Reviews (page 4 of 9)
Like like the album, like the vibes and hits hard 4/5
Light four, but great 90s rock album. Listened to it like three times yesterday, goes down real easy.
Banger then, banger now.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. While sounding a bit dated, it still ripped.
Grunge rock takes me back to my college days, and this is a great representative of that time for me.
Alright this
Listened before?: A little, on the radio in the 90s The sound was super familiar to me, even if I've never listened to this one all the way through. A great alt rock album.
I love 90s grunge, especially when it's WOMEN!!!
Why did no one tell me that Hole is this good?!? I had the impression that Courtney Love was just some Kurt Cobain hanger-on. Why? Oh yeah, because white men (most music critics) pay a lot of attention to other white men, overstating their talent and importance on the regular. This is better than any Nirvana I know (and granted, I don’t have much Nirvana exposure). In fact, f—k the comparison to other bands. This is epic in its own right. Courtney Love’s vocal and guitar performances SLAY and the rest of the band is up to the task. Excellent drumming; driving bass. The style outside of my usual tastes, which makes how impressed I am even more impressive. A revelation! A solid 4.
Another pretty good and fun rock album by Courtney Love. Funny thing is that I had no idea that she was in any band before. I just knew she was Cobains girlfriend, or something. But look out, it seems like she was a really good singer in a very solid band. Good album.
her voice is a bit grating but they are very good songs
Loved the 2 singles that came out of this, but never had the album. It smokes--with more time might get to 4.5 for me.
I want to listen to this again many more times and then write a dissertation on it
Didn’t know what this was going into it. Liked it.
Would have rated this a 3.5 but I’m rounding up. Courtney Love is pretty cool
Some raw, gritty vocals here that I absolutely loved. Missing some variety in the songs' melodies, but all in all, quite good!
Does the quiet/loud grunge really well. Dirty lush guitars and guttural vocals aplenty. Reminds me a lot of the breeders, which you probably should also check out if you like this.
Kul överraskning. Aldrig lyssnat på Hole tidigare men det här var ju en riktigt bra skiva. Stark fyra!
Very solid
Can't stand Courtney Love, but can't deny that this album shreds.
Never really listened to them but liked them. Kind of like a Nirvana vibe
Fun, dynamic and not too serious 90s grunge. Not something I would have sought out independently, but I appreciate the energy of the record. Really engaging and a nice range of sounds and composition. Best Tracks: - Gutless - Rock Star - Plump Worst Tracks: N/A Rating: 8/10
She needed her hole filled frfr
Would this album be as renown if Courtney Love wasn't with Kurt? Yeah, probably. It's a pretty good album.
this album has such a special place in my heart. i think the first half is strongest. some really good songwriting and so much of what it feels like to grow up in the world a girl. this album helped me learn how to be pissed off. i’m so grateful for that
I've never listened to this.
muy bueno lo de la jabru de kurco
4/3/25. Big energy on this album! Really my first time giving Hole a true listen, love the guitar sound and loud drums, and Courtney's vocals are infectious. Will definitely check out again.
So much time is spent on the mythos of Courtney and her relationship with Kurt that it's easy to forget that Hole produced blistering pop grunge in the way few bands could.
i love hole man. this album is just awesome. honestly tho hole isn’t like one of my favorites they’re good but they aren’t like anywhere close to the best. this album is fire tho and honestly a good grunge album it’s just a 4/5 for me personally but very positive.
- hätte nicht erwartet, dass das so abgeht, geil - und dann habe ich gerade gelesen, dass die Sängerin mit Cobain verheiratet war und auch ein Kind bekommen hat.. wusste ich nicht - davon abgesehen finde ich das Album echt unterhaltsam - geile Riffs und Ideen dabei, Punk, Hardcore, Grunge - fette Platte insgesamt 4/5
Love is controversial, but this album delivers. Hadn't expected that.
4 stars
Rating: 7.5/10 Raw, noisy, catchy, and fun all the way through.
Before Courtney Love was COURTNEY LOVE. Before she got washed up as Kurt's muse and was constantly hounded by the media for doing heroin while pregnant she was the female empowerment of the grunge scene. Until Hole emerged, grunge was a boys club and just like the cover of the album shows, girls can play rough too, and boy do they. 4/5
I was going to say she's basically female Kurt cobain, but then I looked it up and found out she was married to him at one time haha. Love the rage and the angst in these songs. Enjoyed the aggressive vocals as well. There are a few sleepy tracks near the end of the album, but lots had me banging my head. Fav track was Plump.
I had very mixed opinions going in the same way I have mixed opinions about Courtney Love. And that’s sorta the sad thing is that she is such an infamous person that her personality/controversies dominate all the music. That aside, I really liked this album. I was expecting cringy vanity project or clear copy cat of the more prominent grunge bands. And I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was wrong. Right off the bat it has my two favorite things, it has a respectable amount of variety in sound, they might not be trying to write a ween album but for a Seminole 90s grunge album is does have a lot of variety. The second thing this album has is it’s short but not too short. This album kinda flew by but on the second listen it seemed like the perfect amount of time before I wanted to listen to something else. Once again I have mixed feelings about Courtney, but I actually kinda love this album.
Sounds like middle school angst. Love it
Classic. Brought me right back to the time I wore JNCO jeans.
courtney love será una mala persona pero no saben lo bien que compone y canta. 4.5⭐
80% Best: Miss World; Asking For It; Doll Parts; Must-Hear? Sure?
Hit so hard it put a Hole in my chest
Go on take everything, I dare you to.
Not normally fan of punk but this was good
very youthful energy, fun rock music
A great and consistent grunge album full of energy, anger and pain. I would have really loved this as a teenager. None of the tracks really stand out enough to elevate this to a 5 though
Way better than I'd expected l. Great album.
Songwriting credit rumors aside, this is a well-crafted and well-written grunge/alt rock record. Really driven home by Courtney Love's fierce vocals and Erlandson's heavy riffs. But also their sound is further transformed and upgraded with the addition of newcomers Kristen Pfaff (RIP) on bass and Patty Schemel on drums. Yes, this is a female-led rock group from an era where many of these bands were in the spotlight, and feminism is the main lyrical theme among others here. But for a short time, Hole were deservedly in the lead role of this "movement". Love elevates the group by channeling her personal life experiences into this sort of contained and melodic rage. This was the first of two big releases in a row from Hole as they were hitting their stride musically and commercially. Favorite tracks: Violet, Asking for It, Jennifer's Body, Doll Parts
FUCK YOU COURTNEY AND FUCK THE FACT THAT THIS IS A GREAT ALBUM
Oh Courtney Love, why you so crazy. Hole was always talented, but it felt like she was the dark cloud that overshadowed every aspect. Great album, great guitars, her vocals are powerful and raw.
Courtney did not kill Kurt but she did kill on the track
I had Credit in the Free World saved to bike riding playlist already <3
Punked out grunge. I enjoyed this- probably more than I should have. Probably because of all the mopey and techno albums recently
Somehow manages to sound like mascara running, or as drummer Patty Schemel put it, “a girl gang beating someone up behind a 7-Eleven.” Released 4 days after Kurt Cobain died.
I never listened to this record beyond Doll Parts. I think its because of my distaste for Courtney. However, setting aside her charming personality, this is pretty good rock and roll.
I, like many immature boys in the early-aughts, blamed Courtney for Kurt's death. In retrospect, the "evidence" is all incredibly suspect and knowing more about her now and at the time, is not plausible. In fact, it's far more likely for him to have been able to commit the s-word on unimaginable amounts of h than it is that she killed him, much less conspired to have him murdered. Worst of it all is that I never listened to Hole because of it. Go listen to her WTF interview and you'll see her for the tragic figure that she is. This album is great, actually.
Best Kurt Cobain album
Righteous anger and roaring grunge riffs. The performances feel untamed but the songwriting is tight. There’s a lot fury in these songs and yet they also have a strong sense of pop structure and plenty of hooks. Mother’s milk and babies are images that come up a lot and while I don’t yet have a firm grip on exactly how these songs feel about motherhood, this is definitely a fresh and exciting way to approach these themes. Rejection of beauty standards and even a wholesale rejection of society is present in a lot of these songs. I really vibe with it. This album rocks. *** Totally random connection but two days ago we had an Elvis Costello album on this list with a song "Honey, Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?" that had the line, "She's just a doll like so many more / She's the kind of doll that you'd like to pull to pieces." It stood out to me as a great image. And now on today's album, Hole has a song called "Doll Parts" with the line, "He only loves those things because he loves to see them break."
Really solid grunge album. I hope "Celebrity Skin" is on the list too as it's also very good. "Violet" is great and that chorus could have been a Nirvana chorus. I listened to a few repeats of it just now and then googled Nirvana "violet" cover and all I got was some results of a Nirvana reunion with Violet Grohl (Dave's daughter) on vocals that just happened a week or two ago. Then I looked at the release date of this and saw that it came out only 7 days after Kurt died. Pretty crazy. I love how the pre-chorus has this catchy and simple melody with a 50's kick-snare-snare drumbeat, and then that chorus is as raw as grunge ever gets. I love going through this album and hearing all of the shifts and changes. Over and over again I'm "wow'd" by the amount of effort put into these little 4 measure moments that add some really nice colors to the tracks. It's packed with little post-chorus acoustic guitar substitutions, or contrasting bridges with soft vocals that seem to serve to antagonize the screaming and angry choruses. It's so much better than what I remember hearing when I was young. Remove Courtney Love from her relationship with Kurt Cobain, and you would get a drama-less Hole that is an awesome band (or maybe you don't because he influenced her songwriting?). As it is today though, there's always this connotation involved whenever I think of them- their connection and drama is always apparent. How could you avoid it though when the wikipedia page for this album has "Cobain" written 26 times, more than double that of "Pfaff", the surname of the bassist, an actual member of the band who happened to pass away 2 months after the release. These songs are really great and have impressive depth. I'll be adding some of these to some of my more raw playlists I think. I love this album cover. The blur, slight over exposure, the haze, the saturation, the model's facial expression; it's all great.
This was pretty good although many of the songs sounded the same.
Respectable album with great rough sound and a great female perspective of being driven to aggression and push back of powerful insight.
Credit in the straight world and I think that I would die blew me away Love the lyrics and vocals throughout
Powerful alternative rock. Doll Parts is brilliant. Loves voice is ace
I was expecting to hate this, but it was good, very good in fact. I've always considered Courtney Love to be a bit of a cunt, and maybe she is, but I should have learned by now that whether someone is a cunt or not doesn't usually have any bearing on whether said person can make good music.
Better than the other Hole album on here
Raw feeling, hard hitting Grunge Punk. Also not a lot of bands like this with a female singer and I think Love's voice adds a lot in terms of helping it stand out from other album's of that era. But ya kicks ass, doesn't overstay it's welcome some great 90s grunge
Fantastic
Favorite Track: Asking For It
Released 4 years before the last Hole album we reviewed (Celebrity Skin) and just a week following front-woman Love's husband (Cobain), this one is a bit rougher around the edges and is all the better for it. This has strong individual song-writing throughout and a cohesive aesthetic that I didn't mind sinking into. Courtney Love is a powerful front-woman with an ability to command attention both in harsh, punkish snarls (Violet, Plump) as well as in vulnerable croons (Doll Parts, Miss World). Loved this album front to back and will be back again -- high 4 / 5. -- Violet sets the stage with some angsty, rough around the edges, alt-rock that borrows from a punk tradition. Solid energy up front. A quick turn into Miss World where much of the angst is stripped away on a toned down, almost poppy (by comparison) acoustic lead song. Plump is a jam, where she sounds at times like Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. Asking For It has a minor progression during the chorus that reminds me a lot of some Nirvana songs (Come As You Are comes to mind). Doll Parts is a great song. Really enjoy Softer, Softest but have to say the lyrics are pretty uncomfortable. While it isn't entirely obvious it appears to be about sexual abuse (presumably of a child). References to "pee-girl" getting the belt and hoping "you won't tell on me."
Virkelig fed! Hun lyder godt
4.5
Better than I thought, or remembered. Some really solid grunge songs on here. Ragey and loud.
I've never really understood the fame of Courtney Love and honestly always kind of suspected that her success was mainly to do with the people who she surrounded herself with. That's not as much as a criticism as it sounds. If someone can select the right people to create the art they want and it works, then why not? But in my limited experience listening to Hole, I just wasn't connecting to it. Hole's other album here, "Celebrity Skin" was kind of interesting but didn't really stick with me if I'm being honest. "Live Through This" is a refreshing change though. The album was plagued by accusations that Kurt Cobain secretly wrote it, despite having very little to do with its creation (Cobain does some barely noticable backing vocals on two tracks). It's an enormous compliment to Love that those rumors persisted as she really does seem to be channeling Nirvana here, much more so than other Hole albums. It's the blend of pop and sheer grit that Cobain made famous. The themes of feminism and subverted concepts of beauty would have fit perfectly alongside her late husband's work. But the album compliments Nirvana more than it imitates, displaying more anger than disaffectedness. It shows another side to the Olympia grunge scene during its peak. Hole would later change focus to themes of Hollywood and celebrity, seeming to reveal in its own emptiness. In retrospect, it seems like a natural move from the bleak suburban world of "Live Through This". But this is still the better album in my opinion.
I was not a big fan of the grunge rock movement of the 90s and I have heard several songs off this album in the past which I liked. This is my first listen from start to finish. I like it.
Girlvana
Courtney Love is a genuine rock star. Intense, angry, articulate, unpredictable, controversial, ambitious, unfiltered, strong, damaged, impulsive, charismatic. She has copped a lot of flack over the years, some self-inflicted damage, but a lot of grief for being crime of being a woman. This album is Hole (and Courtney) at the height of their/her powers. The songs are really strong, partially written in the studio, but also having been partially worked on over the previous two years. There is some understandable Nirvana influence, but these are definitely Courtney's songs. It has the loud/soft thing (which was a step forward in musical development for Hole), a lot of punk rock screaming (and what a scream it is!), but the sheen of being well recorded and edited. I think there was probably some selective editing on the vocals, the guitars and drums sound huge, and some subtle keyboard sweetening in the background. Interestingly, the producers said they didn't double her vocals much to not cut the immediacy. I suspect she never sings a song the same way twice, so doubling was not really a viable option, but she certainly gives each vocal take her all. I'm glad they left in a lot of "mistakes" (vocal cracking, dubious intonation and wayward pitching are common), because the performances are raw and real. Just the right amount of polish, I think. The beginning of the 90s was a unique moment in music history when noisy punk bands like Hole (or Mudhoney or the Jesus Lizard or the Butthole Surfers or any number of similarly bizarre signings) would attract major label deals and the attendant recording budgets. Nobody would ever again give this kind of budget to an honestly dangerous punk band anymore, so we may never hear an album like this again. It stands up as a powerful album, even 30 years later.
I forgot how much i like this album, Its great
12/12/24 This album was much better than expected.
A complex and brutal album, fuelled by righteous anger as Love addresses sexual abuse, eating disorders, and the hypocrisy of the Washington punk scene. Violet is a furious opener that calls back to Hole’s debut album and the riot grrrl scene they were distancing themselves from, but the sound is more varied throughout with the starting verses of Miss World and Doll Parts for example contrasting with punk-adjacent songwriting. Due to the mythology around Love’s relationship Cobain, especially considering his infamous suicide just a week before this album was released, it’s difficult not to compare to Nirvana in places. While Nevermind saw Nirvana expand their sonic palate and In Utero then saw them return to a more raw and heavier production style, Live Through This is like a symbiosis of the two - the hooks and bridges of a more commercially-focused project with a fervent energy, passion and ferociousness that adds a strong emotional impact to most of these songs, and it’s the perfect balance of the two that really makes this project hold up and sets it apart from its contemporaries. It’s a fantastic album, though a bit stacked in the first half as nothing after Doll Parts really hits with the same force for me, and is a bit forgettable in comparison to the six tour-de-forces on the front end
While I liked the other album from Hole better I still found myself liking this a lot. 4/5
Better than I remember. Never a Courtney Love fan, but this is a good straightforward rock album.
Not too shabby
I don’t care for Courtney Love. But I do think Hole made some great music.
Courtney Love has always rubbed me the wrong way for whatever reason so I never listened to much Hole, but the album is solid and fits right in with the female-fronted alternative rock bands that reside in my mental happy place (which is apparently not very happy at all).
Man, I enjoyed this very much. I don't, admittedly, know all the ins and outs of Courtney Love, but I think there's a level of misogyny to the way that she's panned by the music press. She seems to be defined solely by her relationships and not as an artist in her own right. Let's face it though, her vocals absolutely make this album, from all out attack to the, um, softness of Softer Softest. Great stuff.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
Det var fint, høj energi, dårlig sangstemme, men på en charmerende råbe måde. Han har ihvertfald hørt sin del med Kurt og de andre bananer.
Hele mit skriv blev slettet 😭 Men fedt album!
Not bad seattle-grunge album
Better than I expected! Courtney Love's reputation preceded her on this one with me and I was expecting rubbish. Good quality grunge.
When I drew this album on the 1001 site, I was worried that I might harbor biases against Courtney Love ... as said so many times in these comments, she is a polarizing figure. So I listened to the album twice on separate days as a way to re-evaluate what was my first impression. I liked the songs ... the lyrics were interesting, the melodies were well constructed, and the musicianship was fine for the genre. I'm not a total fan of how Courtney sings, but the songs are punk rock, so I give singers some latitude.
Hey Jennifer's body! Some surprising song structures. I sandwiched this listen between a Sunday's album so I didn't quite gel with the emotion of it but its absolutely worth a revisit.
Favourite tracks: doll parts; violet; asking for it; plump; Jennifer's body; softer, softest; rock star; she walks on me
Fierce, raw, honest, furious and messy
неожиданно прикольно хорошее драйвовое
Forgot about this album. I enjoyed it. A bit punk-er than a lot of grunge.
Love it
A great album to scream along to.
The timeline of an album called Live Through This with the deaths that preceded and followed its release is crazy. I don't think I would have succeeded. Almost a no skip album
This was a lot of fun!!! Great energy and there was never a moment I wanted the album to end.
for some reason this took me one billion years to finish listening to. had to be in the right mood. 3.5
This a straight forward grunge dock album that just happens to be sung by Courtney Love. A solid record for sure.
There’s a song by hole that I’ve been listening to a lot recently so kinda fun that we get this album now I guess. Enjoyed it
It was really good. Idk if it was 5 good, but I really enjoyed it
Oh, haven't heard this in an age. Sounds pretty great still.
definitely feels like an extension of nirvana, but does enough to stand on its own as a great grunge/riot grrrl album
Hits
Courtney Love got a raw deal. She's also incredibly lucky, but her talents werent as recognized as they could have been compared to her peers. 4/5
This is something that I missed when it was released but would have loved at the time
Decent American punk rock. Some of the lyrics obviously didn't gel with me but I got the idea.
I think if I had listened to this album closer to when it originally came out I would have been a massive fan. Still it is a very good album and I would listen to again
Heard Doll Parts in isolation before, interesting to hear more from the artist. I really liked Violet and Plump as well.
Pretty good.
LOVED FAVS: violet, miss world, plump, doll parts, rock star
Pretty underrated album. Courtney Love has that good shrill
Despite her more controversial side, Courtney Love can still make a mean punk album. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
A nice surprise. Solid listen
A talented group of kids if I dare say. Even a couple hits on here. I quite enjoyed myself. Good, quality fun. 4/5
Pleasantly surprised by this. 3.5
A surprisingly good listen. Expected more of a mess but this held my attention. Ms. Love is rock star. Been quiet lately, hoping she’s at peace.
It’s honestly pretty great. I’m not a huge Courtney Love fan, but this was a decent album.
Great raw punk-ish music. Hole/Courtney Love definitely got some undue criticism.
Hole don't always get the recognition they deserve, compared to other grunge bands. This album is full of energy and classic songs like Violet and Doll Parts. Definitely worth revisiting 4/5
Pretty good record
Super important that the male-dominant alternative rock / grunge environment in the 90s had a more feminine counterpart. Too bad it had to include Courtney Love, as hard-hitting and relevant as her songwriting might be.
Not particularly a fan of Courtney Love, but there’s no denying the importance of Hole on the 90’s rock scene.
In essence a Nirvana-clone but a very good one. I never made the effort to listen to it at the time and only discovered it after Celebrity Skin was released. That album has a very different sound and hard to say which one is better. Score: 8/10
A raging album with Violet as a complete killer opener.
Album 489 of 1001 Hole - Live Through This Rating : 4.25 / 5 This album gets a bit of a boost in rating just because I enjoy it. She gets a lot of hate, some probably justified, from many because of the Kurt Cobain relationship and that sometimes leads many to brush her music aside. That is unfortunate because this a hard hitting album. A nice rock/grunge mix with great vocals and instrumental backup. Hearing this some months back helped to perk up an interest in the great female rockers, many of who sometimes don't seem to get the credit they deserve. Consider me a fan. Give it a spin.
A grunge classic Back in the days it would be fire
I enjoyed that so much more than I expected
Nirvana-like grunge music. I liked it because she went quite hard at times. Second half got repetitive though. Stand-out: Violet
I enjoyed this album a lot more than Celebrity Skin. Catchy tracks, some great riffs, and overall just well made. Will revisit.
Spannender alternativer Rock. Eine Bereicherung.
Who doesn’t love a little morning rage?
Hole were only ever very vaguely on my radar (most likely because of the Kurt Cobain link) without ever really listening to anything except Celebrity Skin. But this is perfect grunge era spiky, fuzzy, glorious guitarness.
Voilet and rock star are so good. I actually loved this album considering I went in blind only knowing Courtney love for her acting and public controversy. So this is a shock for me lol
Something weirdly cathartic and broken-heart angry soul healing about this harsh melange of discordant, confessions and accusations. It hurts to listen to but I love it. 4 stars
themes of rage, anger, isolation. courtney love certainly had a difficult past and is not afraid of talking about it. this was an important album from the 90’s that had its fair share of female fronted acts. this one goes hard and doesn’t let go. highlights: “violet” “asking for it” “doll parts”
4/5
Brilliant. Wish I’d paid more attention at the time.
Fantastic! Love angry women
Not too bad.
3.75
Full disclosure as a Nirvana fan, I have.. feelings about Ms. Love. While the majority of them are about her character, I've never really held Hole in high regard, so I've never really listened to their music, sans the stuff on the radio. That being said, I'm listening for the influence here, and it's all over this album. It's not terrible by any stretch, and probably does deserve its spot on this list. Musically and vocally, it's angsty and it drives. You won't catch me spinning this album on repeat, but I'm glad I gave it an opportunity. It still didn't change my opinions about Courtney at all. 😂
Not as good as their other album on the list and Garbage, but solid. Girl grunge good
Few songs in, pretty fun! Kinda dark lyrics
Maybe its nostalgia, but I still like this a lot.
Courtney Love has a great voice and can really scream out the lyrics. The scream-tracks are a high point, don't really like the softer songs as much.
Did Kurt really write this album for Courtney? It sure damn seems like this is a female version of Nirvana. You know what though? It works. This is prime female grunge. If you like grunge, give this a go. If you prefer Adele, turn away …..fast Choice cut: Doll Parts
4/5
01) Violet - 9,0 02) Miss World - 8,5 03) Plump - 8,0 04) Asking for It - 8,5 05) Jennifer's Body 8,0 06) Doll Parts - 10,0 07) Credit in the Straight World - 8,0 08) Softer, Softest - 8,5 09) She Walks on Me - 8,0 10) I Think That I Would Die - 8,0 11) Gutless - 8,0 12) Rock Star (Olympia) - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,42 (84/100) Current ranking: 48/194 Of course, when a woman writes an album like this, there are immediately misogynistic rumors that her husband is responsible for it. Because she, as a woman, is of course not capable of that. I think the relationship between Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain just turned people away from listening to this album and this band in general, and I think that was totally unfair on our part because this is a really great album.
I haven't really listened to much female grunge but I love female hard rock. This album went super hard. It was melodic and felt very punk/grunge.
This album rocks. Love her or hate her, Courtney Love is all in on this.
This is my kind of music
Nirvana
Oh noooooooooo. I’ve never listened to this, but myself, a teenager who loved Nirvana well after Kurt’s death means most of my knowledge of Courtney Love is…negative, mostly colored by what other fans said and also some of her own shenanigans. To say this surpassed my expectations is an understatement. This ruled.
Decent grunge album
C'était ben cool
Literally didn't even know Courtney Love was in a band. This was a pretty sweet album, kind of Nirvana meets Amyl and the Sniffers. I dig it.
Starts and finishes very strong, a couple tracks through the middle lost me, but a powerful album none the less. Fav track: Gutless 3.5
Pretty keen on this, thought it was raw and rough-n-tumble and would be killer live. Definitely gonna throw on when I have a riot grl moment. Three and a half. Fave track: Violet
Grunge von feinsten aus der Hochzeit. Ein tollen Album.
Rocks! Goes Hard! I'm Hard!
Great album.
I was recently wondering what Hole actually sounded like after visiting MoPop and seeing that this is the band where Courtney Love originated. I enjoyed this a lot, nice little ripper. Light 4
Grunge goes hard. This grunge goes hard. I like it. Her voice just works well over each track. Opening song is the best one for sure
I’ve never given Hole a chance on account of Courtney Love, but this was pretty great. I see where the accusations that Kurt wrote a lot of the album come from, but in doing my research, I don’t think that’s the case. This is a solid grunge album.
Really grew on me after subsequent listens. A bunch of fun punk rock type songs here.
Holds up well
This album was overshadowed by two tragedies - Kurt Cobain’s suicide a week before it was released and the death of bassist Kristen Pfaff two months later from a heroin overdose. There was also a deeply misogynistic rumour that Cobain had ghost written some or all of the tracks on the album. However, this album is easily strong enough to stand on its own. It’s post grunge rock with some very on the nose lyrics. Good stuff.
I was not aware that this band existed, but when I reached "Doll Parts" I recognized that I listened to them previously. I enjoyed the whole album.
Solid, dependable alternative rock. 3.5/5
3.5/5
There is not a single grunge album that I need to listen to before I die, but I seem to be listening to so much grunge. Why I do think Courtney Love’s vocals fit the sound much better than most grunge albums I’ve been made to listen to so far. I hate the sound of whingey male vocalists in grunge music. This is maybe the best of the grunge I’ve had so far. Cannot believe the balls Americans have to complain about britpop while they were in their grunge era. Please Generator, if you’re listening, give me something other than grunge. Please.
Pretty awesome!
Reading the wiki description, it's interesting what passed for a "soft edge" in 1994 grunge culture. This is a great album though, and as a non-hardcore softy I appreciate the effort to dumb it down for us dirty casuals.
the first half was better than the second half but this album overall was really good, i’ve heard of it before and i was intending on listening to it so i’m glad i got it on the generator, it was great, 8/10
Nice punky album, enjoyed it
I really enjoyed this. Something to listen to again. Even though it felt very grunge to me, the Wikipedia noted this is a much more refined sound for them, so it may be interesting to go back and listen to some earlier stuff.
I liked it more than I thought I would. I was only peripherally aware of Hole in the day -- like most people, I knew Courtney Love more as Kurt Cobain's gf rather than as an artist in her own right.
Better than I expected. A little one-note.
A bit of a tour de force. Aggressive and fragile at the same time. Great album.
Jesus Christ this album is 20 years old.
Sorry Kathleen Hanna (and to a lesser extend Dave Grohl) but this album is great. Not sorry to internet nerds that hate Courtney for no good reason though.
Didn't know what to expect with this, but really really enjoyed it. A lot of passionate angst, dope lyrics and bangers going on here.
suchhh a good album i wish the band wasnt shit 4/5
better than celebrity skin
I really liked this. Sounded a lot like Sonic Youth, but more political. I’m excited to check out their other albums.
This is an excellent record. Not quite a 5 but it probably would be if I was a woman and listened to this in high school. Great commentary and quality riffs. High 4.
Fun album that sounds like it took from punk but added some pop elements. I have to imagine that Olivia Rodrigo was a big fan of this record. Really this list is becoming 1001 alternative rock albums to hear before you die.
for those of you who like 90s grunge, this album is full of it. makes sense, as one of the founders for the band was courtney love, who was the wife of the late and great kurt cobain. this album is very... emotional. very... very enraged. literally one track she screams "FUUUUUUUCK YOUUUUUUU". and i fuck with that hard. sometimes you're angry at the world, at yourself... and this album is a good listen to when you're having those days. vulgar, honest, and really... really just full of pain.
Great to hear the whole album.
violet miss world plump jennifer's body rock star
Well fuckin yeah
Album rips
Good Album. Reminds me of The Distillers. Somehow never listened to Hole before but I like the style and Courtney Loves Voice here.
The hits are great, but it has too much filler.
Being Mrs Kurt Cobain was definitely a doubled edged sword for Courtney Love. It brought her fame and attention and I'd followed the narrative of Courtney being a fame hungry wannabe. But this album is really, really good. Better than most of the other grunge doing the rounds at the time. Courtney has amazing vocal flexibility, the band make a great noise ... yeah, its really good. Classic patriarchy behaviour that this doesn't get the praise it deserves.
4+
This is a good album. Solid sound, I like this kind of sound with female vocals, it really opens them up to more women specific themes to write about while keeping an aggro edge. It keeps it short too, not much filler.
This album is rad. Very high energy, and I love the lead singer. Had a few songs from this album favorited already!
Enjoyable listen
This is the crazy ho album Hole put out in the 1990s. Loved it.
Loved
Love me some feminine rage
This took me right back to middle school, but I won’t hold that against the album. This music is a lot more nuanced than I remember, even as it roars and snarls. I think this album is a true classic.
always love this album
Second favorite grunge album
Fun record, nostalgia for Rockband too ('celebrity skin')
My getting this album today sparked a really intense (albeit dumb) debate with my best friend about pitchfork rating this album higher than nevermind and while I don’t think it’s quite that good-and even think it’s the lesser album compared to celebrity skin-I still really enjoyed this. Violet was a great starter and it was a rocking good time from start to finish.
great 90s grunge. courtney love <3
I already knew about this album Very good grunge, nice to hear a female voice (Kurt Cobain's widow no less)
This album is as good as Courtney Love is crazy. And it is fucking good!
rockin
Great energy, enjoyed the sound. Did not know a single song on here but easy listening
As a dude growing up in the 90s it was fashions to hate Courtney Love, so this is my first listen all the way through to this. Honestly this is fun Riot Grrl - would listen to this again in a heartbeat.
This album is a lot better than I thought it was. I never have Courtney much of a chance, but damn. This is a solid album.
First listen Saved 8/12 Top track: Violet
I don't recall ever listening to this all the way through, but it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be
At the start I was thinking about rating it with 5 Stars, but it was then a bit too much into the Popgenre. Some good songs in it definitely
First time listen- ended up really liking it. Raw but put together. It is so much better than their next album which is uninspired/tame.
Not trying to take anything away from Courtney's musician ability, but there's no denying Kurt's influence on Courtney's song writing. This and Celebrity Skin are SOO much better than Pretty on the Inside.
I enjoyed it more than I thought
Released one week after Cobain’s death. So raw and real
Damn, I never listened to Hole, but of course knew of Courtney. This hits up there with some of the top grunge albums!
This was close to being my first 5 stars. I don't know if it's my male gase talking, but in Love's voice you can hear a fury, that in some other guy could come across as aggressive posturing. Here you can feel the hurt.
I dig it and wish I had listened to it earlier
Pretty good rock. Enjoyable with some memorable riffs.
Can’t believe I never listened to this album. The only Hole song I knew before was Celebrity Skin which is a lot more polished. This album is a raw mix of punk and alternative, it is pure grunge. Love Courtney’s vocal delivery especially when she screams her lungs off. Angsty teenage me would have loved this.
Beter dan verwacht! Sterk gezongen, diverse nummers.
So much better than I ever expected. I wrote them off about 20 years ago and never bothered since, but this is great. Somewhere between early 90s punk and grunge. Can hear their influence in a lot of bands today. Couple of tracks that passed me by but overall its very good. Will return. Highlights: Credit in the Straight World, She Walks on Me, Violet, Asking for it.
Surprisingly good, way better than the other Hole album. See where the rumours Kurt Cobain was involved come from, there a real Nirvana streak running through it. Some songs were forgettable but 1/3 of the tracks were bangers, glad this came up.
Not listened to much Hole before, was better and grungier than I expected. I liked more than I disliked so I'll probably listen to this again. Highlights: Violet Plump She Walks On Me I Think That I Would Die
I've listened to this album before and it's much better then celebrity skin imo. Violet, plump and Doll parts are both good tracks. Pretty grungey really 3.5
Goes way hard. Although Cobain's fingerprints are all over this, the band definitely find a way to make the album their own. 4 nostalgia trips out of 5
Great album, especially the first track Violet. Lots of energy and emotion.
Cool - aggressive in the deep way!
8.5/10 Punk rock avant garde. Tres cool
I really, really like the subject matters dealt with here and how brazen and bold they are. No mincing words. On first listen, I feel like I really pick up a heavy Sonic Youth influence, but heavier vocals. I enjoyed this, but I think it attempts to be a little harsh at the expense of either being a harsh record, or having songs that might be considered "poppier". Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Doll Skin", "She Walks On Me"
A pretty great feel-bad album. Confrontational, angry, but at the core it feels sad more than anything. Lots of muscle to the sound: if Alice in Chains represented the metal side of grunge, this might be the punk side. Second half is weirder and weaker, but still a strong project. Best song: Doll Parts
Never gave Courtney Love the time of day when I was younger and I stupidly bought into the slander that she was responsible for Kurt's death. Now older and wiser it's nice to give this a chance. Pretty decent. It's hard not to compare it to nirvana, with a lot of similarities but some differences. Bit publish, I like the vocals on most of the tracks. Overall pretty good, need to come back to it I think to make sure
You feel something familiar since the beggining of this album. Come on, it made me real. Maybe I need it in vynil to leasten better.
I enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun. Best tracks; "Credit in the Straight World", "Rock Star"
another album already in my library. doll parts is a personal favorite
Yeah, this is a really good album. The guitar and Love’s vocals are powerful and raw as hell, but I hear as much of The Cure as I do of the Melvins or Dinosaur Jr. And Violet is just about a perfect punk-rock song.
Tohon levyyn ku olis lisänny Malibun, nii femma olis ollu lähellä. Hyvää rokkiräyhää mun makuun
Aww man what an album
I'm glad I was only barely aware of the "drama" surrounding Hole's lead until choosing to listen to this. Some people give me a headache. This music rocks my socks off for sure.
This is one of those albums that my wife had a copy of so I'm more familiar with this than their other albums. That said it's been a while and I really enjoyed listening to this and think my fave track is Rock Star.
Good grunge album Saved tracks: Violet, Jennifer’s Body, Rock Star
Never thought I’d be a fan of Courtney Love, but this was a banger from start to finish. Hard riffs, great vocals. Just a solid album.
Ah yes, the Kurt Cobain killer band. This is pretty good with an interesting sound, though the lyricism often isn’t as good as it seems to think it is.
There’s no reason boys names Kurt should have a monopoly on grunge flavoured angst. The first half dozen songs are good tunes. The lyrics of Violet and Miss World are good and the mocking lyrics of Olympia quite entertaining. Also, there’s something about how she sings “I wanna be the girl with the most cake” that makes Doll Parts shine.
wow so much better than i remembered
Before today, I'd heard of Hole, but never listened to any of her back catalog. All I was familiar with were the hits. The lead singer of Hole is Courtney Love (Kurt Cobain's wife). So, naturally, Hole is a grunge band. I believe Kurt helped Courtney hone her voice, and you can certainly hear his influence on a couple of songs included on this album. This was a great album, and Courtney's voice instills a sense of anger, frustration, and desperation upon the listener. This album touches on topics such as body image, abuse, and mysogeny. For some reason, most of the songs on this album mention milk for one reason or another. It's enough to make a lactose intolerant lad like me shit myself simply by listening. Overall, a highly influential album, especially to female rock bands of the 00's. Courtney bulldozed down a lot of walls in her career, and paved the way for women in rock. Favorite songs: Plump, Doll Parts, Jennifer's Body, Gutless, She Walks On Me, Asking For It, Rock Star, Violet Least favorite songs: "Softer, Softest", Credit in the Straight World, I Think That I Would Die 4/5
This is a great album overshadowed by all the drama of Love's life. She is a talented musician with a clear voice in a crowded grunge landscape.
massa rock alternativo, mujer canta
I’ve heard the singles, but never actually listened to entire Hole album, and I’m pleasantly surprised! Just the right amount of angsty rock with a hint of punk. I think a random listener would think it all sounds the same, but the more you listen, the better the songs become, and it gets even better if you actually read the lyrics and piece it all together. Some songs gave be big Nirvana vibes, but not sure if that’s just because I’m subconsciously making the Kurt and Courtney connection, or if it’s the sound of the times/scene they were in. Listen again: Yes Purchase for my collection: maybe Favourite Song: Credit in the Straight World Worst Song: Softer Softest
An album that when it was released was unfortunately overshadowed by the suicide of Courtney Love's famous husband. On this successful rock album you hear a woman who clearly struggles with life, with all the sad undertones of a tortured junkie. Live Through This is listening to anger and incomprehension. The music Hole produces reminds of the harder work of Nirvana and The Gun Club. A grunge classic
4.25
Just some great grunge. Courtney's personality gives this record some charisma, plus it actually has something to say. A great record.
A surprisingly strong consistent album. Doesn't reach the heights or dramatic depths of Nevermind but they are some great songs here and Love's delivery is suitably angry to give them import. I'm impressed. 4 stars
The female grunge rocks.
Great
Favorites: -Miss world -Asking for it -Jennifer's body -Credit in the straight world -Softer, softest -Rock Star
catchy angsty teen grunge
As a teen, I assumed that Kurt wrote most of these songs. I think I had been programmed to dislike Love just like we had all been programmed to hate Ono. But the reality is that all people are complicated and have problems. Listening to this record now as a 40 something, I am saddened by it. It's good. Really good. I should have given it more attention at the time. The post punk on here is great. And the grunge undercurrent is undeniable. It's great. And I will now go listen to the rest of Hole's very small catalog.
Actually and surprisingly really enjoyed this, some cracking tunes
This album kicked butt. Great sound from start to finish
Loved! I really like the vocalist and the late 90s Alternative rock / punk rock / grunge sound.
Isn't this the Hole album that's rumored to have been written by Kurt Cobain? It sure seems like it. Great album
Wow I’m pleasantly surprised. I don’t remember liking this so much when it was out in the 90s.
My favorite Hole album - powerful riffs with great hooks, personal lyrics covering a variety of topics from post-partum depression to being a woman in a male dominated society, and catchy melodies. Definitely follows the early 90s "grunge" pattern but it works amazingly well with Love's vocal ranges. The raw power of her singing in "Violet" gets me every time.
This is THE Hole album. Such deep and genuine emotion here. There is a tragic ache that runs through it, but a righteous feeling of triumph as well. The songs are all anthems and make me want to sing along.
I haven't heard much of Hole and didn't realize it was Courtney Love either. She somehow gets a really bad rep for some reason. Regardles, this album (coming after the death of Kurt Cobain) definitely has an edge and is on a mission. I dig it.
In 1994, I was in a very heightened phase of album-buying. I would hear one song and if I loved it I would go out to buy the album. This was the case with ‘Live Through This’. I heard ‘Doll Parts’ and immediately fell in love with it. I am very well aware that Courtney Love does not have a huge range. I also know that usually I hate shouty singing. But for whatever reason this touched a part of me and I am happily shouting along with most of it. There are a couple of songs in the middle that don’t quite make the grade. But most of it is clever and fervent and passionate, and I can still sing along to almost everything. I also once stayed in the same hotel where Courtney Love and Steve Coogan had their fling so every time I hear her sing it makes me chortle. Back of the net!!!
I never listened to this album until now. I vehemently avoid any Courtney Love music primarily based on media influence of the time. I really liked this album and want to give it another listen when time permits. I do like the musicians she surrounded herself with through the years but never gave her the time of day. I'm sorry I missed this one from back in the day but I was also at the beginning of my relationship with my wife at this time so my music listening opportunities were influenced by different motivations.
There are one or two songs on this record that I don’t care for, but that is more than made up for by how much I love all of the other songs! One of my favorite lyrics ‘Like a liar at a witch trial, you look good for your age’ - Plump
People give Courtney Love a hard time, but I've got to say, Hole made a brilliant album here. It's a standout work from an era where a lot of the music just blurs into a sludgy, unmemorable mess. I was really surprised at this album and am sorry I never took the time to listen to it until now. Hole perfectly conveys the mood and sensibility of the time in which this was made. Every song is catchy, well crafted and moves beautifully into the next, which makes for a really engaging listen. Love's energy is also simply incandescent. She simultaneously conveys a grit, raw vulnerability, brokenness and rage that must have been so compelling for young women to hear. That is no small feat in a genre dominated by men. Not to mention, these songs really rock. Fave Songs: Doll Parts; Jennifer's Body; Violet; Softer, Softest; Asking for It; Plump
Enjoyable 90's alt rock.
I like this - good bit of nostalgia
The bookend tracks of 'Violet' and 'Rock Star' show the immense capacity that Hole had to absolutely rock! The album is powerful, dynamic, and genuine. That combination made it a standout from the crowded 90's grunge era and I'd go so far as to say that it was a better album than Nirvana's 'In Utero'.
Fist time listening to this Hole album. Who doesn't love 90's grunge?
bien aimé le genre punk rock hard. Et courtney love, bien que j'ai pas vraiment aimé l'autre album de Hole, est particulièrement bonne sur cet album 4.
Amazingly good.
I was today years old when I learnt Courtney Love was the singer of Hole. Slaps.
Raw and Iconic
Interesting
I was not expecting to like this much, as I was pretty nonplussed with "Celebrity Skin" earlier on this list, but this album is sweet. It rocks and doesn't feel like as much of a produced and manufactured thing as "Celebrity Skin." Courtney Love's vocals are killer.
Classic grunge/90’s tunes
This whole album would go hard in a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater entry
Powerful
This hits hard and sounds good
HL: “Violet”, “She Walks on Me”, “Asking For It” Quite liked it despite the grunge. November 25, 2022
Amazing feminist strength for the years she did this. The album is a ton of anger. She was born 30 years too early. She would have been a great « me too » defender.
I thought this was a great punk album all throughout. Great vocals. 7/10.
It's no Sleater-Kinney or Bikini Kill, but I can dig it.
This is one of those albums that works for me all the way across the board. Crazy to think that this came out 4 days after Cobin killed himself. I remember kind of reeling from that - one of those deeply Gen X 90s moments. I bought this the day it was released and wore it out. There's nothing here that doesn't work for me. And Rock Star is an incredible closer.
Did you know Courtney Love wanted to be the singer of Faith No More at one point in the 80s? There's video of a rehearsal on YouTube. It's not what you'd expect on any level, and definitely worked out best for all parties that the experiment never went that far. I owned this album (and the one before it), liked this album, saw them in concert on this tour, and then just kind of quickly moved on from this band. I'm guessing I felt they got a little too polished during the "Celebrity Skin" era, but now I'm wondering if I should give that a 2nd chance. I still like how imperfect all of this album is, but I can appreciate their pop sensibilities now more than I did at the time. Maybe I'd like a song like "Malibu" in 2022. Anywho, "Asking for It" was a really nice rediscovery for me on this listen. That's a cool tune and a good mix of the acoustic and electric sides of this band that works better for me than, say, "Doll Parts" or even "Rock Star." Also, did you notice that "Miss World" is I think quite literally the same three chords for the entire duration of the song? Verse and chorus, just one is distorted. Cool. I saw Hole on this tour and got a t-shirt, too! Mine was not soft; it was the faux gas station attendant looking thing with the band patch where a nametag/corporate logo would be. That really, really confused the hell out of some rednecks when I wore it to school. (Which makes me think of the dude who once asked me if I was into stock car racing because of my "Jesus Built my Hot Rod" Ministry t-shirt, haha.) I think that concert was the first time in my life I had registered the sight an adult who was completely off the rails. Courtney looked baaaaad. Rambling during song breaks. I think she climbed an amp and I was convinced for a second she was going to fall and die. It was pretty raw. But here we are and it's 2022, she's still alive and I haven't showered yet today.