Music Reviews

Kiss – MTV Unplugged – 1996 Kiss lay fallow for a while after Alive III. When they decided it was time to reunite with the original members they appeared on MTV’s Unplugged, a show I loved and truly miss. Unplugged was a show that seemed to really celebrate music. Sure, Continue Reading

Kiss – Alive III – 1993 Oh, Kiss. You masters of irony. The first two “Alive” records served an interesting purpose. Especially the first one. Alive was the album that pushed the band out into the mainstream consciousness. (This is the last time I will mention the augmentation on any Continue Reading

Kiss – Revenge – 1992 The drummer died. On the same day as Freddie Mercury. You think anyone noticed? Was there an internationally televised concert for Eric Carr? The one-time foxman? No. But I’ve always remember that day because a LOT of people on Prodigy made sure that Queen fans Continue Reading

Kiss – Hot in the Shade – 1989 In the 70s Kiss put out an album a year, sometimes 2, and each one ran about 30 minutes. Cut to the CD era, where the silver pieces of plastic that saved the record industry could hold over 70 minutes of songs. Continue Reading

Kiss – Crazy Nights – 1987 Taking two years off from releasing a studio album for the first time in their 13 year career, (probably due to Gene’s burgeoning film career), Kiss returns with a new album built for the 80s excess. Filled with pandering Pop Metal, crappy cover art Continue Reading

Kiss – Asylum – 1985 It’s been a long time coming. The only year that Kiss didn’t put out an “official” album (or two) was 1978 and that was the year of the FOUR solo records.That’s a lot of music. some of it fun, a lot of it great, much Continue Reading

Kiss – Animalize – 1984 So, there seems to be a pattern with Kiss. They do their own thing, gain popularity, establish market share, sell records, go back in the studio and come out with a watered down version of their successful sound, alienating core fans and drilling their own Continue Reading

Now, them’s some handsome rockers, yes? Hello? Anyone? Kiss – Lick It Up – 1983 So, realizing that the gimmick had come to an end (it had) and that it was time to let the music speak for itself as it had on Creatures of the Night (it did), Kiss Continue Reading

19 studio albums. 4 “Alive” albums. 1 Unplugged album. 4 Solos. 28 freaking albums in this band’s catalog. I’ve done 16 of them. Sometimes I even impress myself. Kiss – Creatures of the Night – 1982 (Incidentally, this is the 10th Studio album by Kiss and there are 9 more Continue Reading

Kiss – Music from “The Elder” – 1981 Kiss imagined a future for this concept. But, like their tv movie or the solo albums, this idea would fall flat on its face. One gimmick, I think, is sufficient. Kabuki paint. That should have been enough, right? Glam rockers dress in Continue Reading