Kevin Devine // Nevermind

Bad Timing Records

At a certain point in their career, it seems there are only a number of things you can do to keep things fresh. Some artists take hiatuses, form side projects, or rebrand by taking their music in a completely different direction altogether. While Kevin Devine has dipped his toes into all of these pools at one point or another, he also did one very, very cool thing back in 2012; he covered Nirvana's classic sophomore album, Nevermind, in full. Finally available to stream for the very first time, this release reminds us of Kevin Devine's versatility as a performer and the simple joy of hearing an artist cover their favorite songs. Devine's versions rarely differ from their original counterparts, leaving original favorites like "In Bloom" and "Lithium" coated in the gritty-yet-accessible fuzz that unmistakably defined the grunge era. Nonetheless, Devine's voice is higher than Kurt Cobain's, lending new texture to a song like "Come As You Are," and truly shining through on album highlight "Polly." Nevermind is admittedly more of a treat for Kevin Devine fans, but it serves as a reminder of just how powerful these songs still are.

— Aaron Mook