

Barnes & Noble

Considering the long and tortuous legal wrangling behind this retrospective collection from grunge kings Nirvana, its very existence is something of a miracle. But even more extraordinary is the unblemished way in which the assembled tunes have aged, a testament to the late Kurt Cobain's soulful songwriting and the band's earnest, unaffected performances, traits that set them apart from the legions of grunge-styled bands following in their wake. That's probably most clear in the writhing, pounding grooves of the much-discussed "You Know You're Right" -- an "important" song because it's the last complete tune to be recorded by Nirvana, but a song that reaches undeniable greatness because of the undiluted passion Cobain poured into it. Beyond that stellar cut -- the disc's sole unreleased item -- Nirvana collects all the touchstones one would expect ("Smells like Teen Spirit," "Lithium," "Come as You Are") as well as nods to both the band's indie material and its later, more delicate side. The Sub Pop years are represented by the desperate-sounding "Sliver" and "About a Girl," while the fragility of Cobain's later compositions is showcased on "Heart Shaped Box" and "Pennyroyal Tea" (presented here in a version remixed by Scott Litt). Rounding out the set are live renditions of "All Apologies" and David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World." Beyond the essential "You Know You're Right," longtime fans won't find many surprises here, but as a representation of what Nirvana was all about, Nirvana is impossible to fault. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The long-awaited single-disc anthology of Nirvana's work, simply titled Nirvana, has all the hits and many of the radio favorites, plus the very good previously unreleased final recording, "You Know You're Right." Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rolling Stone

A surprising continuity rolls through all the familiar songs on the set. Ben Ratliff

Spin Magazine

It's a retrospective that resurrects all the questions Cobain left unanswered when he left us. (10) Chuck Klosterman

Entertainment Weekly

By the end, you'll be happy to have relived the band's glories -- and bummed all over again. (A) David Browne