Forget all the mainstream hits and albums because Korn created an album that is legendary: Korn Unplugged.
Although Jonathan Davis considers Nirvana Unplugged as legendary, Korn tops Nirvana because they use a lot more interesting instruments that don’t need a socket to sound sensational.
Korn combined all their hit songs, their idols’ songs, and a variety of sounds to create a memorable album.
Acoustic guitar, percussion, and an upright bass are some of the instruments that rock throughout the album. However, the cello, keys, musical saw, glass armonica, cimbasso, trombone, and tiako drums really add to the album’s uniqueness.
While the musical saw and glass armonica creates a sort of eeriness, the cello and keys bring sounds together, and the Japanese tiako drums add depth to their music.
Blind, Hollow Life, Falling Away From Me, Love Song, Got The Life, Twisted Transistor, Coming Undone, and Throw Me Away are all Korn’s hits used on this album, but they rise above their original sounds to a new depth. Besides the lyrics, they all sound like a different song.
The traditional acoustics are present throughout the album as well as Jonathan Davis’ harsh sounding voice accompanied by his beautiful smooth voice and falsetto, rarely heard by Korn fans.
Another famous hit on the album is Freak On A Leash, sung by both Jonathan Davis and Amy Lee of Evanescence, which had debut on the radio first to attract fans to their new album. It worked! Although Jonathan Davis took a risk, he did not disappoint me nor did Amy Lee. Amy Lee was just as passionate singing this song as she is singing her own.
The band also took a risk singing Radiohead’s Creep unplugged. Jonathan once again uses his hidden voice to make this song one of the album’s best. Have you ever heard Jonathan go high-pitched? Then listen to the song.
The last song does not disappoint me either. The beginning lends itself to the tiako drums, which adds depth to the drama.
Although I love every song on this album, “Make Me Bad/In Between Days” is another song sung by Jonathan and The Cure’s Robert Smith that truly makes the album that much more memorable.
I never heard two distinct voices that are the complete opposite mesh perfectly to create music so beautiful.
It is hard to convey the extent of legendary this album is, but once it is heard then you will understand.