Reviews (page 7 of 10)
very intense music. you can feel the pain and emotion in it. that being said im not sure how often id want to relisten
Punked out grunge. I enjoyed this- probably more than I should have. Probably because of all the mopey and techno albums recently
Somehow manages to sound like mascara running, or as drummer Patty Schemel put it, “a girl gang beating someone up behind a 7-Eleven.” Released 4 days after Kurt Cobain died.
I read a review calling this a masterpiece? Give me a break. It captures that punk/ grunge time well, I’ll give it that.
I never listened to this record beyond Doll Parts. I think its because of my distaste for Courtney. However, setting aside her charming personality, this is pretty good rock and roll.
I, like many immature boys in the early-aughts, blamed Courtney for Kurt's death. In retrospect, the "evidence" is all incredibly suspect and knowing more about her now and at the time, is not plausible. In fact, it's far more likely for him to have been able to commit the s-word on unimaginable amounts of h than it is that she killed him, much less conspired to have him murdered. Worst of it all is that I never listened to Hole because of it. Go listen to her WTF interview and you'll see her for the tragic figure that she is. This album is great, actually.
Screams 90s grunge. Hole had something special - not everything hits, but plenty of interesting songs here.
Best Kurt Cobain album
Angry, edgy, aggressive, tight, brilliant
This is all very laudable, but with a couple of exceptions there's not a memorable song there, and I think it's a strictly minor entry in the grunge canon.
7/10
Righteous anger and roaring grunge riffs. The performances feel untamed but the songwriting is tight. There’s a lot fury in these songs and yet they also have a strong sense of pop structure and plenty of hooks. Mother’s milk and babies are images that come up a lot and while I don’t yet have a firm grip on exactly how these songs feel about motherhood, this is definitely a fresh and exciting way to approach these themes. Rejection of beauty standards and even a wholesale rejection of society is present in a lot of these songs. I really vibe with it. This album rocks. *** Totally random connection but two days ago we had an Elvis Costello album on this list with a song "Honey, Are You Straight Or Are You Blind?" that had the line, "She's just a doll like so many more / She's the kind of doll that you'd like to pull to pieces." It stood out to me as a great image. And now on today's album, Hole has a song called "Doll Parts" with the line, "He only loves those things because he loves to see them break."
Really solid grunge album. I hope "Celebrity Skin" is on the list too as it's also very good. "Violet" is great and that chorus could have been a Nirvana chorus. I listened to a few repeats of it just now and then googled Nirvana "violet" cover and all I got was some results of a Nirvana reunion with Violet Grohl (Dave's daughter) on vocals that just happened a week or two ago. Then I looked at the release date of this and saw that it came out only 7 days after Kurt died. Pretty crazy. I love how the pre-chorus has this catchy and simple melody with a 50's kick-snare-snare drumbeat, and then that chorus is as raw as grunge ever gets. I love going through this album and hearing all of the shifts and changes. Over and over again I'm "wow'd" by the amount of effort put into these little 4 measure moments that add some really nice colors to the tracks. It's packed with little post-chorus acoustic guitar substitutions, or contrasting bridges with soft vocals that seem to serve to antagonize the screaming and angry choruses. It's so much better than what I remember hearing when I was young. Remove Courtney Love from her relationship with Kurt Cobain, and you would get a drama-less Hole that is an awesome band (or maybe you don't because he influenced her songwriting?). As it is today though, there's always this connotation involved whenever I think of them- their connection and drama is always apparent. How could you avoid it though when the wikipedia page for this album has "Cobain" written 26 times, more than double that of "Pfaff", the surname of the bassist, an actual member of the band who happened to pass away 2 months after the release. These songs are really great and have impressive depth. I'll be adding some of these to some of my more raw playlists I think. I love this album cover. The blur, slight over exposure, the haze, the saturation, the model's facial expression; it's all great.
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.
This was pretty good although many of the songs sounded the same.
Respectable album with great rough sound and a great female perspective of being driven to aggression and push back of powerful insight.
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.
Underrated and under-appreciated but never forgotten. Live Through This is the seminal album for 90s feminist rage and angst. Courtney Love is truly one of the greatest writers of all time. Her lyrics have lived rent free in my head for over twenty years and are a frequent source of comfort in my times of sorrow. A flawless masterpiece in every sense of the word, and the magnum opus of 90s rock as far as I’m concerned.
Credit in the straight world and I think that I would die blew me away Love the lyrics and vocals throughout
Cant say I care much for this'n
Totally fine album but doesn't leave much to remember.
And once again, an album I haven’t listened to in a looong time, probably around 20 years. It brings back a wave of nostalgic memories, but that’s about it. A few hits, nothing more to me. My main issue with this band has always been their lack of clear direction. They seem unable to decide whether they want to create radio-friendly pop or lean into grunge, resulting in a blend that often feels somewhat uninspired. The lyrics are sharp and hit their mark, but for me, that alone isn’t enough.
I've probably listened to this album only once in my life, at most. Hole has barely been on the outer edges of my musical landscape, other than the brief brush I've had with their music videos on MTV. I'm surprised how much of an pop album this one actually is, a pop album with grunge bits and edgy lyrics. I now realize I shouldn't be surprised; the volume buying public doesn't care for ugly and harsh. While I usually don't pay lyrics much attention, "Asking For It" grabbed my attention with lines like "Was she asking for it? ...asking nice? Did she ask you twice?". Doesn't change my feelings towards the band much, but I feel could look into their first album, if it indeed has more "hardcore [punk] aesthetics" I might actually be interested.
punky grunge that gets a nod but not a frequent play
Powerful alternative rock. Doll Parts is brilliant. Loves voice is ace
I was expecting to hate this, but it was good, very good in fact. I've always considered Courtney Love to be a bit of a cunt, and maybe she is, but I should have learned by now that whether someone is a cunt or not doesn't usually have any bearing on whether said person can make good music.
4.5
I feel like I should like Hole, but I really don't enjoy Courtney Love's vocals. 900+ albums ago when I was starting this journey, I didn't realize how picky I really was about rock music.
I don’t love this, but it’s not made for me.
Better than the other Hole album on here
Catchy hooks, I liked it just fine. Some of the slower songs I didn't care much for.
2.5
YAYYYYY violet- 7 or 8 miss world- 9, would be 10 but it's overplayed. but it is a 10. do you understand? plump- 6. doesnt live up to the rest of the songs. asking for it- 9. the bridge is heavenly jennifers body- 7 or 8. the chorus is the best part. the rest is okay, but cmon now. i like how the movie was named after it but really has no correlation doll parts- 8. ngl i prefer softer, softest for the slower softer songs, but it is heart wrenching. she wrote if before she and kurt got together, recorded it when they were married, and by the time it was released, he was dead. credit in the straight world- 9. <3 softer, softest- 9 or 10. my love. she walks on me- 9. the best part is 1:32 i think that i would die- 9 or 10. cmon now. she is the moment. gutless- 7. its fine rock star- 10. <3<3<3 one of the best album closers idgaf i am a mentally disturbed teenaged girl. of course ive listened to this album 100 times before
The best of Hole
Raw feeling, hard hitting Grunge Punk. Also not a lot of bands like this with a female singer and I think Love's voice adds a lot in terms of helping it stand out from other album's of that era. But ya kicks ass, doesn't overstay it's welcome some great 90s grunge
Fantastic
Fantastic album
Cool alternative, but nothing special.
How this is on the list is beyond me. What a giant piece of shit.
Favorite Track: Asking For It
not quite my thing but there was a few interesting guitar riffs here and there.
Released 4 years before the last Hole album we reviewed (Celebrity Skin) and just a week following front-woman Love's husband (Cobain), this one is a bit rougher around the edges and is all the better for it. This has strong individual song-writing throughout and a cohesive aesthetic that I didn't mind sinking into. Courtney Love is a powerful front-woman with an ability to command attention both in harsh, punkish snarls (Violet, Plump) as well as in vulnerable croons (Doll Parts, Miss World). Loved this album front to back and will be back again -- high 4 / 5. -- Violet sets the stage with some angsty, rough around the edges, alt-rock that borrows from a punk tradition. Solid energy up front. A quick turn into Miss World where much of the angst is stripped away on a toned down, almost poppy (by comparison) acoustic lead song. Plump is a jam, where she sounds at times like Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. Asking For It has a minor progression during the chorus that reminds me a lot of some Nirvana songs (Come As You Are comes to mind). Doll Parts is a great song. Really enjoy Softer, Softest but have to say the lyrics are pretty uncomfortable. While it isn't entirely obvious it appears to be about sexual abuse (presumably of a child). References to "pee-girl" getting the belt and hoping "you won't tell on me."
Don't love the grunginess. There's some good music in here, but it quickly gets wiped away with repetitive screaming. 2.5 stars.
The banging on drums and howling into the mic just might not be for me in this case. The guitar in the end of Gutless was pretty good I think I got the song right. But the rest was just another album
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.
Virkelig fed! Hun lyder godt
Rigtig god energi!
Better than I feared!
4.5
Better than I thought, or remembered. Some really solid grunge songs on here. Ragey and loud.
+1 for the anti riot grrl song.
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.
I've never really understood the fame of Courtney Love and honestly always kind of suspected that her success was mainly to do with the people who she surrounded herself with. That's not as much as a criticism as it sounds. If someone can select the right people to create the art they want and it works, then why not? But in my limited experience listening to Hole, I just wasn't connecting to it. Hole's other album here, "Celebrity Skin" was kind of interesting but didn't really stick with me if I'm being honest. "Live Through This" is a refreshing change though. The album was plagued by accusations that Kurt Cobain secretly wrote it, despite having very little to do with its creation (Cobain does some barely noticable backing vocals on two tracks). It's an enormous compliment to Love that those rumors persisted as she really does seem to be channeling Nirvana here, much more so than other Hole albums. It's the blend of pop and sheer grit that Cobain made famous. The themes of feminism and subverted concepts of beauty would have fit perfectly alongside her late husband's work. But the album compliments Nirvana more than it imitates, displaying more anger than disaffectedness. It shows another side to the Olympia grunge scene during its peak. Hole would later change focus to themes of Hollywood and celebrity, seeming to reveal in its own emptiness. In retrospect, it seems like a natural move from the bleak suburban world of "Live Through This". But this is still the better album in my opinion.
Pretty good sounding punk album, female singer that had a punch but stayed on the right side of my preference.
Good to have a female lead in these type of grunge bands, and some point especially when she does an extended scream it sounds quite raspy and almost a female version of Kurt.. Lacks abit of character in the voice regardless so giving this a 3 (probably will be 2.8 worldwide)
Nothing great with this one all. Bit samey
I was not a big fan of the grunge rock movement of the 90s and I have heard several songs off this album in the past which I liked. This is my first listen from start to finish. I like it.
It slapped hard.
Girlvana
Compiler: geez. We’re getting hammered for a lack of diversity. It’s as if chicks are able to play rock. 2nd compiler. Well Courtney love is a chick. How many albums did hole do? Compiler. Who cares? We’ve still got six Neil Young albums to squeeze in. Put in another hole album. That’ll shut em up. Women hey? 2nd compiler. Bloody women. I try not to be sexist. Chicks hate that. But they make it hard. In fact this isn’t bad but it’s a bit inessential. Hole were a good band and I know they get lost a bit in the tabloid circumstances. But they’re solid. I suppose points for including a female act. And they should have more. 3 stars.
Courtney Love is a genuine rock star. Intense, angry, articulate, unpredictable, controversial, ambitious, unfiltered, strong, damaged, impulsive, charismatic. She has copped a lot of flack over the years, some self-inflicted damage, but a lot of grief for being crime of being a woman. This album is Hole (and Courtney) at the height of their/her powers. The songs are really strong, partially written in the studio, but also having been partially worked on over the previous two years. There is some understandable Nirvana influence, but these are definitely Courtney's songs. It has the loud/soft thing (which was a step forward in musical development for Hole), a lot of punk rock screaming (and what a scream it is!), but the sheen of being well recorded and edited. I think there was probably some selective editing on the vocals, the guitars and drums sound huge, and some subtle keyboard sweetening in the background. Interestingly, the producers said they didn't double her vocals much to not cut the immediacy. I suspect she never sings a song the same way twice, so doubling was not really a viable option, but she certainly gives each vocal take her all. I'm glad they left in a lot of "mistakes" (vocal cracking, dubious intonation and wayward pitching are common), because the performances are raw and real. Just the right amount of polish, I think. The beginning of the 90s was a unique moment in music history when noisy punk bands like Hole (or Mudhoney or the Jesus Lizard or the Butthole Surfers or any number of similarly bizarre signings) would attract major label deals and the attendant recording budgets. Nobody would ever again give this kind of budget to an honestly dangerous punk band anymore, so we may never hear an album like this again. It stands up as a powerful album, even 30 years later.
I forgot how much i like this album, Its great
I never really gave Hole our Courtney Love much of a chance as a kid. While I'm sure I didn't think of her explicitly as a "Yoko" at the time that is the best way I can retroactively describe it now. Elementary school me largely blamed her for Kurt's death and her reputation following that was kind of wild for a kid to process. 30 years later I can listen to this album and appreciate the way it fit into that era and it actually was pretty decent. I still prefer Garbage and No Doubt as far as bands with female leads from that time, but I can see Hole fitting in there too. The timing of this album release with Kurt's death is also insane. How would that not be delayed?! I realize this review isn't as much about the content, so I will say the opening track "Violet" really felt like what I've had to deal with with some crappy family stuff this year. Good vessel to get all that negativity out for the new year. (Review date Dec 31, 2024) Favorite track: "Violet" 4/5
Ngl, a little screechy. But I liked Plump!
I almost gave it a 4 simply for the fact that I like the Celebrity Skin album so much more. That wouldn't be fair though. This album stand on its own and is a great work of the era.
I want to be the girl with the most cake.
12/12/24 This album was much better than expected.
A complex and brutal album, fuelled by righteous anger as Love addresses sexual abuse, eating disorders, and the hypocrisy of the Washington punk scene. Violet is a furious opener that calls back to Hole’s debut album and the riot grrrl scene they were distancing themselves from, but the sound is more varied throughout with the starting verses of Miss World and Doll Parts for example contrasting with punk-adjacent songwriting. Due to the mythology around Love’s relationship Cobain, especially considering his infamous suicide just a week before this album was released, it’s difficult not to compare to Nirvana in places. While Nevermind saw Nirvana expand their sonic palate and In Utero then saw them return to a more raw and heavier production style, Live Through This is like a symbiosis of the two - the hooks and bridges of a more commercially-focused project with a fervent energy, passion and ferociousness that adds a strong emotional impact to most of these songs, and it’s the perfect balance of the two that really makes this project hold up and sets it apart from its contemporaries. It’s a fantastic album, though a bit stacked in the first half as nothing after Doll Parts really hits with the same force for me, and is a bit forgettable in comparison to the six tour-de-forces on the front end
It was alright
Crunchy and heavy grunge record. I like it and it has grown on me a lot since I first heard it years ago. However I don't think it does that much to distinguish itself from the crop, other than having a female vocalist. The Kurt Cobain association definitely help, of course. And no, I don't buy into the conspiracy theories. Key tracks: Violet Miss World Jennifers Body Doll Parts
While I liked the other album from Hole better I still found myself liking this a lot. 4/5
Es un pop punk bastante de mierda, bien ruidoso.
Better than I remember. Never a Courtney Love fan, but this is a good straightforward rock album.
Not really my style, but I appreciate theirs
Really no skips here. Yes, Courtney Love is off-putting to many, many people, but come on! This is great. Classic. All time classic videos… what’s not to love?
A classic album that was moulded from the mind of Kurt Cobain. How could it not be this good?
nix besonderes ist ok
No me molestó pero tampoco lo encontré especialmente memorable. Tiene un par de canciones poderosas pero los gritos y voz rasposa de Courtney Love me terminaron cansando.
Not terrible
Looks like her career also tanked with Kurt's death
Not too shabby
I'd rather have Kurt.
Courtney Love is a cold, warmed over hot mess and I just won't support her in any way. For the longest time, I assumed this was released in Kurt's aftermath as a marketing gimmick and shameless self-promotion pushed by Courtney Love. "Live Through This" ... ? C'mon. Of course it was. As much as I wanted to, it was really difficult to ignore this album. It was as if Kurt unalived himself, the king of grunge, and handed it to his wife to take the reins. Her exposure in Ppl vs. Larry Flynt, the awards and accolades for her performance that followed and all the hobnobbing that went along, getting away from CL was really difficult in the 90s. But she grew on me, I mean, I've heard this album many times and it's a great album. Recently, I finished Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hannah of Bikini Kill. The book spends a lot of time in Olympia during the 90s. It goes into some of her interactions with CL and even touched on Mary Lou Lord's. I also read Dave Grohl's Storyteller which also centers around the same time period and neither of these books paint a flattering portrait of CL. So, here it is. I'm not Jewish, but I am a kid of the 90's and Hole, Live Through This is my Kanye. So, reluctantly yes, this a great album. But enthusiastically, no. I will not support this.
I don’t care for Courtney Love. But I do think Hole made some great music.
Courtney Love has always rubbed me the wrong way for whatever reason so I never listened to much Hole, but the album is solid and fits right in with the female-fronted alternative rock bands that reside in my mental happy place (which is apparently not very happy at all).
It’s amazing. I hated Hole back when it was a thing. But this whole exercise has taught me there is much worse music out there.
I can hear why people dig this album. I like it, but I don’t (Courtney) Love it.
A well made album with very few things actually wrong. Grunge is something I just never got into, so not for me.
Man, I enjoyed this very much. I don't, admittedly, know all the ins and outs of Courtney Love, but I think there's a level of misogyny to the way that she's panned by the music press. She seems to be defined solely by her relationships and not as an artist in her own right. Let's face it though, her vocals absolutely make this album, from all out attack to the, um, softness of Softer Softest. Great stuff.
It's like a softer Nevermind, enjoyable enough. B
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would!
Kurt's obvious influence is the only interesting aspect of this album. R.I.P. Kurt.
Det var fint, høj energi, dårlig sangstemme, men på en charmerende råbe måde. Han har ihvertfald hørt sin del med Kurt og de andre bananer.
Hele mit skriv blev slettet 😭 Men fedt album!
Not bad seattle-grunge album
Better than I expected! Courtney Love's reputation preceded her on this one with me and I was expecting rubbish. Good quality grunge.
It was fun to revisit this album, which was a revelation to me when it came out; this was the first time that I heard a woman singing in a style that was raw and aggressive. (The only other women I knew in music at this time in my life were like Enya. No slight to Enya, but my love of grunge was deep.) It kicked me off in other directions that I am thankful for. I didn't realize that I knew almost all the lyrics to every song. It's got great dynamic range and tempo changes, and I think Courtney Love got a lot of undeserved flak and drama for making this album. Not every song is amazing (I'd say that the best one is the first track, "Violet," and the album could end on "Softer, Softest"--the other songs I don't really care about), but it has a great consistent sound. It's hard to separate from my nostalgia, lol.
When I drew this album on the 1001 site, I was worried that I might harbor biases against Courtney Love ... as said so many times in these comments, she is a polarizing figure. So I listened to the album twice on separate days as a way to re-evaluate what was my first impression. I liked the songs ... the lyrics were interesting, the melodies were well constructed, and the musicianship was fine for the genre. I'm not a total fan of how Courtney sings, but the songs are punk rock, so I give singers some latitude.
Hey Jennifer's body! Some surprising song structures. I sandwiched this listen between a Sunday's album so I didn't quite gel with the emotion of it but its absolutely worth a revisit.
Favourite tracks: doll parts; violet; asking for it; plump; Jennifer's body; softer, softest; rock star; she walks on me
Fierce, raw, honest, furious and messy
This was such a fun album! Love the angst, probably would have been obsessed as a teenager.
неожиданно прикольно хорошее драйвовое
Grunge was the music of my youth and my generation, and I do like it ... but I lean more towards the Pearl Jam end of the spectrum rather than the Nirvana end, and this is (probably unsurprisingly) very Nirvana-y. It's OK, I didn't dislike it, but it was just there. Nothing stood out for me.
The music is great but Courtney can not sing.
Forgot about this album. I enjoyed it. A bit punk-er than a lot of grunge.
Love it
Täysin samaa paskaa kuin eilinen paitsi ei hittibiisiä
I don't really care much for 90's mainstream alt-rock, but this is a solid example.
A great album to scream along to.
The timeline of an album called Live Through This with the deaths that preceded and followed its release is crazy. I don't think I would have succeeded. Almost a no skip album
This was a lot of fun!!! Great energy and there was never a moment I wanted the album to end.
for some reason this took me one billion years to finish listening to. had to be in the right mood. 3.5
my only issue with this album is that Celebrity Skin is on a different one
This a straight forward grunge dock album that just happens to be sung by Courtney Love. A solid record for sure.
it was fine
I heard a song from this album, either Violet or Jennifer's Body at a punk-themed bar near my apt. Album was alright, I am not the biggest fan of punk or grunge.
There’s a song by hole that I’ve been listening to a lot recently so kinda fun that we get this album now I guess. Enjoyed it
6/10 - A little screamy but pretty good. It was not as screamy as some of the albums that were only screaming but still a little too screamy.
It was really good. Idk if it was 5 good, but I really enjoyed it
Oh, haven't heard this in an age. Sounds pretty great still.
I feel like generally I would enjoy this I just wasnt in the right mood for it Will give it benefit of the doubt & relisten at some point
Have to say I enjoyed this more than i thought I would
definitely feels like an extension of nirvana, but does enough to stand on its own as a great grunge/riot grrrl album
Hits
Pretty fun album, wouldn't put it on for myself, but wouldn't turn it off either
I liked it but not enough to put it on myself
I really wanted to hate it but I kinda liked it!!
Courtney Love got a raw deal. She's also incredibly lucky, but her talents werent as recognized as they could have been compared to her peers. 4/5
Liked this a lot more than I expected - great production and lots of energy - but the repetitivity starts to lose interest. Still, not bad
This is something that I missed when it was released but would have loved at the time
First of all, what a fucking album! 1994 was an infamously tumultuous year for Courtney Love, compounded by the suicide of her grunge-icon husband just days before her commercial and artistic breakthrough. While some might crumble under such scrutiny and tragedy, Love channelled her fury, grief, and apprehension into an incredibly cathartic collection of songs. Don’t let Love’s outspoken, often antagonistic, public persona overshadow her artistry or colour your perception of her work on 'Live Through This'—this is an album with phenomenal songwriting from start to finish. This album is a powerful exploration of the messy complexities of human emotion, delivered with all the fury you could hope for. Lyrically, it addresses themes of body image, identity, loss, empowerment, and trauma from a deeply personal perspective, with Love’s visceral lyrics cutting right to the bone. In "Doll Parts", for instance, her haunting refrain—“I want to be your doll”—articulates profound longing and insecurity, encapsulating the struggle for self-worth in an objectifying world. Musically, the album is a potent mix of grunge, punk, and alt-rock, dripping with intensity and emotional depth. Distorted guitars, catchy yet chaotic melodies, and loud-quiet-loud dynamics create a constant push and pull of tension and release. Eric Erlandson’s jagged riffs perfectly complement Love’s raw vocals, whether in the blistering "Violet" or the melancholic strumming of "Doll Parts". The rhythmic complexity shines in tracks like "Asking For It", where Patty Schemel’s relentless drumming builds urgency that underscores themes of consent and control. Kristen Pfaff’s contributions on bass are essential to the album’s sonic depth, as exemplified in "Jennifer’s Body", where her brooding, pulsating bassline adds a sinister undercurrent to the song’s already dark energy. Her playing grounds the track, providing a heavy, foreboding atmosphere that complements Love’s biting vocals. Love’s vocal performance is crucial to the album’s impact. She shifts seamlessly from guttural screams to fragile whispers, capturing the emotional peaks and valleys of the music. Her unpolished voice encapsulates both rage and vulnerability, making the music aggressively cathartic and emotionally powerful. The raw production from Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade allows the album to maintain its heart and hooks while sounding visceral. The album opens with "Violet", an anthem of defiance marked by blistering rage and fierce guitars. "Miss World" delivers sharp commentary on beauty standards, its haunting melody underscoring Love’s biting lyrics. "Plump" follows with fierce, punk-infused energy, exploring sexuality and body image through aggressive instrumentation. The anthemic "Asking For It" addresses consent and control with a chilling mix of vulnerability and aggression. "Jennifer’s Body" offers unsettling energy, driven by dark, provocative lyrics that challenge perceptions of female desire. The previously mentioned "Doll Parts" stands out for its melancholic chord sequence and aching vocals, perfectly capturing feelings of insecurity and longing. "Credit in the Straight World" reflects on societal expectations, while "Softer, Softest" explores love and longing with delicate instrumentation, providing a softer counterpoint to the album’s aggressive tracks. "She Walks on Me" blends aggression and vulnerability, showcasing tumultuous relationship dynamics. "I Think That I Would Die" hits with raw emotional intensity, merging desperation with a melodic hook that lingers. "Gutless" returns to an abrasive sound, embodying anger and frustration. The biting sarcasm of "Rock Star" closes the album with a scathing critique of the music industry, fueled by blistering guitars and Love’s fierce delivery. The contrast between the opener "Violet" and "Rock Star" illustrates the album’s emotional complexity, with vulnerability and defiance coexisting powerfully. Tragically, Kristen Pfaff’s overdose just months after the album’s release deepened the sense of loss and personal tragedy surrounding 'Live Through This'. Coming so soon after Kurt Cobain’s suicide, her death casts an even darker shadow over the album, intensifying its haunting themes of grief, trauma, and survival. Today, 'Live Through This' stands as a pivotal moment in both Love’s career and the broader alternative rock movement, where female artists began to challenge a male-dominated MTV landscape. This album showcases the raw power of women reclaiming their voices in music and paves the way for countless female-fronted bands. Quite simply, 'Live Through This' is not just a milestone for grunge; it’s one of the best albums of the '90s. Courtney Love would never quite match this high point, even though Celebrity Skin had its standout moments. But after pouring so much of herself into Live Through This, maybe surviving was the real victory. Honestly, I can’t blame her for kicking back now and enjoying those Nirvana royalty cheques. After all, she does sing in Violet: "I told you from the start just how this would end. When I get what I want, then I never want it again" Did/Do I own this release? On CD Does this release belong on the list? Definitely Would this release make my personal list? Definitely Will I be listening to it again? I’ve listened to this album more times than I can remember.
Ouf, ça crie pas mal trop pour mon petit crâne malade, je m’écroule
i don't like grunge or riot grrl (the breeders are pretty cool) music so this album was not going to be a fun listen for me. i just looked and i'm only four songs in. how. this is so boring. my biggest takeaway from this record is that there are a bunch of indie bands doing this type of music now but better, with a vaster array of influences and less production-sheen. if you're reading this right now, look up "art school jocks" or "shady bug" or something. some kind of good new band that deserves your attention. also courtney love's dad was the grateful dead's touring manager and assisted them with trafficking LSD for the CIA.
Decent American punk rock. Some of the lyrics obviously didn't gel with me but I got the idea.
Intense, raspy vocals and music. I remember thinking this sounded much like Nirvana that I remember from way back, and I didn't notice until later that it was Courtney Love singing.
I think if I had listened to this album closer to when it originally came out I would have been a massive fan. Still it is a very good album and I would listen to again
perfect one of my favorite albums ever
Ярость, которую редко можно услышать в таком доступном виде. Лучшая песня - Violet.
Almost squeezed a fourth star out of me, because I liked the second half of the album more than the first. But... nah! It's three stars from me. Not bad.
Heard Doll Parts in isolation before, interesting to hear more from the artist. I really liked Violet and Plump as well.
There is a sexist theory that people like to throw around that Kurt Cobain ghost wrote this album. My retort: Nirvana never made a record this good
I want to like this more. But the only song I really enjoyed was the third track Plump
I wasn't feeling the album at first, but then Plump and Asking for It came on. I can feel the rage and despair - so good. I dont know if I would play the whole album again, but I would definitely put some songs onto a playlist. Favorite lyrics: "I dont do the dishes. I throw them in the crib"
Pretty good.
LOVED FAVS: violet, miss world, plump, doll parts, rock star
When I saw the music video to Violet playing in the background on Kerrang!, I sat down in front of the TV entranced.... this was it, this was the music I needed during a time where I didn't know what each day would bring. The soundtrack to my 19th year on this planet, this album is firmly nestled into my heart forever - it was the soundtrack to heartbreak, finding my soulmate, depression, dropping out of university, breaking down and building myself back up.... this album is the definition of girlhood, and I was lucky enough to experience a transitionary period in my life listening to this album the entire time. My favourite tracks on this perfect album: - Violet (one of the best songs of all time, so many days staring at the ceiling, getting ready for nights out, watching the sunset from my uni halls window singing along to the lyrics) - Plump - Asking for it - Jennifer's body - Doll parts - Gutless - Rock star
I like this kind of music, but I've always thought of them as followers rather than leaders. Not bad though. Favorite song: Gutless.
Pretty underrated album. Courtney Love has that good shrill
You’re killing me. There’s only two reason this band got airtime; Kurt, and Kurt’s death. Seriously… she’s an awful singer, pitiful guitarist, and a terrible human. You do know they used to just turn her amp off during live shows? I saw her live a few times… that’s what you did growing up in Seattle. And I was at the fountain to mourn Kurt, listening to her slobber about how hard she tried to help him. Goddamn, what a load of horseshit! The rest is history. What a horrible skank.
Not for me this one. First I’ve not finished.
Puttung aside a lot of what I could say about Courtney as a person, sympathetically or negatively—hot damn, now this is the kind of angry punk grunge I dig the shit out of. Those rockin' guitars, those crashin' drums, and goodness **me**, when Courtney Love's voice gets that "yelling strain" on it... I'm all for it; I'm all over it. Like, I can't remember exactly how CELEBRITY SKIN sounded, though I can tell you for sure that this has gotten me more into Hole than that album did. Jus', goodness, it's amazing this thing came out as good as it did despite everything that happened around it, both before **and** after. (And to be clear, of course this album isn't 100% wall-to-wall loud and angry grunge guitars. It gets softer musically every now and then, and I like those moments a lot as well. They keep this album up at the 5 where the louder songs put it. I'm just being honest about what I'm probably gonna remember this album for, and it's gonna be for the louder, angrier songs.)
Despite her more controversial side, Courtney Love can still make a mean punk album. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I’m either at a 4 or a 5 – I’ll figure it out as I write this. I really fucking liked this, though. Courtney Love is, in fact, really good at this. I had some doubt back on Celebrity Skin, but she shut me up back then, and she really solidified herself here for me. She carries herself like a fucking star throughout this album – her voice is confident, her writing unabashedly honest, and the band carries that energy in a way that creates a sort of perfect storm, fueled by anger (at the world, at people, at herself) that’s mostly underlined by an acknowledgement that it is what it is, and she can only really live through it. Unlike Celebrity Skin, this album doesn’t carry Kurt Cobain’s shadow all over it, at least from a lyrical standpoint. It came out right after his death, so in that sense, a lot of this can be read with the context of Kurt, but it’s not as latent and as sorrowful as it was on Celebrity Skin. Instead, it almost feels like a harmonious anger – part of why her lyrics feel so honest to me is because so much of it is channeled from how much she and Kurt must’ve been under a constant microscope, especially when it comes to their kid. She references her kid several times on this album, and the references to “milk” (almost certainly a drug allegory) don’t go unnoticed. Granted, all of that’s about the writing and the surrounding context of the album – when it comes to the actual music, I think every single one of these songs are good, but not many of them are outright great, and that’s where I’m sort of flipping between a 4 and a 5. It’s an awesome album, don’t get me wrong – I think it does a great job of slowly building up the anger in each track over time, going from a sort of annoyed indifference, to contempt, to outright hatred by the end. However, there’s something within each track that sort of holds the album back from really hitting a full blown stride for me. I don’t think it’s the instrumentation, though a few songs do hit on the “first minute is the whole song” trope. I don’t think it’s the lyrics, but sometimes, it does feel like once Courtney’s said all she has to say, a few tracks lose their direction and sort of repeat their way to the finish line. It’s definitely not in her vocal performance – as far as I’m concerned, she’s rather flawless throughout most of this. Really, the only thing I can think of is that the album doesn’t touch on a super diverse number of themes, and that a few tracks tend to dip into a similar well from an instrumental and lyrical standpoint, but that undermines just how good all of the tracks still are, and how well this album is constructed. It’s not a perfect album, but I think I’m gaslighting myself to try and find some sort of overarching flaw here, and there really isn't one. It’s a damn good album, and I enjoyed this a lot. I’m at a 5.
I'm just not that bigger fan of Hole - maybe I'm biased but just doesn't particularly do it for me.
Never liked this one. She’s upset they were never as big as Nirvana - but they’re not as good.
Angsty 90 tals rämpytys, vissa helt bra låtar
Not for me. Avril Lavigne esque
A nice surprise. Solid listen
This album goes harder than I remember. Solid listen.
ehh. Not sure how this album made the list.
A talented group of kids if I dare say. Even a couple hits on here. I quite enjoyed myself. Good, quality fun. 4/5
probably the most emotionally direct record of the 90's grunge scene -- Nirvana at least attempted a couple hard to parse metaphors for all their fury. i know exactly what Courtney Love is thinking upon hearing the song's main conceit. this isn't in any way a put down, of course. there's something almost Hemingway-like about the lyrics on "Doll Parts" or "Asking For It" -- you don't have to do a lot of work to get what she's talking about, but it just makes it all the more impactful. in this way, i think the Young Marble Giants cover is fitting. both they and Hole are bands that embrace simplicity, like the pure elegant design of a chunk of metal that we call a crowbar. also my pet conspiracy theory is that Kurt doesn't even sing on the two tracks he's credited on, like how he didn't even really produce anything on Houdini. listen to those songs and tell me if you can pick him out in the mix, cause i sure fuckin' can't.
How did I not listen to this before? This is exactly my jam.
Ontzettend lekkere openingstrack. Daarna is het vooral 'gewoon' een lekker album met lekkere nummers. Dit soort muziek is een kolfje naar mijn hand. Dit album heeft aan het einde nog wel een paar heerlijke nummers ("Gutless" klinkt als Nirvana), waar dat andere album wat inkakte. Dat andere album van Hole kreeg een 4, deze vind ik iets dikker en daarom ga ik naar boven afronden. Een ietwat makkelijk gegeven 5 dus.
Sounds fine - good even - but there's something adolescent about grunge rage that I just can't get into.
Good rock album. Not awesome like Celebrity skin, but, it's good.
Pleasantly surprised by this. 3.5
A surprisingly good listen. Expected more of a mess but this held my attention. Ms. Love is rock star. Been quiet lately, hoping she’s at peace.
Did not like this music style
It’s honestly pretty great. I’m not a huge Courtney Love fan, but this was a decent album.
Uff no
Absolute fire. My guess is Hole has kind of been Shadowbanned from public consumption because I never see this album or its singles anywhere. Damn shame, because this is one of my favorite's I've listened to doing this thing so far.
Great raw punk-ish music. Hole/Courtney Love definitely got some undue criticism.
Hole don't always get the recognition they deserve, compared to other grunge bands. This album is full of energy and classic songs like Violet and Doll Parts. Definitely worth revisiting 4/5
Starts off on fire but disappointing towards the end
Besser als gedacht. Corona + Altersmilde raffen sich zu 3 Sternchen auf.
Liked most of the songs on here, similar vibes to Nirvana obviously. Doll Parts is probably my favourite.
Killer 90s rock album with garage/grunge sound, especially Courtney love vocals, pronounced guitar riffs with balanced but satisfying drums and piercing lyrics throughout. Tight set, exactly what it should be. 4.5
Courtney Loven bändi. Taas tätä perushyvää ysäri alt rokkia. Ehkä kummiskin sitä keskivertoa parempaa. Parhaat: Plump, Jennifers Body, She Walks On Me
As vile as Courtney Love can be, this is a shockingly good album.
Pretty good record
I always tried to imagine this album being released without the obvious ties to Nirvana...and how it would be viewed. For me I enjoyed a few of the songs back in the day...but always thought a lot of it was loud, clangy and lacked direction. Pretty sub par but a couple of strong songs.
A lot of screaming teen angst in this album mixed with depression. Hole had the potential to do really cool music but missed the train. I’m sure being in Nirvanas shadow wasn’t easy for Courtney Love. She wasn’t taken seriously (for good reason), but she was more than right a few times. Worth the listen not worth frequent rotation.
I’ve noticed a trend in baby names in the last 10 or so years. Parents seem to be just choosing random nouns to be their kids name. And I honestly thought it was a pretty stupid trend. I also noticed this trend with band names. Hole, Cake, Pavement, Tool, Garbage. All bands that, if it’s petty, I have a hard time taking seriously because I think their name is dumb. I don’t think that about anymore. I do think their name is kind of stupid, but the music was pretty alright. I knew that this was Courtney loves band and perhaps Kurt Cobain had some influence here that seems to be disputed. It was fine. A few standout tracks, others just faded. Like most albums. Three stars. I am whelmed. Standout Tracks: Violet, Plump, Doll Parts, Credit in the Straight World
OK
Super important that the male-dominant alternative rock / grunge environment in the 90s had a more feminine counterpart. Too bad it had to include Courtney Love, as hard-hitting and relevant as her songwriting might be.
Not particularly a fan of Courtney Love, but there’s no denying the importance of Hole on the 90’s rock scene.
I don’t know.. I think their image and everything I know about the Courtney Love is coloring my opinion here, but it is what it is. Maybe I would’ve rated it better on a different day, but I was happy when it was over.
In essence a Nirvana-clone but a very good one. I never made the effort to listen to it at the time and only discovered it after Celebrity Skin was released. That album has a very different sound and hard to say which one is better. Score: 8/10
A raging album with Violet as a complete killer opener.
Album 489 of 1001 Hole - Live Through This Rating : 4.25 / 5 This album gets a bit of a boost in rating just because I enjoy it. She gets a lot of hate, some probably justified, from many because of the Kurt Cobain relationship and that sometimes leads many to brush her music aside. That is unfortunate because this a hard hitting album. A nice rock/grunge mix with great vocals and instrumental backup. Hearing this some months back helped to perk up an interest in the great female rockers, many of who sometimes don't seem to get the credit they deserve. Consider me a fan. Give it a spin.
Slightly mediocre/average sounding grunge. No real stand outs in the album, but a consistent quality that made for an enjoyable listen. Not sure if anything will still with me though.
A grunge classic Back in the days it would be fire
Never heard this whole album it wasn’t bad. Very 90s grunge.
Two now as it was the first time this came up.
This is very underrated.
This was good. I understand the importance but this sounded like every other album in the genre.
This was a stupid record. So generic for the era. I firmly believe she would have been nothing without cobain. This was so dumb.
Too shouty
i liked it. heard not that much grungy rock in the last few months, so it was kinda refreshing. was also familiar with a few tracks.
I think I've heard them before. I like.
I didn’t totally love it but recognize its impact.
I enjoyed that so much more than I expected
This was a formative album for me and it still holds up all these years later. Regardless of your feelings about Courtney Love, this is a foundational record for so many bands. It's propulsive, angry, and honest. Even now, Violet and Asking For It hit really hard. Also, for the record, I went to school in Olympia.
Nirvana-like grunge music. I liked it because she went quite hard at times. Second half got repetitive though. Stand-out: Violet
I enjoyed this album a lot more than Celebrity Skin. Catchy tracks, some great riffs, and overall just well made. Will revisit.
Spannender alternativer Rock. Eine Bereicherung.
Boring
Courtney Love's not great.
I'm a little ashamed to say that I only came around to this album about a year ago. I guess I (perhaps subconsciously) bought into the media narrative that Courtney Love is a terrible human and her music is just rip off Nirvana, etc. However, after hearing a few of the singles again I decided to give the album a try, and it is surprisingly brilliant. I've had it on heavy rotation since then. Obviously, it's hard not to compare them to Nirvana, given the similarities in their singing voices and style. But I don't consider that to be unoriginal. When two people live together, they're obviously going to take on eachother's mannerisms and bounce off eachother artistically. I'm not going to pretend this is the best album of the 90s or anything (as seems to be the trend of late with some in the music press), but it is significantly better than say, Bleach, in my opinion. Courtney Love was an important part of 90s grunge/rock, but she was unfairly sidelined. There is a great podcast called "You're Wrong About" that did a very interesting Courtney Love episode. I would really recommend it for any others who have a similar "block".
Not as good as I thought it would be.
Good growl
Who doesn’t love a little morning rage?
I do not like
Hole were only ever very vaguely on my radar (most likely because of the Kurt Cobain link) without ever really listening to anything except Celebrity Skin. But this is perfect grunge era spiky, fuzzy, glorious guitarness.
Pretty good, one I might revisit, medium 3.
This one was just ok. Doll Parts rang a bell and that was a good song. So was Violet. I just don’t think that she has a fantastic voice.
There's some promising sections but it just keeps dropping the ball with some bad off key singing.
Voilet and rock star are so good. I actually loved this album considering I went in blind only knowing Courtney love for her acting and public controversy. So this is a shock for me lol
Underrated grunge record. Reminds me of the girls I liked in high school.
Something weirdly cathartic and broken-heart angry soul healing about this harsh melange of discordant, confessions and accusations. It hurts to listen to but I love it. 4 stars
This is good rip kurt :(
Better than Courtney Loves reputation would have you believe, seems obscured from her very public persona that this is actually decent 3.5*
So much better than I expected
Better than I expected but not great.
it’s always been fuck courtney love but you literally can’t argue with perfection. this is what it feels like to be a woman: scarred and raw and just fucking angry!!!! i love everything about it 1.) jennifer’s body 2.) miss world 3.) asking for it
strong 2. grungy alt rock fart really just isnt my vibe in the music department. but like the shit talked about is pretty nuts. abuse and sa and general struggles and traumas. lots of references to milk. 1 softer, softest 2 miss world 3 doll parts
"Live Through This" is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. The music was a departure from their previous more harcore album "Pretty on the Inside" towards more refined melodies and song structures. There had been accusations that lead singer/guitarist Courtney Love's husband Kurt Cobain had written most of the songs which were denied by all the band members; Love and lead guitarist Eric Erlandson wrote the songs. The two other band members for this album were bassist Kristen Pfaff and drummer Patty Schemel. Lyrics deal with beauty, motifs of milk, motherhood, anti-elitism, violence against women, suicide, depression and child abuse. Yeah, Love covers a lot. The album was very well received critically and, commercially, hit #52 in the US and #13 in the UK. An acoustic guitar strumming opens "Violet." Loves voice comes in which goes to a scream as the band kicks in fast and hard. They do the soft-hard-soft dynamic perfectly in this song and throughout the album. The song was based on Love's tumultuous relationship with Billy Corgan. On the the first single, "Miss World," the band showcases their melodic edge. Acoustic guitar and a great vocal chorus. This song features another structure I really like in that the music is happy sounding but the lyrics describe post-partum depression and substance abuse (a dichotomy). "Doll Parts" starts with an acoustic guitar and Love singing softy. A nice melodic bass and layered vocals. It's a song about Love's insecurity in her relationship with Cobain. The band covers the Young Marble Giant's "Credit in the Straight World." The song with the most punk edge on the album as they substitute in drugs for money relative to the original. "Soft, Softest" starts off very soft and builds. It's a very melancholic and personal song. Love alludes to bullying and child abuse. This is great album. It's melodic, has catchy choruses and a hard and punk edge. It also has some songs that best display the soft-hard-soft song dynamic. The lyrics are excellent and very personal. I remember when it came out I thought it was one of the best albums I had heard in a awhile. I still think that and easily put it in my favorites of the 90's.
Ruido
Blind album. I did not wanna give this a 5 cause Courtney sucks but God damn this album rocked. Im totally in for the conspiracy that Kurt helped ghost write. I would believe it and want to.
themes of rage, anger, isolation. courtney love certainly had a difficult past and is not afraid of talking about it. this was an important album from the 90’s that had its fair share of female fronted acts. this one goes hard and doesn’t let go. highlights: “violet” “asking for it” “doll parts”
one of the best grunge projects i've heard
4/5
3.5
The lyrics aren't intended for me, so I am not surprised that they don't land with me. From a sound and vibe point of view it is hard not to notice the similarities to another famous grunge/punk band at that time that was led by her deceased husband. Girl Nirvana. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it does come off as fairly derivative, and therefore not the kind of groundbreaking I would hope to hear on this list. Didn't like it 1994, don't enjoy it now. Honestly, I would not have picked Hole for this list. If I were going to pick a riot grrl pioneer, I would haven chosen Joan Jett, The Runaways, or even Suzi Quattro, among many others. "Doll Parts" was the only track I sort of enjoyed.
30 years ago when I bought this album (my first ever CD purchase) I would have given it 4 maybe 5 stars. I was a big Nirvana fan and this came very soon after Kurt Cobain's death so it felt quite personal and a bit voyeuristic. 3 decades letter and it's still a great record but doesn't have quite as much of an impact on me. Kurt aside, Courtney has produced a great record here.
It sounds a lot like a Nirvana album with Courtney Love on vocals to be honest. Good in places but not amazing. Definitely an influence on the post-grunge/punk scene, can hear shades of this in things like Ash and Garbage.
I never liked gru ge before and proba ly never will
I don't love grunge, but I do like the messages conveyed on this album. Objectively, it's a well-produced record with some amazing vocal performances. It would have gotten a higher score if I were a fan of the genre, but unfortunately, it's not something I'd listen to ever again. 3.5 stars
Love the rage and angryness
This 1001 project had already delivered up Celebrity Skin, which I loved. So my mid-90s media-led prejudices about CL had already been dispelled, and I was eager to listen. This is a great grunge album. I don't actually love grunge, or it would have another star, but it's got some brilliant tracks on it (Violet, Asking for It, Doll Parts). I also loved the cover version, Credit in the Straight World, and am consequently now enjoying Young Marble Giants' Colossal Youth (apparently beloved by both Kurt and Courtney, and I can see why so far). Love Courtney's voice, incidentally.
Brilliant. Wish I’d paid more attention at the time.
Fantastic! Love angry women
Not too bad.
I hated Hole when they were big, and I hate them now. Screaming into mic does not a song make. In my unpopular opinion they have only one not-too-bad song and it’s not even on this album.
3.75
Not bad.
Full disclosure as a Nirvana fan, I have.. feelings about Ms. Love. While the majority of them are about her character, I've never really held Hole in high regard, so I've never really listened to their music, sans the stuff on the radio. That being said, I'm listening for the influence here, and it's all over this album. It's not terrible by any stretch, and probably does deserve its spot on this list. Musically and vocally, it's angsty and it drives. You won't catch me spinning this album on repeat, but I'm glad I gave it an opportunity. It still didn't change my opinions about Courtney at all. 😂
Not as good as their other album on the list and Garbage, but solid. Girl grunge good
Fun but most songs sound the same to me
Few songs in, pretty fun! Kinda dark lyrics
Alternative rock / grunge / punk rock. Not bad, but nothing special, notable only for Courtney Love and its connection to the late Kurt Cobain.
Maybe its nostalgia, but I still like this a lot.
Not for me
Bão
Straight out of the frying pan and into the fire. Live Through This came through at a most unfortunate time, the consequences of which would linger around its existence to this very day. That doesn't negate, however, it being not only Hole's greatest album but Courtney Love's finest hour: an unrelenting blast of righteous fury, searing proclamations and uncompromising sincerity. Regardless of the troubles that followed through the album before, during and after, Live Through This is a testament of the sheer power that surged through Hole in the 90s, whether administered through outside forces or not. Go on and take everything, she'll want you too. You'll ache like she aches anyway.
This album is pretty good, hadn't heard it since the 90's. Some very inspired themes at play so doesn't feel uninspired or anything. I'm still a bit ambivalent but recognize the quality, perhaps I'm not the demographic. Will be listening again however, will be good to amp up my familiarity.
I always avoided this band as I just thought they were famous for being Kurt Cobain's wife's band and for the stuff Courtney Love did outside music that the music itself. However on listening I enjoyed the album more than I thought, Doll Parts being a particular highlight. Does it deserve to be in the book, In my.opinion no as I Feel L7 and The Breeders were both better female led bands from the same era and both have albums that could be in the book ahead of this one.
Courtney Love has a great voice and can really scream out the lyrics. The scream-tracks are a high point, don't really like the softer songs as much.
Did Kurt really write this album for Courtney? It sure damn seems like this is a female version of Nirvana. You know what though? It works. This is prime female grunge. If you like grunge, give this a go. If you prefer Adele, turn away …..fast Choice cut: Doll Parts
Some really great tunes on this album. Rock Star is such a great tune. That just tells you how great the other songs on this album are.
One of the most passionate and raw emotional albums. Violet is one of my all time favorite songs, and tracks like Miss World, Asking for It, and Doll Parts are all outstanding. The album doesn't shy away from some challenging angry rock, but still it delivers punch after punch. Really love this album.
3.5
So I had heard a few tracks from “Live Through This” back in the day – but never ran through the whole album, so this was a good experiment… Not a lot to say about this one, and below are a few of those thoughts – - I found the album to be fairly well-done, both in terms of song structure, audio quality, energy, and diversity throughout the album… - While I didn’t do a deep dive on the lyrics, it sorta felt like female grunge steeped in lesbonic anger… Not sure if that’s what’s actually going on, but that was my vibe… - I thought Courtney’s vocals were the highlight of the album, as the conviction was definitely there in spades… - Best songs for me by far, were “Violet” & “Credit In A Straight World” – though there really isn’t a bad track on the entire album… - Kinda funny that a few weeks ago, I had Frank Black’s “Teenager Of the Year” – with essentially the same cover – only drawn – and it was a dude… : ) All in all, a solid 3 in my book, and glad that I listened…
4/5
A gut punch of an album given the timing and subject matter. Still raw to this day.
01) Violet - 9,0 02) Miss World - 8,5 03) Plump - 8,0 04) Asking for It - 8,5 05) Jennifer's Body 8,0 06) Doll Parts - 10,0 07) Credit in the Straight World - 8,0 08) Softer, Softest - 8,5 09) She Walks on Me - 8,0 10) I Think That I Would Die - 8,0 11) Gutless - 8,0 12) Rock Star (Olympia) - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,42 (84/100) Current ranking: 48/194 Of course, when a woman writes an album like this, there are immediately misogynistic rumors that her husband is responsible for it. Because she, as a woman, is of course not capable of that. I think the relationship between Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain just turned people away from listening to this album and this band in general, and I think that was totally unfair on our part because this is a really great album.
I was never much of a fan of grunge. I do have Nirvana’s “Nevermind”, but don’t love it. It’s good, but…. Yeah. I mostly know Hole through Courtney Love’s reputation, and some clips along the way (that I don’t even remember). Nothing back then inspired me to seek this out. And nothing in the ensuing 30 years. But now I have a reason to check it out. Overall, it is a lot better than I expected. Nice energy, it rocks without being a wall of noise. Loose feel, not overproduced. No synthesizers or electronic drums. On the other hand, the vocals are not good. Some great music has been made with mediocre singers, if they bring a style or personality to their delivery. Not the case here. Love’s singing is absolutely a detraction. And the songs are largely forgettable. “A” for effort, but I can’t round this 3.5 up. So 3 it is.
When I first listened to this album, probably in high school, I only liked Doll Parts and Rockstar. I still love Rockstar, it’s easily my fav song on the album. This time though, I liked a few more of the songs than last time. The ones I didn’t care for were the ones where the guitar was too beefy for my taste. I love the guitar on rockstar, gutless, and she walks on me. But the first half is too much of that thick grungy guitar that just doesn’t do anything for me. I like a more raw guitar sound. So for me the second half of this album really shines compared to the first half.
I haven't really listened to much female grunge but I love female hard rock. This album went super hard. It was melodic and felt very punk/grunge.
This was sweet! I'm glad this album was in there, because I do think its a really cool relic of a band that gets overlooked. I had honestly never really give Hole a chance, because of all of the stuff with Nirvana / Cobain. I was just never interested, but this is a really cool record! Its aggressive, its sad, its upbeat. Its kind of everything. It really encompasses that grunge before it went fully alt-rock and shed its punk roots. Its no wonder that Kurt Cobain fell in love with this woman and this band. Its very similar to Nirvana in sound, themes and music. I'm glad I listened to this one!
After some listening sessions it started to grow on me. Doll Parts is quite charming. But I prefer celebrity skin
This album rocks. Love her or hate her, Courtney Love is all in on this.
Going in, I've only heard one song by Hole, Celebrity Skin. It wasn't bad. The first couple of songs on this album were pretty promising. The rest was just kind of there, it devolved into some angry potty mouth stuff for the last few tracks. Overall, just average. Best track: Violet
This was an interesting album that I just couldnt get into. I didnt hate it - but could not find anything that I thought was a great listen.
Lots of good stuff on this. It wears out its welcome as it goes along for me, though. I think I'd like all of the songs on their own out of context, but as an album it doesn't build in a satisfying way. It starts to feel yell-y and makes me wish it would be over.
growing on me
3.5
This is my kind of music
This didn’t sound like I thought it would based on the album cover. I really liked Jennifer’s Body and reading the history made me appreciate it was a little wacky.
Started as annoying American fliffle. Grew on me. Grew off me. Won't be revisiting
Pretty well composed and mix for a grunge album. 3.1.
It was a chore to make it all the way through this, like being trapped in a hospital elevator with a malignant narcissist on her way to get her deviated septum fixed. Seriously, please blow your nose. She sounds congested. I also wish she had taken some singing lessons - some people can get away with singing out of tune, but she is not one of them. I also wish she sang with some vulnerability - I feel like she is trying to prove how cool she is, but that's not interesting for very long. And does every single lyric begin with "I" ? I know they were a big band at one point but I still don't see the appeal. I worked at a record store when this record came out and every time someone brought it to the counter I wanted to surreptitiously swap it out for Bikini Kill. Live through this? I'm dyin' ovah heah!
It's a bit hard to hear Hole and not be influenced by Courtney Love's sad and often incredibly abrasive life and personality. Overall, while this might have been considered a "softer" version of Hole, I'd say it's pretty representative of what I remember of Hole, and sadly not all that distinctive from the other grunge/alternative acts that existed in the massive hole and shadow of Nirvana. (It's funny how there are so few bands that seemed to resent Nirvana's rocket-to-fame the way so many West Coast bands resented Green Day (and maybe Weezer too?).) Honestly, I'm really surprised at all of the best-album accolades that are listed in the Wikipedia entry for this album. It's fine, I guess, but neither musically nor lyrically all that interesting to me, sadly.
I hate to say how much I loved this album. Hate because everything I've read or seen about Courtney Love suggests she's a narcissistic bully but what can I do? This isn't about her. So far, this album, Steely Dan's Aja, and the Fela Kuti album are the only "new-to-me" albums from this project that I've listened to multiple times.
Durchschnitt!
Not a fan of Hole.
Nirvana
Aww it's a girllllll's Nirvana 3.5
Definitely my favorite album I have gotten on here so far. I’ve seen the cover so many times and listen to a lot of similar music so I’m really glad I was finally prompted to listen to this. I regret not checking it out sooner.
Oh noooooooooo. I’ve never listened to this, but myself, a teenager who loved Nirvana well after Kurt’s death means most of my knowledge of Courtney Love is…negative, mostly colored by what other fans said and also some of her own shenanigans. To say this surpassed my expectations is an understatement. This ruled.
Decent grunge album
C'était ben cool
Literally didn't even know Courtney Love was in a band. This was a pretty sweet album, kind of Nirvana meets Amyl and the Sniffers. I dig it.
Not for me I guess. I didn't grow up a big Nirvana fan so some of the hagiography is lost on me.
Starts and finishes very strong, a couple tracks through the middle lost me, but a powerful album none the less. Fav track: Gutless 3.5