And the winner is: 2013 remaster. To say I was astonished by this remaster would be an understatement. After the absolutely infuriating, unforgiveable train wreck that was the Nevermind remaster, I was prepared for the worst. While - given that In Utero was a fairly loud album for its day - I was hopeful that the added compression would not be as extreme by comparison with the original release as that employed on the disastrous Nevermind re-release two years earlier, so many past disappointments nevertheless steeled me for another sonic raping. Imagine my surprise to find that not only does this remaster sound great, but it's actually an improvement over the original release by featuring a better, clearer, and (shockingly) more dynamic transfer! The remaster even tops the 1997 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab audiophile release. It is my understanding that original producer/mixer Steve Albini worked on this one, and the results are nothing short of fantastic. I wholeheartedly recommend this new release and, although all three versions are good, it is the clear winner in this contest.

Special note: The deluxe edition of the remaster also features a number of bonus tracks as well as a complete remix of the entire album made by Steve Albini and the surviving band members. I understand that the intentions were to take advantage of improved technology and to allow the music to "breathe" in a way that it did not upon its original 1993 release. I'm almost never in favor of remixes as I see them as pointless and crass cash ins, but in this case I have to say the remix sounds excellent and in many ways it gives the listener a fresh new perspective on the music. I didn't review it here, but it's worth checking out.