#460 – Hole, ‘Live Through This’

Live Through This (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Released: April 12, 1994
Label: DGC (U.S.), City Slang (Europe)
Genre: Alternative-rock, punk-rock, grunge
Producer: Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade

I like this album, I like it  a lot and for a number of reasons. It sounds like my teenage years – not that I listened to Hole or alt-rock or grunge a lot, but this is the quintessential sound of the 90’s and it’s nostalgic and familiar and great. This is great because it’s strong women and interesting themes abound, themes around feminism and gender roles and stuff that matters to women and matters to society and stuff that actually matters. And it has a killer front-woman in  Courtney Love, and the band was/is outspoken about human-rights and LGBTI rights. The whole thing rocks and it all makes you appreciate the bands that are outspoken and in your face and “fuck-you”, but smart.

I like this album because it’s a bit of a rarity, on even a list like this… actually, noticeable especially on a list like this. I don’t know/have the numbers, but reading and listening through the 500 it’s strange (confusing… disconcerting maybe?) to notice that the vast proportion of entries are from men or groups of men. I won’t try and get into gender discussions, I just don’t know enough to about it all, but I will say the unbalance here is noticeable. So, what I really like is hearing a record like this smashing through this list: sounding every bit as accomplished as Love’s husband’s band, political, mature, accomplished, no gimmick, and standing tall despite (because of?) the gender of some of it’s members.

This record is all killer. If I knew enough to be truly critical, I reckon I’d almost be calling it perfect. And absolutely brilliant cover art too. Love it.

#485 – Pearl Jam, ‘Vitalogy’

Vitalogy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Released: November 22, 1994
Label: Epic
Genre: Grunge, experimental rock, art rock
Producer: Brendan O’Brien, Pearl Jam

Obviously I know Pearl Jam, though only from whatever I’ve heard on the radio through the 90’s. And I know that there’s a whole lot of legend around the band and around Eddie Vedder, and their influence on grunge and music in general is massive.

By all accounts this album was huge at the time and must be much loved, but for me it was pretty hard work. There’s darkness in here and not a lot of light (grunge I guess), which is possibly why “Better Man” is my favourite: it’s arguably the most upbeat track, even if it is about domestic violence. It’s alternative for sure, seething with weird noises and experimental samples (psychiatric patients talking, anyone?), and you know there’s a grand-ness to it when you listen, because it’s, well it’s Pearl Jam… but for me, this seemed a bit overblown and alternative to the point of inaccessible.

Overall, too dark and too sad. I need a bit more light than this (at least, right now I do).

Top track: “Better Man”. It’s an almost perfect pop-rock song, and takes me back to my school days. Pearl Jam knocked back the track from their previous album because it was too accessible. “Nothingman” is nice too, more chilled out.

This week: Short working week what with Easter and all which couldn’t come at a better time for Andy and me, and we headed to Hobart for the long weekend. A lot of eating and drinking, riding around the harbour, and a whole day spent at MONA – one of the most interesting experiences of my life. Amazing weekend.