Customer Reviews

First Session

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Turpentine" rains down like beautiful rage, and "Retard Girl" is one of the saddest, most raw Hole tracks ever with cutting lyrics("...lookin' for the friend she made"). The pictures are worth the price alone, but hey the music is some of the best of the 1990's, so you can't go wrong. Hole is no more, I'm sorry to say, but hopefully Courtney won't keep her mouth shut for long. I think the music-biz needs her desperately.

Her later works do not give justice to how good of a talent she really has. Maybe not the best musician in the world, but I adore this CD. "Retard Girl" is a nasty angry song which i LOVE and it proves that Courtney has a great voice for this kind of music. The other two songs have the same disticnt punch to them, with heavy guitars and even heavier vocals. Everyone keeps complaining about how short this album is, which pisses me off because obviously people don't understand that it is an EP, and it isnt inteanded to be a full CD, its just like a single.

Okay, so you already have all three albums, and you finally found "My Body the Hand Grenade" and "Ask For It". And you keep seeing this "First Session" CD everywhere but you're not sure you want it because "My Body..." has all the songs on it, except "Johnnies in the Bathroom". But buy it anyway! It's only about 6 dollars and it has a cool booklet with art by Courtney and an interview from 1990 and photos. What's NOT cool about this CD? Nothing! So buy it, NOW!

This EP is great, especially if you like earlier Hole from the 'Pretty On The Inside' days. The EP starts off with 'Retard Girl' which was Hole's very first single. Next is the fast punk of 'Phone Bill Song' which is one of my favorites. After that is 'Turpentine' which was the very first song Hole ever recorded (supposedly in someone's basement in 1990). This is a killer track, and hands down the best track on the EP. It's strange that this song has more melody than a lot of the songs that followed it, though. The last song is 'Johnnies In The Bathroom' which is brilliantly creepy. It's a spoken track like 'Sassy' and 'Starbelly' from 'Pretty On The Inside'. I think it's about young girls being prostituted and lured by the dangers of fame or something like that. I would have given this EP more stars but only problem: it's too short! I know it's an EP and all but it would be nice if it had 'Dicknail' and 'Burn Black' on it. Oh well. Enjoy the interview, which also features Hole's original bassist Jill Emery and original drummer Caroline Rue.

I think UK shopkeepers should sort themselves out. I couldn't find this EP at all in England and had to order it from here, but at a mere $4, I'm not complaining. True, you can get all but one of these tracks on My Body the Hand Grenade (excellent) but the booklet has an enlightening interview and some great original flyers for early Hole gigs. How did Courtney ever let them use that picture of her on the front though, particularly given her new glam makeover? Retard Girl and Turpentine are my favourites. The lyrics are Hole at their best.

I have this album and i think it is best described as the missing tracks from "Pretty on the Inside". If you love POTI like i do you'll love "The first Session". My favorite song on the 4 track album is "Retard Girl." It's aggression against a schoolyard full of girls with beautiful dresses with the peegirl in the middle. That's what i get out of it anyway. I can relate. The only thing better then this album, "My Body the Hand Grenade." The First Session also includes an interview. A must for real Hole fans.

Yeah, this is a definite must have for any hard-core hole fan but if you don't just really love the band and you already have My Body the Hand Grenade don't bother. I do really love the band and I bought this one-you might enjoy the immense booklet and an insight into the bands early days. My favorite of the tracks is Retard Girl but they all rock. By the way Kurt did NOT write Live Through This...not all of it anyway...

Ok, to start off hole is my favorite band (explains the name), i would recommend this EP to anyone who already has a hole album. The reasoning, because it's the harsh , drunk voice of Courtney Love not the sweet voice displayed in "Miss World". To go through the tracks, Turpintine- the first recording for Hole, the best song on this EP, Retard Girl, a former vinyl, and a very good song for Hole in the early days.Phone Bill Song also a good song, not the best for hole, but is a good song altogether. Johnnies in the Bathroom- the worst "song" on this EP it sonds more like a cheap demo, not a song. Over-all a good EP, not the best from Hole but it's not too shabbie.

"First Session" is a great CD. The price is very cheap for what comes in the CD: four songs (one being unrealeased) and the 18 page booklet that contains an interview with the Hole bandmember, pictures of Hole in publicity shoots and pictures of them performing at concerts in their early career. There are also pictures of the old banners they would put up to advertise their performace in their fledgling career. "Retard Girl" is a great song, and is also featured on Holes "My Body, The Hand Grenade." The song dosn't have much "offensive" language in it. "Phonebill Song" is also a great song, with lots of screaming, and intresting lyrics, same with Turpentine, wich features an entoxicating vocal performance from Courtney Love. All these songs have been featured on "My Body The Hand Grenade" except "Johnnies In The Bathroom" wich is not really a song. Courtney Love reads from her diary, while there are random songs and voices mixed in, as well as voices from a guy (not a band member) and slightly "explict" conversations at the very end, performed with a women, that I do not believe is Courtney Love. Personally, I enjoy this track. Although this CD dosn't seem like Hole's best, it is a MUST for any Hole fans. Suggested.

it's still worth the money, because you get to have a fat booklet, inc. an interview pics and much more and it's something all die hard hole fans should own. all the songs are the punk hole, and theyre all good.
and buy be a man.