Courtney Love — America’s Sweetheart

As the first single "Mono" sets out to prove, Courtney Love is out to gather new fans into her fold and remind old fans that she’s more than just an Entertainment Tonight expose.

Following Hole’s break-up after the release of their final work, Celebrity Skin, and Love’s participation in a riot grrrl supergroup that never got off the ground, many wondered if Love would ever bother with music again. But she’s back and this time, she’s not hiding behind a band name.

Love’s ironically titled America’s Sweetheart overflows with personality. While I don’t understand her need to work with Linda Perry, it’s a sign that Love is aiming for the same commercial success as Perry’s other collaborators, Pink and Christina Aguilera. Flirting with The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas on "But Julian, I’m A Little Older Than You" may seem like a bit of a cheap grab at hipness, but it’s really a charming little song.

Not as angry as Live Through This, there’s still plenty of Love’s signature sass and ire on songs like "All The Drugs" and "Never Gonna Be The Same." At 40, Love can show all the young pop girls a thing or two about rock ‘n’ roll.

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