Reviews (page 6 of 9)
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
3- Stars (7/15)
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.
Songs all start out like they're going to be interesting especially the music, but when she starts singing it's all repetitive and whiny. Their previous album, Celebrity Skin, was so much better. Doll Parts and Softer, Softest were decent. Best song: Softer, Softest
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
Girl rock / grunge
I like the album art
I didn't connect to it they way I thought
Second best Nirvana album of all time? I'm very familiar with the singles off this, listening to the rest and it all sort of sounds the same, if I was into it at the time it came out I'd probably appreciate it more but listening now it's fine.
Pretty good 90s grunge-rock. Strong Daria soundtrack potential.
Hole immediately after Nirvana? I smell a conspiracy. At least, I hope that’s what I smell. Way better than I expected.
This is also … fine. A few more standout tracks for me than the Foo Fighters album I got yesterday (love the synchronicity, wondering if I’ll get Nirvana next) but overall not something I’m likely to listen to again.
Violet-2/10 Miss world-3.5/10 Plump-6/10 Asking for it-7.5/10 banger Jennifer’s body-4/10 Doll parts-
I gotta say I'm accustomed to women screaming at me so this album felt absolutely fine
A good grunge record
Wow. That Courtney love sure can sing
Good spirit. Slight lack of tunes.
I don't like the vocals. And I found the guitar more generic and not too interesting Edit Apr 2 2026: 2 --> 3. It has grown on me. I keep repeating to myself: YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO SAY NO
It's clearly very good, just that I don't particularly like to hear it.
It's a great alternative rock album. It sounds raw and original. Courtneys voice sounds good too, in an original way with fearless expression. But then.. one questions the true originality eventually. Maybe this is just another great Nirvana/ Kurt Cobain album. This detail unfortunately affects the listening experience through the album.
It seems like ’m giving everything 3 these these days. Didn’t like it but not bad enough to give it a 2. (1 is for absolute crap that shouldn’t be on the list.)
Eh
Good
Very solid album! 3 1/2, really. I just don’t really like Courtney’s vocals for some reason. Maybe I’m just.. biased against Courtney..
6/10
Preferred the other hole album but maybe it'll grow on me
Godmother of femi-punk
Miss World is a pretty great song
Reminded me a little of a vitriolic Patti Smith.Worth a listen.
Solid but nothing really blew me away about it
Violet's great! She walks on me is pretty energetic Its good! Not much to say about it, I like the vibe of it for sure
A pop album i expect kees to listen to. A mix of the start of the pop girl era mixed with heavy rock influence. I overall enjoy it a lot. For sure an above average album for me. The intresting sounds of the transision of rock and modern pop created a unique sound that has replayablility while standing on its own. Overall 3.5
Denk dat 17 jarige angsty Lalique dit leuk had gevonden, de Lalique van nu wil rust en stilte. Maar cool.
Interesting and punky. I can see how this has influenced punk of even today. Courtney Love has a powerful raw voice that is really unique. 3.5
*Good alternative 90s album *Definitely hear the Cobain influence- guitars are grungy at time and her vocals go hoarse at the end of a phrase/word *Solid musically but it didn't overly wow me
I enjoyed this more than I expected. Not crazy about her voice though
Interesting to hear some grunge from someone other than a depressed white guy
Rockin
Courtney love grunge voice 10 hours
Courtney Love!
Siempre prefereí a PJ Harvey, Breeders, Throwing Muses o Sleater-Kinney, y junto a Hole, L7, Babes in toyland, etc. Muchas de ellas metidas en el saco de las Riot Grrrls. Pero Hole nunca me dieron mucho más. Tenían como Elastica el hándicap de ser la novia de un lumbreras como Cobain (Justine era la de Albarn). Un disco grunge o como quieran llamarlo, con buenas canciones y melodías, con una Courtney que acaparó portadas, escándalos y protagonismo. ¿Referente? Para mí , no. creo que hubo muchas otras antes, después y sobre todo con mayor talento.
Can anyone tell me why Courtney is so angy? Big chunks of this are bad, but in the deliberately bad way grunge kinda was.
This was the perfect album for what I was feeling today. Favorite Songs: Credit in the Straight World, She Walks on Me
Definitely not as strong as celebrity skin for me but still awesome. Def felt more like a pearl jam album then like a smashing pumpkins album. love her voice tho
Violet Doll Parts
Just what I expected - enjoyed this a lot
It's not the best album that Kurt ever wrote, but it's pretty good
Good, didn’t blow me away, but I still liked it.
Enjoyed this more than I expected. Preferred its less heavy parts
3.5
Not much of a Hole fan but this album was really quite good.
Gear: 64 Audio Duo Artwork: 🥹👑👰♀️ Production: 🧃📻👍 Music: 😇👩🎤🖕 Ratinng: 🕳️🕳️🕳️(🕳️)/5
Doll parts
97/1089 a pretty cool angsty/grungy rock project. I really appreciate Love’s voice and how it’s incorporated very much like an instrument itself. I can see myself coming back to this and liking it more. faves: Jennifer’s Body, Violet, She Walks On Me, Softer, Softest, Rockstar, Doll Parts 67/100
90s rock. Lots of distortion. Female lead singer.
Pretty raw music, but enjoyable enough. Very of it's time and Nirvana-esque, which fits considering who was singing. Although I did not know of the relation when I started listening.
It's good. Very nostalgic. Would this record have been made without her being married to Kurt? Probably not. At least not this made this well. She's an opportunist who made the most of her opportunity. Can't fault her.
she’s not a woman of many words, but i appreciate her anger, its giving jumping on my bed playing air guitar with an over exaggerated side part and blondie posters on my wall
In the right headspace for it probably higher rating 3. Plump - my fav so far 4. Asking for it - Love 9. She Walks on Me - Punk as hell
okay but not for me
6/10 Needs a few more actual tunes rather than just bashing the guitar. But sometimes I just want someone bashing a guitar
Some cool oldschool 90s angst
Good in places , ok in others
um hell yeah violet has been added to favorites
This album is angry and classic punk rock. The vocalist is RAW and at times a little out of key for me. Definitely not my favorite punk album but not bad. Actual rating...3.5 Liked Songs: "Violet" , "Plump" , "Asking For It" , "Jennifer's Body" , "Doll Parts" , "Softer, Softest" , "She Walks On Me"
This was fine. I’m really not a grunge guy and I don’t love the vocals here but it was ok
Pas mauvais, un peu criard, mais pas le pire dans le genre
L'influence de Kurt est très évidente, c'est une bonne écoute!
I don’t feel like time has been kind to Hole. None the less this is a decent enough grunge album but I can’t help but feel that the songs lack melody and interest. I’ve picked this album up a few times in the past and this is probably the last time I listen to it all the way through.
Fine, a couple tracks that I remembered.
No private session used for Spotify. Courtney is definitely a polarizing figure, but I love 90's rock and, as always, I try to separate the musician from the music. Some classic 90's angry rock here, which is nice to hear from a female perspective, but also some crap songs showcasing Courtney's questionable vocal range.
When this album started out I immediately thought it belonged in the category of, “angry girl music of the Indy rock persuasion.” I truly enjoyed this listen.
Good album in the grunge era but don’t think I’d call it one of the best. Musically and vocally well done, but wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it.
Liked this more than I thought I would! Musically so strong/guitar foundation doing the heavy lifting. Not a fan of her voice/the yelling. Ultimately would pick Garbage over Hole (the band not actual trash)
A good sounding album that I can see being important/nostalgic to some people. I was a kid in the 90’s and never listened to it until I was an adult, and it’s okay. It sounds like heroin music, made by the heroin heroine.
I enjoyed this. Certainly more than I thought I would. Aside from singles, hearing Hole played in clubs, and Courtney Love’s presence in the media I hadn’t actually heard their music much at all. This is good though. Not sure how many times I’d revisit it, but I liked it. Raucous and energetic. Played with intent with a good production. I wouldn’t have even thought about listening to it were it not on the list.
Does kinda sound like Nirvana... Rockin otherwise.
It's holey
Not too bad!
Standout Songs: Asking For It Jennifer's Body I Think That I Would Die Rock Star
In the context of this list, I am not sure that this is required listening. It is a bit derivative. If you are a fan of this style of music you get your money's worth. It is a very well produced album, with some great songs. I feel like I'm losing what the star score even meas.
It’s ok
it was okay
3/5
Courtney Love has been so controversial off and on the stage, that it has affected how she and Hole and their work is perceived. Among the stories of her upbringing, youth, relationships, musical partnerships, deaths, arrests, rehab, and more, it's a mess conflated with industry bias against female rockers. But all of that is just noise, if you can separate the music from the person. I tried to just listen to the album. And I think it's undeniable that there is raw energy, expressiveness, and emotional lyrics. "Every time that I sell myself to you, I feel a little bit cheaper than I need too..." She rocks out hard, and I really enjoyed a number of the tracks, including Violet, Miss World, Asking for It, and Jennifer's Body. Major issue is just reliance on an overabundance of repetition in some of the tracks.
425/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
As raw and melodic as Nirvana. Top track: Violet / Jennifer's Body
Not my style but appreciate the passion and the effort
I guess it was easy for me to forget how big this album was and how strong so much of the material was. This was a nice reminder. I still don't love Courtney as a singer, but she was much better than some of her more shrill contemporaries.
Some great songs on here, particularly Violet although it’s not a great album on the whole. I enjoyed listening to it though.
Pretty good
Loud and in your face. Not as good as other Hole albums, but OK.
I can only describe this album as “Campy”. It feels like the epitome of the 90’s grunge era “I’m not part of your system, and you can’t define or label me” mentality. Instrumentally proficient and occasionally even interesting. Lyrics and vocals on the other hand, a bit one note. Overall good listen, feels like a Time Machine to Seattle circa 1994.
3 / 5 A few hot boys but overall not one of the A tier grunge albums
Hur fan kan den där fittungen Love ha två plattor med på listan? Bara för att man gapar, har attityd, visar brösten och knarkar kanske. En okej platta trots att man kan tro att jag tyckte annorlunda.
I wanted to give this a high ranking because there are a lot of good things happening. To say that it’s Nirvana except with Courtney Love as the lead would do both bands a disservice, because it’s clearly its own thing, despite being the same genre. It’s raw, maybe too raw, and her seemingly random screams took me out of enjoying it as much as I wanted to. But good overall.
Pretty kickass. Not my favourite sonically speaking but a bit does remind me of current girl rock bands that you hear like on 4ZZZ today, and some tracks like particularly She Walks On Me made me think of Amyl and the Sniffers. Asking For It could also be a modern song (unfortunately with that message always relevant).
This was good. Normally that half yelling style of singing really grates at me, but this album has enough interesting surrounds and melody to pull it off. It felt like what a lot of modern Australian bands are trying to be. A very solid 3.5.
Schließt eine Lücke im Grunge-Kosmos. Gut!
Some parts of this were really good, like plump and doll parts; the rest of it was alright. With a second listen, it might have ranked higher.
Live Through This Outside Nirvana, I don’t find Grunge to be a particularly interesting genre and as this does sit squarely in that box, it ultimately has limited appeal for me. However, Asking for It, Plump, Jennifer’s Body, Doll Parts, Credit in the Straight World and Rock Star are really good, and this is clearly a cut above most Grunge. Courtney Love’s vocals, direct, confrontational lyrics, pop nous and undoubted charisma and presence definitely set it apart, and when some of the garage-surf-pop influences come through it’s pretty enjoyable. On first listen this was a 2, but on repeat listens those points of difference came through and I enjoyed it much more. Not sure how often I’d come back to it, but I think it has enough about it to push it to a solid if unspectacular 3 🕳️🕳️🕳️ Playlist submission: Credit in the Straight World
Given the bad reputation of Courtney Love I assumed this was a bad band, which to be honest doesn't make sense at all. Truth is, this is a good album of 90s rock.
Lyrically, this album is pretty heavy. I can't speak for women as I haven't lived that experience, but putting those feelings into lyrics is very punk of them. Sound-wise, I thought this album was a standard 90s grunge album, but I think I was left waiting for a track that had more going on musically.
I enjoyed most of this record. I liked the performances and some of the vocals throughout the album. Favourite Track(s): Credit In The Straight World, She Walks On Me Least Favourite Track(s): Jennifer’s Body
The singles are, of course, all-time greats, but outside of those, Jennifer's Body, and Olympia, this one never really did much for me. I guess it's too raw to fit in with the alt rock, but too polished to really fit in with the riot grrrl albums that Love didn't really want to fit in with anyway.
It's like more in utero but with a female voice and a bit of the nevermind polish
I don't know if i'm just not a 90's / 80's music person or if this just isn't a great album, but I didn't vibe. It was OK
Her voice can get kinda annoying at times, but damn she knows how to scream. I liked how weird the lyrics were. “Pee girl gets the belt” is a particular favorite. Campy but still sincerely feminist. Guitars were great too
it is ok
Alright album. Bit too chaotic for my liking but a nice listen
Couple big songs. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.
I wish I could give this a 3.5. It rocks pretty hard. 4* seems too much, but 3* too little. I will listen to this again
Going into this I had very little in the way of expectations, knowing basically nothing about Hole beside knowing who Courtney Love is, I just expected female Nirvana. And while there are certainly comparisons to make to Love’s late husband’s band, it would be a discredit to write them off as such. While the angst and raw energy is still front and center throughout the track list, there’s a real pop sensibility in the way songs are structured, and the clean guitars here and there help to break of the typical tonal monotony of an alt rock album from the 90s. I’ve always thought female singers in a punk context are better than their male counterparts, and I feel that extends to alt as well. While I would prefer the instrumentals on any given Nirvana album over the ones on this record, i honestly think I’d prefer Love’s vocals to Cobain’s.
I think I prefer when they went pop. I wonder how iconic this would be without the events of Cobain and Hole in 94, just another album maybe? Rock Star was my favourite.
Pretty loud :-)
This is a really good album. The production value and overall sound and feel of the record - the best manifestation of Hole so far. And Love is in the groove. She also mostly strikes a good balance between over the top angerfests and softer rants. This is also the problem with the album. Toward the end, the yelling seemed repetitive to the point that I began to care less about all the things she was singing about. It is hard to take so much yelling when it takes so little to understand the trappings of fame, fortune, exploitation, drugs, abuse, egoism, sexism, etc. Granted, she is experiencing all these things with much higher definition, but such is the challenge with art.
yeah it is okay
ok, good energy. bit samey after a few tracks. sounds of its time- grungy.
This is a good grunge record, but nowhere near the top of the heap. It’s nice to hear the influence of Cobain, but it didn’t really grab me all these years later.
This is neither an important nor interesting representation of grunge.
Conocía a Hole, pero la verdad es que apenas los había escuchado. El álbum tiene su rollo, aunque a primera escucha me sonó todo bastante parecido. Pero en la segunda ya me metí un poco más en lo que querían transmitir y en el estilo del grupo. Me despertó una mezcla de melancolía, tristeza, rabia… y ese aire tan noventero que se nota en todo el disco. La que más me ha gustado, sin duda, es Miss World. También me han gustado bastante Jennifer’s Body, Violet, Plump, Doll Parts y sobretodo la intro de Credit in the Straight World. Creo que le pondría un 6'5/10. No me ha disgustado, pero se me hace algo repetitivo por momentos.
Fun album, I really enjoyed the vocals.
5/10
- good stuff. crazy vocalist - “she lost her innocence, gave it to an abscess” is brutal but a sick burn. presuming interpretation as losing your virginity to a terrible man - goodbye ending is always appreciated
This is a big claim, but grunge has a very pleasant texture - like a flannel shirt I suppose - and for whatever reason, the bands with a female element (Hole, L7, Babes In Toyland, Sonic Youth perhaps) managed to get that across. Live Through This doesn’t have particularly great songs but it has a remarkable and timeless sound.
Interesting
This was my first time listening to Hole. I ended up enjoying it more than expected.
Decent grunge. 3/5
Love has a great voice, but the album itself is kinda forgettable.
Good
Better than expected, but a bit one note - above average 6/10.
One of the most successful female led rock bands of all time
Idk, Courtney Love is a turd. Good for what it is, but what it is ain’t good.
it's mid
Not really listened to Hole before but I know grunge isn’t my genre. Appreciate some of the themes of this album surrounding motherhood and being a woman in the music industry, but this is doing nothing for me. Not bad by any means, just not to my tastes.
Lol the song I enjoyed most was a cover, oop
Hole is a cool old school grunge/punk band and they are always pretty consistent! Overall it was a pretty big album but still good!
I had never listened to Hole and I have misjudged Courtney Love. All I really knew of her was from the media, as the wife and tormentor of Kurt Cobain, the Yoko to his John, the Blake to his Amy. Supplier of drugs and by by all accounts a bit of a state. Oh and by the way she was in some band. Well it appears she was in some good band and had a modicum of talent, both as a songwriter and frontwoman. Maybe she was a fucked up addict and possibly all of the above but I enjoyed this album. Fair enough it was a clone of Nirvana, but a good clone. I like the album art too.
My kids used to like this, so I am familiar, it was alright
The music is there. Her voice though, dragged out. She seems like she was wanting to be the female version of Kurt. Great heavy grungy guitar and solid bass lines. The groove is there for the band.
Not as bad as I thought it was gonna be.
3.5 for sure though… how hard is it to make it a 10 point scale i ask you
I was never a Hole fan during my grunge days, so I wasn't terribly excited to revisit this album. But after all these years later, the sound actually holds up, while Courtney Love's voice is nearly as grating as I remember. There's even a few more tracks beyond the hits that sound pretty great.
interessant, die Hälfte des Albums ist bekannt, aber irgendwie der Bandname nicht bewusst
Listened Before? Y I had this one back in the day. I liked it, but always wished it was a different album when I was listening - i.e. I wished I was listening to Nirvana or Soundgarden or L7... It's okay. It has aged fairly well but nothing I need to hear with any regularity. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Violet
Bien
3.5
More rock than alternative. Not sure what it wants to be. Too much rock and screaming.
another kat stratford album. not completely though!
Quite good 👍
Never listened to Hole before for some reason. Overall I liked it, though a handful of tracks are a bit too hardcore punk for my taste.
she haunts me
Repeat listen
lyssnat flera gånger nu. det är initialt mycket oljud pga skriksång. Musikaliskt är det rätt ok, men det går ändå inte riktigt. Det pendlar mellan 2 och 3. Men Det som är bra väger upp (tex doll parts). Men jag är inte sugen på mer.
I have fond memories of this album. listening to it now, it feels like bubblegum that has lost it's chew. it's still good, but it's nostalgia for me is fading. maybe if I was in the right mood.
Pretty straight down the middle 90s alt rock. Heavy punk influence tempered by radio play ambitions, post-grunge production with big dirty guitars, loud-quiet dynamics, personal is political feminist lyrics delivered by an alternatingly whispered intimate / screamed guttural vocal.
It's a punky one.
An important album from an inspired band in the height of the grunge popularity. The band deserve credit for their relentless assault on the ears.
Courtney Love was irritating in the 90s so Hole kind of passed me by …. but I liked it 👍
Are we getting a second Hole because it's Masters week? I actually like this album. And it seems even better by comparison to yesterday.
3.5 stars. Liked the sound overall, but none of the sounds were particular standouts. A little more raw than some of their other stuff.
I like the song "Violet". But I'm not into Courtney Love's voice and even less so her persona, so I have a hard time getting into the rest of the album. I think I would like the album more with someone else on vocals (but if it wasn't for Love's connection to Cobain and/or her brash persona I probably would never have heard about the band in the first place). It's interesting to learn that before Hole she at one time sang with Faith No More (!) and also to learn that Michael Stipe and Drew Barrymore are godparents to Kurt and Courtney's daughter.
Vocals are a bit of an acquired taste in their rawness. Musicianship is strong. Highlights:"Violet" (intense opener), "Plump" (punky riff), "Doll Parts" (intriguing lyrics)
I listened to this album semi-recently but found nothing noteworthy. Thought maybe another go around might change that; it did not. I guess I'm not grungey enough.
I can say I've lived through this album and the experience was ok. Not a bad album, kinda grungy alt rock that did little to make me want to return. Plenty of decent songs though. 3.5/5
Quite good.
One of those rock albums that sounds a lot like other rock albums of the time. Nothing special.
I understand this album as being a tribute, in a sense, to Kurt, with such a similar style to Nirvana. It doesn't have that same legendary and rebellious youth sound that made them so successful. Grunge fans would appreciate this album, but not for me.
Lots of respect for Courtney, I love insane women but I wasnt exactly obsessed with the album.
I can see the merit of it, but I’m just not unit hat 90s grunge music that much.
Nothing special but not terrible. Couple of overused chord progressions of the 90s maybe
moeilijk geval... zeker niet slecht, maar na een tijdje geraak ik het toch wat beu, het stil-luid-stil-luid-spelletje is al iets te vaak gespeeld
tässä osataan ;) tässä kyllä osataan. omg n iin nostalkia semmosta nostalkiaa ysäriltä että pakko antaa viisi tähteä senmmosta senmmosta menoa kuitenkin oli parasta aikaa ehkä koskaan. nyt olen vanha paska ja vittutaa, ja kaikki on paskaa. huonoin aika nyt. silloin paras aika. selevät sävelet on, jos ei ymmärrä ei ymmärrä. ja jos ei ymmärrä niin turpaan tulee. koska nykyaika paskaa. kaikki mennyt päin vittuun. ei mikään enää onnistu. yrittää perkele mitävaan niin epäonnistuminen taattua. taattu vastaus on että: perkele nyt riittti. kaikki vaan luovtutaa. luovuttaa ja jatkaa matkaa.. kaikki vaan kävelee. minne? en tiedä.. oma kauhunsa sekin.. violet
Haven't heard any music of them yet, but of course know the infamous Courtney Love. Enjoyed another female voice
I mean it’s decent but not my style. I got tired of hearing this repetitive music
It was fine, for me it was a bit too much at times. There were fast uptempo songs followed by slow ballad-like songs, which was strange yet oddly comforting and added as a sort of counterweight to the sheer power of the record. Overall I quite enjoyed the record but it was not something I'd listen on a frequent basis, it's missing something special. Favorite track: Jeniffers body. Overall score: 6.8/10
Another totally new band for me. It was a fun listen through of the album. I felt like I was back in my youth listening to alt-rock bands. While it isn't the music genre of choice for me any more I still appreciate the songs and I liked quite a few of them. If I would have found them 20 years ago I can see myself feeling even more nostalgic today.
*turns to Billy Corgan* GET A JOB, STAY AWAY FROM HER
Screams 90s grunge. Hole had something special - not everything hits, but plenty of interesting songs here.
7/10
Meh
Kinda edgy. They do a great job of getting their anger/point across in both the music and lyrics. It's not great, not groundbreaking. In a sweeping generalization, it's about like most angry girl bands I've heard before.
I'm not going to pretend to know much about Courtney Love, but she's giving a lot of fuck you energy in this album. Very tough and gritty with some good headbangers. I think some it works for me, but not enough to get it up to a 4. Solid 3.
Better than expected. At least the first 8 songs.
punky grunge that gets a nod but not a frequent play
I don’t love this, but it’s not made for me.
Catchy hooks, I liked it just fine. Some of the slower songs I didn't care much for.
Cool alternative, but nothing special.
Don't love the grunginess. There's some good music in here, but it quickly gets wiped away with repetitive screaming. 2.5 stars.
Didn't really dig the last Hole album, but maybe this one will fill me up a bit more. Hehe I actually liked this much more than the last one. Still not my whole jam but solid enough.
Rigtig god energi!
Better than I feared!
Wouldn’t listen again, but no awful
An interesting listen, obviously I’ve heard of Cox and Hole but never got round to listening, not bad at all though I don’t listen to this kind of music much anymore.
Pretty good sounding punk album, female singer that had a punch but stayed on the right side of my preference.