The Return of Courtney Love....

I saw a good documentary on More4 the other night on the forthcoming return of my rock and roll idol Courtney Love (pictured left). Seems she has just been recording a new album. I look forward to it's release. Considering all her troubles the last few years she's done well getting it together so soon, especially as 'America's Sweetheart' took so long, six years in total after 'Celebrity Skin', her last effort with 'Hole'. Despite it's bad press I didn't mind America's Sweetheart, there were a few decent tracks on it. However it could have been better. It was true to say it didn't meet up to the standards of her earlier 'Hole' material. Perhaps it was, as they say, her problems which didn't help it. And they did, to be sure, overshine any impact her long awaited album would have had.

If the samples played were anything to go by it looks as if this new effort will be worthwhile. The songs have a far more acoustic feel to them than her previous works, a touch of Bob Dylan even. There seems to be more emphasis on the guitar and vocals and less on noise, as was the case with the heavy metal sounding America's Sweetheart. Courtney looked much healthier since she's managed to clean up. Let's hope she stays on track, as much for the sake of her daughter Frances as for her own.

Her lyrics have always had a special appeal for me. While they are obviously personal some of them could have been written for me and probably any other woman. As is the case with my other divas PJ Harvey and Kate Bush Courtney writes from a uniquely female standpoint.

Rock on, Courtney!