Reviews (page 4 of 10)
Impressive.
Hard to remember they're a real band, pleasantly surprised
Un disco muy guay, con una energía que se desborda. El tipo de disco que me hubiera impactado fuerte de haberlo descubierto en la adolescencia.
el mundo todavía no ha hecho suficiente justicia y las pibas realmente deberían clamar venganza
This album is focused, packed with emotions and lyricism, and quite the punch of ambition. Very little to complain about.
Surprisingly cathartic.
this is certainly an album
Can't say I enjoy it, but I don't mind it.
Songs all start out like they're going to be interesting especially the music, but when she starts singing it's all repetitive and whiny. Their previous album, Celebrity Skin, was so much better. Doll Parts and Softer, Softest were decent. Best song: Softer, Softest
que pedazo de álbum, las vibras, el flow, todos los temas, todo top global, muy bueno, si me lo disfruté bastante
#47 This one is really good and aggressive. I love the first song Violet a lot. 5 stars.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I put this off because I knew I’d get it on here eventually and now I got it!! And I’m just like sooooo excited omg. Well, I’ve now finished it and I can confidently say that it’s one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. Every single moment is just absolutely incredible, Courtney Love is one of the best vocalists for this genre, and just… it’s all so insane and raw. The vocals especially, and the way that they break, and the way that Love obviously does not care, adds a surprising amount to the album’s quality.The guitars are incredible, the lyrics are spectacular… everything about this album blows me away. I’ll be listening to this one a lot. 10/10
I grew up during the grunge-postgrunge era and wasnt familiar with Hole until Celebrity Skin, which was a hit, but got overplayed very quickly. Only heard the singles from this album over the years and listened to it for the first time now. This much better than I expected. It reminds me more of the Pixies than other grungy counter parts. Jennifer's Body is great, Doll Parts is a classic, Credit in the Staright World is fun, starts hard, ends hard. Might have to revisit other Hole albums to find anything i missed throughout the years.
enjoyed this a lot 4 stars
Grungeband med Courtney Love, Kurt Cobains enke, som vokalist. Faktisk gitt ut en uke etter hans død. Intenst og fengende. Vesentlig svakere andre halvdel. Top 3: Jennifer’s Body, Violet, Doll Parts
One of the major revelations for me as I never checked out this album despite liking it's follow up Celebrity Skin. Shamefully there was probably an element of sexism to this and either not taking it seriously (as she was overshadowed by her beau Cobain) or being literally scared of it - & strong women in general. Luckily this is not the case now and this is almost perfection. Hoping I get more time on my own to listen to it more (it's good Friday and extended relations won't want to hear it!).
Nothing like an okay enough grunge rock album ruined by shrieking vocals every song to completely take me out of it. The crazy thing is I actually think Courtney Love is a good singer, but the screaming is so unnecessary and really detracts from whatever interest I might have had. Not at all for me
mostly uninspired guitar progressions behind a vocalist who's flexible but not really in command of her screaming. drumming is pretty decent at least, fairly conventional but active.
Through what?
This album rules. I would trade all the Elvis Costello, U2, and Britpop for more of this. Is L7 on the list? Bikini Kill? More of this!
I appreciate the bad girl vibes but it was not for me
This album is a solid entry from the 90s. Raw, unfiltered, angry, great music.
Back in the 90’s I wasn’t a fan of Hole, but I was doing myself a disservice. The music is good. Singing too. My only gripe is when she screams her vocals. That’s the only part of this I’m not a fan of.
1.5
cool
Not really my thing, but not bad.
Brought back memories of being 22 and taping John Peel radio shows.
cunt
Okay, so I used to have this weird thing against this album and band as a whole, mostly because Courtney Love is such a complicated figure. So I wasn't a Hole fan, but hearing Celebrity Skin made me rethink things. Live Through This came out so soon after Kurt Cobain died, it was impossible to separate the music from all the tabloid garbage. For a long time, I let all those dumb rumors about ghostwriters and copying Nirvana keep me from even listening. Big mistake. This is a wild record that's both a creepy time capsule and still sounds amazing. It proves Love's music is totally her own. From the super angry "Violet" to the super vulnerable "Doll Parts", the album captures how complicated it is to be a woman, with a loud-quiet-loud thing that still slaps hard. The band is tight, especially Kristen Pfaff's bass and Patty Schemel's drums, it's melodic and rough at the same time. It's a must have grunge record from the 90s that's still holding up... It's a feminist rock masterpiece that perfectly nails a certain kind of anger.
They should have got more credit at the time, but at least more people now realise how great this album is. Punkier than Nirvana, and personally I like them better
Love a good punk album
Nope
I really enjoyed this. I like how it balanced the melodic based songs with the more grungy and punk energy. The themes it explores like female rage and body image are things I’ve never really heard discussed in punk so that was refreshing. As polarising as she may be, I think Courtney Love is a great lead and brings a real attitude and presence to the songs. This was great.
Loved this when it came out, still love it now.
I thought underrated at release, good album.
Upon my first listen, I thought I wasn’t into this album, but now that I’ve relistened, it seems I just wasn’t in the mood that day. I listened today while working out and actually appreciated a few of the songs more, like Violet, Jennifer’s Body, Doll Parts, Softer, Softest, and I Think That I Would Die. The messaging in I Think That I Would Die is painful having read more about Courtney Love, her marriage to Kurt Cobain, his addiction to heroin and their battle for custody after Love was accused of shooting heroin while pregnant. Speaking of Kurt Cobain, I can definitely hear some Nirvana adjacent chord progressions and her speaking voice reminded me faintly of Gwen Stefani, both of which I enjoyed.
Did Kurt ghostwrite parts of this? Do I really care? Either way, grunge goodness abounds on this one. Favorite track: Violet
This album following Jagged Little Pill is just embarrassing for Alanis Morissette.
I've always put off listening to Hole. Turns out I'm ok with that.
Mellon Collie and THIS in one week. I'm blessed. Oh Courtney with you guts wretching rage how I love you. Another album that's with me a long time now and is not going anywhere. Of course this review isn't objective but even if it was it wouldn't be less thet 4 stars. Often I feel that Courtney is perceived first as Curt Cobain's wife and then like artist on her own. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but she's underestimated and overlooked as an artist on her own. Just somebody who rode the wave of her husband's fame. Ofcourse thus band isn't only about Courtney but you got the point. This album filled with female rage, catchy melodies, beautiful instrumentals, the truest lyrics and lot of screaming has a special place in my heart.
this album is why I love this process. I missed this album when it first came out. I loved it. Courtney Love has such raw energy.
cool
cool to listen to while I talk or think or think what to write has some of that catchiness to it that can't last
This is a huge album. It ain't half so scary as Pretty on the Inside, but I still think this album scares people with not only the history and story behind it but with how good and engaging and listenable it is. Deserves more credit even. 5/5, and yes it should be on the list of 1001. Pretty on the Inside should too. I haven't listened to it since I was disappointed with it on release, but my recollection is that Celebrity Skin doesn't really earn its place on this list. Looking forward to when it comes up to reassess.
Listening session: march 25th, while commuting to internship Listened to before: heard a few songs before Thoughts: soooo I actually love feminist grunge/rock even more than I thought and this album was a really pleasant surprise in the early morning, so I think I will be revisiting this album soon Favourite tracks: Violet, Doll Parts & She Walks On Me
This feels like an album I want to listen to when I'm working on art and being creative to escape or process she*t. It's angsty, punky, and grungy. There's a nostalgia for the growing up in the 90s in the Northwest with it feminine anger. Like Alanis in the 90s but less polished, more raw and real. But it runs the gamut of emotions too. Not every track sounds the same. Some are softer some are angrier some are fun. And Courtney Love's voice also moves from raw to sweet from track to track or even int he same song. I have a new appreciation for her as a vocalist.
One of the strongest grunge records of the 90s. Overhated because of Courney Love's antics, but the music speaks for itself. Violet and Doll Parts are all-timers. 8/10
Say what you want about Courtney but she could belt out some rock. Plus, raw words that summed up emotional despair. Simply a great (grunge) album, or better a great indie album that compares favorably with any other contemporaneous "grunge" album back in the 90s. 5 "doll part" stars.
Growing up in the shadow of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain, I was under the impression that Courtney and Hole were second rate without ever listening to them fully. Now I have and while it's hard to say Nirvana is not the G-O-A-T of grunge still, this is a nice second.
Meh. I get why people would like this, but it's not for me. No thanks.
Banger punk rock. Learnt alot about Courtney Love as well cause of this album. Good vocals, good instrumentals, overall feels like a matured version of Fugazi that focuses on issues faced by women. Really fucking well done.
Love this band. Not my favorite album of theirs, but overall a great listen.
Good, but nothing immediately stood out on its own for me.
My favourite album by them - perfect grunge
Preferred her subsequent album
A very gutsy and forceful album with a fantastic vibe. I love when Courtney gets properly angry on the mic towards the end and the contrast with the popper vocals. I can hear the influence on several bands from my teenage years. Because of the relative lack of hits it doesn’t quite match up to Celebrity Skin for me, but I could see why it would be their top album for many. Certainly it’s their most iconic.
High 3 for today’s Hole album, i don’t like the sound as much as the other of theirs we had but the vocals, lyrics, attitude, and some of the guitar playing really gets me going but overall less my thing this time around
Raw, gritty and intense with the chops to back it up. This was every bit as grunge as any of their counterparts. Solid album front to back.
I'm ashamed to say that, while I had a huge Nirvana phase when I was a teenager, for some reason I only ever saw Courtney Love as Kurt Cobain's wife. Not that I was trying to be sexist or dismissive of her, I was a dumb teenager and I literally don't think I even realized she had a band of her own at the time. Anyways, this fucking rocks and it's up there with any other grunge record I've ever heard. Seriously, I've been missing out because this is great! I even think I would have enjoyed this back when I was a dumb teenager.
Another entry for the "Albums Heard Through My Brothers Bedroom Wall." and hoo boy this was not that good. Courtney Love's voice fits grunge pretty well, but the whole experience is pretty unpleasant. Its loud, abrasive, true to the genre I guess. There are just better examples of it out there.
I didn’t really enjoy this at all. I understand the appeal but Hole is just not for me
No
Never heard of the group but was a nice introduction.
Good for that 90s alt scene where looking back, there weren't really that many problems. Fun!
Enjoyed this a lot more than the first hole album on the list. It felt more fleshed out and mature. Definitely not as whiney, and I enjoyed a lot more of the songs on this. I enjoyed credit in the straight world the most.
Enjoyed this a lot more than the previous Hole record we've had on here. Powerful lyricism and a sense of raw power which I found missing on the other album. Highlights for me include 'Asking for It' and 'Doll Parts'.
Kurt's final opus! 😉 This is such a riff-a-licious album. And Patty Schemel's drumming is sublime. Fun irrelevant fact: J Mascis produced Gutless.
This is my most favorite Hole album, and just a very, very good album overall. Turns out, I like Courtney's work better when she's influenced by Kurt than when she's influenced by Billy. >>>>>>>>> I once again hit review on The Mars Volta without writing anything . . . like a dipshit. I gave TMV a 3 because I just can't make it past the prog stylings on this album. I might be too much of a hardcore kid or something, because I really think TMV pales in comparision to At the Drive-In.
I remembered this as more polished-sounding than the other Hole album we listened to, but I'm not sure that's right. I'll have to listen to them both again in sequence. Which will be fun; this is great stuff.
5/5 - Solid as hell front to back. So 90s. So riff heavy. So great. Only nit I have is that the song structures can get samey when you listen to the whole thing, but it's a minor nit.
It’d probably rate it a bit below 5 but damn, camp rock this well delivered deserves more
Odličan album
7/10
- Very much like Nirvana - Love the lyrics, vocals are great - Fairly melodic - Liked ‘Jennifer’s Body’ and ‘Rock Star’
Attitudeee
"Violet" is great and I had heard before. The rest was less memorable and began to blur together.
This is a great 90's alternative rock album. Strong from start to finish, with a handful of standout tracks like “Violet,” “Miss World,” and “Doll Parts.”
I wouldn't say that this is an essential grunge record. Just hit the pearl jame nirvana ect again. Those are essential. That being said though this is pretty good. Courtney love killed it here as well as Kurt. Bad and also lame joke sorry. Can't help myself sometimes. She had a great voice for this. Its feminine at times and other times so gravely and harsh. Its a nice range. There are just some good songs here. Doll parts is the one but I liked a few others. Jennifer's body and she walks on me are also highlights. The latter is a good ass punky song. It moves and does it well. I had more fun here than I would have thought but thats a good thing. Enjoyable if you want more grunge
Wasn’t expecting to enjoying this album as much as I did! Very of its time, but it works. Favourite track: Jennifer’s Body
No. 137 amazing album, some of the most raw grunge shit i’ve ever heard.
Courtney Love had already been through the wringer in the early 90s, including a short period where child welfare removed her baby after a magazine firestorm, and then the album comes out basically a week after Kurt Cobain died. You can hear all of that pressure and anger baked into the performances, and it gives the album real weight instead of just attitude. The songs are sharp, loud, and catchy in that raw way where it feels like everything is about to fall apart, but it never does. Solid grunge/post-grunge album. Favorite song: Plump
3 stars
album dobry, sporo bangerów, violet najlepsze, pzdr
I think this was the fourth CD I ever bought (after Prince Diamond and Pearls, Nirvana In Utero, MJ Dangerous). Awesome album. Also turned me onto Young Marble Giants, whose album Colossal Youth is excellent and sounds like it could have been released yesterday even though it was 1979 (Courtney covers a song from it).
Authorship will likely haunt Courtney Love’s two big 90s albums for a segment of Hole’s audience, but unlike Celebrity Skin, there is no evidence here of an outside collaborator. Kurt was really good at what he did, but these songs don’t feature his signatures (except for broadly existing within the alt rock/Pixies-influenced quiet-loud dynamic). This is, however, a much different sound than the previous iteration of Hole, so it’s not like there wasn’t reason to be suspicious: uninspiring noise/riot grrl rock band suddenly unearths several alt rock gems. Which is a backhanded compliment for sure, but I really dug this back in 1994-95; that made me distinct from a lot of the dudes I hung out with or was in bands with. I’d sooner cover Miss World than Basketcase. Is it an all-timer for the decade? Eh, shrugs. It feels like more of a footnote to Love’s career or the Nirvana/alternative rock story, a piece of history. That Love has only kept the idea of a Hole reunion alive to keep her name in the music press every few years doesn’t help matters - there’s a whole generation, if not 2, that would love to see a tour honouring their 90s albums.
Where was this when I was about angsty teenage girl in high school?? (It existed, it just wasn't on my radar)
Meh
Decent but I think I liked ‘Celebrity Skin’ a bit more. 3.25/5
favorites: violet; jennifer's body; doll parts
歌い上げている感じが聞いていて気持ちいい。
Really liked this one. Angry and noisy but with enough melody to keep me interested. I liked how raw her voice was, I think it worked with the intensity of the songs. Fav song: Doll Parts Least fav: Gutless
Messy having this right after foo fighters 👀. Not as big a fan. Courtney loves voice is a bit off sounding to me- she sounds like Jojo siwa. Specific rating - 3.4 Fav song - doll parts Least fav - plump
I love an angry woman album. There's some stunning feminist anthems on this album and I wish I'd heard it sooner. Think it could do with a little less milk chat, and sometimes I find her voice a little too rough to fully enjoy the songs. Favourite song: Doll Parts (also love Jennifer's Body- never knew the film was named after a song!) Least: Softer, Softest
This transports me back to a time when I was 15 and Kurt had just died. Things felt messy and messy and then this album seemed to appear out of nowhere. And with very listen it kept getting better and better. It still holds up over 30 years later and there’s an argument to be made that is one of the greatest albums from the 90s. Man the songwriting is awesome on this. Andre or the of these songs would end up on every mixtape my friends and I made. Courtney’s reputation has evolved over the years but this album remains a document of a band who were young and hungry and on the precipice of exploding.
As a general rule, Hole gets docked a point whenever I hear them. This album is alright. 3.5 maybe?
Decent album. Not quite my cup of tea.
lowkey enjoyed this more any nirvana project. not that this really sounds like nirvana, but everyone associates them with them. super dope
Feels like the female interpretation of Nirvana which would be awesome if I was just more of a Nirvana fan
Makes me want to watch Daria.
2.5 Stars As a kid of the 90's, it's impossible for me to divide this album from the persona that was Courtney Love. Unfairly (probably) I loathed her back then...and thus never thought very much of her songwriting abilities or her band. There's some quality melodies on this record, but still can't get fully on board with her. Favorite track: Doll Parts
A great “female rage” album. 90’s alt/grunge with clever lyrics. Good album!
Some pretty good songs in there. I like the ones where Courtney is less shouty the best. Some good guitar and drum work throughout. I think this one will grow on me with repeated plays therefore rounding up from 3.5 to 4.
Oh fuck I think I would die is the ‘I want him he’s all gone’ song (ot doesn’t have that bit) but it’s still wonderful. So is the closer rock star. So many are just amazing 5/5
Prefer the debut but this still holds up really well today.
One of those gems from the era that i rarely hear talked about. Fantastic album start to finish. There's a lot of pain and anger expressed here.
Monotonous. I can't stand Courtney love's voice tbh. Started fun but quickly started to sound annoying like get over yourself.
I had never heard any of Courtney Love's songs before but I really liked this one. Never realized the movie Jennifer's Body was a reference to this album. Pretty cool.
A shouty PJ Harvey
A highly regarded album with Courtney Love vocals. I enjoyed it for the most part even if it killed Cobain. If there was one rock album with a female vocalist to define the decade it would be this one.
Not my thing. Too scream-y 😉
noisie rock, unclear for me, voice lead doesn't give reason to listen again.
I'm sorry, I just don't like this. 2/5
I thought it would be better. Not bad, but I wasn't all that impressed by it.
Love the olympia mention. I probably was not in the right mood to listen to this so it didn’t do much for me, but it wasn’t bad.
Mediocre
noise - this week is hard as it is, i do not need the music to get me down as well
Never been much in Rock genre But this record is kind of decent, if i could i would give it 3.5
It was fun. I liked it
not bad
Like many holes I’ve encountered in my life, this Hole is full of shit. Live through this? I really didn’t want to.
youthful anger, energy
gutless tiene un riff cochinazo me gusta como suena el bajo awante courtney amor
Aged well. Still worth a listen. May have killed Kurt though.
Its fine girly pop rock, a little on the late end, but there's an overall sameness in it which detracts from it. Great vocals and good supporting, but it is a short album which still manages to outlast its stay.
Sämre än förra Holeskivan vi hade. Men redan här skymtar Kaliforniarock fram bland all attityd, skrän och gap. Hole har helt enkelt i grunden rätt bra låtar, vilket är mer än man kan säga om många band i samma tid och genre. Plattan tappar lite styrsel under andra hälften men avslutar bedårande i punkbagatellen "Rock star". Men det krävdes tydligen en producent med riktigt strama tyglar för att locka fram all den The Bangles, The Go-Go's och Belinda Carisle som alla kan höra finns bakom skrik och dist, den producenten finns desvärre inte här. Men spår 1-7 har alla frön till det där, allra bäst är "Asking for it" som i en annan fôrpackning kunde varit lika given i Sportradion som "Leave a light on for me". Stark tvåa
Punkigare och mer aggressiv än Barbie-grungen på den andra Hole-skivan i boken, vilket är till den här skivans fördel. Men verkligen inget fantastiskt. Ibland uppe och svävar på en trea, men helheten hamnar på en godkänd tvåa.
Home anses alltså värdiga två album i boken? Ytterst märkligt! Med det sagt lyssnar jag alla dagar i veckan hellre på det här än Celebrity skin som vi tidigare haft. Med det sagt, det här är inte bra, men inte heller uselt. Betydligt punkigare utan att bli highschoolrock a la 90-tals ungdomsserie. En tvåa lyckas man pressa sig upp till.
Råare och skramligare än det andra Hole-albumet som slumpades. Men visst fanns det åtminstone 100 band som lät exakt så här 1994? Det hamras på trummor, bas och gitarr utan mening eller riktning. Courtney Loves skriksång klarar jag mig utan. Efter en genomlyssning har jag fått nog. Något bättre än Celebrity Skin, men det når inte upp till godkänt.
It's so beautifully gritty and aggressive that I find it hard to dislike despite often feeling like barely more than a wall of noise. The lyrics are quite strong (when I could make them out).
Din't like it. She has as ok voice when singing, but the screaming parts didn't really do it for me. The tone is way to dark for me at times, I don't mind anger in music (think punk, or things like ratm) but this just felt like screaming for the sake of it. It probably didn't help that I didn't really get the lyrics as well. "Your milk has a dick" like wtf is that all about?
Trop bruyant
Repetitivo. Nada me llamo la atención. Algunas guitarras sonaban bien.
Trop rock pour moi
Anything Courtney related is sure to attract a level of irrational hatred. She's the Yoko of Gen X, which is to say an immensely talented and complex woman who was dismissed as some real life succubus because of misogyny and Stan-dom. Meanwhile, Love Through This is every bit as good as Nevermind. Yeah, I said it. Which is to say that Nevermind is slightly overrated (but great) and Live Through This is underrated and unfairly painted as the work of Kurt, which has been thoroughly disputed by everyone involved in making the record
cool album, like Hole back then, still like them now. Even if I never listened to an album before
ого нирвана
Tenho uma amiga que acho que ia gostar muito desse álbum, para mim é um grande 3/5 e me lembrou um pouco as bandas que eu escuto de punk pop/punk rock. vai para a minha playlist de músicas para ouvir quando estou com raiva (escutei ele na segunda-feira, 23 de fevereiro de 2026).
Pretty cool stuff, actually.
Better than I remembered
Having just listened to the 1998 Hole album, I actually thought this album was the better of the two.
Meh
Good
Courtney Love did anything & everything in her power to get famous & it shows. Courtney Love is that skanky twat that just wanna hate but you can't because she's just talented. Now whether or not she surrounded her self with talented people (Kurt Cobain or Billy Corrigan) is another story. Which brings me back to my first point: ANYTHING to get famous. That's Courtney Love. PS Today would've been Kurt Cobain's birthday. Sometimes this isn't so random, is it?
I believe that Courtney Love (via the nanny) had Kurt Cobain killed. I also believe that she wrote and recorded this album as independently as any married person has over the years. Two things can be true at the same time. All that bother out of the way, this is a banger from start to finish. Quintessential grunge - that story cannot be told without this album. I admittedly have a soft spot for rock front women, but as I wouldn't touch Love with Trump's dick, I don't think that bias is influencing me. It's just a really great grunge album that everyone should listen to at least once. Influence 4. Hits 5. Quality 4. Intangibles 4. I though it might hit 5, but not quite 4.
I loved this album. It’s not a masterpiece for me but I was really taken aback by how solid this whole thing is. It’s distinctly grunge but its own thing almost entirely. Courtney Loves vocals are incredible and can fully see why they were the grunge it couple. My only complaint is the album stated to wain in quality towards the closing but that could just be fatigue on my end. Great album, would recommend!
This is pretty awesome
swagger
From song one I think I knew this would be a 4-5 star album. Starts off strong and never loses a bit of momentum. I only knew Courtney Love from her relationship with Kurt Cobain, and I truly had no idea that she was this talented. I still have some opinions about her as a person, but it was really undeniable just how good this album was. This is everything I love in a grunge album. Emotional, gritty, cathartic, and I love the Jennifer's Body reference (the movie came out after, obviously, but the title was still kind of fun. Plus Hole had a song in the movie). I saved the whole album to listen to again, I enjoyed it so much. I love a good female-led grunge band. There isn't a lot of presence of them on this generator, so getting those rare gems is always fun.
Violet is such a song to start this album with. I was never really into Grunge at the time, but this album and L7 really stuck with me at the time, and listening to it again after all these years it is still as strong as it was then. I think Courtney Love got a lot of criticism that she was riding the coat tails of Kurt Cobain, but this is proof that she was not. I prefer this to any Nirvana album personally. 4 stars
Awful! Maybe because I know it’s Courtney Love, but her voice is horrible.
I was a young teenager when grunge broke, I absorbed the big 4 bands and their classic albums through cool older kids, but never heard this, apart from the singles. Courtney Love attracted so much derision from the same cool older kids that I know I would've dismissed it anyway. By the time I was a cool older kid I was in love with punk and looked down on grunge as sad sack junkie music. On hearing this through I can now say I missed out on an incredible work, surely one of the high watermarks of grunge as a style and movement. Wow. This album floored me. The atmosphere is intensely personal, aggressive, spitting with righteous anger and detached despair. The music is soaring and dramatic without ever losing it's edge and grittiness. Like the best grunge it strikes the perfect balance between hardcore's intense dynamics and powerpop's melodic sensibilities, but crucially there is a rich, dark vein of punk rock and riot grrl running through these songs. Special mention must be given to Love, who's lyrics, vocal performances and presence lifts this album to another level. As a huge fan of Distillers I now know where Brody Dalle took her cues from. I have been unable to shake this album since hearing it. It is an incredibly effective and potent rock and roll album that can not and will not be denied. I wish I'd heard it when I was a young teenage boy.
I liked it more than I was expecting. Some of the lyrics were a bit repetitive which I think is common for the punk alternative genre. The guitar and drums in each song were really strong though. There was some good societal commentary in this too. 5/10
LAUVE
First time listening to Hole, loved it
One of the best albums of the best years for rock in history. Feisty, heavy and atmospheric. Violent is a classic opener.
A great album, distinct songs of a piece and they go hard. Her voice is good for the songs but does get to be a bit much by the end, the only thing keeping me from giving a 5.
Good, good, good album
There are very few holes in this album.
Primal rage, taut beauty, bitchin' rhythm guitars, earworm melodies.
Layers upon layers of 90s music history. Violet still hits instantly from the first note. Love doesn't care what I think and shouldn't. I love that.
Oh damn, their debut. Not a huge Hole fan or really a Hole fan at all. I do respect what they brought. I did like Celebrity Skin a bit more. Saw them with Marilyn Manson.
Pretty good. A few songs on here are great and still sound really good. A few songs haven’t aged as well and seem a little stale.
A perfect grunge album.
Really very good.
Punk Rock, it's not bad though. Wouldn't own the record but I could see listening to it again.
god this was angsty
Wild! No soy muy fan del punk, pero no se puede negar que es un album poderoso.
GOOO ON TAKE EVERYTHING, TAKE EVERYTHING, I WANT YOU TO If you like this do yourself a favour and check out Fontanelle by Babes in Toyland
Hole - Live Through This What did I know about this album/artist before I listened? I know Courtney Love. I know this was her band that maybe she had when she met Kurt? I know they were associated with grunge as well. I’ve heard the singles from numerous albums but never a full album. I know that her live performances (at least in the most recent decades) have been not the greatest, but she sounds fine on all of the singles I’ve heard. I’m wondering if that will hold up over a full album, and I wonder if there is any diversity in sound (the songs from Celebrity Skin I know feel more “alternative” than “grunge”). What are my first impressions? I’ve heard this first song “Violet”, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it makes sense that it’d be the opener based on what I know about the band. Courtney sounds angry. The music sound straight out of the 90s and of the time (complimentary). What genre(s) come to mind as I listen? Are there any specific artists that are evoked? I mean… grunge. 90s alternative. Kurt Cobain/Nirvana. Did Hole have a different sound or even exist before the two of them met? I don’t really know the timeline, but as intertwined as their two names are (fairly or not), I wonder if there was an influence on either’s work from the other. Is the production appropriate for the sound/era? I mean, I think it sounds exactly like the era that it came out of. There’s a good balance of soft/loud dynamics, with interesting chord choices, but all still based in verse-chorus composition. I would personally not have so many song parts where the tempo changes or the music drops into a completely different feel (that bridge part of “She Walks Over Me” is a stain on an otherwise excellent song), but I get that was of the time and is a personal preference gripe. What did the lyrics evoke? What did the singer sound like? Were the lyrics more simple or clever, direct or vague? The lyrics are interesting. They feel direct - it seemed easy to read each set of lyrics and know what Love was singing about - but also like there are a ton of parts missing from the story. Like, fragmented thoughts or phrases that are stapled together in some order to tell the story. That feels very 90s, but not in a derogatory way at all. Courtney’s voice is ragged-but-melodic. I don’t know what her childhood was like (I guess I could make a guess given some of these lyrics), but she sounds both anxious AND world-weary from her past. It makes for an interesting combination. What is your favorite track/why? “She Walks Over Me” - I love the energy on this one. Good melody, interesting/fucked-up lyrics, great vocal performance. Just a well-written song. Least favorite/why? “Doll Parts” - It’s just kind of boring. I don’t find the melody very interesting, and the music plods along without much variation or spice. What sort of situation/vibe would you find yourself playing this album in? Playability factor? This is something I could see myself just putting on to listen to as I do my bullshit at home. 90s stuff is basically ambient background music in my brain, so this fits right in. Final summary? Love her or hate her, Courtney Love makes herself known when she’s around, and this album is no exception. I can’t say this is the most original album from the time, but I don’t know who else could have written and performed this. She feels every word she’s singing and that passion and truth shines in the performance. I don’t know how often I would actually listen to this (grunge is not something I regularly reach for), but I won’t be mad as these songs slowly creep into my regular algorithms. I can imagine why Hole isn’t the first band people bring up when talking about this era, but this belongs. Recommended tracks: “Violet”/”Plump”/”She Walks Over Me”
I definitely get the appeal and vibe they’re going for but it’s not completely my thing. Everything going on is really well thought out but lands a bit stale for me with most songs. Definitely a few tracks I like a lot that have great sounds and help tie the whole album together.
Not for me. Banshee screaming. Very annoying.
An excellent grunge album with tremendous energy and badass guitars. Courtney Love absolutely deserves more recognition for her music. For some reason I never listened to this album when it was released - I may have heard Doll Parts on the radio, but that's about it. Probably just because I didn't know anyone who was into Hole at the time (and back in 1994, that was a huge part of our access to new music...). I really regret it because I would have loved it. Same kind of angry and unapologetic vibe as Nirvana. It doesn't quite reach In Utero's level of blistering intensity, and it can sometimes be a bit repetitive, but it's still quite noisy and punkish at heart (the Kim Gordon influence can clearly be felt here). A great album overall, I'll definitely check out the rest of their discography ! 7/10
It’s the record I play for my daughter in that “back then, women had real guts” mode. Sharp songwriting, riffs that still hit today, but it sometimes feels like the pop side of the 90s riot girl wave, somewhere near L7. After this, I’ll move her on to their debut, then 7 Year Bitch, Babes in Toyland, and The Gits which are way more punk. Well, that said and despite the limited enthusiasm I have for Courtney Love herself, I have to admit this is absolutely my kind of thing and that she had a voice. Cheers.
I Went To School In Olympia 1001 Albums Generator 227 (2/13/2026) Hole is most famous for their hit Celebrity Skin, as well as being "the band that Kurt Cobain's girlfriend is in", but man they are pretty good honestly. Live Through This, the band's second album, is far and away their most highly acclaimed, and the first half of the album at least lives up to this reputation. The first 7 songs or so are some really top grade grunge, up there with any other highly acclaimed grunge album from this era. However, the second half is much weaker, outside of Rock Star. Courtney Love really screams on some of these songs, but some of them are also quite catchy, like Violet and Doll Parts. The almost Gregorian-style chanting on Credit In The Straight World is also so cool and interesting. The album as a whole isn't as good or memorable as other similar albums, but it's still very decent. 3.5/5, rounded down to 3. Favs: Violet Plump Credit In The Straight World Least Fav: She Walks On Me
This fuckin' rips. Maybe a hot take but it's at least as good as anything Nirvana made. Must-listen #296.
the first song is speaking my language. well... That's not what I expected, depressed much? These lyrics are kinda crazy lol...but deadass though what are these lyrics... she was asking for it ??? what are we talking about??? honestly its starting to feel slow, ironically considering the genre. What is this girls obsession with milk ? ngl this was kind of boring this is a pass for me
Makes me think of something my mom would listen to back in her day. (It does kinda check out with the releasedate of the album)
Did not love this. Stand-outs - Doll Parts
Second album du groupe proposé après 'Celebrity Skin' que j'avais peu apprécié (2/5 - rock standard plutôt mou). Ce nouvel album est bien plus intéressant, avec une approche Grunge bien marquée : passages calmes puis bien énervés pour les instruments et le chant. Mais certains morceaux manquent d'énergie ('Doll Parts', 'Softer, 'Softest'), ce qui casse la dynamique de l'album. Dommage ! Je l'écouterais de nouveau avec plaisir, mais il ne rejoindra pas ma collection. =>3/5
Good stuff, nothing much to note
Didn't hate it, didn't love it.
It was so refreshing to hear a female singer after so much of this classic albums being a real dude fest. 3.5. Not all my jam, but some catchy tunes.
Really good ! 3.75/5
Pretty good. I need to rank some stuff lower, I liked the album but the style isn't exactly what I like.
3.4 2x i recognize it's a good album but have my issues with this band
Not really for me
realising i genreally like 90s< music best. this is a shock, thought i liked<90s music better ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Miss world and rock star
Extremely underrated by me. With the benefit of some distance from the internalised misogyny of the 90s, Love is very talented. And this album hits. A friend described her as a Yoko and that fits very well (although I'd say Love has significantly more musical ability).
Alternative rock, grunge, punk rock.
Damn this was great.
For all the shit society gave her and the junk she shot up, we forget how fucking cool Courtney Love was and her absolute powerhouse voice. Sure Celebrity Skin was a better reflection of her pop range but she's screaming here with some of the absolute all time grunge greats. This is a Mudhoney record with a deep sense of pain and hurt wrapped inside, and while a bit of it is petty, there's a lot of it that is incredibly powerful.
Het begint nog wel aardig. Klinkt als Chrissie Hynde na 10 jaar drugsgebruik. Maar in de twee helft van de plaat gaat het mis. Er moet heul hard geschreeuwd en gevloekt worden, oh wat zijn we boos. De titel van het album is goed gekozen: 'Doorsta dit maar eens'. Want doorstaan is wel het juiste woord.
Het vorige album dat we kregen was vooral heel vergeetbaar (Celebrity Skin) was vooral heel vergeetbaar. Ik merkte al op dat het zelfs op een '90s party niet meer voorgeschoteld wordt. Dat kunnen we van dit album toch niet zeggen. Wat een geschreeuw. Toch even terugluisteren. Was dat op Celebrity Skin ook al zo? Nee, nou. Ook daar is het wat ongepolijst, maar zeker niet storend. Het is meer in balans. Dit album is vier jaar ouder. Dus we horen de ontwikkeling van de band, en met name de zangeres. Maar waarom moet ik die ontwikkeling van een middelmatig bandje horen?
Gepolijst is niet het juiste woord voor mevrouw Love. Ze maakt namelijk net als op Celebrity Skin vooral rauwe grunge, met rauwe vocals. Daarin lijkt het best op Nirvana, een vergelijking die ik expres maak, omdat ze daar geloof ik zelf een teringhekel aan had. Tja, als je dat niet wil, dan moet je softe ballads gaan maken, of triphop, nou ja, in ieder geval iets anders dan dit genre muziek. Ik neem aan dat het wel gewoon de muziek was, waar ze zelf het liefst naar luisterde. En ondanks dat het dus rauw en ruw is, vind ik het ook prima om naar te luisteren. Het blijven de 90s en die bekijk ik vanwege het jeugdsentiment net wat minder streng op een of andere manier. Dit zit net als Celebrity Skin tussen de 3 en de 4 in. Twee keer een 4 voor Hole vind ik too much, dus deze rond ik weer af naar beneden, zonder daarbij heel zuur te zijn, want ik luister het met gemak weg.
I feel this album is a tad overrated in the grand scheme of things but still a really fun listen. First half of this album I find to be strong. In between a 3 and a 4 for me.
not 4 me but i appreciate it
Całkiem niezłe. Takie 3,5 bym dał. Nawet nie zlewa się w całość, a to już coś.
I love it from the depth of my heart, one of the best so far, and I think of all here
Reminds me of the 90's, quintessential sound of the time. Even though at times it's just noise and is a bit whiny, it somehow still lands as a 3 for me. (3)
Great work throughout. Hole in a new light but still brilliant.
Sounds a lot like Nirvana (Not super surprising, judging by the fact that Courtney Love is the frontwoman of this band). Great album! Recommend for Nirvana fans.
By the girls, for the girls. Just some good old alt rock, angry but also catchy and high-energy in a positive way.
There are songs on this album that are my go to for when I need to feel justified anger so hearing all of it in context makes me love it even more.
I can't believe this album flew under my radar for so long. No skips, excellent songs with enough angst, grit, catchiness, incisiveness, and energy to keep me coming back.
classic?
Fav: softer, softest 3/5
There are several good songs and some clunkers. Love's more of a presence than a singer, but the overall sound is good. Miss World was a hit but I do not care for it. Violet, Jennifer's Body and Doll Parts are good.
Me: “Murderers can’t make good music” Hole: Live Through This Me: :0
I think i need to re listen to this when I'm feeling angstier.
I do not care for this.
Stadig en forkærlighed for 90'er-grunge. Det er velkendt, selvom jeg aldrig har lyttet meget til Hole.
I have no intention of listening to this and giving Courtney Love even one four-thousandth of a penny. I’ve heard her trash enough times back in the nineties to know I can’t stand her or her voice. The band might be ok, but I’ll never listen to it with her fronting it. A terrible human being and an awful singer.
Rocky american Evelina vibes No para mi
This was an eclectic pick. I’m not a huge fan unfortunately.
Surprisingly good, and kudos to the restraint in making a 38 minute album in the age of the compact disc. Why add filler when it's usually just garbage.
One of the few classics that manages to be both overrated and underrated at the same time.
This was cool. Quiet loud thing but woman. Certainly a good album
A lot of people shit on Courtney Love for her lackluster singing voice and association with Kurt Cobain, but I have always liked Hole and I think her voice fits the vibe perfectly. This album is slots in right in between the more "sophisticated" grunge of the 90's and it's more punk and hardcore past. Love's voice is gravelly and uncoordinated and it matches the recording style and unfiltered guitars just right. The songwriting isn't particularly captivating but it's aggressive without being washed out and angry all the time. Violet is the pick of the bunch for me, but I enjoy all of it for its own reasons. I think Rock Star is a perfect finisher for it and it's even more perfect for a kid listening to it at the time. The nostalgia is very present for me in this album, so it's with a bias that I rate it so highly. It's still good though, and I think Hole deserves their place among the great 90's bands.
Very interesting good energy, need to listen again to fully appreciate
Great stuff!
OK I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did!
Buen album de grunge. Recuerdan demasiado a Nirvana.
I came to appreciate this band in my adulthood, but I wasn’t really into Hole when they were popular. I don’t think I was quite ready for Courtney Love when I was 14. But man would my life have been better if I had been.
Two Hole albums in a week is a treat for me. I like this even more than Celebrity Skin. It’s so raw and full of energy and emotion. There are some genuinely great songwriting moments on here, particularly the first half. I will forever argue that Hole deserves a lot more attention in the context of 90s alt rock bands. Favourite tracks: Violet, Miss World, Asking For It, Jennifer’s Body, Doll Parts, Softer, Softest, I Think That I Would Die, Gutless
This is #day535 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I'll admit I've never really been a fan of Courtney Love. Live Through This, however, is a case in point of '90s alternative rock, grunge, and punk, and that's what matters. Knowing that Love was listening to The Breeders, Pixies, the Bunnymen, and Joy Division while making this record kind of says it all. The whole affair is melodic, tight, and agonizing. A cover of Young Marble Giants' song turned out to be a nice surprise. "I Think That I Would Die" is my favorite here. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day536.
Incredibly underrated. So emotional and raw.
Very good. Enjoyable 90s grunge. Some belters on here.
Great album that for the longest time resisted taking an interest in. Vocals are good, guitars are fuzzy and the songs are well written
really good! sounds great and lyrics hit hard, it's such a nice mix
I'm not a Courtney Love hater and every Hole album has a few songs that i really like. But as a whole (ha ha) their albums aren't that great.
Phenomenal album
Take me back to my emo teen years
Actually better than I remembered
Lots to like about shouty albums by women
**Hole – *Live Through This* (1994)** In-depth review: lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, pros & cons --- ### **1. Lyrics – raw confessionals as feminist weapons** - **Dual-voice strategy**: Love toggles between whispered vulnerability and full-throated assault, mirroring the way women are expected to be both passive and performative (“Violet”[1][4]). - **Recurring images**: beauty pageants, torn dresses, blood, milk, fire, car crashes. These are not shock-tactics; they literalise the violence baked into feminine archetypes. - **Key tracks** – *“Asking for It”*: written after Love was stripped while stage-diving. The refrain “Was she asking for it?” is sung like a cheer, exposing victim-blaming as a cultural chorus[2]. – *“Doll Parts”*: insecurity rendered as nursery-rhyme (“I am doll eyes, doll mouth, doll legs”). Written the night she realised she loved Kurt Cobain, it’s both love-song and self-dissection[2]. – *“Jennifer’s Body”*: kidnapping/murder narrative inspired by Colleen Stan; turns true-crime into allegory for every girl told the world wants to consume her[2]. - **Language register**: high-school diary meets French-feminist theory. Love name-drops *Gone with the Wind* (“I want to live through this”) and cites beauty-pageant melodrama while growling “Go on, take everything”[1]. --- ### **2. Music – grunge that remembers pop is a weapon** - **Dynamic blueprint**: Pixies-style loud/quiet/loud, but the quiet bits are folk-singalongs and the loud bits arrive with Beatles-esque backing vocals (“I think that I would die…”)[1]. - **Riff architecture**: Eric Erlandson’s guitars are tuned low but ring like 12-string jangle; he lets feedback bloom rather than suffocate, giving songs a *celestial* ugliness. - **Rhythm section**: Patty Schemel’s drums are the album’s heartbeat—loose, tom-heavy, almost *swinging* on “Miss World”. Bassist Kristen Pfaff adds melodic counter-lines that *sing* rather than *thud*[1]. - **Hidden hooks**: “Credit in the Straight World” nicks a chorus from obscure UK post-punk band Young Marble Giants, then layers Courtney’s banshee wail on top—an Easter-egg that rewards crate-diggers. - **Tempo discipline**: 38-minute runtime, no song over 3:48. The brevity makes the emotional violence feel like a drive-by rather than a siege. --- ### **3. Production – polished filth** - **Producers**: Sean Slade & Paul Q. Kolderie (fresh from Radiohead’s *Pablo Honey*)[1]. - **Sonic strategy**: – Keep bleed & room tone so screams feel *lived-in*. – Double-track vocals only on choruses, leaving verses naked. – Use vintage Neve pre-amps for grit, but SSL compression for radio-ready punch—achieving the paradox of “radio-friendly abrasion”. - **Mix choices**: snare sits *inside* the guitar swirl, not on top; Love’s voice is *in* the band, not *over* it, creating the sense she’s fighting for space—perfect for lyrics about being silenced. --- ### **4. Themes – a concept LP about surviving femininity** | Surface topic | Sub-text | |---------------|----------| | Beauty pageant | Ritualised objectification (“Miss World” crown on the cover)[1]. | | Celebrity widowhood | Premonition of media crucifixion (album released 7 days after Cobain’s death). | | Mother-daughter cycles | “I told you I’d be your worst nightmare” (*Plump*)—Love’s own mother was a therapist who published a book on parental guilt. | | Rape culture | Not just “Asking for It”; *every* track asks who gets to narrate women’s bodies. | | Self-sabotage vs self-assertion | Love refuses to be *either* damsel *or* avenger—she’s both in the same breath. | The title phrase (“Live Through This”) is whispered in the final seconds, suggesting survival is *not* triumph but scarred continuity. --- ### **5. Influence – riot-grrrl’s older sister who made the charts** - **Immediate ripple**: 1994–96 labels sign Bikini Kill, Babes in Toyland, Jack Off Jill—A&R shorthand: “find more Hole types”[3]. - **Fashion**: torn baby-doll dresses & smeared lipstick become mall-punk uniform; even Hot Topic’s 1995 catalogue quotes Love’s *Live Through This* tour look. - **Cinema**: *Jennifer’s Body* (2009) lifts song title & thematic DNA; *The Runaways* (2010) costumes copy Love’s tiara-and-choker combo. - **21st-century echoes**: Olivia Rodrigo’s *SOUR* artwork (teary mascara) prompted Love’s Instagram call-out, proving the iconography still pings[3]. - **Covers & samples**: – Miley Cyrus sings “Doll Parts” on 2020 Plastic Hearts tour. – Phoebe Bridgers interpolates the chord progression in “I Know the End”. --- ### **6. Pros & Cons** | Pros | Cons | |------|------| | 1. **Feminine rage** mainstreamed without sanding edges—still feels dangerous on streaming. | 1. **Uniform dynamic** (quiet verse / loud chorus) can feel templated by track 9[3]. | | 2. **Kristen Pfaff’s bass** adds melodic ear-candy rare in grunge. | 2. **Running order** front-loads classics; Side B loses casual listeners. | | 3. **Lyrics** that reward English-class close-reading yet still work in a mosh-pit. | 3. **Courtney’s pitch** wobbles on straight-ahead rocker “Gutless”—a love-it-or-hate-it tone. | | 4. **38-minute sprint**—no filler interludes or prog nonsense. | 4. **Cobain-shadow gossip** distracts first-time listeners from the actual songs. | | 5. **Production** bridges punk rawness & radio clarity—sounds good on earbuds or stadium PA. | 5. **Limited musical palette**; if you hate dropped-D grunge guitars, nothing here converts you. | --- ### **Verdict** *Live Through This* is the rare 90s rock record that weaponised pop craft without neutering punk fury. Its literary lyric sheet, radio-ready hooks and unapologetic estrogen anger created a blueprint still photocopied by young bands discovering that the personal is political—and the political *slaps* when you scream it in a tiara.
I wish I liked it more because I like the cover, for now 2 just because
I was really knocked off my socks by this. A lot of attitude and energy but also just really solid hooks and melody. Can’t wait to keep revisiting this.
Ik had heel veel zin om dit te luisteren, want een paar liedjes van dit album vond ik al leuk, maar het deed hem gewoon niet voor mij. Ja een beetje langdradig en ik was er echt snel klaar mee :((
She is an icon. She is the moment.
ligt ongetwijfeld aan mij maar t smelt een beetje samen allemaal. verder best leuk
mijn god wat een album. poëtischer en muzikale dan hun debuut, misschien iets te voor echte grunge maar who give a fuck genre discourse is dood en dit album is top
I like the songs, I wish they had less repetition though. It's hard for me to understand the symbolism on first listen, but some of it really hit hard. I don't really like Courtney Love's voice, i think that's the main thing that throws me off about this album/band. The only songs I genuinely really liked was "I Think That I Would Die" and "She Walks On Me," the aggression matched with their messages were perfect. I added "Doll Parts" and "Asking For It" to my library too, though. Best albums yet.
Top notch. All timer.
The Good: We will be able to live through this, or so we are told! The Bad: We aren’t explained what “this” is… The Ugly: What if this is getting a hole perforated somewhere where we don’t like there to be a hole??? Courtney… she is such an angry lady… should we offer to give her a hug? I had the unfortunate surprise to find another Hole album to be on this list, which I gave a 3… in retrospect, that album is borderline 2. Yet here, in the early ‘90s, Live Through This is a perfect example of the angsty music which was starting to take over the landscape. I can’t say that I am not enjoying the experience, even if I still am a person who can’t stand Courtney and her attention-seeking-shit… Kudo’s for this album, and kudo’s for getting over your hubby blowing his head off… I guess you lived through it! 4*
Decent album. I think I prefer the album with Celebrity Skin though, which I think is not the popular opinion. 3.5/5
Yesssss
Glad I listened to this finally. It’s really good and I think she’s a great frontwoman, imo heaps better than many of the male fronted grunge bands. I think as with all ‘grunge’ to some extent, it’s rooted in punk and hardcore, but also has very heavy pop influences. This is certainly the case for this album, but I think the pop aspects positively affect it. Obviously this album will always be linked with Kurt Cobain’s death at a similar time, and I guess it’s quite sad to read into some of her lyrics about their faltering relationship, knowing what would happen. Guitars are brilliant, very well produced. And these songs are also really dynamic, there’s loads of bits where it’s just acoustic guitar. I feel like some of singing can be a bit jarring, but it doesn’t really bother me that much. Favourite songs: violet, Miss world, plump, Jennifer’s body, doll parts, credit in the straight world, softer, softest, gutless, rock star. Overall around 8/10
This was my first proper listen to Live Through This by Hole, and I was genuinely looking forward to it. I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. The album is raw, loud, and full of attitude, but it’s also packed with really strong, catchy songs. There’s a proper energy running through it from start to finish – it moves quickly, never hangs about, and feels exciting the whole way through. Punky, messy, and melodic in the best possible way. I loved it and I’ll definitely be coming back to this one. Favourite tracks: Doll Parts, Rock Star, and Softer, Softest are all cracking songs and really stand out. Least favourite tracks: There isn’t a bad track here – and even if there was, it would be over in two minutes and you’d be straight onto the next one. Album artwork: Great album cover – iconic and suits the record perfectly.
It's hard to argue with this record
Violet - 5/5 Miss World - 4/5 Plump - 4/5 Asking For It - 4.5/5 Jennifer's Body - 4.5/5 Doll Parts - 4/5 Credit In The Straight World - 4.5/5 Softer, Softest - 4/5 She Walks On Me - 4.5/5 I Think That I Would Die - 3/5 Gutless - 4/5 Rock Star - 4/5
Not sure why I'm surprised I enjoyed this so much. I love me some grunge and this is a fuckin good grunge album. Simple as. Man, she can really wail.
Yeah its ok
I think I liked Celebrity Skin more than Live Through This, but Hole is a pretty damn good grunge band that embodies that angst that's so often evident in 90's rock.
For as complicated a character as Courtney Love seems to be, she does, quite simply, rock. Haven't really listened to Hole too much before getting into this list but I'm just about ready to classify myself as a passing fan.
So strange that we got both this and Celebrity Skin in the first 100 albums. I'm not complaining though, I think Live Through This is awesome. This follows the quiet-loud-quiet formula laid out by Pixies and adapted by nearly every alt-rock/grunge band worth their salt to a T. Love's voice is great; it cuts and grinds against the shredding guitars and angular jagged choruses in harsher tracks like opener Violet but then you've got stuff like the Credit in the Straight World cover which is such an excellent version of the YMG original. It extracts the marrow from the song, taking its hook and driving bass structure while exploding its introspection into this assertive, confrontantial song. An excellent riotgrrl/grunge reinterpretation of an evasive post-punk classic. The ear for hooks works it way over to songs like Miss World, Jennifer's Body, Plump, which all have killer riffs. Always dug the closer Rock Star too - I'm weak to that stop-and-start take. For my money, the album's greatest moment is in I Think That I Would Die when Love's voice rolls up and down on the "Rose white, Rose red" bridge like she's caught on a wave. Hypnotic. Favorite Tracks: Miss World, Plump, Jennifer's Body, Credit in the Straight World, I Think That I Would Die, Rock Star.
"I don't really miss God but I sure miss Santa Claus." Basically how I've felt for a long time now but I've been unable to put it in words
3.5 amazing for a karaoke sesh
Pretty grungy. Good energy, with some relief into slower songs. Vocals sunk it for me though.
3.5
Fine. Not really my jam.
Hole’s debut album Pretty On The Inside wasn’t great - it was just too relentlessly antagonistic. Courtney Love was pissed off, we got it, but art needs more than that to make an impact. The follow-up, Live Through This, channelled the anger into proper songs with proper hooks and was all the better for it. Love pretty much reinvented the band, retaining only guitarist Eric Erlandson from the previous line-up and upping the production values - and for all its snarly attitude and loud guitars, Live Through This sounds great. Turn it up and it pops out of the speakers, giving those hooks every chance to catch. Highlights include opener Violet (shouty and angry), Miss World (angry and nihilistic) and Doll Parts (nihilistic and fatalistic) – which probably limits its audience, but Love was an important voice at the time, and this album is one of the best ways to reconnect with it. 8/10
I gotta say this one is always good to come back too
Love you Courtney
One of my fave albums ever. Not a single skip. This was Courtney at her prime (even though Celebrity Skin is also 5/5 in my books).
Girl rock / grunge
Great grungy feel
I like the album art
I didn't connect to it they way I thought
oh kurt if you know that courtney was shamed like this what would you say. would you feel sorry for the tabloids making up the rumours as she is a great musician and you indeed love her 4/5
This band sounds so cool and Love has a great grunge voice. I like this album a lot. The production is also very crisp which I like.
Raw and powerful.
way more rock-metal than I thought
Second best Nirvana album of all time? I'm very familiar with the singles off this, listening to the rest and it all sort of sounds the same, if I was into it at the time it came out I'd probably appreciate it more but listening now it's fine.
I was 17 when this came out and I had a preconceived idea that Hole, more so Courtney Love was not up to scratch. My thinking was probably warped by the media and being a Nirvana fan I saw Courtney as the enemy. I only knew one Hole song Celebrity Sin, I refused to like it even with it being played over and over again on the radio. This album slapped me in the face so hard it factory reset my brain and I now have a new found love for Hole!
fjckjn FIRE
Very screamy, not very musical. This was not up my alley at all, but was blessedly short
Pretty good 90s grunge-rock. Strong Daria soundtrack potential.
Hole immediately after Nirvana? I smell a conspiracy. At least, I hope that’s what I smell. Way better than I expected.
I just know I would've loved this as a teenager
This is also … fine. A few more standout tracks for me than the Foo Fighters album I got yesterday (love the synchronicity, wondering if I’ll get Nirvana next) but overall not something I’m likely to listen to again.
Nooooooooo! I've intensely disliked Hole for as long as I can remember. Still boggles my mind how anyone likes this.
This is a very angry chick
Re-listened on 4/16: 3 -> 4 This album has such a strong and cohesive sound, and it has a cathartic energy. Thematically too, the album is very powerful and important. It’s not for everyone, but it hits so hard in the moments it needs to. Love is a genius lyrically and doesn’t hold back here at all. You know who she is and what she stands for in these songs. It’s not perfect but the emotion is unmatched. Top Songs: Doll Parts, Softer, Softest, Violet, Plump, I Think That I Would Die
Violet-2/10 Miss world-3.5/10 Plump-6/10 Asking for it-7.5/10 banger Jennifer’s body-4/10 Doll parts-
I gotta say I'm accustomed to women screaming at me so this album felt absolutely fine
I forgot to rate this the other day but I remember being way happier when it ended and it started autoplaying real music
I can’t get behind the emerging hot take that this is better than Nevermind. I listened to both with an open mind. I tried. But it’s a fantastic rock record and Courtney Love is a force of nature.
A good grunge record
Wow. That Courtney love sure can sing
Courtney Love is a divisive figure and a tour de force, but I personally love her work and consider this her absolute magnum opus. It's a defining album of the grunge era, effortlessly pairing monster hooks with a pure punk-girl manifesto. The shadow of Cobain's death will always hang over it, but that context only makes it more powerful as a retroactive snapshot of their marriage and mutual struggles. 'Miss World' remains one of the bleakest, hardest-rocking songs I've ever heard. A perfect snapshot of where alternative music was, and exactly where it was heading.
Good spirit. Slight lack of tunes.
Fierce feminist rock. Amazing
Meh
I enjoyed it! I’m pretty sure this is one of the albums that inspired Olivia Rodrigo that little Mexican girl that be crying
Hole is actually pretty solid.
One of my favorites when I was a teenager. Girl power!
One of my favorite albums of the 90s in my teens. The perfect fuck you from Courtney to all the haters.
Oops this album found me in my riot grrl era. For real this is a great album. The sound is ferocious. The lyrics take on interesting perspectives and complex feelings about motherhood, being objectified by society and dealing with mental illness. I’ve found it quite thought-provoking and have already listened twice.
I don't like the vocals. And I found the guitar more generic and not too interesting Edit Apr 2 2026: 2 --> 3. It has grown on me. I keep repeating to myself: YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO SAY NO
Criminally underrated album. When talking about grunge itbis oft left out, but it is an important part of that conversation. And better than anything Alice In Chains ever did.