MTV Unplugged: Korn Review

Several years back, I was much more interested in music. I sought out new music, as well as live stuff, imports, and other bootlegs. It was exciting! At some point, though, that interest started to wane. I don't buy much music anymore, and not many new bands attract me.

With that in mind, I have to say that I really like MTV Unplugged: Korn. I'm not much of a Korn fan, though I do enjoy the whole MTV Unplugged series. Korn did some great work here, though, by radically mixing up some of their more popular songs while still keeping that trademark sound.

I think there's something great about each song on the Unplugged disc. The drum opening to Blind immediately makes it clear that this unplugged sound will in no way keep Korn from being Korn. Lyrics aren't screamed so much as haunted. (Can I even use the word "haunted" to describe vocals?) Freak on a Leash with Amy Lee of Evanescense also results in a vocally-different kind of song.

The cover of Radiohead's Creep is fantastic. As a side note, I'm really glad that more and more bands are admitting to their true influences rather than giving the predictable answers of Metallica, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, etc. (That's not to say those aren't influential bands, just that they shouldn't be the only ones to ever get credit.) Similarly, when the guys from The Cure came onstage it was a great opportunity to see just how much influence they had on Korn.

The thing I like best about the MTV Unplugged shows is how songs can be changed up with different instruments. Korn didn't fail my expectation by including some extra strings and different drums. But what was really great is the glass harmonica for Falling Away from Me! I wish some of the little outtakes were included on the CD, though, such as the Stray Cats cover mentioned on MTV News.

Well worth the purchase, whether you're a Korn fan or not!