Geffen Records, 1998

This is the official third full-length album released by Hole. Their follow up from 1994's Live Through This. And it's here, finally. The album we've all waited for for 4 years since Live Through This. Did it live up to all of our expectations? That's for you to decide. But for me, I really like it. The sound is different, but in a good way. Backing instumentals, such as violins and cellos add alot of difference to the album. Unplugged doesn't count. There is another stretch....no screaming. But Courtney's voice has improved, though I miss the growl in it. The off the wall guitars have ceased, and other instumentals added. It has a distinctive pop sound. I think it'll sell alot to a newer audience of record buyers who have never even heard of Hole. All the better to them.

Celebrity Skin was officially released September 8th, 1998. The release dates were constantly being changed, then the this date was kept official. First the release date was March 24th, then May 19th, then June 2nd. Then it was decided for sure to release it on September 8th. Geffen's reason for the delays: "The album will be done when it's done." Gee, thanks, like that was any resurrance. With it wasn't for most of us. The album went through a series of potential titles. "Reasons To Be Beautiful" was Courtney's favorite, "Sugar Coma" was Eric's pick, and Melissa suggested perhaps "Best Sunday Dress." But the original name for it stuck, "Celebrity Skin." Most of the album was written in late 1995, in New Orleans or Memphis. The band decided to change their location to Los Angeles for the final mixing and writing. This album was the first studio album with the backing vocals and talented bass line of Melissa Auf Der Maur.

The album art differs from the previous Hole albums/EPs. It is similar to the cover art to Pretty on The Inside but on Celebrity Skin, the band looks more sophisticated and not as grungy. The new lineup is obviously different from the 1991 album. The band is shown in black and white, in front of burning palm trees. Melissa is on the far right, her hair poofed up, her eyes closed, and she's rubbing her left arm with her right. Peaceful. Courtney is next, with roses in her hair, wearing a cutoff shirt, her eyes in slints. Patty is next to her, looking sadfully detached. Eric looks good, his hair has been cut and dyed obviously. The album "booklet" differs from the other albums too, it has a complete lyrics sheet to go with it this time. Pictures of Los Angeles and burning palm trees litter the inside of this booklet. Behind the transparent CDholder is a dedication, "This record is dedicated to all the stolen water of Los Angeles and to anyone who ever drowned." I have no idea what the specifics of that is, but Courtney is always responsible for the artwork, so I wasn't entirely surprised when I removed the CD from its holder and read that dedication. The back art is awesome. Like Pretty On The Inside, the back art has a painting. But this painting wasn't created by Jill Emery. The artist is Paul Steck. It's a picture of Hamlet's lost love, Ophelia, drowning herself, which as she did in Shakespeare's famous play. Her long red hair is slowly billowing ahead of her as she sinks.

When Celebrity Skin was released on September 8, 1998, it sold only 86,000 copies in its first week. In the next two weeks it sold 79,000 more copies. The title track has gone #1 on the alternative and rock charts where I live. The Celebrity Skin single/EP debuted on the UK charts at number #19 and went as high as #3. The album debuted at #3 in Canada, where alot of Hole fans reside. The album went gold in October 1998, selling a total of 500,000 copies. Not bad for an album that had been in stores a month and 8 days. The album went platinum in December 1998, with means it selling a million copies. The videos (which I rarely see on MTV now, but that's MTV for you) is different from past Hole videos, with those cutetsy little effects. The next 2 singles are, from what I've heard so far, "Malibu" (for which a video will be made), and "Northern Star."

The whole album is great, and very different. It is alot more polished, even more polished than Live Through This because it's more pop/rock than just plain rock. Only two of the songs can really reflect the "old" Hole sound, meaning Hole hasn't totally left their punk-rock roots. The songs had help with the music from Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. He apparently helped write on "Petals," "Celebrity Skin," and "Malibu." All lyrics are credited to Courtney Love. Most of the music was written by Love, Auf Der Maur and the ever talented Eric Erlandson.

Celebrity Skin-This is the title track of the album, and the first single to be released from it. When I first heard it, I wasn't disappointed. It's a catchy little rock tune, which I think has attracted to people who have never heard of Hole. This song was first played live at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 10, two days after the album was released. The lyrics are pure Love, they seem to reflect on Courtney's past movie roles: "Hooker, waitress/model, actress/oh just go nameless/" I don't know exactly the theme of the song itself, except maybe Courtney's recent "makeover."

Awful-This is a good song, the third song to be released as a single. It has a cool rock feel to it, the opening riff especially. The most common word in this song is "cherry." Or "awful", take your pick. I love the chorus lyrics, "/they know how to break all the girls like you/and they rob the souls of the girls like you/." I'm very curious to hear this song played live or on a bootleg.

Hit So Hard-I love this song. The opening riffs are awesome, sounding very pop. This song was inspired by Carole King's "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss), a song that Hole covered often in their live shows, most famously at their 1995 Unplugged. Hole's made a new "abusive relationship" song sound almost happy. The music makes you think of sunny days, people doing cartwheels and shit, not some guy hitting his wife/girlfriend/slut and her seeing stars and God. I hope this song becomes a single, but I doubt the "moral" radio would play it.

Malibu- Second single from the album, one of the songs that Billy Corgan helped with. This song is so "Los Angeles muse" as Melissa Auf Der Maur put it in a recent interview. She's right. It makes you think of palm trees and beaches with angels fluttering around. I love Melissa's vocals in the background of this track. It also has a Bibical reference in the lyric, "/go and part the seas/In Malibu/." This song is going to be the next single and video from this album.

Reasons To Be Beautiful-This song is one of the songs that sounds like "old Hole." Thundering guitars and weird bridges are all over this song. A good friend of mine has stated that this song is going to be the next teenage girl anthem, like "Doll Parts" was back in 1994. Which is understandable of course, "/give me a reason to be beautiful/" sounds like something a vain teenage girl might say. The ending of the song is slow and depressing, like Hole's older music.

Dying-This the most depressing song on the album. It has a haunting effect on the listener well after its over and done with. Near the end of the last chorus, the guitars are so beautifully distorted that they almost sound like a piano chord. The lyrics are pleading "/im dying please, remember you promised me?/." Melissa's backings are breathy and whispery. "Dying" is one of the rare slow Hole songs out there.

Use Once & Destroy-I forgot, this was also a potential title for the album. Though it didn't make it, this phrase was once on a Hole t-shirt. The song has that technical sythesizer crap that I hate to hear on a Hole album. It fades later on the song, thank God. The metal effect of wailing guitars make the song seem similar to any Marilyn Manson song. This could be like any older Hole song, except for the synthesizers. I like the chorus lyrics, "/it might as well, it might as well hurt/." Northern Star-The only totally acoustic song on the album. All the music was written by Eric Erlandson, the guy is brilliant. This song is where the instrumentals, like the violins and cellos first appear. The drums are forced on only a few moments of the song. Courtney doesn't really scream on the last chorus, she just yells. The song is nothing like "Doll Parts," an older Hole song, "Northern Star" is more worked over; if "Doll Parts" had the instrumentaling of "Northern Star," the song would be even more brilliant.

Boys On The Radio-My favorite favorite favorite song on the entire album. I can listen to this song over and over and not get sick of it. This song was originally written with a different chorus and title, "Sugar Coma." The mix of acoustic and electric guitars is great. The song is dedicated to the bands like Echo & the Bunnymen, or Jeff Buckley, who once had their chance on the radio, but they "crashed and burned, folded and faded" from it. I like this song better than the original "Sugar Coma." The only lyrics that can remind any old Hole fan off the faded "Sugar Coma" are "/do what you want, cause I'll do anything, I'll take the blame/," and "/he said he'd never ever ever go away/." I love what they turned this song into, I hope it makes it to radio.

-Heaven Tonight-This song is another with producer's Michael Binhorn beloved synthesizers. The song is a "love song" for Love's 6 year old daughter Frances. The song is supposed to remind the listener of horses running in a field, and it does, the drum ensure that. It's another "happy" Hole song, but it's a good song. In the last chorus, the synthesizers are pushed a bit, but they fade again. The lyrics are about being happy and then heading off to heaven. "/you could be happy/ oh stop your crying/you could be happy/we'll go to heaven tonight/."

Playing Your Song-This is another song that is off the wall and loud, but I love it. The opening riff reminds me off "I Think That I Would Die," except without the backing keyboards. It's great, it's about the sold out bands of the early 1990s, preferably Nirvana. Another stretch.......there's cussing. Courtney states "/hey you don't take it out on me/you're bored of everything, they sold you out/hey you, so bored and cynical, it's fucking wonderful they sold you out/and now they're playing your song/." I love those lyrics. On this song, there is a male backing vocal, but I don't know who it is yet. Anyone know? The "playing your song" part is so ironic.

Petals-The last song of the album. I think Hole purposely ripped off their own music to make this song. The main chorus is taken from a lyric of the old Hole song "Asking For It." That lyric, "/I will tear the petals off of you/rose red, I will make you tell the truth/." The new lyric, "/tear the petals off of you, and make you tell the truth/." The song is good though, if you didn't like it at first, like I did, it will later grow on you. Again, Melissa's beautiful vocals make the song really great. Courtney sounds great too, her voice has been "toned." The violin ending to the song is great, the violins whine on and on until the song finally fades. It gives you goose bumps.

Email: frankie_82@yahoo.com