Live Through This

Honestly, its a banger

Great album when it came out and it still holds up today.

I love this album.

Best album... still a murder.

Favs: - Credit In The Straight World

I've never listened to this whole album, I've heard a few of the song before, doll parts in particular. It sounded like Nirvana, if sung by a woman. It actually wasn't bad, I was surprised.

I dunno about Courtney and Kurt but Hole definitely made better music than Nirvana

Very compelling

Me gustó bastante... muy cerca de Nirvana

Had heard a couple but never the album... Solid al the way thru

Courtney Love is the real thing. Highlights: Doll Parts, Rock Star

Courteney Love and her band just took over the scene and made her space among the very manly world of grunge music. We can only thank her for that.

Good album. Never really bothered to listen to many female led metal bands but this was a very enjoyable album. Very short. I liked ‘Jennifer’s Body’ but none were unfortunately added to my playlist. Overall good album

Love it, girl punk forever

Great album front to back, standouts for me were Violet, Miss World, Jenny's Body.

Angry girl punk music lol! I listened to this in the morning when I started work - interesting way to start the day. But the whole album is only 38 min so listened to the entire thaang (that's how albums were in the 90s!). Haven't listened to Courtney Love much so this was a good exposure to her. I wouldn't choose this type of music to work to, but it would be perfect for tasks like cleaning the apartment or packing for a trip - something that would normally be tiring but this music would keep me awake. I actually liked a lot of the music that followed this album (in Spotify, which selected music similar to Hole) - No Doubt, Garbage, Nirvana...

Hell yeah what a powerhouse. Loved the DIY sound.

Growing up in the 90's we somehow thought that only Catholic school kids listed to Hole. Kids are fucking weird. I have mixed feelings about Courtney Love. Media at the time, especially after Kurt's death, wanted to paint her as a black widow - exploiting him for her own means until he couldn't take any more. Then I read "Dirty Blonde" and I gained a ton of respect for her. But, so many of these songs sound like Nirvana rejects that I'm back to not knowing what to believe. If I turn off the thoughts and just listen...I love this album. It's weird. Every other woman in rock/alternative gets my immediate love and respect. Why should Hole be any different?

It's neither as good as Scott says, or, as bad as Bort says. She did bang Alan Partridge in her hole though, so that's worth an extra mark.

Very good album

This album was great and got me into mre riot girl esc music. 8/10

the best part about this album project is to listen to albums by musicians you wrote off. for this purpose, i do my best to enter into albums as a blank slate. i, like many others, didn't give courtney love (and her band as a result) a chance before. but this album! it's gritty and dark. the lyrics and themes are heavy, and the feminine focus wasn't terribly popular in 1994. "asking for it" in particular grabbed my attention; its subject matter is relevant today and has been for decades. i commend hole for releasing a song like that in 1994 when it was rather edgy to do so. a reviewer at allmusic mentioned the phrase "raw pain" to describe this album, and i cannot imagine anything better to describe this album.

This band had historically been pretty heavily punk up until this point, but were outspoken about not wanting to do the same exact thing twice. The band found themselves gravitating toward the slightly more polished and structured sounds of alternative rock and grunge, despite protest from purist fans. This album was a result of those efforts, with the band finding some kind of balance between those punk roots and something a little bit more melodic, an outstanding offering that brought Courtney Love's charged feminist topics and harsh vocals to clash with more rhythm driven instrumentals. Love wanted to show a softer side of herself here, and she found a way to do it that worked for the band and their music. This album would inevitably lead to Hole not only becoming a figurehead of the woman-fronted grunge/alt-rock movement, but showing that they had the grit and attitude to exist among the best alt-rock grunge bands of the time. Love's vocals drip with fury and vigor and show so much range on this album, from raw screams to quiet growls. The clever lyrics mixed with that delivery and incredibly catchy melodies just send this album over the edge into greatness. I already loved Hole, and readdressing this album in its entirety only further cemented that. Really glad to see this excellent, often under-rated band on this project.

Yay, go Courtney

Rockin

Full disclosure, I am NOT a fan of Courtney Love! She's a horrible actress, but can act within her range and her singing range is very limited. She doesn't seem like a very nice person and it was unfortunate that she met Kurt (for Kurt's sake). With that being said, Live Through This is a great album! I don't care much for other Hole records, but this one hits the spot. It downright rocks, the songs are crunchy, the music is grungy-melodic, the guitars are loud and I can even tolerate Courtney's screams. I will listen to this often and play this loud!

I didn’t view the daily album until 9:30pm, and as soon as I saw this, I was scared I was going to have to run out and get a case of beer and a pack of Export A Lights. 😆

Alive, honest, loud, desperate, angry. Surprised I recognized two or three of the songs on this album.

Really solid album. Hole and Courtenay Love in general has always had to fight through the shadow of Kurt Cobain. Living or dead, the comparisons and criticisms were always present. If people could see past that (which they should, since their only real connection is their relationship) they’d find a deep and talented artist.

Nice rock.

I need to get over my irrational dislike of Courtney Love as this is a good record.

Love this album, nostalgic listen

Ok

This held up much better then Celebrity Skin. I guess I prefer songs ghost written by Cobain. Violet still kicks pretty hard.

This is the Hole album that I really like. Less poppy, more crunchy, grungy sounding. Very Nirvana-ish with it's start/stop songwritting and quiet/loud parts. And I love Nirvana, so it's not a stretch to like this one a lot, too.

Brilliant ablum with in some ways the worst timing of any release in the history of music. I feel sorry for how much that Courtney Love was hound after Kurt's death and I watched her unravel on stage not quiet a year later. Took me ages to listen to this again but when I did it eclipse most other late grunge releases.

Funciona bem demais dos riffs ao vocal.

Truly great grunge punk, can't believe I've never listened to this before

Good album. In my nostalgia zone so it gains a star

Thin and straggly power barfs of raw catharsis. Spilled bleach, sour milk and home truths all over the bathroom sink. Plus galvanic riffs, scratchy melodies, and one of the sweetest voices to ever scream "fuck you" in your face.

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 int eh 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 a some selective editing on the vocals, the guitars and drums sound huge, and a 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 is 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. Nobody would ever 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.

Good album. Punky, raw, but with a nice sense of melody that keeps things fresh and interesting and listenable. Very consistent from song to song. Much stronger than I expected. 4 stars

Holy Grunge. Good stuff. This list always manages to give you an album you don't expect from an artist with a more popular work.

A rough diamond, pressure-formed by pain.

Hole continued to evolve with each album. Before, they were hardcore punk. After, they took on a clean alt rock sound. Here they are their grungiest. Lots of similarities with Nirvana, substantiating rumors of Cobain's contribution to this album's songwriting. Indeed, this album sounds more like a Pixies album than In Utero, despite Cobain recruiting Surfer Rosa's Steve Allbini. Just like In Utero, Live Through This manages to combine unique melodies with a rough, genuine attitude. Courtney Love's vocal delivery carries the energy and emotion of the show, but Pfaff's basslines shock us with their range of sound. There are accessible pop songs like "Miss World," "Softer Softest," and "Doll Parts" to appeal to most audiences. The first side is much more polished and coherent, whereas the second side takes more risks, kicking off with the abrasive hardcore "Credit in the Straight World." I get Soundgarden-vibes from the bass in "I Think That I Would Die." Pretty consistent through this, and even the weaker tracks were enjoyable due to the diversity. Favorites: Violet, Asking for It, Doll Parts, I Think That I Would Die, Rock Star

“Courtney Love- yeah she sucks, but that album is good”- record store guy who I bought this Hole CD from I couldn’t agree more

Man, what a voice lead singer has... Reminded me of Nirvana, which makes sense looking at relation between Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain. Released a week after Cobain's suicide. Harsh. I really enjoyed this record. Felt grungy, dirty, pure. Highlights: Jennifer's Body, Rock Star

Fajny, agresywny grunge. Nie znałem kompletnie, więc przyjemne zaskoczenie. Nic szczególnie nie odstawało, właśnie troszkę nazbyt monotonne. Ale całkowicie przyjemna i niezbyt długa płytka, zasługuje na to 4.

great modern punk album

Mucho mejor de lo que esperaba. Un poco repetitivo en un par de canciones pero en general movido, con buenos guitarrazos y mucha energía. 3.5 que subo a 4 porque los disfruté.

Fett fett fett

Had never heard this in full before now (though the singles, particularly "Violet", were on Triple J all the time), and I really should've done. I think it does run of steam a bit in the second half, but on the whole it's really good.

3/28/22 Super interesting to learn about Courtney Love and the history of this album. It was a thing that I am glad I heard but probably will never listen to again. Ish I heard this in the height of my emo phase in high school lol. But overall very classic 90s grunge which is super fun!

Better to stand out than be bland, bit shouty but overall good.

hell yeah! love Hole (who I learned about three days ago when Celebrity Skin was introduced to me lol)

Hard rockin

I loved this a hole lot (hahaha). Had NO idea that this was Courtney Love. Hell, I didn't know she was in a band!

Really enjoyed. Great grunge album, a little unpolished but that’s part of the thing that’s enjoyable about listening to this music rather than something way overproduced

Always liked this, good tunes, great voice, great lyrics.

Shouting, gravelly female vocals Courtney Love - questionable...

Can't go wrong with this album, just some classic 90's shit

Awesome

This was even better than I remember it being. Courtney Love was such an amazing front woman.

Very solid grunge of the 90s, yet it doesn't feel as notable as other grunge records. Still gotta admire Courtney Loves charisma through all the songs. Favorites: "Violet", "Doll Parts", "Credit In The Straight World"

Such good grunge music. I liked it a lot

Angry chick music. I digged it.

Genuine enjoyable album

Violet immediately hooks me with the great dynamics in the song writing. The acoustic guitar work is a real highlight, they use it to cut the sonic atmosphere of the booming guitars and drums and make it a real treat for the ears.

A good record from the heyday of 90's alt rock. Hard for me not to like it. There is definitely a heavy Nirvana influence, even if the rumors about Cobain having ghostwritten it are false. Hard for me to say it's a classic or a must listen though. Probably somewhere between a 3 and 4 for me if I'm honest but my love of this genre and period bumps it to a 4.

Courtney Love is problematic. This album is a gem.

REally enjoyed this grunge record.

Due to the controversy surrounding Courtney Love I never really gave Hole a chance. So I’m really glad they came up in this - it’s about time I had a listen. I enjoyed the album way more than I was expecting to. Amazingly crafted songs and hooks, so much attitude and raw power. The subject matter along with their wall of sound absolutely blows you off your feet. A high 4/5 - Really enjoyed the album, probably going to dive back in.

A lot of bangers, a lot of angst, a lot of mentions of milk. It's smack dab in the middle of the grunge era and is clearly a classic of the genre. It's very raw, and you can hear it in not only the lyrical content, but also in the unprocessed vocals and instrumentation at times that are imperfect and feel human. Not to say that it doesn't still sound really good, because it definitely does.

This holds up really well

ehh

Dit album bracht ik exact wat ik ervan verwachte. Grunge, gemengd met wat punk en pop. De Cobain-invloed is inderdaad soms niet ver te zoeken. Goed album!

Loved this! As much as Courtney Love is a polarizing character you can’t deny their first few albums slapped. Very important contribution to grunge. Fave tracks: “Doll Parts” “Asking For It” “Jennifer’s Body”

Eclipsada por su matrimonio, que no por su marido, creo que eran mejor grupo de lo que la gente piensa y tienen un par de discos (este es uno de ellos memorables) con unas cuantas canciones para la historia del rock. Miss World, Doll Parts y Rock Star.

Un disc presoner de la seva llegenda. Composat en ple vincle matrimonial amb Cobain (hi ha qui diu que ell és gran protagonista de les lletres i melodies del disc), publicat entre la mort de Cobain i la de la baixista de la banda, amb un tema fantasma, ‘Rock Star’, enretirat en últim moment (no dels crèdits, però) per la seva fatídica predicció a les lletres… tenia tots els números per convertir-se en històric. I ho és. Pel seu misticisme i pel seu punch postgrunge, del millor que va donar el génere i que va fer de Courtney Love una rock star a tenir en compte. Perfil que confirmaria pocs anys després amb el també excel.lent ‘Celebrity Skin’

This was a pleasant find, angsty, impassioned rock.

Music was solid, but I'm not too fond of Courtney's vocals.

solid female empowerment rock album. good stuff

Love the raw anger coursing through this. Makes me think of so many good nights out spent dancing to Doll Parts

7/10

Didn't expect this as a must-listen. It took me back! 3 for the album, extra 1 for 90s nostalgia.

Great, powerful rock album. Every song belongs on the album and knows to entertain

Opens and ends with fury. I like the rest too

grungey. Might just be a sucker for female vocalists, cuz I don't think it was really all that interesting

Wasn't expecting to like this too much but it was surprisingly entertaining. Was a little repetitive at points, but overall a good album. Very 90s. Very grunge.

Enjoyed it. Sleater-Kinney vibes.

Superb female-fronted grunge/garage rock. Though the compositions tend to be repetitive, Love's take-no-prisoners energy makes each track its own inherent testament that needs to be heard until the end.

Like the White Stripes, I definitely did not give this album its due respect when it came out. I had bias against Courtney Love pretty much my entire adolescence as she always seemed like bad news. Even when she broke through as an actress, I just had a bad sense of her. This album actually is as solid of an alternative rock record as anything else that arrived in the 90s including Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, or Green Day. There's a tragic personal depth to the album beyond the enjoyable riffs and rhythms. I can see how these relatable themes could be very valuable to coming of age audiences, especially young women.

Rockigt punk

Znači, očito sam postao neki njihov fan. Prvo sam poslušao Celebrity Skin koji mi je jako dobar, pa potom ovaj, i taman se eto našao i ovdje u 1001. album. Ovo mi je malo slabiji od Celebrity Skin, ali isto tako ima stvarno dobrih stvari, baš mi je drago da sam ih poslušao.

Great grunge album with lots of swagger. Good music to maybe murder your spouse to

Courtney love gets a bad rap. she was as damaged as Kurt by the time he died and in the wisdom of my years now unfairly blamed. this album is cool. very punk

Punky, female vocal. Pleasently surprised

Really enjoyed this album

I feel super confused about this one, genuinely lost about how to rate it. One song I love and the next I don't. For the first time listening to these albums, I actually went back and re-listened to a few songs because at first listen I honestly could've rated this 2, 3 or 4. I still feel unsure, but I genuinely think I will come back to this one - there's something about it that makes me want to carry on listening.

Who knew I would really like Courtney Love music?

Неплохо, пару песен ушло в лист.

Very catchy

¿El disco buen del grunge?

Endlich wieder eine Frau am Mikro hier. Mir gefällt die Musik und ich wünschte es würde heute noch mehr sowas geben. Pro 90ies revival!

John actually introduced me to Hole! I liked this, had kind of a Joan Jett vibe.

Enjoyed today’s album. Never really liked Hole, mainly because of Courtney Love, but when one of their big tunes come on I’m into it. Plus some decent Nirvana sounding album tracks on there too. Might just copy and paste that as my review tbh

Good! Will come back next time I’m feeling angsts 8/10

This is a good rock album. which is a shame as shes a horrendous person. Its feminist content is way ahead of its time and has catchy hooks.

Cool. Vibes. Powerful lead singer

Alles drin, was (female) teenage angst beinhaltet und was den Rahmen fasst um die popkulturelle Auseinandersetzung von weiblichen Minderjährigen mit Selbstbild, Fremdwahrnehmung, Sexualität, Ansprüchen, Verfügbarkeitsmythen - musikalisch eingekleidet im alten "Gish" Fummel der frühen Pumpkins und doch stellenweise schon den großen "Malibu" Pop/Rock vorwegnehmend, der da noch kommen soll. Bei allem Hang zur rotzigen Punkrock Attitüde bleibt das alles vor allem eine Auseinandersetzung amerikanischer Prägung. Wenn in "Girl Interrupted" so absolute Hotties wie Winona Ryder und Angelina Jolie die "Durchgeknallten" mimen, so darf in der US Variante gesellschaftskritischer, Körperfetisch aufs Korn nehmenden Feminist Rocker nicht drunter gehen; Love, Auf der Maur und Co. könnten rein visuell der angeprangerten materialistischen Gefälligkeit kaum mehr entsprechen, und sprechen dann doch zu den pummeligen Outsidern. Femen-Rock quasi - der schöne Schwan predigt tönend dem Gefolge hässlicher Entlein. Und da ist echt nichts verwerflich, wenn schöne Menschen sich diesen Themen zuwenden - es bleibt jedoch ein Geschmäckle, wenn Barbie geköpft wird von einer kajalverschmierten Barbie mit Messer. Dennoch bin ich vollends überzeugt, denn in der Gänze sind Text zur Musik vor allem in der ersten Albumhälfte pures Gold. "Was she asking for it? Was she asking nice? Did she ask you for it? Did she ask you twice?" 4 Fragen, 1 Bild, stark, eindeutig, genial. "I'm miss world, somebody kill me Kill me pills" the pain of being what the world expects of you. "I'm eating you I'm overfed Your milk's in my mouth It makes me sick" The thin line between lust and disgust. Schon in der Schule (in Olympia, Washington) hat man´s gelernt: "Everyone's the same We look the same We talk the same yeah We even fuck the same" Hat alles für mich noch Gültigkeit - leider nach knapp 30 Jahren das Frauenbild und der sich daraus ergebene Konflikt - und auch musikalisch nicht so angestaubt wie manch männliche Kollegen dieser Zeit. stunned 4.2

Cool

Better than most other punk I've listened to. I think Courtney Love's vocals are quite good and the album is short enough not to overstay its welcome, but it definitely didn't stick in the same way other albums on this list have. 7

it's like, yeah, you know, yeah.

Surprisingly better than I expected

It got me in the right mood

Legitimately good album, even though I personally can’t stand Courtney Love any anything she stands for culturally, historically, or otherwise.

Proof that the last punk album that I rated wasn’t negative because it was a female vocalist. I think her style sounds way better than Cobain. All in all quite a good album for what it is. Not my genre, but still worth listening to.

Not bad

Maybe too pop-ish, but catchy interesting singing. 7

Presque du Nirvana

I don't really miss God, but I sure do miss Santa Claus. Similar to the first Hole record, this one was another banger. A little harder than the first record we listened to? I think I officially like Hole.

I liked it, i would probably give it 3.5 but 4 seems right.

Album espetacular, sugiro ouvir com um grado

dope ass punk album

I know the drama with Courtney, but not info to have a real opinion on that so putting aside personal stuff, I have to say I liked this album. Some of the songs blended together for me, but I'd listen again, so I have to give it a solid 4.

pretty great grunge album

Solid enough, if a bit commercialised grunge in places, which feels at odds with the DIY aesthetic that it originally curated. Don't hate it but it's never going to set my world alight.

Angst alt rock in the melodic grunge realm. Generally a good, honest, raw listen with some solidly memorable songs. But it starts to run a bit together for me and doesn’t really stand ahead of the pack of other grunge and alt rock that I like from the time, though I do appreciate the sound and topics being filtered through a woman’s lens

It was good but her voice grates on me.

6/10 Divertido, movido, me hace acordar a un viernes de locos, buen album

Pretty cool, especially the song about Olympia (still holds true today) but not quite a 4* album.

Solid grunge. Courtney is talented, not sure about the replay value for me

tenía muchas ganas de que me toque para escucharlo, destaco mucho su voz. pero siento que le tengo que dar otra escucha (que no sea en el colectivo) para prestarle más atención

2.8

Pretty cool rock songs

Pretty decent.

Just kind of boring really. No standout tracks, just some by the numbers vaguely grungey music played well enough by a band who wouldn't be remotely as big as they are if not for their lead singer's marriage. That's not to shit on them entirely, it's fine enough, nothing amazing, but based on their songwriting and performance, is their success and fame proportional? Not really, no. They're average as hell, and so is this album. All the songs languish around the 6/10 mark, competent enough, yet not particularly interesting or essential. Some lyrics are quite good and have something important to say about the lived experience of women, however, the songs as a vehicle for delivering these lyrics are nothing to write home about. I'm intrigued by the start of most of these songs, and by the end I'm left with a sense of "oh, was that it?"

Very punk rock, pretty cool too.

This was a good album, but... I don't know, I just didn't vibe with it as much as the other Hole album I heard through this. The instrumentation was there, Courtney Love's voice was good, the songwriting was fine, but I just didn't totally get into it.

Pretty fun - kinda like bikini kill, lots of talk of milk. Kinda same-y though

imagine kurt singing these songs

I didn't mind this album, I love a female led punk group, but this album is missing something - cohesion, novelty? 3/5

middara

Music like this makes me feel like I'm in a pub basement somewhere in London listening to a grunge band thrash on a drum kit and sing undecipherable words into an echoey room. That's not necessarily a criticism, the grunge rock vibes just transport me to that place, with how raw and honest it is. On the whole I enjoy the album, it's a good listen with a few strong highlights, but as with the type of gig I refer to there's something about it that washes over me and doesn't feel particularly memorable. 6/10.

Upbeat, good.

A bit one-note.

Favorite Track: Jennifer's Body

As one would expect from a debut of a punk/grunge group, this is more raw than later offerings. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

So I am torn on this one. A great use of rock for righteous outrage. And the symbiosis with nirvana is clear. But I get worn down by it rather than energised. Maybe I am just getting older.

Review - never listened to a full album. It's good, but it just made me want to listen to other better alternatives rock of the era. Score - 6.5/10 Need to listen? NO

Good intro and outro but middle is mid

Aika tasaista renkutusta 2,5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finger the hole

Interesante

Very solid

Tja

Crafty melodies, rock noise, and intense writing: smart white-hot anger and desire. It's a pretty good record.

Not bad!

Can't think of much to say about this album. Perfectly fine grunge.

Even during Courtney Love's pre-celebrity days, Hole never did much for me. By the time Live Through This came out, I was actively avoiding everything in this world because it felt so overexposed and performative. (That said, I thought "Violet" was catchy.) All these years later, I can say I didn't miss much, but I liked this more than I expected—particularly the first half. By "Softer, Softest" it gets repetitious, but the run from "Violet" through "Doll Parts" is solid, and I appreciated the commentary in "Rock Star." I'd still never want to hang out with Courtney Love, though. 3.5 stars.

I wasn't a fan at first but then it started to grow on me about halfway through. Fav song on it is probably 'I think that I would die' or 'rock star'. Hole, or at least the vibe I'm getting from this album specifically, is giving a rockier version of No Doubt and I'm here for it.

I didn't expect a hole album to be on here, and to be honest this just feels like nirvana with a frontwoman. There are much better albums I could have listened to from that era, such as jagged little pill by alanis morrisette and version 2.0 by garbage. Its not a bad album but it isnt very memorable either

Fine

I actually really liked the punk rock sound here but the voice is an absolute killer for me. I respect it, I like the sound in theory, but I don’t like how it ultimately sounds.

Was ok, nothing amazing. May not listen to it again.

Great grunge pop, probably wouldn't put it on this list though.

Raw and angry. It’s good, but I can hear a bit of immaturity in the album that gets polished (in a good way) in their later work. Love has such a good voice, but her yelling masks it. This feels like alive is trying to act a part instead of being herself. I do like the record though. Just not as much as other Hole work.

Really solid 90s grunge/rock album. Love the vocals. Doesn't really have a standout song for me, but no duds either.

The career defining album of the most beloved rock-and-roll wife since Yoko Ono. Honestly, Love's incredibly raw and sometimes vicious performance surprised me. There's a nice mix of polished big-budget alt rock that often veers into gruff, uncompromising hardcore, usually at Love's direction. Though the album's sound palette sounds pretty dated today (you can basically pinpoint the exact year this was released) it's still a standout entry in the very, VERY wide alt rock landscape. Key Tracks: Violet, Plump, Jennifer's Body

It was kind of noisy. Sounded alright, but lot of screaming and I had a headache.

Good grunge album - a little to much screaming into the mic to be great - Surprisingly spoty in quality: hole have some of the best grunge songs and others are just really dull

Under produced but decent raw material

Excellent grunge album. Has a couple of hits that still hold up.

Punk/post-punk with a bit of grunge. Strong vocals, control even during distortion. Can you call it feminist? Definitely a statement on the treatment of women in society. Definitely aggressive, powerful, self-assured. I respect it and can see how people would love it, but it doesn't resonate with me. Best track - Plump, Jennifer's Body, Gutless 3 stars

not the worst, felt lots of nirvana-ish vibes here but it wasn't bad. felt a lot like feminine rage, which I'm very fond of, though it didn't really match my tastes.

Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - Violet is an angry opener, but I like Miss World more. The first few tracks are good but there isn't much variation. They all sound a bit too similar for me. I like Jennifer's Body and Doll Parts is very good, I love the vocals as they get angrier. Rock Star is a good closer. I could maybe see this becoming more enjoyable with more listens but I'd say it's a good album.

in terms of musical context, it's quite a shock to be me (i don't know who the fuck Hole is) and learn that Courtney Love fronts this band, and especially that there was some hot goss about whether or not Kurt Cobain had anything to do with this album. feels very much like... not my circus, idk. this was a cool listen. I'm actually glad to be somewhat divorced from the history of this album because it allowed me to listen to it for its own merits and on its own terms, which made it actually really enjoyable. when it went hard, I wanted it to go harder. when it softened, i still wanted it to go harder. still, it was an enjoyable listen, and i don't think i'd skip any of these songs if they came on shuffle. i don't know that i'd go out of my way to choose this record, though. i think "She Walks On Me" is the standout track. I'd seek that one out probably

i've seen only hate for Courtney Love online. i think that's what the cool kids are doing. idk man she's got a cool voice and i thought this album was fun enough. i probably won't listen to it again, but i'm not skipping Hole any time soon.

Some key representation that acoustic guitars and pop diva antics aren’t the only avenues for female artists; you can also be loud, abrasive, and wild. I didn’t love the album, but it def opened doors for women in punk and heavy music and I liked a few of the songs

90s rock. No problems. Her being cobains lady definitely plays through, their styles merged it seems. Kinda hard and more loud punk style.

I liked it more than I thought I would. Good songs to start, then the quality drops.

The first half of the album didn’t really feel right in my ears. The instruments and vocals felt too separate to me. I thought Asking For It and Jennifer’s Body (didn’t know where the film’s name came from either) were phenomenal, but the rest of the album wasn’t as great for me. I’m more of a Britpop person than a grunge person anyway. I can totally get why people would love this album though, especially if you had been an angsty teenage girl with this, which I am not.

Loved the grungy mess

It's obviously pretty damn difficult to discuss and/or praise this album without discussing the context from which it came. Nirvana. Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Grunge as an entire era. And now we have to somehow contend with this existing outside all of that. It's alright. I mean obviously it sounds like Nirvana, but that's not because I'm subscribing to the conspiracy that Cobain ghostwrote all these songs. He didn't, even though I could easily imagine his voice and guitar work in place of Love's. No, it's because that's just straight-up how grunge sounds sometimes. And how grunge sounds is...not reeeaally for me. I like it when she screams! I like harsh vocals. And I like the more straightforward punk songs, especially in the last half. Gutless and Olympia are an awesome one-two punch. Funny enough, even though it almost functions like a Bikini Kill diss track, Olympia reminds me more of Sleater-Kinney than anyone. But I'd rather listen to Sleater-Kinney, unfortunately. It sounds pleasant, but I couldn't fall in love with this one.

med

Really enjoyed this, prefer this album to celebrity skin

Good, compact album. Underrated at the time.

Love this, three stars, altogether now 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 “I went to school…” Tom.

Hole was a part of the 90s that I let pass me by. I think I felt that they were in the shadow of Nirvana so I kind of wrote them off. But on this fresh listen I find them to be very much of this era but also somehow quite unique.

Okey, super punk y con esa voz rasposa y agresiva del rock. Debo decir que quizas no es muy mi estilo, pero aun asi disfrute escuchando She Walks On Me, Plump y alguna que otra más.

I had heard some of these songs but not the whole album. It was better than I thought it would be.

Meh meh meh

I've never been able to separate this album from Cobain's death-think this released just a few weeks after his death. musically this was a good listen, but Love's vocals just never appealed to me.

Shouty stripped back noisy fun

learned a lot, but didnt enjoy it as much hehe. should revisit

hi girl

7/10

decent overall, actually. Not anything memorable

While this is quite a decent listenable album, it’s another standard 1990s record that doesn’t need preserving.

joan jett energy 🤘🏻

Like the vocals and sound, just a little too sad for ya boy... I get that that kinda the point, but we need good vibes in these trying times. Ope, didn't realize this was Courtney Love until I looked into it more...

Live Through This es un álbum con mucho talento y una identidad bien marcada. La interpretación de Courtney Love y las letras crudas le dan un peso emocional fuerte que se aprecia fácilmente. Aunque no es del todo mi estilo, puedo valorar su sonido agresivo y honesto. Me gusta, pero no me encanta—se queda en un punto intermedio. En general, le doy un 3 de 5 sólido y respetable, pero no algo a lo que estaria escuchando todo el tiempo.

The years have not tuned my ears to make Courtney's voice less grating, quite the opposite it seems. Not sure we're even listening to this is she isn't Curt Cobain's girlfriend/wife. Sure there's moments here and there, and Hole had their moment in the spotlight, just not sure anything here warrants a "gotta hear this!" callout.

Reikä-Love. Ihan okei rokkenrollia. Laulu oli välillä aikamoista määkimistä, mutta kylläkait tätä mieluummin kuuntelee kun turpaansa ottaa.

No questioning this is a classic and a very important record in grunge I would give it a 4 but I find my self sick of Courtney screaming the same thing over again by the end of most of the songs 3/5

⭐⭐⭐ Ett ok album varken mer eller mindre. Har svårt att se dess kultstatus, tycker det är lite för många spår som är medel och för få som sticker ut positivt. De som är bra är bra men det dröjer till tredje spåret med Plump som jag tycker det först lyfter. Det är möjligt att texterna är något som går mig förbi och att jag saknar den emotionella kopplingen till albumet. Det får bli en 3a, det är nästan definitionen av medel. Bäst är Plump, Jennifer's body, Doll parts, Rock star.

Didn't love it. Didn't hate it

this hole was a little sloppier than the other but i preferred this one

I love the sound of all the instruments and I think Courtney’s voice is one of the best rock voices. Love the raw production, some moments remind me of in utero. But I feel like most of these songs are missing compelling hooks, so you can easily tune it out. I think best enjoyed in a bar or playing at the record store.

I did enjoy some parts, found her voice got a bit grating to my ears as it dragged on.

This was good but she’s kind of gross

Better than the previous one, but still

After learning who ‘Hole’ were before listening I was expecting some scream type grunge and I was not disappointed with this woman fronted grunge punk bands album. The first 3 songs had even my daughter looking up from her breakfast and asking who I was listening to so she took note too. She loves Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo and I reckon both those have taken inspiration from Courtney Love. ‘Doll parts’ was a welcome well placed track which showcased some softer vocals. ‘She walks on me’ showcasing the best guitar work on the album in my opinion along with some solid vocals so is my best song on the album. By the time the last song ‘Rock star’ appeared I felt like Courtney was well overdue a throat sweet. Overall I enjoyed the album and can see where lots of the female punk acts that have arrived on the scene of the 00s will have taken lots of inspiration.

Really a record of two halves. The first was average at best. She is not the best singer in the world, especially when she goes to high pitch. The second half I really enjoyed it didn't seem so forced

Like a female nirvana or pixies. The loud soft loud approach to music. Not really my style but not really bad either

Gave this one a couple listens through. Was already familiar with Doll Parts and the remainder of the album delivered a style I would expect from Hole. Didn’t find the time to dig much further than that.

I generally think Courtney Love is a despicable person and this is a Nevermind rip-off but still a pretty decent record

Good

To be honest, I kinda like this album more when the songs are rougher and more aggressive. Which there is plenty of, I just find it a bit ironic when this was supposed to show off the band's "soft edge". I liked it overall, a good album with songs that, unfortunately, have lyrics that still are very relevant.

un po’ disonesta perché ho sentito pochissimo, però la sua voce mi piace un sacco

Apple suggested there were rumors that Kurt Cobain had more influence on this album, and I can see why. It's much more grungy and Nirvana-like than Celebrity Skin. They are both good but in different ways!

Ei ollu ehkä iiihan mun juttu, en kuunnellut kai ees ihan loppuun. Pitää antaa kyl uus mahis paremmalla ajalla sillon ku tekee mieli vähän heavympää.

Ik vond het lowkey wel iets hebben. Redelijk stevig maar tegelijk ook niet overweldigend. Ik moet ooit eens de tekst ervan opzoeken.

my god pouts on the cover of the magazine

Not bad

I MADE MY BED I'LL LIE IN IT I MADE MY BED I'LL DIE IN IT

Hard to remember they're a real band, pleasantly surprised

Surprisingly cathartic.

this is certainly an album

Can't say I enjoy it, but I don't mind it.

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

I appreciate the bad girl vibes but it was not for me

Not really my thing, but not bad.

Brought back memories of being 22 and taping John Peel radio shows.

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

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 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.

Meh. I get why people would like this, but it's not for me. No thanks.

Good, but nothing immediately stood out on its own for me.

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

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.

"Violet" is great and I had heard before. The rest was less memorable and began to blur together.

3 stars

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.

Decent but I think I liked ‘Celebrity Skin’ a bit more. 3.25/5

favorites: violet; jennifer's body; doll parts

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

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.

Makes me want to watch Daria.

A great “female rage” album. 90’s alt/grunge with clever lyrics. Good album!

A shouty PJ Harvey

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

not bad

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.

Trop rock pour moi

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).

Better than I remembered

Having just listened to the 1998 Hole album, I actually thought this album was the better of the two.

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

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.

Punk Rock, it's not bad though. Wouldn't own the record but I could see listening to it again.

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.

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

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

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.

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

realising i genreally like 90s< music best. this is a shock, thought i liked<90s music better ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Miss world and rock star

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.

not 4 me but i appreciate it

Całkiem niezłe. Takie 3,5 bym dał. Nawet nie zlewa się w całość, a to już coś.

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)

Fav: softer, softest 3/5

I think i need to re listen to this when I'm feeling angstier.

Stadig en forkærlighed for 90'er-grunge. Det er velkendt, selvom jeg aldrig har lyttet meget til Hole.

Very interesting good energy, need to listen again to fully appreciate

Buen album de grunge. Recuerdan demasiado a Nirvana.

Actually better than I remembered

ligt ongetwijfeld aan mij maar t smelt een beetje samen allemaal. verder best leuk

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.

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.

3.5 amazing for a karaoke sesh

Fine. Not really my jam.

I gotta say this one is always good to come back too

Love you Courtney