All Of Us

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Nirvana's second album was dainty period British pop-psychedelia, falling on the lightest shade of that category that could be imagined. For some adventurous pop fans, few higher recommendations could be concocted. For most 1960s collectors, though, it's fair to say that it's too precious and insubstantial to qualify as a major work. Their most well-known song, Rainbow Chaser, leads off, with its prominent phasing effects; Tiny Goddess, one of their best ballads, comes next. The rest of the album doesn't measure up to those two tracks, with pretty but not compelling melodies (sometimes reminiscent of, but not in the same class as, Paul McCartney) and orchestration that, like the songs themselves, seem to tiptoe for fear of being too forceful. The overall result is too saccharine, and occasionally even childish. The 2003 Universal/Island CD adds historical liner notes and four non-LP bonus tracks from 1968-1969 singles. Unfortunately, none of these additions are exciting. The three B-sides (Flashbulb, Darling Darlane, and C Side of Ocho Rios), like all of their B-sides except I Believe in Magic, sound like throwaways, though C Side of Ocho Rios is a nice easy listening jazzy instrumental with choke organ. The other bonus track, Oh! What a Performance, was actually the A-side of their final Island single in 1969, and is an uncharacteristically straight-ahead keyboard-based rocker, though nothing worth raving about. ~ Richie Unterberger, Rovi