Nirvana (2002)

SMELLS LIKE DESPAIR ''Nirvana'' chronicles frontman Cobain's deterioration

Aside from the rare and half-great ''You Know You're Right,'' Nirvana, the unassuming, first-ever Nirvana compilation, offers few surprises. The song selection, from the Sub Pop-era ''About a Girl'' to the unplugged ''All Apologies,'' is judicious and familiar. The CD's one new twist is the way it condenses Kurt Cobain's deterioration onto a single disc; with each of its chronologically sequenced tracks, he sounds more bedraggled and tormented. By the end, you'll be happy to have relived the band's glories -- and bummed all over again.