Heart of Gold

Courtney Love's new record is called America's Sweetheart. Take that. It's a name that has been used facetiously by the press to describe her. By wearing it as a badge of pride, she seeks to assume the name and at the same time spit it back--the modern way of sapping all the power from a hurtful phrase.

This is just the type of aggressive solipsism we've come to expect from her.

It seems a little late for this sort of irony, however. The title is meant to provoke a reaction--the MO of Love's career--a little controversy, some notice. Unlikely, since we've heard this kind of cry for attention from her time and again. In the event of a stir, however, it will be a reflexive one. Because the only real response to this title is to cringe.

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