Reviews (page 5 of 10)
Didn't know what to expect with this, but really really enjoyed it. A lot of passionate angst, dope lyrics and bangers going on here.
suchhh a good album i wish the band wasnt shit 4/5
better than celebrity skin
I really liked this. Sounded a lot like Sonic Youth, but more political. I’m excited to check out their other albums.
This is an excellent record. Not quite a 5 but it probably would be if I was a woman and listened to this in high school. Great commentary and quality riffs. High 4.
Fun album that sounds like it took from punk but added some pop elements. I have to imagine that Olivia Rodrigo was a big fan of this record. Really this list is becoming 1001 alternative rock albums to hear before you die.
for those of you who like 90s grunge, this album is full of it. makes sense, as one of the founders for the band was courtney love, who was the wife of the late and great kurt cobain. this album is very... emotional. very... very enraged. literally one track she screams "FUUUUUUUCK YOUUUUUUU". and i fuck with that hard. sometimes you're angry at the world, at yourself... and this album is a good listen to when you're having those days. vulgar, honest, and really... really just full of pain.
Great to hear the whole album.
violet miss world plump jennifer's body rock star
Well fuckin yeah
Album rips
Good Album. Reminds me of The Distillers. Somehow never listened to Hole before but I like the style and Courtney Loves Voice here.
The hits are great, but it has too much filler.
Being Mrs Kurt Cobain was definitely a doubled edged sword for Courtney Love. It brought her fame and attention and I'd followed the narrative of Courtney being a fame hungry wannabe. But this album is really, really good. Better than most of the other grunge doing the rounds at the time. Courtney has amazing vocal flexibility, the band make a great noise ... yeah, its really good. Classic patriarchy behaviour that this doesn't get the praise it deserves.
4+
This is a good album. Solid sound, I like this kind of sound with female vocals, it really opens them up to more women specific themes to write about while keeping an aggro edge. It keeps it short too, not much filler.
This album is rad. Very high energy, and I love the lead singer. Had a few songs from this album favorited already!
Enjoyable listen
This is the crazy ho album Hole put out in the 1990s. Loved it.
Loved
Love me some feminine rage
This took me right back to middle school, but I won’t hold that against the album. This music is a lot more nuanced than I remember, even as it roars and snarls. I think this album is a true classic.
always love this album
Second favorite grunge album
Fun record, nostalgia for Rockband too ('celebrity skin')
My getting this album today sparked a really intense (albeit dumb) debate with my best friend about pitchfork rating this album higher than nevermind and while I don’t think it’s quite that good-and even think it’s the lesser album compared to celebrity skin-I still really enjoyed this. Violet was a great starter and it was a rocking good time from start to finish.
great 90s grunge. courtney love <3
I already knew about this album Very good grunge, nice to hear a female voice (Kurt Cobain's widow no less)
This album is as good as Courtney Love is crazy. And it is fucking good!
rockin
Great energy, enjoyed the sound. Did not know a single song on here but easy listening
As a dude growing up in the 90s it was fashions to hate Courtney Love, so this is my first listen all the way through to this. Honestly this is fun Riot Grrl - would listen to this again in a heartbeat.
This album is a lot better than I thought it was. I never have Courtney much of a chance, but damn. This is a solid album.
First listen Saved 8/12 Top track: Violet
I don't recall ever listening to this all the way through, but it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be
At the start I was thinking about rating it with 5 Stars, but it was then a bit too much into the Popgenre. Some good songs in it definitely
First time listen- ended up really liking it. Raw but put together. It is so much better than their next album which is uninspired/tame.
Not trying to take anything away from Courtney's musician ability, but there's no denying Kurt's influence on Courtney's song writing. This and Celebrity Skin are SOO much better than Pretty on the Inside.
I enjoyed it more than I thought
Released one week after Cobain’s death. So raw and real
Damn, I never listened to Hole, but of course knew of Courtney. This hits up there with some of the top grunge albums!
This was close to being my first 5 stars. I don't know if it's my male gase talking, but in Love's voice you can hear a fury, that in some other guy could come across as aggressive posturing. Here you can feel the hurt.
I dig it and wish I had listened to it earlier
Pretty good rock. Enjoyable with some memorable riffs.
Can’t believe I never listened to this album. The only Hole song I knew before was Celebrity Skin which is a lot more polished. This album is a raw mix of punk and alternative, it is pure grunge. Love Courtney’s vocal delivery especially when she screams her lungs off. Angsty teenage me would have loved this.
Beter dan verwacht! Sterk gezongen, diverse nummers.
So much better than I ever expected. I wrote them off about 20 years ago and never bothered since, but this is great. Somewhere between early 90s punk and grunge. Can hear their influence in a lot of bands today. Couple of tracks that passed me by but overall its very good. Will return. Highlights: Credit in the Straight World, She Walks on Me, Violet, Asking for it.
Surprisingly good, way better than the other Hole album. See where the rumours Kurt Cobain was involved come from, there a real Nirvana streak running through it. Some songs were forgettable but 1/3 of the tracks were bangers, glad this came up.
Not listened to much Hole before, was better and grungier than I expected. I liked more than I disliked so I'll probably listen to this again. Highlights: Violet Plump She Walks On Me I Think That I Would Die
I've listened to this album before and it's much better then celebrity skin imo. Violet, plump and Doll parts are both good tracks. Pretty grungey really 3.5
Goes way hard. Although Cobain's fingerprints are all over this, the band definitely find a way to make the album their own. 4 nostalgia trips out of 5
Great album, especially the first track Violet. Lots of energy and emotion.
Cool - aggressive in the deep way!
8.5/10 Punk rock avant garde. Tres cool
I really, really like the subject matters dealt with here and how brazen and bold they are. No mincing words. On first listen, I feel like I really pick up a heavy Sonic Youth influence, but heavier vocals. I enjoyed this, but I think it attempts to be a little harsh at the expense of either being a harsh record, or having songs that might be considered "poppier". Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Doll Skin", "She Walks On Me"
A pretty great feel-bad album. Confrontational, angry, but at the core it feels sad more than anything. Lots of muscle to the sound: if Alice in Chains represented the metal side of grunge, this might be the punk side. Second half is weirder and weaker, but still a strong project. Best song: Doll Parts
Never gave Courtney Love the time of day when I was younger and I stupidly bought into the slander that she was responsible for Kurt's death. Now older and wiser it's nice to give this a chance. Pretty decent. It's hard not to compare it to nirvana, with a lot of similarities but some differences. Bit publish, I like the vocals on most of the tracks. Overall pretty good, need to come back to it I think to make sure
You feel something familiar since the beggining of this album. Come on, it made me real. Maybe I need it in vynil to leasten better.
I enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun. Best tracks; "Credit in the Straight World", "Rock Star"
another album already in my library. doll parts is a personal favorite
Yeah, this is a really good album. The guitar and Love’s vocals are powerful and raw as hell, but I hear as much of The Cure as I do of the Melvins or Dinosaur Jr. And Violet is just about a perfect punk-rock song.
Tohon levyyn ku olis lisänny Malibun, nii femma olis ollu lähellä. Hyvää rokkiräyhää mun makuun
Aww man what an album
I'm glad I was only barely aware of the "drama" surrounding Hole's lead until choosing to listen to this. Some people give me a headache. This music rocks my socks off for sure.
This is one of those albums that my wife had a copy of so I'm more familiar with this than their other albums. That said it's been a while and I really enjoyed listening to this and think my fave track is Rock Star.
Good grunge album Saved tracks: Violet, Jennifer’s Body, Rock Star
Never thought I’d be a fan of Courtney Love, but this was a banger from start to finish. Hard riffs, great vocals. Just a solid album.
Ah yes, the Kurt Cobain killer band. This is pretty good with an interesting sound, though the lyricism often isn’t as good as it seems to think it is.
There’s no reason boys names Kurt should have a monopoly on grunge flavoured angst. The first half dozen songs are good tunes. The lyrics of Violet and Miss World are good and the mocking lyrics of Olympia quite entertaining. Also, there’s something about how she sings “I wanna be the girl with the most cake” that makes Doll Parts shine.
wow so much better than i remembered
Before today, I'd heard of Hole, but never listened to any of her back catalog. All I was familiar with were the hits. The lead singer of Hole is Courtney Love (Kurt Cobain's wife). So, naturally, Hole is a grunge band. I believe Kurt helped Courtney hone her voice, and you can certainly hear his influence on a couple of songs included on this album. This was a great album, and Courtney's voice instills a sense of anger, frustration, and desperation upon the listener. This album touches on topics such as body image, abuse, and mysogeny. For some reason, most of the songs on this album mention milk for one reason or another. It's enough to make a lactose intolerant lad like me shit myself simply by listening. Overall, a highly influential album, especially to female rock bands of the 00's. Courtney bulldozed down a lot of walls in her career, and paved the way for women in rock. Favorite songs: Plump, Doll Parts, Jennifer's Body, Gutless, She Walks On Me, Asking For It, Rock Star, Violet Least favorite songs: "Softer, Softest", Credit in the Straight World, I Think That I Would Die 4/5
This is a great album overshadowed by all the drama of Love's life. She is a talented musician with a clear voice in a crowded grunge landscape.
massa rock alternativo, mujer canta
I’ve heard the singles, but never actually listened to entire Hole album, and I’m pleasantly surprised! Just the right amount of angsty rock with a hint of punk. I think a random listener would think it all sounds the same, but the more you listen, the better the songs become, and it gets even better if you actually read the lyrics and piece it all together. Some songs gave be big Nirvana vibes, but not sure if that’s just because I’m subconsciously making the Kurt and Courtney connection, or if it’s the sound of the times/scene they were in. Listen again: Yes Purchase for my collection: maybe Favourite Song: Credit in the Straight World Worst Song: Softer Softest
An album that when it was released was unfortunately overshadowed by the suicide of Courtney Love's famous husband. On this successful rock album you hear a woman who clearly struggles with life, with all the sad undertones of a tortured junkie. Live Through This is listening to anger and incomprehension. The music Hole produces reminds of the harder work of Nirvana and The Gun Club. A grunge classic
4.25
Just some great grunge. Courtney's personality gives this record some charisma, plus it actually has something to say. A great record.
A surprisingly strong consistent album. Doesn't reach the heights or dramatic depths of Nevermind but they are some great songs here and Love's delivery is suitably angry to give them import. I'm impressed. 4 stars
The female grunge rocks.
Great
Favorites: -Miss world -Asking for it -Jennifer's body -Credit in the straight world -Softer, softest -Rock Star
catchy angsty teen grunge
As a teen, I assumed that Kurt wrote most of these songs. I think I had been programmed to dislike Love just like we had all been programmed to hate Ono. But the reality is that all people are complicated and have problems. Listening to this record now as a 40 something, I am saddened by it. It's good. Really good. I should have given it more attention at the time. The post punk on here is great. And the grunge undercurrent is undeniable. It's great. And I will now go listen to the rest of Hole's very small catalog.
Actually and surprisingly really enjoyed this, some cracking tunes
This album kicked butt. Great sound from start to finish
Loved! I really like the vocalist and the late 90s Alternative rock / punk rock / grunge sound.
Isn't this the Hole album that's rumored to have been written by Kurt Cobain? It sure seems like it. Great album
Wow I’m pleasantly surprised. I don’t remember liking this so much when it was out in the 90s.
My favorite Hole album - powerful riffs with great hooks, personal lyrics covering a variety of topics from post-partum depression to being a woman in a male dominated society, and catchy melodies. Definitely follows the early 90s "grunge" pattern but it works amazingly well with Love's vocal ranges. The raw power of her singing in "Violet" gets me every time.
This is THE Hole album. Such deep and genuine emotion here. There is a tragic ache that runs through it, but a righteous feeling of triumph as well. The songs are all anthems and make me want to sing along.
I haven't heard much of Hole and didn't realize it was Courtney Love either. She somehow gets a really bad rep for some reason. Regardles, this album (coming after the death of Kurt Cobain) definitely has an edge and is on a mission. I dig it.
In 1994, I was in a very heightened phase of album-buying. I would hear one song and if I loved it I would go out to buy the album. This was the case with ‘Live Through This’. I heard ‘Doll Parts’ and immediately fell in love with it. I am very well aware that Courtney Love does not have a huge range. I also know that usually I hate shouty singing. But for whatever reason this touched a part of me and I am happily shouting along with most of it. There are a couple of songs in the middle that don’t quite make the grade. But most of it is clever and fervent and passionate, and I can still sing along to almost everything. I also once stayed in the same hotel where Courtney Love and Steve Coogan had their fling so every time I hear her sing it makes me chortle. Back of the net!!!
I never listened to this album until now. I vehemently avoid any Courtney Love music primarily based on media influence of the time. I really liked this album and want to give it another listen when time permits. I do like the musicians she surrounded herself with through the years but never gave her the time of day. I'm sorry I missed this one from back in the day but I was also at the beginning of my relationship with my wife at this time so my music listening opportunities were influenced by different motivations.
There are one or two songs on this record that I don’t care for, but that is more than made up for by how much I love all of the other songs! One of my favorite lyrics ‘Like a liar at a witch trial, you look good for your age’ - Plump
People give Courtney Love a hard time, but I've got to say, Hole made a brilliant album here. It's a standout work from an era where a lot of the music just blurs into a sludgy, unmemorable mess. I was really surprised at this album and am sorry I never took the time to listen to it until now. Hole perfectly conveys the mood and sensibility of the time in which this was made. Every song is catchy, well crafted and moves beautifully into the next, which makes for a really engaging listen. Love's energy is also simply incandescent. She simultaneously conveys a grit, raw vulnerability, brokenness and rage that must have been so compelling for young women to hear. That is no small feat in a genre dominated by men. Not to mention, these songs really rock. Fave Songs: Doll Parts; Jennifer's Body; Violet; Softer, Softest; Asking for It; Plump
Enjoyable 90's alt rock.
I like this - good bit of nostalgia
The bookend tracks of 'Violet' and 'Rock Star' show the immense capacity that Hole had to absolutely rock! The album is powerful, dynamic, and genuine. That combination made it a standout from the crowded 90's grunge era and I'd go so far as to say that it was a better album than Nirvana's 'In Utero'.
Fist time listening to this Hole album. Who doesn't love 90's grunge?
bien aimé le genre punk rock hard. Et courtney love, bien que j'ai pas vraiment aimé l'autre album de Hole, est particulièrement bonne sur cet album 4.
Amazingly good.
I was today years old when I learnt Courtney Love was the singer of Hole. Slaps.
Raw and Iconic
Interesting
I was not expecting to like this much, as I was pretty nonplussed with "Celebrity Skin" earlier on this list, but this album is sweet. It rocks and doesn't feel like as much of a produced and manufactured thing as "Celebrity Skin." Courtney Love's vocals are killer.
Classic grunge/90’s tunes
This whole album would go hard in a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater entry
Powerful
This hits hard and sounds good
HL: “Violet”, “She Walks on Me”, “Asking For It” Quite liked it despite the grunge. November 25, 2022
Amazing feminist strength for the years she did this. The album is a ton of anger. She was born 30 years too early. She would have been a great « me too » defender.
I thought this was a great punk album all throughout. Great vocals. 7/10.
It's no Sleater-Kinney or Bikini Kill, but I can dig it.
This is one of those albums that works for me all the way across the board. Crazy to think that this came out 4 days after Cobin killed himself. I remember kind of reeling from that - one of those deeply Gen X 90s moments. I bought this the day it was released and wore it out. There's nothing here that doesn't work for me. And Rock Star is an incredible closer.
Did you know Courtney Love wanted to be the singer of Faith No More at one point in the 80s? There's video of a rehearsal on YouTube. It's not what you'd expect on any level, and definitely worked out best for all parties that the experiment never went that far. I owned this album (and the one before it), liked this album, saw them in concert on this tour, and then just kind of quickly moved on from this band. I'm guessing I felt they got a little too polished during the "Celebrity Skin" era, but now I'm wondering if I should give that a 2nd chance. I still like how imperfect all of this album is, but I can appreciate their pop sensibilities now more than I did at the time. Maybe I'd like a song like "Malibu" in 2022. Anywho, "Asking for It" was a really nice rediscovery for me on this listen. That's a cool tune and a good mix of the acoustic and electric sides of this band that works better for me than, say, "Doll Parts" or even "Rock Star." Also, did you notice that "Miss World" is I think quite literally the same three chords for the entire duration of the song? Verse and chorus, just one is distorted. Cool. I saw Hole on this tour and got a t-shirt, too! Mine was not soft; it was the faux gas station attendant looking thing with the band patch where a nametag/corporate logo would be. That really, really confused the hell out of some rednecks when I wore it to school. (Which makes me think of the dude who once asked me if I was into stock car racing because of my "Jesus Built my Hot Rod" Ministry t-shirt, haha.) I think that concert was the first time in my life I had registered the sight an adult who was completely off the rails. Courtney looked baaaaad. Rambling during song breaks. I think she climbed an amp and I was convinced for a second she was going to fall and die. It was pretty raw. But here we are and it's 2022, she's still alive and I haven't showered yet today.
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
As with the other Hole album on this list, I found this much more enjoyable than I anticipated. I heard this casually so many times in the day, but never really paid it mind. It's so specific, of it's time and place and it can't be extricated from that. It's good. I just don't think I like it
Proper dirty album. Raw and gritty. Courtney love’s a proper dirtbag.
Sounds like a riot against what I don't really know - almost all the songs sound pretty mediocre. I think it becomes somehow legendary because of the connection to Cobain and death of a bassist two month after the album release
Man, is it crazy I liked Celebrity Skin more?
I'm surprised, but I found this sort of overrated. Courtney would despise for this opinion alone. Miss World, Jennifer's Body, Violet are greatly-written songs, but I found a lot to be very surface-level alternative material. It's weird, honestly - how can the good 'ol guitar, bass, drums and hook trick fade away so easy? I'm not sure, but I do know now that Celebrity Skin has more of what I like. Sorry, dolls (6/10, 3/5 on this scale)
never heard of this before! I love girl screams as a genre! so I got super excited to hear the first song. I would love to see this band live. but unforch sounded samey the rest of the way I had no idea that this was Courtney love? rock queen
This album was fine. I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could because it's right in the middle for me. I didn't dislike listening to it, but its sound didn't really click for me.
Better than expected, still very dated.
A lot of Kurt Cobain/Nirvana influence here. I’ve heard it rumored that he basically wrote this album for Courtney Love. It definitely has his style all over it, but maybe that’s just grunge? Anyway, it’s good. It didn’t knock my socks off but I think it’s a solid grunge album. Which is surprising given Courtney Love’s rampant drug abuse at the time. Maybe that’s why Kurt (allegedly) wrote most of it for her. Although he wasn’t in any better shape at the time.
Pretty darn good. I was surprised. Worth a relisten.
I liked it. I get it. I see how it could have an influence on music. it didn't really resonate with me and when I was a teen I didn't have access to this kind of music nor did I have an outsized amount of angst
Nothing here that really grabbed me. It’s not a terrible album, but the songs and the musicianship just feels very mediocre.
So I like the vibe but all the songs sound the same. Which is too bad. I know this is thought of as the better record to Celebrity Skin but I find that one has more hooks, which I am a sucker for.
First experience with Hole. A lovely grunge punk surprise. Jennifer’s Body is my favorite off this.
it seems like i would enjoy this
I am the killer of Kurt Cobain
그냥 락
la verdad que en si no me gusto musicalmente, pero entiendo que es un album tambien conceptual un poco, como que eso si me atrapo, deberia prestarl mas atencion a la letra. una vez que me di cuenta de eso lo empece a disfrutar mas
местами начинает раздражать ее голос
You know, it’s a bit better than I expected but also not really my cup of tea. I would want to own it in my vinyl collection even if it were in the used bin for $5.00. That said I do appreciate the moment in which Courtney Love launched the album.
What a wild ride. I hadn’t listen to pretty much any Courtney Love before and this album rocks pretty hard. Just not 100% my vibe.
Honestly, this is a solid grunge album. It took me a minute to get acclimated to Courtney’s harsh, nasally vocals. But once I channeled my inner high-school angst phase, we were off. I can’t believe I never gave this a chance back in high school (damn, teenage boy sexism). Some of these songs could have fit perfectly on In Utero (which makes sense given Kurt’s involvement). Lyrically, it may even be better, or at the very least more introspective and self-aware.
Grungy and pissed off, it’s a vibe but wouldn’t say I enjoyed a particular track or remember any specifics.
A punch in the mouth of an album. You can feel the rage from Love through her lyrics and vocals.
Perfectly passable mid 90s grunge. All sounds the same and not in an interesting way.
Very shouty, not a fan of the vocals. Musically okay. Low 3*/5
Highlights: Violet, Doll Parts 3.0
There are a couple of moments on this, I think, second album which are pretty rocking, but it does feel a little one-dimensional. First (I think) album Pretty on the Inside was probably a little less accomplished, more raw and better for it.
Their debut has all the grunge credentials and none of the pop tunes of their follow up and that if fine, but doesnt really elevate it.
1. 5 2. 4.5 3. 3 4. 4 5. 3.5 6. 4.5 7. 4 8. 2.5 9. 4 10. 3.5 11. 3 12. 3
I liked this more than I thought I would and would maybe listen to it again.
Aight
Another album I didn’t love when it came out… and still doesn’t resonate with me (although I really dig doll parts). 3.2
6 - AVERAGE
Let’s all just take a moment to remember the attacks Courtney love made on Kurt cobains mental health. Is she worse than Kanye? Maybe AND the album was mid and inconsistent
I feel like I’ve listened to this before but not sure. It’s fine but kind of generic 90s rock.
Hole walked so No Doubt could run?
Sorry Hole, I've already had my Riot Grrrl fix today... Since my dad was sad about Jennifer Finch dying today, I checked out the album with his favourite of their songs on it earlier, and it was cool but breezed past me a bit, it didn't really grab my attention but had some decent songs and riffs. I'm pretty sure from my memory and other bands I've heard and seen, this tends to be the pattern with my opinion on the genre/scene. Sure, I love and agree with the lyrica, but the music itself isn't really my thing. This seems to continue that pattern unfortunately. The first two tracks are pretty good and I like the energy a lot, but then most of the songs after feel so similar at times I genuinely thought my Spotify glitched and returned to the first songs again and I didn't notice. There are also some other pretty cool bits where it suddenly kicks in and Courtney's vocals suddenly increase in intensity, but even those lose their impact for me throughout, leaving me entertained but a little bored by the end of the albums. None of the songs really had any notable parts for individual instruments or the whole thing other than this though, so that's about it.
There's a story that Kurt Cobain wrote almost all the songs on this album to help his wife (a bit of mystique is added by the fact that Kurt shot himself four days before the album's release). Both Courtney Love and the rest of the band responded evasively to these claims — saying he stopped by the studio a couple of times, maybe gave advice, maybe sang a little, but nothing more. Of course, we'll never know who actually wrote the album, but after listening to it, the reason for such speculation becomes clear — it literally sounds like Nevermind for women. The melodies, simultaneously grunge and punk rock, their structure, the calm vocals in the verses that turn into screams in the choruses, the lengthy lyrics — everything here is reminiscent of Nirvana. If an album is inspired by another great album, it can't be bad, at the very least, but the question of why I should listen to Live Through This when I can listen to Nevermind remains open.
not a huge punk fan but enjoyed this
Se nota algo de Kurt
cool i guess
There are a couple songs on here I like, but the rest kind of run together.
I knew a lot more of this album that I thought I would. It was nice to get a female perspective on the grunge movement even if it came with a lot of baggage...
2.5 - I like this more than I thought I would in middle school when I never listened to it, but less than I wanted to.
this sounds a lot like early foo fighters
3,0/5
Decent album. Liked the energy and the vocals match well with the music. 3/5 Might listen again
Je to ich počúvateľnejšia forma.
Courtney Love does grunge so well. Way more fun to listen to than Kurt Cobain.
There are some good tracks. I genuinely think "Doll Parts' is a great song. However, much of it feels middle of the road, at least at this point, and it's hard to compare to even early to mid grunge at the time. I just think I can get most everything Hole tries to deliver in this album with a Sonic Youth album, and the latter will be on a higher level.
Not as strong as I remembered
Started awful, but there's actually some charm to it.
Whoa, is that the girl from the hit Alex Cox film Straight to Hell? I wonder if she's famous for anything else. I'm fond of this sound, but this isn't, like, a prime example. It's kinda noisey (J Mascis influence noticeable), kinda repetitive (as this kind of thing often is - not a knock, just saying it doesn't move beyond the trope), and the lyrics aren't super great and her voice isn't, either. It's just fine. Not sure why it's on this list save for her screentime opposite Joe Strummer (not famous for anything else, surely).
Verstehe den Hype nicht
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
Nice to revisit! Better than I remembered it!
It was good but her voice grates on me.