Reviews (page 8 of 9)
Courtney love has quite the growl. The white trash-angst really comes through. Sonically this album is solid, good recording, not too dated, sine nice thrashing guitar. However, no melodies really stood out to me. I think Courtney love carries all the weight of this album on her shoulders with her voice and lyrics. Good. But could be better.
Violet and Doll Parts are classic tracks, but I'm not sure I've ever listened to this album in full before. Not the biggest fan of Courtney Love but I enjoyed the album. Really powerful voice, catchy songs, loads of energy. Well-produced. Easy to compare to Nevermind in many ways. In fact, it is interesting that Kurt might have written some of the songs and that he features as backing vocalist on two tracks. I enjoyed this and I'd certainly revisit the big songs, but less sure about the album as a whole. 7/10
Definitely some Nirvana vibes here. Liked it a bit more than I expected.
Some decent bangers.
If only I had discovered this during my angsty teenage years! Love the angst, the rage, and the drama
It was pretty good, nothing to write home about though. I liked the punk direction but thought they could've differentiated themselves a bit more with that
Ist es ungerecht, wenn man bei Hole erstmal denkt "ach so ja, die Band von der Frau von Kurt Cobain". Man sagt bei Nirvana ja auch nicht "ach so, die Band von dem Ex von der von Bikini Kill". Naja, aber trotzdem ist Hole natürlich im Fahrwasser von Nirvana nach oben gespielt worden. Dem Sound (ich hatte ja neulich schon erwähnt, dass mir Dreck-Grunge immer lieber war als die poliertere Hardrockvariante) hört man ja auch deutlich die Verwandtheit an, z.B. wäre ich sehr leicht davon zu überzeugen dass Courtney und Kurt den selben Gesangslehrer hatten. Gefällt mir jedenfalls nicht schlecht, und auch ansonsten: solide Grunge-Platte, mit - wie soll man sagen - Glamour-Effekten. Aber einen weltweiten Teenage Riot hätten Hole damit vermutlich nicht ausgelöst, dafür waren sie 1994 bisschen spät dran. Und diese Routine im Sound und der Ästhetik hört man dem Album schon auch an. Trotzdem: solide 3 redlich verdient.
Buen disco de rock, un tanto cercano al punk, con una voz femenina intensa y, en ocasiones, desgarradora. Le ha faltado algo, pero en líneas generales está bien
“Live Through This” by Hole (1994) Let me say at the outset that I don’t believe the rumor that Kurt Cobain ghostwrote tracks on this album. My reasons for this skepticism are probably not what you think. But there are striking similarities between Cobain’s compositional style and Cortney Love’s. How to account for this? She copied him, dude. Courtney Love is good, but she’s not in Cobain’s league. Now there’s nothing wrong with copying compositional style. Good grief, the history of recorded music demonstrates this over and over. But if the copying is accompanied by an insufficient level of innovation, the overall effect is unduly derivative, and thus is of less artistic merit. And Love’s compositions on this album are unduly derivative: Cobainesque screaming over Cobainesque barre chord progressions and intervals with Cobainesque dynamic explosions and Cobainesque blending of acoustic and electric rhythm grooves. I could go on. Love’s artistry is explicitly feminine. Cobain’s artistry transcends gender segmentation. I am aware of how some feminists would perhaps challenge this assessment, but I’m 66 years old, and I really don’t care. I don’t do affirmative action art. Now Love’s lyrics have some flashes of poetic microbrilliance (“violet/violence”; “death rattle/spittle on his bib”; “My bitter half has bitten me”; “I fake it so real, I am beyond fake”; “fetal stress/legless caress”). And in general, Love’s lyrics far surpass the average rock and roll fare. Her songs here are both introspective and relatable, plaintive and evocative, repulsive and attractive. The album has a thematic coherence, and production & performance qualities that are far better than average. It is just plain good. 3/5
good but nothing special
It's very nice to listen to some clean and real raw rock album. It's not one of the best albums for me, but it's very honest.
Grunge-punk-rock entretenido
This album is definitely 1994. The music is fine but the vocals are borderline unlistenable in some songs. This album gets a solid \"meh\". A little bit good, some pretty bad, mostly very mediocre.
Not bad. Shouty tho
Courtney love is a g. She crazy af but that’s a good music
Good
slightly disappointed. majority of the songs just lacked substance and something special. I would have preferred if most songs had the same style as “She Walks On Me” which was strong. not bad not good?
I liked this better than I thought I would. Generally find grunge very hit or miss but this hits more often than not. Lyrics are pretty adolescent angsty fare though, while still ominously prefiguring the impending adjacent tragedy.
Better than I expected to be honest.
Easy listening, but nothing memorable for me. I really liked the last song though.
3.5 Okay, didnt blow me away but it was solid
Bem legalzinho - nada extraordinário, mas nada ruim.
Imogen: A female-driven grunge and alternative rock album. Lyrically focuses on themes of feminism, motherhood and body image, but mocks, rather than conforms to, the 'riot grrl' scene of the 90s. I enjoyed the album, my favourite songs on it being 'Asking For It', 'Jennifer's Body', 'Rock Star' and 'Doll Parts.' And I've sort of struggled with what to rate it because I'd probably give it a 3.5. I admire what it does with giving the female response to the grunge scene, and lyrically is able to highlight women's issues in a way that feels still relevant without it feeling forced. That said, in its inability to cement it being a 4 star for me, I'm going to have to give Live Through This a 3.
grungy!
1994. Key Songs: Violet, Doll Parts, Jennifer's Body
oynamak istemiyorum
Songs blend together. Lyrics are simplistic and repetitive with some off key vocals at times.
Pas vraiment aimé l'album dans son entièreté mais quelques sons sont sympas
Did not enjoy
2.5 - ok
I have been dreading this day, and I really am shocked how backloaded the project has been for me. No Bowie, no Beatles, not even any Dylan or Costello, but thank god I get to hear Courtney Love. Who, of course, I have heard, because you don't ride the coattails of the most important figure in 90s rock and allow people to avoid you (unlike L7, Bikini Kill, Babes in Toyland, and any number of other female led grunge and riot grrl adjacent bands that had twice the talent and none of the coattails). The most iconic image I will ever have of Courtney Love is her throwing her compact at the balcony while MTV News’ Kurt Loder was interviewing Madonna. There was no substance to Courtney besides desperation for attention back then, and it says a lot that the only person who still seems to reliably tolerate her as a human is Billy Corgan, who I love despite myself but is also desperate for someone, anyone to listen to his very important ideas. And that, let's be honest, rubs off on the album. You don't really want to like music by someone who everyone you've ever heard get to know the artist thinks they're a terrible human. And while Hole makes a real compelling argument from the get-go with Violet (a song that, let's be honest, sounds exactly like Billy Corgan writing a song for a woman with Smells Like Teen Spirit production), it immediately spirals. “Miss World” borders on unlistenable… Violet cuts through with rage. Miss World exposes a tone deaf and one-note reality once you get into a looser jangle-grunge. The rest sort of oscellates between the two poles: “Plump” does nothing to quell the “Kurt wrote this” rumors (that chorus is deeply “Milk It” coded), “Jennifer's Body” alternates Kim Gordon Novocaine Voice with a less successful rehash of Violet. That's sort of just the vibe, like Courtney pulled out one song and then cobbled together 11 more songs from disparate parts of better bands who did not have the same label push. And sure, I have no doubt that growing up an angsty boy instead of an angsty girl probably plays a role in not being able to connect to this. Again, for me the feminist stuff was done better elsewhere too, but since this was THE album being pushed from that scene that was also by a woman, that probably made a difference. But at the end of the day this is an album that doesn't make me want to hear it. One thing that does stick out? The production. This feels like it was recorded, and written, and performed, in some abject hovel. It gives X-Files “Home” vibes. When Courtney screams “someday you will ache like I ache,” you do believe that she's aching, because it is impossible for me to hear Doll Parts and not hear unfinished basement jail cells, yellowed flickering lights… the dolls the parts are from are those smudgy sticky ones at the bottom of the toy chest. And that really is a sound that sets the album apart. I just wish the songs were better, the vocals were better, the person was better. ⭐️⭐️
It’s OK, but I’m not sure what is exceptional about this?
Generic, garage grunge rock. Top tracks: “Miss World,” “Doll Parts”
--Violet...grunge-tastic --Miss World...no thanks --Plump...nice, chunky guitar sound. not much else to it --Asking for It...could be a throwaway Nirvana track --Jennifer's Body...basically "Violet" --Doll Parts...no thanks --Credit in the Straight World...cover --Softer, Softest...just not feeling this --She Walks on Me...they settle into a solid groove here --I Think That I Would Die...the dingo ate your baby --Gutless...like the chunky sound again. don't care for the vocals --Rock Star (Olympia)...sounds like every other song on the LP
It was fine.
viel zu laut und Gebrülle. Mag Grunge anscheinend nur wenns von Nirvana ist.
Meh, nothing stood out and not a fan of this genre specifically.
Bändin kolmas levy on tutumpi. Tätä kuuntelin ensimmäistä kertaa. Soitto oli ihan ok, mutta biiseistä ei jäänyt mikään erityisesti mieleen.
I think it very powerfully captured female rage. I loved the themes of poetic lashback against abuse, bulemia, and women being treated as objects. “Asking for it”s lyrics resonated as I believe it would for most women. I don’t like the sound of her actual singing though and the music style- love what it stands for not what it is haha
It’s fine. But feels a little bit desperate and isn’t very melodic
not very interesting
Meh
I just felt like this album was pretty forgettable.
Grei musikk, går litt vel i feil retning for mø
I wanted to like this, but grunge continues to keep me at arms length. Maybe because I didn’t live through it?
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Hole in general. The album is fine enough, but I certainly wouldn't seek it out. The sound is just a little grating.
Wasn’t as bad as it could have been but I’m never gonna be in the mood to turn this on.
I wasn’t expecting much so it beat expectations for me. 2.5
A couple of okay songs but mostly pretty boring.
The album is ok, a couple good songs. 2.5
This female singer sounds a bit like Kurt Cobain, wonder if they have ever met.
I am not a fan of grunge whatsoever but I will say this kept me intrigued for longer than I thought.
Esposa del grunge... Not 4 me. Igual me entretuvo.
I guess its not as bad as I had anticipated. Doll parts is a pretty cool track.
2.2/5 Nothing too amazing here but nothing terrible.
Sylvia Plath meets Helen Keller
Wears out it's welcome fast.
Doll Parts //
Not the best album but it was alright. It was just diffrent from my usual music but I feel like if need to listen to it again. Favorite song was asking for.
4 - starts out ok but fades and very one note.
2:5
dude no, i really wanted to like this but its really annoying
Litt for datert, for lite nytt, for likt
Really harsh sound. Not my favorite. But interesting exploration of women's rock in the 90s that covers some serious issues.
I’d like to shove this album in my …
not really for me, cool lyrics tho
Not for me
Not sure why, but not really into this. Loved Nirvana, but this is just not working for me. Too much shouting. 2.5
I just don’t think I like her voice. I can see the appeal, there’s a kind of raw energy, but it’s not doing great things for me personally
Not as good as Celebrity Skin imo. This really just seemed like Courtney screaming into a mic for 40ish minutes.
didnt catch me
Celebrity Skin is way better, in my opinion. I know this is Hole's breakthrough album, but I'm not sure why this is the one they're known for; that being said, Dollparts is a decent song.
To my ears, Hole suffers from a similar problem to Alanis Morisette and Cheryl Crow. Sure, the bands are tight and the record’s nicely produced. But they feel like generic Top 40. It’s the same lady in a different dress, so to speak. It’s too MTV and not very innovative.
Not really my cup of tea and I think I enjoy Celebrity Skin more by Hole. It’s a little more produced and not as grungy. Doll Parts is my favorite track on this album. “Some day you will ache like I ache” are some heavy lyrics.
I’ve never listened to a Hole album before. I probably heard the occasional song on MTV back when “Live Through This” was released, but it wasn’t music that interested me. I have no recollection of the music. Back then, in 1994, the album was the talk of the town and the subject of wild speculation. Kurt Cobain had taken his life a week before the release date, and suddenly an album by his widow appeared. I don’t wish to engage in speculation about Cobain’s alleged ghostwriting – a certain stylistic similarity is certainly unmistakable. But didn’t half the bands back then sound a bit like Nirvana? From today’s perspective, over 30 years after its release, the album certainly isn’t worth the hype, but it’s better than I feared. Admittedly, if we’re honest, Patti Smith had already been doing this sort of music much better 20 years earlier. A certain ‘polished edginess’ means the album doesn’t really strike me as authentic. But perhaps these are just Yoko Ono-style prejudices that I can’t shake off.
Kinda lame
Instrumentally, this is much better and far darker than "Celebrity Skin", but Courtney Love is objectively a terrible vocalist, landing squarely in the shockingly bad category. She couldn't hold a tune if her life depended on it, and this is with music that has incredibly simple vocal melodies. 2.0/5.0: Disappointing
I know it's hardly a Beatles or Stones situation, but I was a Babes in Toyland person. On the surface, it seems a little odd to embrace them and basically reject Hole, but that's what I did, and I stand by my reasons to this day. I believed Kat Bjelland, I did not believe Courtney Love. Self Compulsion verses Self-Aggrandizing was what I was subconsciously feeling. Art verses Opportunism. I didn't put a lot of thought into it at the time, but I'm glad my stupid younger self had enough discernment to be on the right side of the screechy, girls with noisy guitars debate. Listening to Live Through This properly for the first time today I've heard a decent-ish album but as I suppressed my obvious bias in order to give it the fairest assessment I am capable of, I didn't hear much to change my mind. Not every song being 100% self-obsessed was perhaps the best takeaway I got. It seems very wrong to me that I have another Hole album to listen to while Babes on Toyland are absent from the 1001. Complaint lodged.
no. annoying and whiny and no. felt like i was in a whole of white trash activities. sorry courtney, u just didn’t love this one. gets a bonus star for being an alt girl album tho i rock with that.
Meh. This was ok. Courtney love is only notable due to her association with Cobain. Plus the whole time I jist think about Anna ferris from Just Friends singing the songs. Its what they sound like.
2/5. This'll be short, as I already wrote it and accidentally navigated away and lost two much better thought out paragraphs. Good: simple and moving grunge/pop-punk riffs, some lyrics, some of Courtney's singing Bad: most lyrics, most of Courtney's singing Takeaway: Courtney definitely has talent but this is a rough listen thanks to the variation of vocal delivery quality and an overreliance on emotion to sell the songs. I wish there was more focus on melody. Grunge is weird bc you get stuff like this that has the "message is more important than the music" attitude that you get with punk but none of the genuinely transgressive/novel messaging that often accompanies early punk. Lots of potential but not worth being on this list imo.
No standouts
very inconsistent grunge album attempt with few good songs
Yeah not for me. I’m sure it was big for empowered women of the time but doesn’t have much re-listen ability. Entire album sounds like it should be the soundtrack to the show “Yellowjackets”
muy rockero para mi gusto
mostly uninspired guitar progressions behind a vocalist who's flexible but not really in command of her screaming. drumming is pretty decent at least, fairly conventional but active.
Through what?
Nope
I've always put off listening to Hole. Turns out I'm ok with that.
I didn’t really enjoy this at all. I understand the appeal but Hole is just not for me
2.5 Stars As a kid of the 90's, it's impossible for me to divide this album from the persona that was Courtney Love. Unfairly (probably) I loathed her back then...and thus never thought very much of her songwriting abilities or her band. There's some quality melodies on this record, but still can't get fully on board with her. Favorite track: Doll Parts
Monotonous. I can't stand Courtney love's voice tbh. Started fun but quickly started to sound annoying like get over yourself.
Not my thing. Too scream-y 😉
noisie rock, unclear for me, voice lead doesn't give reason to listen again.
I'm sorry, I just don't like this. 2/5
Sämre än förra Holeskivan vi hade. Men redan här skymtar Kaliforniarock fram bland all attityd, skrän och gap. Hole har helt enkelt i grunden rätt bra låtar, vilket är mer än man kan säga om många band i samma tid och genre. Plattan tappar lite styrsel under andra hälften men avslutar bedårande i punkbagatellen "Rock star". Men det krävdes tydligen en producent med riktigt strama tyglar för att locka fram all den The Bangles, The Go-Go's och Belinda Carisle som alla kan höra finns bakom skrik och dist, den producenten finns desvärre inte här. Men spår 1-7 har alla frön till det där, allra bäst är "Asking for it" som i en annan fôrpackning kunde varit lika given i Sportradion som "Leave a light on for me". Stark tvåa
Punkigare och mer aggressiv än Barbie-grungen på den andra Hole-skivan i boken, vilket är till den här skivans fördel. Men verkligen inget fantastiskt. Ibland uppe och svävar på en trea, men helheten hamnar på en godkänd tvåa.
Home anses alltså värdiga två album i boken? Ytterst märkligt! Med det sagt lyssnar jag alla dagar i veckan hellre på det här än Celebrity skin som vi tidigare haft. Med det sagt, det här är inte bra, men inte heller uselt. Betydligt punkigare utan att bli highschoolrock a la 90-tals ungdomsserie. En tvåa lyckas man pressa sig upp till.
Trop bruyant
Repetitivo. Nada me llamo la atención. Algunas guitarras sonaban bien.
Meh
the first song is speaking my language. well... That's not what I expected, depressed much? These lyrics are kinda crazy lol...but deadass though what are these lyrics... she was asking for it ??? what are we talking about??? honestly its starting to feel slow, ironically considering the genre. What is this girls obsession with milk ? ngl this was kind of boring this is a pass for me
Het begint nog wel aardig. Klinkt als Chrissie Hynde na 10 jaar drugsgebruik. Maar in de twee helft van de plaat gaat het mis. Er moet heul hard geschreeuwd en gevloekt worden, oh wat zijn we boos. De titel van het album is goed gekozen: 'Doorsta dit maar eens'. Want doorstaan is wel het juiste woord.
Het vorige album dat we kregen was vooral heel vergeetbaar (Celebrity Skin) was vooral heel vergeetbaar. Ik merkte al op dat het zelfs op een '90s party niet meer voorgeschoteld wordt. Dat kunnen we van dit album toch niet zeggen. Wat een geschreeuw. Toch even terugluisteren. Was dat op Celebrity Skin ook al zo? Nee, nou. Ook daar is het wat ongepolijst, maar zeker niet storend. Het is meer in balans. Dit album is vier jaar ouder. Dus we horen de ontwikkeling van de band, en met name de zangeres. Maar waarom moet ik die ontwikkeling van een middelmatig bandje horen?
I do not care for this.
I'm not a Courtney Love hater and every Hole album has a few songs that i really like. But as a whole (ha ha) their albums aren't that great.
I wish I liked it more because I like the cover, for now 2 just because
Ik had heel veel zin om dit te luisteren, want een paar liedjes van dit album vond ik al leuk, maar het deed hem gewoon niet voor mij. Ja een beetje langdradig en ik was er echt snel klaar mee :((
Yeah its ok
Pretty grungy. Good energy, with some relief into slower songs. Vocals sunk it for me though.
Meh
2 out of 5 A couple of really great song shows Courtney Love's talent, but the majority of the songs are just screeching and hard to listen to
Mid
Well, she knows how to rock. Not sure I enjoyed all that much, but she can rock.
The best female empowerment album since Houmous & Chutneys collaboration with Toya’s Wilcox on the hit record ‘Girls Can Shout Too (Ya Know!)’ 2.4 12/12 Rockstar
Pluss: Endelig ikke gubberock. Minus: Fortsatt middelmådig og uinteressant musikk. Kun kjent pga. kjendis-vokalist.
Pleasently surprised by how heavy it was. Not familiar with the brand. Great vocals and instruments, aggressive and fast flowing. But nothing surprising or particularly standing out by today's standards.
Feels like im watching a teenagers coming of age movie and the older sister is blaring music while going through her emo phase.
I could never really enjoy this group. At moments in a given song it feels like it'll coalesce into something really worthwhile. Then it just falls back to the samey.
I lived through it.
I don’t mind a few Hole songs, and own one of two albums. Haven’t really listened to much apart from he odd song here and there for years though. Went into this one looking forward to it, but found it quite disappointing.
Desde muy muy chico cuando era un reciente fanático de nirvana me he negado a escuchar este álbum porque odiaba con todo mi ser a Courtney Love y la culpaba por matar a Kurt Cobain. Hoy, varios años después escucho por primera vez esto y si bien no está mal no me llega mucho, capaz sigo resentido en el fondo...
Un peu basic
Meh not for me at this moment of my life. Too grungy and angsty, I can see the appeal though and would have been a big album when it came out.
The way I didn't know Courtney Love was in a band until Hole albums started showing up on here... Very 90s grunge rock. It's ok, not my thing 2*
Courtney is derivative of Kurt. I found this album to be a corporate money grab. the music is dull, uninteresting.
Best thing about this was that it was only 38 minutes. I've listened to a previous hole album and enjoyed it. Didn't with this, don't know why.
I have never enjoyed hole or Courtney love. This album did. It change my mind. Lots of the songs sounded the same.
Mehhh do not like this girl rock did not listen to one than more song
I’ve not looked at others reviews yet, but I’m assuming others have pointed out that Courtney Love is by far the worst female vocalist we will encounter on this list, and I don’t think she stacks up well even against other more visceral Riot Grrrls from the same time. Alongside some pretty stodgy low grade grunge riffs, this album is entirely forgettable. Dare I say famous/infamous for association only.
This is fine, not much special about it. Generic-y grunge. Courtney Love is not a good vocalist. 2.25
Not really for me
#702. She just switches from whiny moaning to yelling, and she's not really good at either. 2/5: meh
I'd heard good things about this and was really looking forward to it. But I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Maybe because it's definitely a sort if teenage angst soundtrack and that's just quite far from where I'm at these days.
Not really my kind of music. But a few decent songs.
Bronze band
Ugh...let's get through this.
Lived through it, indeed, but just barely.
Not really my bag. Courtney Love is a divisive figure but gives it her all here, but I'm not a huge fan of her vocals or songwriting. It's fine, just felt a bit run-of-the-mill.
didn't really like it, not my kind of style but pop off queen
Um Nirvana já basta. O mundo não precisa de uma segunda versão, com vocais ainda mais exagerados do que o original. Disco dispensável e esquecível.
Decent rock and roll, but her voice is so annoying to me. Don’t like this at all.
I wish I liked grunge and could form a real opinion on this. As of right now it's just washed over me. I can certainly see why it deserves a position on this list though.
The way she erratically switches between singing and screaming is really grating, though I'm sure it's awesome for the fans. Mind you I do like the attitude and respect the themes that she's singing about -- even the repeated 'milk' bar works in context -- but I think I'm just really not a fan of grunge.
The fate of most grunge is bad poetry and self-pity, delivered with a scream or whine at the end of each line. And this album delivers plenty of that. There is a lot in the phrasing that is clearly inspired by Kurt Cobain, the strained screaming, the pulling of vowel sounds upwards (like an Australian cadence), and soft/loud dynamics. It's a pretty one-dimensional album with little that holds up over twenty years later to mark it as an important album. Even from a historical perspective - ever hear anyone say they owe it all to Hole? There are some passing moments of interest, Doll Parts, Violet and the good Softer, Softest.
Better than I thought, but not for me.
I can see the merit in this record. The melodies are tight, the guitar's are aggressive and the lyrics are charged, intense, urgent: and yet... I found myself wanting to like it. Wanting to love it, in fact. But I just couldn't. I was glad to reach track 12, 'Rockstar.' I'm giving this record a begrudging three, because two feels low. Three feels high, but it's where I've landed. Actually, no. I'm giving it two.
Sounds a little dated now. No real standout tracks.
2/5
This was not good. 2/5
live through these nuts
Very aggressive and the vocals are not what i expected. Im not totally turned off though. Couldnt finish and not super cohesive. 3/10
No la pillo muy gritona
Best Song: Doll Parts Worst Song: I Think That I Would Die Added: 5/12
Grunge, good attitude good feminist themes, voice weak and the music a little grunge by numbers.
Couple good songs. Lots of noise.
Ordinært.
2.5
Nah
A decent album. It's perhaps misogynistic, but I do wonder how much popularity they have enjoyed had it not been for Kurt Cobain's death. The album isn't bad and has its moments, but it's rather straightforward grunge/post-grunge. Nothing really that groundbreaking.
Not bad but not something I'd listen to again. Would rate it more of a 2.5
эта сучка довела до ручки братишку Курта. ещё и выпустила альбом через неделю после его смерти. к тому же теории об авторстве кобейна небезосновательны. мой вердикт: мразь, пошла нахуй.
Never been a fan of Courtney. Would she have ever gotten a recording contract if she weren’t married to Kurt?
I preferred Celebrity Skin, it felt more polished than Live Through This but this was a step away from the unfiltered grit of that first album. Hard to separate the art from the artist
A lot of grunge and punk elements coming together for this album. It had that 90's feel and Courtney's voice brought the rage. It's alright, for the most part. It's not hugely interesting to me, and a little bit annoying at times. I do like the vocals, I think she sounds great when she really lets loose and wails. The guitar sound is also great. Grungy and heavy. I do think towards the end of the album, it starts to get a little samey. I just wasn't really feeling this album on this particular day and I more than likely won't revisit this any time soon, unless I'm really in the mood for it. Perhaps another listen at another point in time and I'll completely change my mind, we'll see.
A post punk mess. If Courtney did not marry Kurt you would never hear this album.
Angsty teenage drama put to obnoxious music
действительно более мелодично но мисс ми с панком и Кортни
Courtney Love was/is a bit overblown with an inflated sense of importance. Can't recommend this album.
IDK. shes been very influential, but I wouldn't say she's my jam.
Whilst I was vaguely aware of Courtney Love I never knew she was part of a group I had never heard of called Hole. My indifference to Ms Love is mainly due to her non musical antics and way of life which I despise. I had never previously listened to any of her music so feared that it would be the standard post punk grunge stuff and as it turned out was. But there was something endearing about it leading me to conclude that Courtney did or still does have some talent. I have heard a lot worse than this and another surprise from the 1001 Gods. 2.5/5 4/4/25
nirvana pastiche bad vibes idk
*distorted guitar starts playing* 2! 3! 4! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Favorite Track: Credit In The Straight World
Wasn’t expecting much as not my thing, but this was ok 2/5
Why are there two Hole albums on the list? Pick one...but not this one. Liked Songs Added: Doll Parts
Siento que este género no es nada novedoso en los 90. Ya tuvimos los 70 y 80 para recontra quemar este estilo. Garbage quizá pudo darle una vuelta. Esto es un refrito. Nota: 2.3
Another one I could barely stand!
2.5 - one sound, I thought it was going to be a lot different based on the opener
Hole (Courtney Love) is a little too screamy for my taste. There are some softer moments that make it more powerful.
..
I hate Courtney’s screaming voice. Some of the songs were ok when she wasn’t screaming. It’s a 2.5 for me, but I have to round down because I wouldn’t listen to this again.
This was an enormous disappointment. I love grunge and always heard Live Through This was pretty good, but after the great song "Violet" the album basically tanked. Some props to Love and the band for some energetic performances, but give me a Nirvana or Alice in Chains any day. 1.5/5 -> 2/5
I remember Doll Parts fondly but the rest of the album hadn’t aged well for me.
It's grunge throughout, what more can I say!
Well, I only had to skip four songs (out of 12), so I guess that's something?
Decent album. Enjoyed the music. Some of the vocals were not enjoyable.
Already listened to this during my 2024 album challenge. 2 out of 5.
tbh didnt like it.
very intense music. you can feel the pain and emotion in it. that being said im not sure how often id want to relisten
I read a review calling this a masterpiece? Give me a break. It captures that punk/ grunge time well, I’ll give it that.
This is all very laudable, but with a couple of exceptions there's not a memorable song there, and I think it's a strictly minor entry in the grunge canon.
Totally fine album but doesn't leave much to remember.
And once again, an album I haven’t listened to in a looong time, probably around 20 years. It brings back a wave of nostalgic memories, but that’s about it. A few hits, nothing more to me. My main issue with this band has always been their lack of clear direction. They seem unable to decide whether they want to create radio-friendly pop or lean into grunge, resulting in a blend that often feels somewhat uninspired. The lyrics are sharp and hit their mark, but for me, that alone isn’t enough.
I've probably listened to this album only once in my life, at most. Hole has barely been on the outer edges of my musical landscape, other than the brief brush I've had with their music videos on MTV. I'm surprised how much of an pop album this one actually is, a pop album with grunge bits and edgy lyrics. I now realize I shouldn't be surprised; the volume buying public doesn't care for ugly and harsh. While I usually don't pay lyrics much attention, "Asking For It" grabbed my attention with lines like "Was she asking for it? ...asking nice? Did she ask you twice?". Doesn't change my feelings towards the band much, but I feel could look into their first album, if it indeed has more "hardcore [punk] aesthetics" I might actually be interested.
I feel like I should like Hole, but I really don't enjoy Courtney Love's vocals. 900+ albums ago when I was starting this journey, I didn't realize how picky I really was about rock music.
2.5
not quite my thing but there was a few interesting guitar riffs here and there.
The banging on drums and howling into the mic just might not be for me in this case. The guitar in the end of Gutless was pretty good I think I got the song right. But the rest was just another album
+1 for the anti riot grrl song.
Ngl, a little screechy. But I liked Plump!
It was alright
Es un pop punk bastante de mierda, bien ruidoso.
Not really my style, but I appreciate theirs
nix besonderes ist ok
Looks like her career also tanked with Kurt's death
Kurt's obvious influence is the only interesting aspect of this album. R.I.P. Kurt.
The music is great but Courtney can not sing.
Täysin samaa paskaa kuin eilinen paitsi ei hittibiisiä
it was fine
Ouf, ça crie pas mal trop pour mon petit crâne malade, je m’écroule
i don't like grunge or riot grrl (the breeders are pretty cool) music so this album was not going to be a fun listen for me. i just looked and i'm only four songs in. how. this is so boring. my biggest takeaway from this record is that there are a bunch of indie bands doing this type of music now but better, with a vaster array of influences and less production-sheen. if you're reading this right now, look up "art school jocks" or "shady bug" or something. some kind of good new band that deserves your attention. also courtney love's dad was the grateful dead's touring manager and assisted them with trafficking LSD for the CIA.
I want to like this more. But the only song I really enjoyed was the third track Plump
I'm just not that bigger fan of Hole - maybe I'm biased but just doesn't particularly do it for me.
Angsty 90 tals rämpytys, vissa helt bra låtar
Not for me. Avril Lavigne esque
ehh. Not sure how this album made the list.
Sounds fine - good even - but there's something adolescent about grunge rage that I just can't get into.
Did not like this music style
A lot of screaming teen angst in this album mixed with depression. Hole had the potential to do really cool music but missed the train. I’m sure being in Nirvanas shadow wasn’t easy for Courtney Love. She wasn’t taken seriously (for good reason), but she was more than right a few times. Worth the listen not worth frequent rotation.
I don’t know.. I think their image and everything I know about the Courtney Love is coloring my opinion here, but it is what it is. Maybe I would’ve rated it better on a different day, but I was happy when it was over.
Two now as it was the first time this came up.
This was a stupid record. So generic for the era. I firmly believe she would have been nothing without cobain. This was so dumb.
Too shouty
Boring
Not as good as I thought it would be.
I do not like
This one was just ok. Doll Parts rang a bell and that was a good song. So was Violet. I just don’t think that she has a fantastic voice.
There's some promising sections but it just keeps dropping the ball with some bad off key singing.
strong 2. grungy alt rock fart really just isnt my vibe in the music department. but like the shit talked about is pretty nuts. abuse and sa and general struggles and traumas. lots of references to milk. 1 softer, softest 2 miss world 3 doll parts
Ruido
Not for me
This was an interesting album that I just couldnt get into. I didnt hate it - but could not find anything that I thought was a great listen.
Not for me I guess. I didn't grow up a big Nirvana fan so some of the hagiography is lost on me.
2.5. Its ok, overall liked most of the songs. It just really seemed like the lead singer murdered the two people that wrote the album
There's such a circus around Courtney - most of it self-manufactured. Doll Parts is decent here. Hole borrow heavily from the Pixies stop / start approach to making music. It was a little too SHOUTY SHOUTY for my tastes. It left me pining for Celebrity Skin, which I played straight after this.
It was grungey and angsty and I enjoyed it in all of its milk weirdness! I would’ve given it 3 stars, but she did Kurt so dirty
Good grunge sound with punk elements but what’s all this about milk?
Harsh, punky music, screamy vocals
Not exactly looking forward to this. I think I like Courtney Love’s acting more than her singing. At the time this came out, it felt like pre-packaged Riot Grrrl. It was widely assumed that she was just trying to market Lady Nirvana to the MTV Beach House crowd. Violet is still pretty good. The music in Miss World sounds like it came off a Foo Fighters album. Plump starts off sounding like a PJ Harvey track. Asking for It sounds like Kurt Cobain covering a Liz Phair song. Honestly, most of this does. To my ears, Hole suffers from a similar problem to Alanis Morisette and Cheryl Crow. Sure, the bands are tight and the records nicely produced. But they feel like generic Top 40. It’s the same lady in a different dress, so to speak. It’s too MTV and not very innovative.
Angry at times, but not very memorable.
Já, smá nostalgía með Violet. Restin er booooring.
Not good, not bad
You can really tell the lack of songwriting talent from an artist when track after track are lyrics, both in single words or entire lines that just repeat over and over. Live through this has this in spades, especially the second half of the album. I had to google who wrote the bands lyrics to see if this was just another strike on the pop culture infamy that has come to be Coutney Love’s reputation and discovered Nirvana fans who had theories that Kurt Cobain wrote these songs. Now, I wouldn’t call Cobain's songwriting the pinnacle of the craft, but the guy was a poet even if his songs conjured up some bleak and bizarre imagery. Sorry Hole, but your focus on making a statement through music doesn’t beget a good product if your skills put into doing so are sub-par.
Grunge/punk Not super into it :/
I understand raw and gritty but this was too grating to warrant more than about 3 stars.
Generally I’m not a huge fan of grunge. I don’t mind Nirvana much and I do tend to like Pearl Jam, but I can’t stand Alice in Chains or Temple of the Dog and can’t say I really like Soundgarden at all either. Hole falls somewhere in the Soundgarden territory. This is an important grunge album, and Courtney Young’s vocals are impressive, but mostly this album doesn’t do a whole lot for me. I do think I’ve enjoyed this slightly more this time than in the past, so maybe it will keep growing on me.
taped out, dont remember what i thought
A bit too shouty overall. 2.5*
It just doesn’t do much for me.
Not my vibe but some songs were good.
Not sure why we are promoting the music of a murderer
This album is not for me it is maybe for somebody a little more goth and angry.
Its fine. Again, not really for me but I enjoyed it more then some of the others.
Went into this one with some negative bias. Just OK.
too heavy metal for me
Very grungy and ugly sounding. This is an album for the nihilist who hates beauty and order. This album is emblematic of the cultural decline of the West. What a tragedy.
I had higher hopes for this, but a bit too much screaming, instrumentation a bit too unvaried, and overall disappointing.
Grungy and raw. I certainly hear the similarities to Nirvana. It wasn't bad, but I don't see coming back to this album again.
It is good, but I have heard these songs before and completely forgot they exist. I imagine I will forget again.
Aqui tem um problema pessoal: o álbum é até legal mas eu não tenho muito saco pra grunge... Algumas músicas são boas, tipo Doll Parts e Violet. Mas algumas me dão a vontade de ficar olhando pra parede em agonia enquanto não acaba logo
I like very few Hole songs, and none of them are on this album. It's almost self-parodyingly grunge in every aspect: buzzy (but crisply-produced) riffs, snarlingly theatrical vocals. Nothing jumped out at me and I'm probably not revisiting.
Courtney Love qui chante. Pas mauvais, mais les chansons sont trop répétitives comme les Ramones. Est-ce que Kurt Cobain a ghostwrite sur cet album? On le saura jamais hein.
Ihan jees ysärisoundit muttei mitenkään tajuntaa räjäyttänyt. 2/5
Shouty and stressful. I really don’t like her tone.
This kind of thing is not my jam. I'm not into that whole apathy/anger/angst/disassociated/progressive grunge type of music. I didn't hate it but didn't enjoy it either. A one and done-r.
certainly an album
Not my style
Grunge rock, speciel vokal, noget om gud
A lot better than I expected, though still not my thing. The album is varied enough, grungey, and sounds very well constructed.
Meh. Early grunge
The album is, unlike a lot of ”Celebrity Skin” characterized by its raw, intense and emotional sound, with lyrics that touch on love, loss, and betrayal. I was quite critical about Courtney Love’s vocal performance on my last Hole review and whilst it’s not amazing on this album, it’s way better surrounded by the more raw sound. Her powerful singing style are on full display throughout the record. Kicking drums and explosive guitar work are mainstay on this record and the influences of Nirvana are clear both instrumentally and most definitely in the vocal performance. I still have some problems with Love’s vocals even though they are a better listen on this album. The sound also fails to feel authentic and I just don’t see any point in listening to this album rather than any other 90s metal
I just have a mental block with punk, I can’t get into it.
Well, I lived through this. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. That said, always mad respect to Courtney Love for calling out Harvey Weinstein before it was cool, so to speak.
It’s similar to Sonic Youth. It’s the super yelly side of grunge that never quite clicked with me. It’s not terrible, it’s just not good either.
Vähän liian grunge-remuamista, myöhempi tuotanto iskee muhun enemmän. Tosi hyvä kansi
Paikoin todella lupaavaa, ja laulaja tulkitsee isolla T:llä, mikä on suoraan sanottuna aivan helvetin hyvän kuuloista. En siltikään täysin syty. Jonkinlainen määrä-laatu suhde keikahtaa vielä vaa'an väärälle puolelle.
I just posted that "there's too much grunge on this list" after receiving Mudhoney yesterday and then this comes up. I think Courtney's voice is slightly more suited to grunge than say Mark Arm of Mudhoney, Cobain or Chris Cornell, but this genre still doesn't grab me.
Nope
It's like a bad version of Nirvana
Meh. So angry..
Vocal style is not for me.
Violet is kinda fun but I didn't care for all the other tracks. Courtney's screaming gets annoying pretty quickly.
It wouldn't be so bad if Courtney was on key from time to time
Tried to listen to it a few times but found it far too aggressive for me. Felt anxious.
Answered a question for me. Never knew Courtney Cox had an album. Not really a fan though.
Not my taste. Only a couple songs I enjoyed.
buraco mesmo
Courtney Love (Kurt Cobain backups). Controversial. It’s okay grunge
not really bothered about this
Got the decibels, but doesn’t deliver on the brilliance department.
Hljótt svo hátt. Gól.
I can think of a thousand albums to recommend hearing, and Hole wouldn't be TWO of them! I'm only 100 albums in and this really makes me doubt the credibility of this list. But whatever, neither album are that bad. Just not too memorable.
Meh
I feel the need to preempt this review with a note that I'm not a Courtney Love hater. I'd consider myself ambivalent. But as I know she's got her detractors and this is not a positive review, I thought it worth spelling that out. My dislike of this album comes down to one thing: as a vocalist, Courtney Love is a one-trick pony and that wears thin real quick. If there were some variation on the theme of overwrought, out-of-tune, predictable verse melody to shouty shouty amped-up chorus, maybe it would work. But there isn't. So it doesn't. It all leads up to this feeling more like a concept of a band that was willed into existence than an organic collection of players that produced this flavor of music. In the end, that doesn't even matter. It's boring when it's supposed to be arresting. Or something. It ain't. I disagree with this album's inclusion on the list of must-listens. Two stars because Love is better than most at shouting.
This is a 2 all day long, same as Celebrity Skin. Like that album there's a few decent standouts but it's really nothing special
Pas mon truc le punk rock Qualité ignoble même si c’est sûrement voulu Drogue
Unpleasant vocals. Finally female though. Can't digest anything. Highlights: -
Competent, by the numbers. You know, like Uptown jazz.
Violet is her best song and she's retiring it. What's left?
It's OK! Not my jam. Has some decent stuff but as an album not my favourite. Giving 2