In Utero

In Utero is the third and final studio album by Nirvana, released in September 1993 on DGC Records. Dissatisfied with the polished sound of Nevermind, the band hired engineer Steve Albini, who favored raw, natural recording, and cut the album in about two weeks in February 1993 at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota.^[1]

The title came from a poem by Courtney Love. Cobain had first wanted a far bleaker title, which he meant as a joke, but bassist Krist Novoselic talked him out of it over fears of legal trouble.^[1] After the label and management reportedly disliked early mixes, Scott Litt remixed the singles "Heart-Shaped Box" and "All Apologies," and the album was mastered by Bob Ludwig.^[1]

Critics praised the album's raw sound and lyrics, even if some felt it fell short of Nevermind, and it debuted at number one in the US and UK.^[1] Reviewers noted its recurring imagery of sickness, death and birth, and the tension between abrasive and melodic songs.^[1] Retailers Wal-Mart and Kmart declined to stock the original artwork, so an edited version followed in 1994.^[1]

The album closes with "All Apologies," a song Cobain wrote in 1990 that predates the sessions by years. Recorded by Albini on 14 February 1993 and later remixed by Scott Litt, it places a groaning cello and a weary, gentle melody at the end of an otherwise abrasive record.^[2]