God, as a kid I loved the "Pyromania guitars", the anti-Riot Grrrl spiels, the roar of lions on 'Northern Star'... even the Smashing Pumpkins wannabes. My 'fuck you' to Everett? This album made me buy Pretty On The Inside, Pussywhipped, Spanking Machine, Taking The Rough With The Smooch. Ha!

And Courtney? She obliterated everything she kissed, o'course. Then everything she kissed obliterated her. Now she's so far gone, she's trying to be Led Zeppelin with a band of rancid LA girls so trite it hurts. She's writing with Linda Perry and Jerry Cantrell and woooaaaaah.... that next record's gonna be No. 1, baby!!!

She didn't write these songs, ol' sweet-tooth Corgan did. It's Courtney all over maaaan, but who'd wanna be the Pumpkins? This is a whole lot better, though. Melissa's bass is so very in tune. Ta, Michael. 'Awful' is gorgeous, pure blues, and 'Hit So Hard' is the best song about love since 'Retard Girl'. It's all love man, all of it. After all, what is hate but love gone wrong?

You know the one definitive reason Courtney didn't kill Kurt? That monomania and ambition. Hole's career was over when he pulled that trigger. Seconds before, they were destined to be huge. Oh well.

It's a weak record full of empty music either way.