Korn - "MTV Unplugged" (Virgin, 2007)

Have you ever wanted to hear Korn's music distilled to a bare-bones level of acoustic guitars and bongo drums, accompanied on occasion by the wail of a musical saw? If so, this album is for you, though I suspect it serves more as a curiosity for those who already are fans of Jonathan Davis's music than as much of an introduction to new fans. Though some songs work well in this format -- particularly the raw and evocative duet between Davis and Evanescence's Amy Lee on "Freak on a Leash," and on Davis’s solid cover of Radiohead's "Creep" -- the music loses the raw harsh quality of much of Korn's studio recordings, which eliminates much of what made the band into the successful act it has been for more than a decade. If you're a longtime fan of Korn's music, by all means check this album out, it's worth a purchase. But if you've yet to be exposed to their music, you're better off purchasing the studio albums first. You'll gain more from the experience.

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