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Courtney Love

America's Sweetheart
2004
Virgin

Courtney Love - America's Sweetheart (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Scott
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Published on March 16th 2004

Courtney Love returns to the music scene with America's Sweetheart, a cleverly titled shot at regaining her celebrity from Court TV and the LAPD, among others. The woman's had more drama in her life in the past decade or so than most of us will ever experience, and that honestly makes her a better songwriter than most have expected.

Doesn't mean she can sing, though.

America's Sweetheart is actually surprisingly solid, if not solidly unsurprising. Album opener "Mono" sounds as if it is a Distillers b-side [it's getting to the point where it's hard to tell if Brody is copying Courtney still or vice versa]. "But Julian, I'm a Little Bit Older Than You" is a pop-punk romp dedicated to one Mr. Casablancas of the Strokes. It's songs like these that actually show Love's true personality - crass, rude, and unabashedly open and upfront.

The rest of the album could benefit from this kind of energy, but tends to lose it for a good portion of it's middle tracks. Too many of the songs aim for the midtempo nu-ballad style [think moshing mixed with lighter holding] that Love simply can't support with her garbled alto voice.

Courtney does deserve some credit, though, as she definitely is trying to perform at her best - nothing on this album comes off as half-assed due to lack of effort, it simply comes off as half-assed due to lack of talent. America's Sweetheart is a decent solo debut from one of rock's most charismatic frontwomen, and if you're a fan of the grungier side of Hole and wish they never would have made Celebrity Skin, this disc will be right up your alley.

Listen to five songs off the album here.






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    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 27, 2005 at 3:56 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Am I the only person in the world who actually thought this album was good?

    Also, you don't have to be a good person to be a good musician. I don't care about anyone's personal lives and it shouldn't effect the quality of the music.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 28, 2004 at 5:11 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "Read "Who Killed Kurt Cobain" (if you haven't already) asap."

    i am looking for it

    Posted by Romeo on 2004-03-22 19:05:41
    My Score:

    i think Miss Love has the most diseased cunt on the face of the planet

    I second that, I contributed

    Romeo

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 6:29 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This is really shitty but, at least she looks better than the chick from AFI

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 7:26 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    as soon as i saw this was reviewed, i knew it was the handiwork of the fat fuck

    Posted by inanechild on 2004-03-20 17:29:54
    My Score:

    Did anyone see Love on David Letterman? I wanted to gouge my own eyes out.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 5:21 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i'm trying to figure out why Scott wasted his time on this pathetic wretch. but then again, he always gets the best reaction out of everyone.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 12:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    who is brody gonna rip off now that the original bitch she ripped off is back and better then her even though they both suck

    Posted by mikeinflames on 2004-03-19 11:51:20
    My Score:

    i think Miss Love has the most diseased cunt on the face of the planet

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 8:33 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    No question in my mind that she did in fact have Kurt killed.

    Read "Who Killed Kurt Cobain" (if you haven't already) asap.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 12:35 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    She is a walking TRAIN WRECK!

    Anyone want to start a Courtney death pool?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 11:39 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This is some fucked up repugnant shit.

    Posted by Haggard on 2004-03-18 21:10:28
    My Score:

    It's still kind of weird that Kurt Cobain's finger prints weren't on the shotgun.

    -Justin

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 6:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    yea she flashed letterman like 7 times and then smashed some guy in the head with a microphone at a concert later on

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 4:56 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    For the person below, Tim Armstrong wrote the Pink album not this. Which is almost as bad - at least Pink's not a murderer. Yet.

    Oh yeah, this bitch needs to stop getting plastic done. Holy shit, I wonder how much of her is real still...5%?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 4:53 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    did she flash letterman her boobs?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 3:58 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    First, this is a horrible, horrible album. Boring, tuneless, and desperate-sounding (and not in a good way).

    Second, why is it all of you people that think Courtney Love killed Cobain seem to always forget that he'd attempted suicide a few days before in Italy?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 3:41 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This bitch was sloshed on Letterman last night.

    -sickboi

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 2:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    TO:
    Rob http://ys.michaelkdupin.com

    ----A FEW POSTS BELOW THIS ONE------

    "...That's a Simpsons reference for those who plan to flame me for the garmatical error."

    I THINK YOU MEANT "GRAMMATICAL" INSTEAD OF 'GARMATICAL'...

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 1:59 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    punknews.org? what a #@%&-ing joke!

    courtney love is a force to be reckoned with, like it or not.

    heroin killed kurt cobain with its inability to play fair.

    i'm sure that courtney would be flattered to hear that you think she did, however.

    she is under our skin- otherwise who would give a shit about any of this?

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 1:26 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this woman is the antichrist

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 1:22 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    back before the maroon 5 picked up a new guitarist and changed their name from kara's flowers, they were a pretty solid power pop band with their hands in all sorts of genres. hell, their first performance was covering "know your enemy" by rage against the machine.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 9:53 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    i'd let her suck my dick

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 9:16 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    "And how did a fucking whore like love get signed to "virgin" record anyhow?"

    The ironing is delicious.

    (That's a Simpsons reference for those who plan to flame me for the garmatical error.)

    Rob.
    http://ys.michaelkdupin.com

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 18, 2004 at 4:27 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    And how did a fucking whore like love get signed to "virgin" record anyhow?

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 9:29 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    maroon 5 has alot of ska and reggae influence. not, my cup of tea, but their ok.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 9:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Everyone is bitching about whether this belongs on this site or not...
    I could be wrong, and I may be confusing this with something else, but I could sware I heard that Tim Armstrong had something to do with the songwriting on this album???....

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 8:49 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    damn im surprised scott reviewed this it seems somewhat out of his leaguse or something fuck it happyu st pats

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 7:38 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    No stab was intended, I'm not that old, and I don't hate and act elitist towards those younger...shit, I was I was still in my teens....

    -sickboi
    (1997=best year of my life)

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 5:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "Celebrity Skin came out when you were in 6th grade?!?!?!?!? Yikes, I was in college.

    -sickboi"

    Yeah, I guess I'm young and you're very, very old. I remember hating the song Malibu, in particular. Then again I only bought one good album that I can remember in grade six... Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty. Awesome stuff.

    Rob.
    http://ys.michaelkdupin.com

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 3:52 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Courtney Love is America's Sweetheart?? No wonder everybody hates us.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 3:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    No.. who cares about the wrens? You and pitchfork..

    Posted by SethCohen on 2004-03-17 14:54:19
    My Score:

    Does anybody else find it absolutely ridiculous that the wrens almost signed to drive-thru back in the day

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 2:14 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I can never look at her the same after watching 'Kurt and Courtney' or whatever that documentry was called. Not that I liked her in the first place....

    ...evildeadalive

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 12:25 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    sick boi...suckmadiak

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at 12:19 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Celebrity Skin came out when you were in 6th grade?!?!?!?!? Yikes, I was in college.

    -sickboi

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 11:03 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "punknews. this is PUNKNEWS."
    Ya while you say that why dont you bitch about punkNEWS, a review isnt news. See no one wants to see you complain.

    Posted by viceroymonarch on 2004-03-16 22:23:51
    My Score:

    Maroon 5 Rules. They're definitely not punk though. In fact I don't know what to classify them as.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 9:16 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Mono is a good song.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 8:28 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    where's the maroon 5 review?

    her husbands dead, no one cares anymore.

    that single is catchy though.

    wyzo

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 7:10 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "dave grohl is a better rock star"

    ^^^^^please go shoot yourself.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 6:10 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "punknews. this is PUNKNEWS."
    i'm pretty sure if you listen to the music, there's a lot of punk in there.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 5:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    as much as i hate courtney love as a person, some of her songs aren't bad.

    and if she killed kurt, good. dave grohl is a better song writer and rockstar.

    not that i listen to courtney love or the foo fighters though.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 5:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Don't forget Rolf, one mutt who could tear up the piano.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 5:28 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This cd is proof that dogs can't write good music...

    -c22

    Posted by hubitcherkokov on 2004-03-16 16:57:58
    My Score:

    Dave Grohl is much sweeter than Kurt Cobain ever was.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 4:56 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "I would rather chew on my dog's pubic bone than listen to this."

    than means you are into bestiality, you nasty freak

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 4:33 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I bought Celebrity Skin when it first released in grade six, and I only listened to it twice. Even then I knew it sucked.

    Youth Suicide Inc.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 3:33 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    What ever happened to the band Love was supposed to be forming for Epitaph? Seems to have dropped out of the news...

    Posted by squirrelbait on 2004-03-16 14:37:32
    My Score:

    I have no problem admitting that I bought Live Through This. It's a strong album, wether Kurt Cobain helped a lot or not. Even Celebrity Skin wasn't that bad, but this is just plain bad. Over-produced, stupid lyrics, bad songs, boring.. I could go on and on. I'll take Sleater-Kinney over this and the Distillers any day of the week.

    Posted by CallingLondon on 2004-03-16 14:36:34
    My Score:

    so, the users here seem to love courtney...um...love.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 2:35 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Too bad she doesn't look as good as the album cover.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 2:05 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I would rather chew on my dog's pubic bone than listen to this.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 1:46 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this has no fucking business being reviewed here. none at all.

    Posted by joeg on 2004-03-16 13:11:48
    My Score:

    i'll admit i bought live through this (and some of you should admit it too) and thought and still think it was good. then again cobain probably wrote most of those songs anyways so whatever. this however is not good.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 1:03 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    brody sounds excatly like courtney and vise versa. this is crazy

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 12:41 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    yeah, she had everyone fooled into thinking she didn't kill kurt.

    ..rip cobain...rip...

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 12:29 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I hate to admit it, but Courtney Love isn't a bad actress.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 12:27 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    dirty slut. i woldnt fuck her with someone elses dick. but before all the bashing starts, she was good in the ppl vs larry flynt.

    Posted by Jesse on 2004-03-16 12:19:57
    My Score:

    No no, Courtney Love IS Brody. And they both suck. SUCK.

    Posted by hitlerbadzakgood on 2004-03-16 12:17:02
    My Score:

    keep this bitch off this site, shes a dumb whore and a murderer.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 12:14 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    punknews. this is PUNKNEWS.

    Posted by Jon_the_Skafather on 2004-03-16 12:12:58
    My Score:

    i still insist the bitch had kurt offed.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 12:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    nothing is sacred