Hole...Live Through This....damn...

[mmmBono]

Brutal album....brutal brutal brutal...
I bought it out of curiousity because many have said that it's awesome, yadda fookin yadda.
Sure...I've only paid 7.99 for it....but that was the biggest waste of money in my mind.
I could not even get through the whole album.
Ironic how the album is called "Live Through This".
You should get a fookin gold medal should you live through this fookin album.
Needless to say my head is pounding. Big time.
You know that theory about Courtney killing Kurt?
I'm convinced she did. Not with her own hands though....
Her voice is enough to kill anyone. Poor guy. RIP Kurt.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

I love this album. This just screams thirteen year old angst (which was what I was going though when it came out).

 

[IWasBored]

her voice put a hole in his head. oh sick irony.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

It hardly left my cd stereo boombox during high school. For every little girl bursting with hormones, this album was IT.

 

[mmmBono]

I love this album. This just screams thirteen year old angst (which was what I was going though when it came out).

See...I guess I see your point...many do like this album...that is what led me to finally get it...
When it came out, I was in my early 20's...I had no interest in it then.
What possessed me to think that I would like it now...I dunno...
I guess I'm past all the angst. LOL.
I just seemed to take this album as a bunch of aimless screaming nonsense.
But kudos to anyone who can stomach this album.
April...and Lady Lemon...try popping that sucker in now and tell me if you still like it. LOL!

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Actually, I was 14 when I got it. Now I'm 23, and I replaced my cassette with a cd (I'm a big girl now! heh) last year. I still think it's great. If you want to hear brash Courtney (and I can tell you don't ...but I'm just suggesting here) try her song Teenage Whore. Compared to that, the songs on Live Through This sound amazingly polished. But yes, I still think this album is great, and just put Asking For It on my latest mix...

 

[HelloAngel]

I love Live Through This... "Violet" in particular has had resounding effects on me, and continues to comfort me when I am confused and depressed. I think Courtney has a great snarly female rock voice, and is a wonderful lyricist.

 

[beegee]

so many things i want to say...

i agree with lady lemon and hello angel.
there are some really good songs on live through this.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I also like Live Through This. (Stop the presses! I've agreed with HelloAngel! ) Violet is great, as are Miss World, Asking For It, Doll Parts, Jennifer's Body, and Softer, Softest. Actually, I like the whole damn album. Courtney has this remarkably flat voice that I just really dig, and I'm all about the gritty music.

And for what it's worth, I really like Celebrity Skin, too. Malibu is probably my favorite Hole song ever, and Northern Star, Dying, Boys on the Radio, and Petals are great as well.

I may have to bust these CDs out and give them a listen soon. I had forgotten how much I loved listening to them. Courtney as a person may leave a lot to be desired, but I have always enjoyed her music for the most part.

 

[mmmBono]

Yes!
In fact...I love Celebrity Skin. There is a certain mature element to it that draws me in. She actually sings well on this record...and there's alot of melody. So I don't entirely write Courtney off here.
Malibu, is in fact, my fav. Hole tune ever too! Now I have an itch to listen to that record.
Let's put it this way....I was in no mood for Live Through this yesterday....and I will obviously need a few more listens with this record. I guess I wasn't in an angst kind of mood yesterday. And that definitely is not the kind of album to listen to beginning to end when you're simply not in that kind of "space".
But today I am...perhaps it will go down better.
I know her voice is a bit rough around the edges. That's a given. But for me in Celebrity Skin, it seems like she was actually putting a bit more effort to be more pleasing to the ear...than she was on Live Through This.
I love grit as much as anyone. Grit is what gets me going. No sugar coating for me, thank you.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Give it another try. Maybe you weren't in the right mindset for it.
I usually give it a go when I'm mad...some parts are good to scream along to.

 

[mmmBono]

and I'm so in the mood for screaming.

Oh yes...certainly in a bitchy space right now...perhaps I'll give it another go.

 

[HelloAngel]

But for me in Celebrity Skin, it seems like she was actually putting a bit more effort to be more pleasing to the ear...than she was on Live Through This.

Well, keep in mind that when Live Through This was released/recorded, Courtney was in her late twenties and hopped up on heroin and deeply into the whole "kinderwhore" attitude, look and what not. Also, it was pretty reflective of the grungy chick rock that was around at the time... L7 is the best example I can give to that "riotgrrrl" movement.

Celebrity Skin, like the title implies and what you described it as, it a much more produced and scrubbed clean departure for Hole... Courtney had fashioned herself into loving the California palm tree vibe, and was very into her resurrection as a respected actress.. all of these elements (including her digs at Hollywood life) were felt on this album, versus Live Through This which was about exactly what the title implies.

to Heartland Girl...

 

[mmmBono]

I know, Carrie...totally true...I actually have some L7 lying around somewhere.
Like I said...I wasn't in that space yesterday.
But today...
I'm in a kinderwhore kind of mood

 

[HelloAngel]

\m/ Well rock on there chica.... truuuu

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

It's definitely a PMS/bad boyfriend/bad day kind of CD. I adore all of the songs on it to this very day, and I also like Celebrity Skin, but it's missing the raw elements that made Live Through This so unique.

I've got an "early" Hole CD comprised of B-sides and such, called "My Body, The Hand Grenade". If you REALLY want raw, check this out.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

HelloAngel

Currently listening to Jennifer's Body. One of the better songs with my name in it, I must say. Thanks mmmBono for reminding me of Hole. This is good stuff.