Critic's Review
Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Bittersweet is among the bootlegs that resulted from Hole's 1998 and 1999 performances in support of its third studio album, Celebrity Skin -- a release that inspired some very hot debates. Some listeners disliked Hole's high-gloss power pop/pop-metal makeover and denounced Celebrity Skin as a shameless sellout, while others applauded the makeover and exalted the album as a compelling, hook-filled commentary on the darker side of life in Hollywood. While Celebrity Skin was more commercial musically, Hole's lyrics still had a lot of bite and substance. How much one appreciates Celebrity Skin will have a lot to do with how much one appreciates Bittersweet, for this CD finds Hole performing a lot of material from that album. Recorded live at the Big Day Out Festival in Sydney, Australia on January 24, 1999, Bittersweet contains a healthy blend of power pop and pop-metal gems from Celebrity Skin (including "Malibu," "Awful," "Heaven Tonight," "Northern Star," "Boys on the Radio," and the title song) and grunge favorites such as "Violet," "Miss World," "Doll Parts" (which is incorrectly listed as "Doll Pawns"), and "Pretty on the Inside." One of the set's biggest surprises comes when Hole tackles Guns N' Roses' "Paradise City." Hearing the power pop/pop-metal and grunge items side by side, one is reminded just how different the Hole of 1998-99 was from the Hole of the early to mid-1990s -- quite different, but equally valid. Offering excellent sound quality and attractive artwork, Bittersweet is strongly recommended to anyone who appreciated Hole's power pop makeover.
