Celebrity Skin - Hole > Reviews > 'Holes in the past'

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Emotional and powerful lyricism, unusually fronted by a female vocalist and songwriter .
Disadvantages:	A constant connection to Nirvana that distorts the album's mentality and construction .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Overview…

Formed in 1989 with Courtney Love at the helm, Hole signed an eight-album record deal with Geffen Records four years later. The band's characteristic strong lyricism was incessantly linked to Courtney Love's marriage to Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Indeed, it seems the band's success has largely been a result of this connection, particularly following the suicide of Kurt Cobain in 1994. Hole's first album 'Live Through This' coincided with the release of Nirvana's final album 'In Utero', and this comparison has continued with debates surrounding the Love/Cobain relationship.

The third album, 'Celebrity Skin', was released in 1998 and features a more distant 'pop' as opposed to 'rock' approach. It is probably the band's best-known album, supported with strong single sales, most notably 'Celebrity Skin' of the album title. Even four years after Kurt Cobain's death, there is still a powerful connection to his legacy that resonates throughout the album.

Album Art/Information…

The album cover features the four band members at the time - Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, Melissa Auf Der Maur and Patty Schemel. The black and white colour scheme does not lend itself any appeal to a potential buyer, although the very fact Courtney Love can be recognised is an attraction in itself. Inside there is an extensive list of album lyrics neatly written in white against a black background. An unusual addition is the use of a table and key formula to indicate which band member wrote the music or lyrics to each track (Courtney Love, of course, has a heart).

Somewhat confusingly there are two pictures of burning trees and the 'Department of Water and Power' building in the 'City of Los Angeles'. This suggests a hidden meaning to the band members, of which this is difficult to decipher, although perhaps there is a connection between fire, water and the power of Hole's lyrics. Of additional importance is the fact that a portion of the album's proceeds are donated to charity, which is always nice to see.

The Tracks - 'Celebrity Skin'…

With no reviews of this album for over four years, I thought it appropriate to revisit 'Celebrity Skin' to see whether it still has worth in my music collection. I am pleased to announce it was certainly a breath of fresh air, although how large a breath is difficult to tell.

The most recognisable track is the album-titled 'Celebrity Skin'. This track is upbeat, full of emotion and resonates 'rock'. Indeed, upon further investigation, I found this track was written about Courtney Love's feelings towards the pressures of being a public figure. Lyrics such as 'I'm glad I came here; with your pound of flesh' indicate this track is full of meaning and emotion, despite not reaching the three-minute mark. However, 'Celebrity Skin' does not live up to its full potential because it is very simple in its construction. I am no musical genius, but know enough to recognise the majority of records have some sort of interlude or change in the middle to create interest and dynamism. 'Celebrity Skin', however, takes the primitive form of 'verse-bridge-chorus', repeating this once then finishing, which to me does not live up to its full potential. Despite becoming one of Hole's most recognised hits, 'Celebrity Skin' could have lasted a lot longer and become much more groundbreaking if it had showed variation in its composition.

The Tracks - The Nirvana Connection…

The tracks most noticeable on this album are those that are intrinsically linked through their lyrics to Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. Indeed, many of the lyrics result from Courtney Love's transformation of her grief, at the death of her husband, into words. For instance, 'Malibu' initially sounds a pleasant, moderately indie track, which leaves the listener feeling happy and contented. However, this track was in fact about Kurt Cobain's final rehab session in Malibu, and how he ran away to Seattle only to be found dead days later. The lyrics are therefore not the most pleasant - '…And the sun goes down; I watch you slip away' - therefore what could be a pleasant sounding track unfortunately turns into something more depressing.

Likewise, 'Playing Your Song' refers to Kurt Cobain's suicide note, and how Courtney Love read this just after his death. 'Northern Star' simultaneously links to Kurt Cobain's 'ghost', a reference to Courtney Love crying during a concert. After a while, it becomes clear the majority of tracks could all be written about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. It therefore becomes rather predictable and the listener begins to concentrate on the lyrics, rather than listening to the music or enjoying the tracks for their musical content.

In my opinion, many of the tracks on 'Celebrity Skin' would be upbeat and enjoyable if it were not for the knowledge that most are written about the sadness of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. Having said this, the lyricism of Courtney Love cannot be faulted and should be commended - it is a lesson in expressing and channelling feelings through a different medium in the form of music.

Summary…

Eight years on from the release of 'Celebrity Skin', it is still difficult to listen to the album without thinking of Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. The lyrics are very emotional, heart reaching and powerful, and the album should be commended for these alone. However, many of the tracks could be uplifting and 'happy', yet the Nirvana connection stops them from being so. A breath of fresh air this album may be, but in terms of offering something new, this album most certainly is not.

Kev