Nerd Mentality

Review: KoRn Unplugged

Posted March 5th 2007 by Curtis Brunet.

Can this 90's Nu metal sensation make the acoustic transition to MTV Unplugged?

Growing up Canadian, I did not have the luxury of watching MTV, you know, back when they actually had music on their station? MTV Unplugged than, was nothing more then a pipe dream and I unfortunately missed some great performances, such as Paul McCartney in 91, Eric Clapton in 93, Nirvana in 93, and even Kiss in 95. My first real association with the series came in 1994 with the release of Nirvana's Unplugged in New York. My brother, large into the grunge scene, and more specifically with Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, introduced me to the album and I fell in love immediately. I was hooked, and this acoustic style still invigorates me to this day.

So when I heard that Korn would be appearing on the series, I was pleasantly surprised and a little shocked. Though the Nirvana's, the Pearl Jam's, the Clapton's, and the Kiss's all have that sound that can be represented easily in an acoustic setting, Korn doesn't necessarily equate to an acoustic set. However, on December of 2006, Korn shocked and rocked the world by recording their first ever full acoustic set (it should be noted that Korn also recorded acoustically on the AOL Sessions a few months earlier).

But how does their Nü Metal sound translate to the acoustic stage? Does it work, or does it fall apart?

Well, besides for a few shortcomings, the set is very well done and most songs make a great transition from the heavy metal distortion to the melodic acoustic sound.

The album, unfortunately, starts off in the poorest of ways, with a rendition of the classic and epitomical Korn song Blind. This is the song that should finish every set when they play live, and is the song that gets a crowd going like none before. It is Korn's best song they have ever created. Unfortunately, it's transition to an acoustic sound makes it sound more like a Richard Cheese song then a great Korn tune. The sound is cheesy and poppy and way too out there to make anyone be interested in the album. I can see many people simply being turned off by this first song and never giving the rest of the album a listen.

And that would be a terrible mistake, as the rest of the album really shines, and really shows off what Korn is capable of as musicians and artists, that they are not one note, one sound band.

The album follows the atrocious Blind with a title off of their 6th studio album, Hollow Life, where Davis is then able to flex his newly acquired lyrical capabilities, as he sings softly and roars loudly through each verse and chorus. The song is helped along by some great piano work and bongo/drumming by the backup band.

Collaboration is a staple of the Unplugged series, and Korn Unplugged is no different. Freak On A Leash, perhaps the bands most popular song is helped along greatly by getting the acoustic treatment, and the soft serene vocals of Amy Lee from Evanescence accentuate an average song into the best song on the album. A great way to begin the meat of the album, as this core center is where it really begins to shine.

This is followed up by a great rendition of Falling Away From Me using xylophones, and a cover of the Radiohead's hit "Creep", as Davis tells the crowd: "This song gave me a lot of strength every time I heard it and I want to dedicate it to all the kids and adults out there who've ever been picked on or made to feel inadequate. This song is for you." Love Song, off their last studio album is the next song and fits well following the slower and more emotional Creep.

Davis then "goes to the well" with some easy picks in previous hits in Got The Life, Twisted Transistor, and Coming Undone, before asking for another couple of people to join them on stage: "This band totally got me through high school, this band was the soundtrack of my life then, and still is now." The Cure joins Korn onstage for a rendition of Make Me Bad and The Cure's In Between Days. Though Robert Smith adds some great effects to Korn's passable song Make Me Bad, it is unfortunately unable to meld properly with In Between Days, which is unfortunate, as when the band progresses into In Between Days, it creates a welcome and very pleasing change, you just don't want them to go back to Make Me Bad.

The album then is finished up with a great rendition of Throw Me Away from Korn's last studio album. Japanese Taiko drums add something to the song that only certain artists can pull off. The end song comes too soon however, on a disc that begged to keep going. 11 tracks is simply too short for an album that was a great listen. The only other downfall to the album is the lack of anything off of Life is Peachy, as I believe Kill You or Follow the Leader's My Gift to You would have been a fantastic musical piece that would have added some finality to the set.

I won't deny it: Korn was my favourite artist during my high school years, and I do hold a special place for them in my heart. I still keep track of the band, even though I've moved on perhaps, into a more soft rock mode, with the likes of Anberlin, The Hold Steadies, Minus the Bear, and so on. But perhaps it is this that has drawn me to this album, as it bridges what I enjoyed growing up, to what I am currently listening to on a steady basis. The album is a great mix of old sound and new sound, and really shows off Korn's ability to grow as artists. This is a great album, and a great live set if you find it on DVD.

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