Reviews (page 4 of 9)
Actually really enjoyed, not sure what I expected. A good alt rock vibe.
The 90s are having a comeback moment and I feel like the trend is seeping through to indie rock. Some of these songs would not be out of place on today's indie radio stations.
More enjoyable than expected. I think I would have rated this lower at the time.
Courtney Love is the only grunge singer I respect.
Celebrity Skin is the third studio album by Hole, originally released in 1998. I've always had my hang-ups about Courtney Love. Maybe it was the media-backed misogyny that I ended up internalizing bad feelings towards her. I always thought she was pretty trashy (and she seemed to wear that label with pride), but I'm working on creating a different view of her. Earlier in this list, I got "Live Through This" by Hole. I thought it was an OK grunge/punk-ish album. I think I gave that one a 3. I did NOT expect Hole to pivot to pop-influenced alternative rock just a mere 4 years later! This album is way more polished than their previous efforts. It makes sense because apparently they hired some big shot producer to work with. And I did not expect Love's voice to gel with this sound... but it really works. Some may call it a soulless compromise in attempt to stay relevant (which they succeeded in; there were a few hit songs on here). I think it's a welcome change of pace for Love. Less focused on trying to be mega aggressive/controversial and more focus on introspective lyrics and arrangements. You can really hear the Smashing Pumpkins influence on here. I was very surprised by this one. Definitely a weird change of pace for the band but I think it works.
Honestly what a banger of an album. Combining 80's and 90's alt rock into a super album. Courtney's voice isn't as bad as I recall and perhaps the music she made wasn't bad either. However, I do think she had something to do with the death of Kurt Cobain. So negative points.
As tragic a tale as nirvana and just as much tabloid fodder. But is it good? It is good. Maybe not great. But good. Strong songs and musicianship. A not untalented band at all. Ignore the drama. This is a good listen.
The history, person and music are inseparable. It's more than 2 catchy songs. She undeniably has a voice. And a unique recognisable style here. It's much better than I remembered. I really like the guitar and vocal sound on the opening track, the fun rebellious punk sounds of Celebrity skin and Malibu. It's all attitude and remind me of the stories of their wild and highly sexualised concerts. I don't expect much from the rest of the album .... It's ok. I give them points for having a finite and recognisable sound and one of few angry female voices to make it mainstream.
7/10
Pretty decent music with good lyrics. A lot of vibe songs. 3.6
Great late 90s!
Almost tempted to give it a 5, but it's not quite there for me. Still, a very good album overall. The title song rocks!
I've never heard of the band. I really like it very much. Great music and great voices. I will certainly listen to more of it. 4/5
I had never listened to Hole before, this was awesome. Angsty rock with bite behind it, really sweet album.
It didn't have too high highs, but it was all around enjoyable
Yep got to give it to Courtney Love this is a great album, classic 90’s alt rock.
July 5, 2024 HL: title track, "Awful", "Use Once and Destroy", "Northern Star", "Heaven Tonight" I can barely remember why I was dreading coming across this. Was it the promise of slick late 90's production, that Billy Corgan was involved, or that it's Hole/Courtney Love? Because I really liked the last Hole (Live Through This), & I highly rated the Smashing Pumpkins' 2 albums. So, maybe it's that I'm twice shy about 1998 albums (for some reason my least favourite year in music, at least according to the data here). Well, dread was unfounded If I have any real criticism, it's that Love's vocal performance seems flatter than I remember, and that it drags a bit after the firecracker that is the first three songs. Yet from "Use Once" onward, I got back in it. "Northern Star" brings back the visceral roars I remember from the last Hole, in the form of... a spooky acoustic ballad! The rest of the album is very poppy cuts, but wouldn't be unwelcome on MY 80s/90s radio, that's for sure.
Let me start with I am not a fan of Courtney Love. That has colored my opinion of both her and her music for decades. I wish I had listened to this album when it first came out. It's much better than it should be and would have been an amazing album at the time.
3.6
I’m a Hole fan. This is not my favorite Hole album, but Courtney writes insightful lyrics and has an interesting voice both literally and figuratively. At least musically (I’m not a person who has studied her life, but I know it’s messy) she deserves more respect than she seems to get.
So 90s
Liked this more than I thought I would.
Rocks decently hard in a conventional, '90s alternative way, but with better melodies and just a touch of melancholy. One likes this better now than one did them.
Bad ass female vocals - this album transported me back to the 90s.
Grata sorpresa.
Never hear it before but liked it!
Good album, so much more than just a Kurt Cobain conspiracy theory. Boys on the Radio sounds an awful lot like The Replacements' Unsatisfied. Fave Tracks: Celebrity Skin, Awful, Malibu 3.9/5
2000s teen movie style i love it
Rolled into this album with a vague memory of thinking it was disappointing. Turns out it just wasn't as rough as Live Through This; now, without any of the punk gatekeeping I remember from the late 90s, this album is considerably better than I remember. It's just that, back then, I didn't know what (or how good) power pop was.
For reasons unrelated to the album itself, I wasn't able to absorb the album as much as I would've wanted. Even with only 1.5 listens. Allow me, then, to keep this a bit short, so I didn't even up thinking of much to say. To begin with, I came into this album expecting it to be a lot... Y'know, angirer. Grungier. Punkier. Riot grrrl. That was always the impression I had of Hole, largely going by the cover to their album LIVE THROUGH THIS and maybe a sample I heard in a mashup somewhere. Color me very surprised, then, to put this on and hear California power pop and alternative. And more so to find out that I dug a lot. Hell, maybe even a little bit more than I would have LIVE THROUGH THIS. I don't have any specifics to bring up, 'cuz, y'know, as I mentioned, but the vibes are just there. And I like her voice a lot. I'unno. I just dug it a lot. Get off my back, eh?
Recognized & liked one song,the rest were ok wouldn’t seek out
Great, grungy, angry album
I listened to the whole album
Surprisingly pretty dang good
I am not a fan of Courtney Love. I am a fan of Melissa Auf der Maur and Billy Corgan can write music like few others(especially at this point in time).
Another solid 90s rock album from Hole. Weirdly I had both of their albums within three days?! Anyway I enjoyed this one too, maybe slightly less than their first but it's still very enjoyable. Favourite was probably the last track, Petals. Great lyrics and I never realised Courtney Love was so good.
Good album. Courtney Loves voice kicks ass. Does a good job of conveying of emotion. And cool instrumentals. It makes me think about how unkind where to her in retrospect. Good album
Courtney Love's California in the 90s. Great single and some other scene tracks that are a great time capsule. The lore/baggage that surround Hole and Courtney Love will always loom large. But the feel, of this record will always be a late-90s sign post.
I'm not a huge fan of 90s alternative or grunge or that whole scene in general but whenever I listen to Hole, I'm always surprised at how much I like it. It's the right balance of everything and plays itself better than expected.
Lovely nostalgic feminist pop punk. Great tunes and good consistency across the album. It's a good sign when I'm humming the tunes later in the evening.
Surprised by how many songs I knew other than Celebrity Skin and Malibu. Really enjoyed this one.
This album has a nice sound. Perfect for a sunshiny drive home from work when you're using PTO the next day. Remind me of Scorpio Rising a little bit. Not my new favorite thing but I did sell it more of their music.
In high school, I made a whole ass presentation about how Courtney Love killed Kurt Cobain, because, y'know, how dare that bitch marry my man, right? Now, 15 years later, I finally got over it and took the time to actually listen to Hole and, well, damn, it slaps pretty hard. I'm sorry I was a hater, Courtney. I give you a 4/5 to repent.
It's alright, better than average
Awesome - I think Courtney Love is a bit mental, but this is decent
Melodic masterpiece…. Well produced with great tunes I hadn’t heard before. Enjoyed, Celebrity Skin (knew words), Awful, Hit So Hard, Malibu, Use Once and Destroy, Northern Star (about Cobain) and Heaven Tonight.4*
Bastante chulo, en general. Y como tiene mi hit Celebrity Skin, ahí le va un 4.
At first it didn't hit me like grunge should hit. But the "louder" songs, later into the album, convinced me.
The other album might be better but tons of bangers on this one and the mixing is better too
The peaks in this are really high but there is a lot of filler. I want MORE snarl.
Sehr fein.
Good but not great
My expectations were incredibly low, as the only other time I ever listened to Hole was their previous "Live through this" also featured in this book. I thought that one was absolutely atrocious and rated it 1 star. This album is heaps better. It's actually even good! Nothing groundbreaking, so not much to say. Just good, solid alternative rock.
Ganske nice
Man I sure did Love this one!
God bless women.
Rock alternativo del grupo de Courtney Love. Un megahit. Está bien. Un 4.
A really good surprise. Will be listening again.
Loved this. Just what I needed.
Really like Courtney and Eric swinging for the fences. Sounds so big and goes down smooth. The light just radiates. To that end, it's hard not to mention the Billy Corgan participation as this album feels like the sound he shot for with Zwan a few years later. But Love divides the "Hole" lyrical image with the sheen of guitars in excellent matrimony. The chiming "Heaven Tonight" was a nice surprise picked up on this listen.
It’s a good album, underrated I think
I think we often overshadowed by Courtney loves relationship with the musically superior Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain and her own irrational behavior which, honestly, left me feeling turned off my the spectacle. It’s honestly a shame because this album is well constructed grunge music rock in a post-grunge era. The classic single Celebrity Skin is a fun song with punk flair (personal favorite) down-tempo songs like Hit So Hard and Dying show a rare depth for both the artist and music. This album definitely deserves more attention that it got.
celebrity skin awful malibu (and more that i didn't catch the names of)
4++
Never listed to this album before - as a T. Rex fan, I enjoyed it.
While I think this album lacks the edge of Hole's earlier works, they traded that edge for musical and lyrical depth, and really created something beautiful here as a result. It's cleaner, catchier, more polished and incredibly listenable, while the lyrics point to darker, more cynical themes. It's an interesting, smartly crafted contrast of the brightness of California against the dark side of the music business. Courtney Love's lyrics are incredibly poetic and rich with references, pointed but subtle. That's a rare thing in music. Fave Songs: Celebrity Skin, Boys on the Radio, Heaven Tonight, Hit So Hard, Awful, Malibu, Petals
Four years is a long time. Trends come and get commodified, loved ones turn into past tense and improbable careers become realized. Such is Hole's fitting into the celebrity skin. As such, there is an ugliness lurking within and Courtney Love (seemingly in a good position for once in her life) isn't afraid to spill out the contents in whatever mood she may find herself in, whilst the remainder of the band have allowed the light to shine through and let it reflect their playing. Alas, Celebrity Skin is proof that Hole can adapt to changing climates while maintaining their credibility along the way. It's a bit of a shame that it didn't last for long. Favorites: Celebrity Skin, Hit So Hard, Malibu, Reasons to Be Beautiful, Dying, Use Once & Destroy, Boys on the Radio, Playing Your Song.
This is a great album. Fantastic sound, great set of songs. I've always loved the single, it's an absolute classic. OK it's one that obviously appeals to my musical taste but it was still very consistent across the whole album and just a great production.
As simple as it sounds, it's quite an enjoyable alternative rock album.
They don't make rock like they used to.
I thought the album was full of bangers. Guitar solos were cool. Courtney Love managed. Better 90s rock.
That chick is awful, but still she rocks hard
Didn't expect to like it; but I really did. So much better than the pop garbage that has been fed to me here. Still, a bit lacking in genius. But filled with musicality - great to listen to and a very good all over album
Say what you want about Courtney Love, but this album is a banger.
i was tossed this right after the Foo Fighter's first album. I had nvere listened to either and they are not really needing of comparison but... this album is much better than the Foo Fighters. It is exciting right away and slimps a bit into paint by numbers but still done very well and sounds great all the way through pretty good for Pop Prock.
I had super low expectations for this album, maybe even a little dread--but it was far better than i expected.
I think my peer group did a disservice to Hole because I was always under the impression they sucked. But this rocked! Loved the production, and instrumentation, and the vocals. It’s lyrically pretty good too. Sad I’ve missed out on this for so long. 4.5/5
Solid 90s rock album. No matter how conflicted I feel about Courtney Love, I'll always enjoy Hole.
Du très bon grunge ou même je dirais alt rock. Je pense même avoir préféré lui à Live Through This. Je trouvais qu'il avait un peu plus de personalité et d'unicité. À réécouter. 8/10
This is fun for a second, then pretty boring, then fun again. Rarely hits the feels in any significant way, but I can get behind most of it. Feels cool. 4/5
This album was a pleasant surprise to me. I had given up on Hole after Live Through This, which I found to be a really good album. I didn't know "Celebrity Skin" would be such a good listen. I would give the album 5-stars because I find it to be an important post-grunge listen, but towards the middle of the album the songs tend to drag a little bit. Billy Corgan giveth and Billy Corgan taketh away. He can write a good song but also has a tendency to have bloat in some of his songs.
Top album! Sets the tone right from the off with the first 4 tracks showcasing their strengths. Plenty of the old grunge sound but mixed up with some Americana pop and harmonies. Standout tracks are ‘Awful’, ‘Boys on the Radio’ and ‘Heaven Tonight’. A solid 4 and a nice trip back down memory lane.
Hole! I bought their debut single on 7" and thought it was great, as is their debut album (Sounds just like Mudhoney). However this is a million miles away from their debut. I know 'Celebrity Skin' which is good for what it is, not so much Grunge or Hardcore, but pop-rock. (Can't beat a good old radio friendly unit shifter, sorry!). Mrs Cobain sounds much more calm and controlled vocally, similaly with the toned down instrumental agression. Also, on the cover, Courtney doesn't look like she's in need of a good scrub for once, in fact quite the opposite. I'm she sure she would have done anything to make this sell by the bucket load, so lets be glad she didnt go too far. Some really good tracks here, such as; 'Use Once and Destroy' and 'Playing Your Song'. Turns out Billy Corgan helped with arrangement of the songs, so glad he didn't supply any vocals. I really don't know whether to give this a 3 or a 4, as I did enjoy it.
I really enjoy the grungy rock of the album, distorted guitars and attitude of the lyrics.
Courtney did that Shit!
It's not bad, I really liked a lot of the guitar parts in these songs.
Kurt’s widow produces her Nevermind. Not quite as epic or polished as that album, but hits hard when it needs to.
Loved the album and it was a very pleasant surprise. The vibe established in the first songs are a perfect personal match for me. It lacks one final star for irrelevancy and a couple songs that were not the best fit maybe. However, I loved discovering this band and this album and I am definitely looking forward to hearing more from them.
No l'he escoltat sencer però m'ha agradat bastant. Tenen un estil molt interessant que em sembla súper icònic de l'època i que m'ha entrat molt bé
Courtney Love's presence in the public eye has moved so far past being a musician who was married to Kurt Cobain. In between the release of Live Through This and this record, so much had happened. I didn't even know she made music until recently. I only knew her as "the Kurt Cobain girl". And it explains the title of the album. That is a lot, even for someone as famous as she was at the time, to handle. So setting aside any controversy and conspiracy over the last 30 years, I want to acknowledge Courtney and her band solely for their music. Of which I think is some of the most respectable alternative rock of the 90's. This is a much cleaner sound than their previous albums, with more of a focus on alternative rock and power pop. And those differences are definitely apparent in songs like Boys on the Radio or the title track. This may seem dumb, but there was a moment where it felt like I was listening to Weezer with a female lead singer. Malibu specifically, which gives me such Beverly Hills vibes. And although I actually enjoy those songs quite a bit, and think Courtney matches that vibe very well, I believe her vocal inflections also lend her to being a good fit for the heavier sound too. And there are glimpses of that heavy sound on songs like Reasons to Be Beautiful and Use Once & Destroy. The latter of which I think has a really cool usage of synths. And although I don't want to compare Hole to Nirvana, because they are very much their own thing, the main riffs and melodies of those songs feel Kurt Cobain inspired. I mean come on, what alternative rock band wasn't borrowing from Nirvana in the 90's? Rating: 7/10
Actually pretty good. Sad sad story about the band but I liked the music. 4 of 5
Doesn’t live up to that monumental single but still really solid
I loved this album. I’ve always loved this album. Northern Star is amazing.
What a pleasant surprise! I love this. The only thing keeping it from a 5 for me is that some of the tracks have really similar sounds and kind of blend together, which makes it so that nothing in particular really stands out in a major way. But I really enjoy that sound, so I'm not mad about it.
Oh fuck yeah! I always forget about hole but they too had a very definitive style and sound I mean hell she was Kurt Cobains GF! and I can see her nipples lol. BOOOOOBS! HAHAHA The first track, Celebrity Skin I've definitely heard a ton on the radio. 4 stars
Rating: 8.5/10 Great rock album. Love the energy on it, almost every song on this album is great and not as a single bad song. Really liked Courtney Love's voice and passion as well as the energy throughout the album. Wish they took a bit more risk on this album but still consistently great. Favorite songs: Celebrity Skin, Northern Star, Petals. Least favorite song: Playing Your Song.
Good. Not a stone cold classic but unique in its own way.
The lyrics are really smart and inventive, and the songs have a lot of impact despite keeping close to the light alternative style.
Totally underrated in terms of songwriting, even if things fall off on the end of the album.
It was really nice to hear a rock album, and one with a lot of variance like this. You can hear what comes before and after it.
A band I don't think I've heard a song of before but it was pretty brilliant! Opening song was probably the highest point, especially with how unexpectedly brilliant it was from the get go. Really liked some of the slower and quieter songs on the album, as well as the raucous - some vibes of foos (unsurprising), nine inch nails, the cure and the cranberries. The album did have some variety but overall it did fade into one block but still a 4/5 for me Highlights: Celebrity Skin, Dying, Heaven Tonight, Petals
never gave this a real listen back in the day. Actually, better than I imagined. Some songs reminded me of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts with pure rock
I’ve been a fan of the song Celebrity Skin since its release, it’s just so catchy. I don’t think I ever get sick of listening to that song. The other singles on this album never lived up to that level. Malibu is good but it was nothing I would purposely go out of my way to listen to and I thought Awful never got much attention in Australia. So I went into the album knowing I’d love the first song but not sure what to think of the full album. I was surprised to see Billy Corgan was involved in so many of the songs. While spinning this, I could easily pick out the songs he was involved in, he has a style and it shows. I honestly enjoyed this more than I expected. Standouts: Celebrity Skin, Hit So Hard, Malibu, Reasons to Be Beautiful, Dying
Darn fine album, 4 stars.
4.5
Celebrity Skin: Ohhh. This song. Yeah I recognize it. Fun. Feel like I should be playing some late 90s games. I can jam. Awful: Reminds me of the Murmurs but with more energy.<3 Dying: Too whiny Northern Star: Love the vintage guitar vibe Boys on the Radio; Love it Heaven Tonight: this one's weird. Feel like I'm missing some context here. Petals: Wow, I hate this lyric. So uncomfortable.
Yeah I love ‘em!
Wish i listened to closer bc it was real fun
Better than I remembered!
"Celebrity Skin" was an amazing song and a great opener to the album. "Awful" was a great, catchy track. "Hit So Hard" and "Malibu" were both decent. "Reasons to Be Beautiful" was good. I liked the brief dips in intensity that occurred a couple times. "Dying" was fine. "Use Once & Destroy" has some nice drumming from Dean Castronovo. Good song. "Northern Star" was a lovely acoustic piece with great bouts of increased intensity, great drumming that compliments the song, and a great use of strings. Excellent song. "Boys on the Radio" was a nice mix of acoustic and electric guitars with a catchy, sing-a-long chorus. Great song. "Heaven Tonight" and "Playing Your Song" were a pair of great songs, with the latter having a really nice guitar tone. "Petals" was an excellent choice as closer. It was catchy, had a bridge that kind of reminded me of "Celebrity Skin," and closed with a great use of strings. Overall, the albums starts strong with "Celebrity Skin" and "Awful," meanders for the rest of the first half with decent songs that I don't feel justify their runtimes, and fortunately picks back up for an excellent second half. I think the use of acoustic guitars really helped with the pick up.
A pretty good pop rock album about California. If I could I'd give it a 3.5 tho I prefer Live Through This.
I liked this more than I thought I would. I’m a sucker for layers of catchy guitar. First comparison that came to mind was Matthew Sweet. Surprised it was this album and not Live Through This, although maybe Hole has two albums on the 1,001 list.
Love it!
I never gave Hole a chance back in the day, and that’s too bad. I like this much more than I thought I would have, and I hate that it took so long to give it its due. Good rock!
I was not familiar with this Hole album. I didn't really dig all of the tracks, but I didn't find any of them particularly bad. Overall it was good.
I really really really love this album.
Good tracks, good sound. Don't let the context overshadow it.
Actually really liked this one. Good jam, didn’t get bored, and lyrics weren’t bad
Yes! I love this album's vibe. Too good to give it a 3 so I'll give it a 4, but just barely.
Surprised myself with this one, really enjoyed it & I'm sure it'll improve with further listening.
Hey they did a cover of that Doja Cat song
some typical late 90s grungey pop bangers, the rest of the album was mid to decent. Still above average album, 4 stars
A really good album.
Very pleasant, fun, punky alt-rock record that's so clearly from the 90s
I have to confess I fell victim to the narrative around Courtney Love in the late 90s. Too young to really comprehend when Kurt Cobain died, by the time I was really aware of Love she was doing solo work. I remember the way MuchMusic was talking about her at the time was pretty rough. When I eventually got into Nirvana in 2001/2002 when they had the greatest hits I had read a couple of books about Nirvana and Kurt and they were pretty clear about painting Courtney Love as the villain. Heck, I even remember the PopUp Video episode that had the video for Doll Parts went into the rumours Kurt had written that album. At least now the prevailing narrative is that Hole is one of the most important bands of the 90s and Courtney Love is a genius. Anyways this thing is pretty much start to finish bangers. You got Celebrity Skin and Malibu. A few song in the middle fell slat for me but Boys on the Radio picked it back up.
I don’t really believe in “guilty pleasure” music, but if I have any this is it. The second Hole album I’ve heard and the second one I’ve really enjoyed. No one’s doing anything particularly innovative here and it is painfully 90s, but I’m a sucker for raw lyrics.
This is another one of those solid releases that doesn't belong on the list. If Hole gets any mentions, it would be for Live Through This. There are some good tracks here - Celebrity Skin and Malibu are poppier than their earlier work without losing much power. They still bare their teeth, but they are housed in a sheen. If I could give three and a half I would. I am feeling generous and will round up.
I always thought Hole existed off of Kurt Cobain’s success but this is actually a very good album that shows they (and Courtney Love) actually are talented. Liked this one a lot.
A solid rock and roll album. The production was very strong and the guitars sounded great. I can’t pretend this was very musically interesting, but I imagine it was very important for many women to see this group in action so I won’t discount that.
The singles from this album were way overplayed back in the day and really made me despise Hole overall...now revisiting it this album was a solid. Still dislike Courtney as a celebrity.
More pop and, hence, more accessible than any of Hole's earlier work, Celebrity Skin is mainly an indictment of the music industry that chews up bands and spits them out. The anger is there but not the angst. This is a band that finally decided to turn that anger outward instead of inward. If you want to hear the Hole that everyone talked about, the Hole that was truly grunge, then this isn't it. Otherwise, it's a great late grunge/punk album.
Just a solid power pop album. Billy Corgan helped on this and you can tell. Best track: Celebrity Skin
Celebrity Skin is an A+ song & I think Courtney Love is really cool. This album was very solid, very 90s, and I really enjoyed it. Best tracks: Awful, Malibu, Reasons To Be Beautiful, Use Once & Destroy, Playing Your Song, Petals Worst track: Hit So Hard 3.5 rounded up.
Nice! Full of bangers. I particularly loved “Use Once & Destroy”.
I bought this album when it came out and I still really like it.
more than the front lady! A lot more. I had to go through twice to try to appreciate more things than I could at the first.
Love it. Very catchy
I didn't realize courtney love was the frontperson but it was a solid grungpunk album
Yeah it’s cool and really dark but I did find it a bit slow going so 4/5
Very 90s. I’m not a huge fan of Courtney’s vocals but the music is good for a one time listen.
Conpletely new to me, a genre I would have loved in high school and atill appreciate now. Sweet album.
It’s not “Live through this” but still a good, enjoyable album. Boys on the band is one of my favorite cuts from this work. Pd: I always sigh to Melissa on the Malibu video, have to admit it!
This was my exercise in being open-minded, since I remembered really not liking Hole in in the 90s (too many thoughts tied up with Nirvana and my punk leanings). It was better than I remembered, and I enjoyed listening to the whole album no longer as a teenager.
segundo mejor disco de hole me encantan casi todos los temas amo malibu pd t amo courtney love
As a huge fan of Hole's previous album, Live Through This, I was disappointed by this album when it came out. It was missing some of the anger and grit of the previous album and instead had a more pop and polished feel. This album produced a couple of huge commercial hits. It pained me to hear Malibu playing on my mother's easy listening radio station. As an angsty teenager, I felt betrayed by this new softer side of Hole. Now as much more mellow 40-something adult, I appreciate this album a lot more. The singles are honestly great songs, with Celebrity Skin being the strongest and an absolute banger. But many of the other songs are strong too. Northern Star is amazing, and I can't believe I never heard it before now. It reminds me a little of Disarm by Smashing Pumpkins, so I guess it's not surprising that Billy Corgan did co-write some of the songs on the album. This album was an enjoyable listen and I'm glad I finally gave it a chance.
Once again female led 90s alternative rock delivers and this time at the hands of the person that killed Kurt Cobain. I'd never had much exposure to Hole except for the Cobain jokes and this was definitely a good first impression. I'd heard celebrity skin maybe once before and it's definitely the standout of the album. Malibu and awful are also fun songs and this song goes in the ranks of elastica and the last siouxsie album I got.
I was already pretty sure this would be a 4, and I was right. I already liked “Celebrity Skin” and “Northern Star” (especially the latter) and the rest was also good, although none of it really exceeded those two songs.
Courtney Love doesn't deserve all of this hate. In fact she deserves way more praise for being one of the best grunge vocalist of all time and for dropping the second best grunge album of all time "Live Through This". This one is definitely not as good as "Live Through This", but still has a lot of great songs like the title track, "Malibu" and "Petals". 7,7/10
Opent sterk, maar kakt dan in. Vervolgens zit er af en toe nog een pareltje tussen. Naar dit soort muziek uit deze tijd kan ik wel altijd makkelijk met plezier luisteren. 'Playing Your Song' heeft de minste streams op Spotify en dat is wel zwaar onterecht. Als er halve sterren gegeven konden worden was dit exact een 3,5.
This is the kind of record I like. Melodic, big-beat indie flavured rock music with emotive singing and simple straight forward arrangements and production that lets the drums and bass breath. Of course it sounds much like Nirvana, but Sebadoh is also a touchstone and the influence is seen from pop - rock music like rumours era Fleetwood Mac. Not much I don't like about this album. Its my my kinda music. 4 stars
very good very nice, patiko
Classic. I'd underestimated Courtney love
3.75
I remember being a teen and been told that it was really uncool to like anything about Courtney Love, so I went a long time without ever hearing Hole. Then, around 10 years ago, Celebrity Skin came on the radio in a shop and I Shazammed it because I thought it sounded amazing. Obviously, it was Hole, and I realised I was very stupid to have avoided listening for so long. Songs I already knew: Celebrity Skin Favourites: Celebrity Skin, Northern Star There is something really great about Courtney Love’s voice. She has a good amount of growl in her singing, without losing any melody which isn’t an easy thing to do. The guitar tones throughout are fantastic, always packing a punch and giving loads of energy. I don’t know if it’s still uncool to like Courtney Love, but this album is undeniably great and nobody is going to change my mind on that.
Man, Courtney Love is a better musician than a person
Un discazo. Desde "Celebrity Skin" pasando por las enormes "Malibu" y "Northern Star", sin olvidar "Awful" o "Heaven Tonight". Un 4 estrellas de libro. Una pena que todo quede eclipsado por ser la "pareja de" y por la muerte de él.
Actually a lot of fun.
Not as good as Live Through This, but give it a listen once in a while
I was surprised at how much I liked this. Courtney Love doesn't the greatest voice, but with this genre it doesn't matter.
I only knew the title track before listening to this, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it! Really great sound and some good lyrics, kudos to Love. I enjoyed the title track the most (what a bop) but my top pick is Awful because it was new to me and the lyrics about the treatment of teen girls really resonated - Swing low, sweet cherry, yeah, it's awful/You're ripe for the picking, it's so awful (I also really enjoyed Boys on the Radio).
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Celebrity skin, Dying
This album rocked. Great grunge vibe throughout, coherent sound. Big ups.
Nice album, it really smells like early 2000's rock and I really like it. It is nothing too crazy but the riffs are nice and the voice is sweet as well. Solid 3.5
That was a nice rock record to hear... I could listen to it again if this was my style. Some minor mishap like weird voice tone or melodies make it feel imperfect tho... Solid 3.5/5
一般般
My wife’s favourite band, I usually have to leave the room… I found this surprisingly palatable, it’s a strong start! powerhouse riffs, catchy chorus, nicely crafted pop/mosh music. I do find her tone like finger nails down a chalkboard though, she’s usually just dancing around the ‘correct’ notes, drifting in and out of tune. This album has not converted me, but it did surprise me. Didn’t expect I’d be able to get up to half marks but on the strength of the singles I can happily give this a 4.
The singing is not good at points, but overall its a decently solid alternative rock project.
4.0
I’m suffocating on the 90s of this.
I had never listened to the full album before. I could see listening to this again.
Pleasant surprise. Was expecting whining and against but melodic and enjoyable.
liked this album better. probably because it was written by billy corogan
Great album. Problematic figure but who knows.
One of my favourite grunge albums. Courtney love is a anaimal.
For a first listen this album is pretty great. Heard some not so great things about the more you listen to it so I'll keep the amount I listen to Hole short and sweet
Good, girl grunge. Not good girl, grunge. I liked it.
Great
Good
Solid late 90's sound. Corgans influence on several tracks stands out.
Catchy rock album!
Ah, Hole, of Courtney Love fame, and for some of us, star of that late night TV show episode. But did I know her / their music? Hell no. Is it more polished, less raw than expected? Absolutely. Is that a good thing? Definitely. Some really polished tracks, have a listen, eradicate those stereotypes.
Really enjoyed this. Great songwriting, really strong lead and backing vocals, guitars sound really crisp. Really strong pop/rock album with some 90s edge.
Favorite: Celebrity Skin
Loved every second of the angst
Very good grunge rock. Has one-two bad songs in the middle but overall very good.
I remember seeing this album for sale at Blockbuster when I was 11 and being too afraid to buy it. It was shelved beside Nine Inch Nails which I knew was too intense for my innocent child brain. I bought Counting Crows instead. It was a solid choice and I stand by it. But I do wish I’d known about the aching transformative powers of Hole sooner. I got there eventually though. This is a great fucking album. Not as good as Live Through This, but a strong foray into the newly pop washed late 90s for Courtney.
Classic 90s album and such a triumph for Courtney Love.
Better than expected
good stuff
Never would have thought about listening to this album if it wasn’t suggested. I was pleasantly surprised. Pretty good 90’s grunge/punk straight up rock.
Guitar rock from the end of the 90s: combo of grunge / power pop, with excellent songs that still sound fresh today. At the time I rated it as a 4-star album but close to 5 (that is, 8/10).
Great stuff. Given that I grew up on alternative rock like this, I was honestly surprised that I didn't know about this album. But I suppose I can only blame one person for that: my dad.
While sounding a bit more 'radio friendly' than the 2 albums before this it still maintains a punk rock aesthetic akin to Courtney Love's songwriting style. I wouldn't say it's a show stopper, but paradoxically every song on here sounds great and fits within the over 'Hole' feeling.
Muy buen disco de rock, con voz poderosa y riffs de guitarras muy identificativos como auténticos iconos.
i always enjoy when artists change their general sound, and i love it even more when they can make it sound *good*! i had listened to their earlier album, live through this, as part of this project, and the two albums could be confused for belonging to two different bands! the reason i mention this is because of the pop sound here--it's such a departure from their grunge and punk. but hole does still incorporate punk-y aspects, and celebrity skin contains that great mix of punk and pop. hole has a lot of strengths, but their lyrics seem to be something special. i'm drawn to them in every song. love's vocals are perfect for the punk and grunge genres, partly because her voice isn't the clearest. she brings something great to pop songs with that voice! and i do like albums created around a concept: l.a., in this instance. definitely an enjoyable album and well deserved place on this list.
Defying all likely odds, 1001 gave me this album literally two days after the last Hole album, so Hole is definitely fresh on the brain and I was ready to hear this. The title track, Celebrity Skin, is just one of the best alternative rock songs of all time, and I'll die on that hill. It comes out of the gate with immense attitude and musical energy. That opening can be recognized in a second or less. The lyrics are deliciously edgy and delivered in that burn-it-all-to-the-ground way that Love personifies, analyzing what it is to be famous from a not-so-glamorous point of view. This whole idea of fame and the California lifestyle becomes a recurring theme on this album. Hole, again being a band that doesn't like to repeat their exact style twice, takes a much more alternative rock approach on this album, shedding most of the remnants of their punk and grunge persona from previous albums. This feels like Hole's most mainstream album, which may be viewed as a negative by some, but I don't think they don't suffer from it. All of the fury of their work is still there, just in a slightly different form, and sometimes not as overt. Again, Courtney Love, to me, is just a voice of an entire movement of angsty yet justified 90s women who were seeking feminism through their music. This album is no exception to that and is another great example of that era and corner of music history.
Great album. One of the first to oust Harvey W, good 90s album with female singer Courtney love
It’s easy to forget that Courtney love used to actually be talented
Still such a great album to this day. Great work Hole.
Hole kicks all kind of ass on this album The title track stands out as a great riot sing a long song and Awful follows up with the perfect kind of 90's alt summer rock. Malibu is such a classic. Courtneys vocalization really kicks ass as she dives into those deep lows, a nice fuck you to pop queen convention. Love that wavy guitar work on Use Once & Destroy. Really killer instrumentation too - I have no idea where half those sounds are coming from. Courtneys vocals are really strong throughout the entire ride and Im a sucker for this era / genre which made this a really enjoyable listen. Standout Tracks: Celebrity Skin, Awful, Malibu, Use Once & Destroy
I was really not expecting to like this album as much as I ended up doing The riffs are well executed and the hooks work on each songs The singers voice isnt super annoying like some other ones we've had 7/10
Very good Rock (post-Grunge) album. This is a collection of very strong songs, expertly played and I was pleasantly surprised that Courtney Love can actually sing. 4/5
You have to suffer through Courtney Love but this is still an amazing album. Starts out strong but does lose some momentum towards the end.
Damn I went in kind of expecting not to like it, and it turned out to be really good! *Trampled to death by approx. 1,000,000 foaming Gen X men*
Nostalgic
Chaotic. Noisy. Angry. Messy. Courney Love ticks all the boxes. The album's not bad either.
Aside from the 90s nostalgia kicking in, I didn't quite realise at the time how much accuracy Hole were holding a mirror up to LA media culture at the time. Courtney Love's vocals aren't the best, but she kicks ass and it's great rock and roll!
I've only known Hole as being the band Courtney Love was in and had never heard a single song. I enjoyed it. A little repetitive and a little long, but I did enjoy that 90s alt rock feel. 3.5/5
I have good memories of the two hits of this album, Celebrity Skin and Malibu, I was 13 at the time and wasn’t aware of the Cobain connection nor the Corgan one. It wasn’t until many years after that that I learned about the hate Courtney caused and how this record was hated among the purists… well, I really liked it, I can hear Corgans touch in almost every song, this is a good record even if it’s above its bands talent.
Really enjoyed this album
8/10. I didn't care for the other Hole album I've had, and wasn't looking forward to this. But, I ended up quite liking it. 8/10 as a first impression, but I could see that moving around if I listened to this more.
Pretty good. 7/10
Poppispunkia hyvällä asenteella. Yllätyin, miten paljon tykkäsin, vaikka ei mitään tajunnanräjäyttävää olekaan. 4/5.
Enjoyed this a lot more than the other Hold album on this list. Not bad at all
Very cool
Back in the 90s I found this a bit of a let down after the great 'Live Through This.' Now listen to this album again. It's just a good alt-rock album that balances between the poppy sound of the era and the grunge of the previous album. It all sounds radio-friendly enough and I think that was the purpose of this album. You can clearly hear the influences of Melissa Auf Der Maur and Billy Corgan in addition to the songwriting violence of Courtney Love. Because of this, the album sometimes sounds a bit limping on different thoughts. But besides the somewhat slick and smooth songs, like Awful, which drag the album down as far as I'm concerned, other songs work a bit better, like Malibu, Reasons To Be Beautiful and the beautiful (and for me best song) Northern Star All in all a little less black and dark than its predecessor, and just a good rock album.
Hole has been one of the more pleasant surprises of this entire list. Never knew they existed! Never knew they were Courtney Love's band! I think this album maybe isn't *quite as good* as Live Through This, but I think the title track is such a banger that it balances out.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Deserves more listens, to be sure.
Good album. classic grunge. really strong start. will revisit a few songs.
I really liked this album, although it dragged a bit towards the middle/end. Pretty surprised I've never been exposed to Hole/Spotify has never recommended them or any of Courtney Love's stuff to me. Will definitely be checking out their earlier stuff which is apparently grungier.
I surprisingly really dig it
I have a hypothesis as of now: Every band that releases "hardcore" or "heavy" songs will always eventually release "softer" and more melodic songs. Either it will work or not. In Hole's case, they did a pretty decent job in fully embracing the alt-rock sound in their final 90's album, "Celebrity Skin". I can hear the female led alt-rock bands in the 2000's in this album. It's okay, but not as good as their punk-ish "Live Through This".
4.5
It’s basically a Nirvana album.
This is a ripper. If all the songs were like "Celebrity Skin" and "Reasons to be Beautiful" it would be a 5 hands down. Some of the songs drag for me, and I was sick of the album before it ended, unfortunately.
I couldn't find the "hole" album, but I love the song Celebrity Skin. Also, I'm uncultured... had no idea this was Courtney Love
I just can't be bothered to write a review of this music. And that's exactly the mood I'm put into listening to this. Courtney couldn't sound more detached with a wish-I-wasn't-here sound. It's pretty easy to hear the Kurt Cobain influence in her style (or maybe he stole her style for his music?) Of course it's her sound, but I need a bit more spunk in my life before I try to go jump off of this building over here.
more than the front lady! A lot more. I had to go through twice to try to appreciate more things than I could at the first.
-Pretty Nice alternative rock. It's got a cool sound. Nothing mind blowing, but solid and engaging enough. Probably a lower 4
Good jams! I like the vocals a lot, and some of the songs hit super hard.
4.25
You can see where later acts like The Distillers caught inspiration. Courtney Love is wailing her way through all 50 mins and frankly it sounds really good. This is some solid ‘90s alt.
I think I enjoyed this album more than their prior even though it seems that one is more popular. I've heard Celebrity Skin before but don't know where. Malibu also stuck out. Really enjoy the late 90's punk feel. Sounds a lot like Smashing Pumpkins. Very cool album cover, looks like they are at some type of witch type ritual or maybe just the homecoming bonfire.
My initial thoughts were "do we really need another whole Hole album?" The answer, by the end, is I think it was worth it. Still hitting the mark for grunge rock that the previous did, though it feels a lot lighter, like they veered in the direction of some indie/alt-rock. While the last album seemed like female Nirvana, this is something different. A lot of great melodies on here, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, I might even go so far as to say I'm a fan of the band now. Favorite tracks: Awful, Dying, Celebrity Skin, Malibu, Boys on the Radio. Album art: It's a band photo, but artsy. I'm not big on black and white covers in general. Is that the Wicker Man behind them? No idea. 4/5
I actually enjoyed this. It's not as good as it was in 1999 when I listened to it on repeat, but pretty fun.
Don't remember this record being so good. Perhaps I never gave it a full chance back in the day, but seems really well balanced, not obnoxiously hard-edged or contrived in being hard-edged, but organically edgy and rage-y. Songs hold up as distinctive, too.
Solid 4. It does tail off a bit but its a blistering first few songs.
Ok, Courtney puede cantar, no lo sabía. Quiero darle 3,5 pero no se puede así que redondeado a 4.
Though not as explosive as their previous album, Celebrity Skin shoes that Hole was one of best rock bands of the late 1990s. Courtney Love’s vocals are as amazing as ever and the music is solid.
I listened. The album just sort of floated by without me thinking to much about it. Sounded good
Very good. Less annoying than "Live Through This".
This is a good album. Some great punk inspired guitar rock. The songs are a bit generic sounding and the tempos are pretty consistent from song to song. But the songs are good and the melodies are pleasant and enjoyable, and fit my ear. 4 🌟
Rock alternativo del grupo de Courtney Love. Un megahit. Está bien.
Bastante chulo, en general. Y como tiene mi hit Celebrity Skin, ahí le va un 4.
Enjoyed it
shame i never really listened to hole much earlier than this as the whole way through i was thinking about courtney love smothering alan partridge in chocolate mousse. some good some bad. its better than a 1 hit wonder album so that deserves commendation because they do have one mega hit and not much else. the album is 80% listenable on its own merit. Mousse from a bowl is very nice, but to put it on a person is demented.
Went down the rabbit hole about the drummer. Love the whole album forgot how heartbreaking it is.
celebrity skin by hole 1. celebrity skin- famous, movie sound track vibes 5.5/10 2. Awful- Entertaining, catchy, i like it, 7/10 3. Hit so hard- slower paced, feels like it’s missing something, still good though but not as good as awful 6/10 4. Malibu- second most played on the album, verse isn’t anything special, skipable 4.5/10 5. Reasons to be beautiful- not a fan, just talking loud with music really 3/10 6. Dying- quiet, different vibe to the rest of the album not anything i’d be dying lol to listen to, second half is better 4.5/10 7. Use once and destroy- not too bad, would listen to it in the background of something 6/10 8. Northern star- acoustic vibes, kind of forceful talking with a guitar, very much emo 90’s “you don’t understand me mom” wouldn’t listen 3/10 9. Boys on the radio- movie soundtrack again, quite tolerable not bad at all, would listen 6.5/10 10. Heaven tonight- happy, one of the better ones, relatively catchy, would add to my playlist 7/10 11. Playing your song- it’s too forceful like take a chill pill or something why they going so hard 4.5/10 12. Petals- last song, didn’t end with a bang, forgettable tbh, chorus is better than the verse 4/10 Average rating: 5.125
Very well rounded power pop
It's so good to listen to an album that sounds like the band really enjoyed when it was recorded. I'm really not sure if they were really into it, but the album sounds like they were. "Hole" is a band that I knew very broadly and, because of the 2 albums on this list (until now) I'm on the way to becoming a fan
Didn't know Courtney Love was actually a good musician. Power pop with post-grunge sound. You can tell she had an artistic vision with most of these songs, utilizing experimental sounds and techniques that I don't think are complete but prevent this album from having a reptitive sound which could be common among most power pop albums. The catchy songs are on the first side, but that doesn't make the second side any less impactful. Great vocals and great backing sounds that make this an enjoyable experience.
a je dobar album, odličan, a pjesma Dying je savršena.
Rock independiente. Bastante bueno!
From the satirical look at the cult of celebrity to orgasms and rehabilitation clinics - and that's just in the first four songs. Courtney Love really knows how to get the world bopping without paying too much attention to the lyrics. It is a testament to the alt-rock-pop sounds throughout this album. Overall a listen that takes you back to the sounds of high school teen movies from the very late 90s and very early 00s. Best: Malibu; Petals Worst: Dying
My first introduction to Hole and I loved it! I’m definitely going to check out more of their discography after listening to this.
Hole is a great band. Each song on this album is great. Great vocals, melody, and lyrics. Great alt. rock entry.
I am glad that we were prompted to revisit this album. When it came out I was an angsty teen who had an axe to grind and perceived slights where there were none. I had a lot of, somewhat, unjustified notions about Courtney Love and immediately dismissed this album as selling out for its slick pop sound. Additionally, I had heard that she fucked over her long time drummer during the recording so I refused to give it anymore attention than the two hits on the radio constantly forced me to. My feelings about Courtney Love as a human being have not changed at all and, perhaps, have calcified but, though often disingenuous, her lyrical abilities are undeniable and I have grown to like the sound. I am not all that comfortable giving this 4 stars, but I am rating it after having already listened to the next days album and this is a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the Rolling Stones album which, spoiler, will be getting a 3.
cool
Very good!
4.5
I was surprised to see 2 albums from Hole on this list. I never though Hole was that great of a band (still don't) and I don't think they made much of an impact on music. But there are so legitimately good songs on here...
The title track and the first few off the top slapped. The rest of it was okay.
Some high-mark grunge rock on this album. Courtney Love may not be at the level her husband was, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t rocking out in her own right. This album has Fuck You attitude all over it, and the singles are great to boot.
A more influential album that I had realized - punk/grunge making way for the neopunk pop sound that would continue through the 2000s.
The second best Hole album :D
Not as good as the one Kurt wrote, but still pretty good
I really, really enjoyed this album. I recognize a couple of the tracks, and they really fit together in a lovely vibe.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, really interesting stories behind the band as well. Courtney Love -- front woman of the band -- was married to Kurt Cobain, but who influenced who?
What a powerful pair of opening tracks! You can really hear Billy Corgan's influence in this album. All the tracks work together as an album; feel like this could easily be the soundtrack to my life in the 90s.
To my surprise I really enjoyed this album. Not sure what I expected from my first listen to Hole but it is a great album. It seems much more power pop focused when I expected grunge. The tight harmonies brings a 70's focus to this album, it reminds me somewhat of some of girl some of the great girl bands and Fleetwood Mac vocals. The overall feel is more mainstream. It has peaked my interest to delve further into their earlier albums. Favorite Songs: Boys on the Radio, Awful.4 stars
This is just about the best radio alt. rock I've heard. Great melodies and lyrics from Courtney Love, all focused around California life. I haven't heard much Hole before this record, so I didn't have any expectations other than maybe this would be a grunge record, but I was pleasantly surprised at the big pop production of "Celebrity Skin". Fav Tracks: "Awful" and "Malibu"
I think I can admit, to my own shame, that it's likely I haven't really listened to Hole because of the patently sexist media narratives peddled about Courtney Love. Everything I heard made it seem like her music wouldn't really be worth listening to. Boy was I wrong. This is some grade A 90s alt-rock in the realm of Smashing Pumpkins, Breeders, and their ilk. It's particularly striking the way Love's lyrics about rage, desire, and inequity really speak to the unfair way she's been painted. The double standard is a damn shame, too, because this record kicks. There's some really lovely melodies and I even hear shades of Bruce Springsteen on "Boys on the Radio". Favourite songs: Awful, Northern Star, Boys on the Radio 4.5/5
Again pleasantly surprised although probably wouldn't seek out
Grupo de Courtney Love. PunkRock femenino.
I do get it Kurt, I get the appeal. Raw, yet commercial. Interesting stuff for sure.
Ruhiger als die Vorgänger; melodisch; schön zum Laufen lassen
90´S
Enjoyable, late 90's power-pop with grungey guitars and memorable hooks. I didn't pay much attention to it back in the day, but I might do it now.
Fun! Very 90s, could be on a teen movie soundtrack.
4
This album starts off real strong with "Celebrity Skin" and "Awful". It meanders just a bit imo into that 90s grungy sound, and then hits back hard with "Northern Star" and "Boys on the Radio". I'm overall pleasantly surprised, I did not expect to enjoy Hole, thinking they were just another 90s grunge band.
Not quite Live Through This, but it's really quite good. I respect the ability of Love and company to read the room and do a tasteful pivot from grunge to late-90s alt rock in a way that maintains an edge. Some great hooks here too. Nice!
muito bom!
Yeah, nah. Corporate Alternative Rock. Pretentious. Malibu is good but rest….
Decent sound. Not as good as the other Hole album.
This sounds like accessible radio rock, except… it’s actually pretty good. I thought they’d be edgier in some way but this was still a nice surprise. Cool tunes well executed. Maybe a bit uneven but Use Once and Destroy and Boys on the Radio in particular were great.
Definitely an album of the time
I thought this was pretty good.
6.5/10
Not nearly as good as live through this but still pretty good
Track 1: heard this song before but never willingly, I do like it but it’s definitely carried by the strength of the chorus. 6/10 Track 2: definitely more replay value in this one compared to the first song, sonically very bubbly and nice undercut by Love’s harsh vocals that gives a nice contrast. 7/10 Track 3: shoegaze/dreampop vibes from this song that I think work very well, the guitars and vocals looping over each other creates a very trance like feel that I enjoy, 8/10 Track 4: seeing as the title track was the only song I knew from this album it definitely led me to believe this was going to be a heavier album than it is, with that being said I very much dig the mellow song writing and atmospheric production, with that also being said I do like this song a little less than the previous, on the spectrum of nirvana to Sheryl Crow this is a little too far on the Crow side (saying this as a Sheryl Crow fan). 5/10 Track 5: I like how this one’s more of a rocker but I will say that the guitars feel like they’re super far back in the mix and it detracts from the overall saturation on the mix, definitely still one of the stronger songs so far just based on a song writing standpoint. 7/10 Track 6: the reversed drum track is a nice touch, waiting for the rest of the band to come in, that was a little anticlimactic, just feels a little flaccid, still an alright song just wish it would pack a little more punch. 6/10 Track 7: question: can hole keep my attention for an entire 5 minutes? answer: barely. not a bad song by any means but this definitely could have stood to be cut in half. 5/10 Track 8: oooo acoustic, I don’t think Love’s limited range mixes well with the orchestral and theatrical production of this song, it sounds like she’s doing a cover. 4/10 Track 9: holy shit am I tripping or are all the songs on the back half all 5+ minutes, this one is definitely better than the last, strong chorus and an instrumental that suits her voice. 7/10 Track 10: eh it was alright nothing special. 6/10 Track 11: like the guitar effect, harsher vocals that I like, chorus could be better. 7/10 Track 12: good song, good closer. 7/10 Overall: 3/5 Favorite Track: Awful Leaf Favorite Track: Northern Star
Nothing wrong with this. Grungey pop with nice melodies. Nothing remarkable but it passes the time.
Bon album, cool à écouter même si pas fan du style musical.
Overall Rating - 2.83/5 (5.67/10). This is another one of those albums that sounds exactly like the time it was recorded. It's very late 90s.
노래가 대체적으로 좋았다. The song was generally good.
3.5 rounded down
Would she have had a career if she weren’t married to Kurt? I suspect not, but don’t care enough to research. This wasn’t nearly as bad as expected.
Recognized the opening track immediately without really knowing what it was. Seems like quintessential 90s alt rock. That era after the peak of grunge where the sound was all an offshoot of that. This is a fine version of that type of alt rock. I’m enjoying it. There are a lot of catchy melodies here. Overall this feels like a solid 3. There’s enough here to be good and worthy of a spot on this list, but just doesn’t overly wow me. The back half isn’t as great as some of the better songs early on in the album, but it’s still solid. Comfortable with a 3 here.
I like it, don't love it entirely. It does prove to me that Courtney Love is talented and not entirely the tragic crazy figure I grew up to know her as. It's basically a sunny alternative radio record, both amusing and overwhelming. I have supreme respects for some of these songs hough it does take a lot out of me. I am tired (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)
I liked it, but not as much as I liked their other album from this list. It sounded less raw and more radio-friendly. Still a good album.