My first kiss album was Alive III, at least I'm pretty sure that was my first album. If it wasn't that, it was Smashes, Thrashes & Hits. If my dad had had his way it would have been Alive, but I wasn't into Kiss enough at the time that would have happened. When it came to my son I thought his first Kiss album should be cooler than mine was, but not the same as what my dad had wanted. I also wanted to get him an album I didn't own. I figured why not start with Kiss' self titled debut (which I've reviewed before), then I followed that up with Destroyer, what many consider the quintessential Kiss album.
The album opens with the classic and heavily well known Detroit Rock City. This is one of my favorite Kiss songs, but even so this track still surprised me. I've never heard the original studio recording, it seems, because I had no clue how much of an actual intro this album had, as well as all the extra sound effect over dubs. All the driving noises were a new experience for me years later. Does it add to the song or the album? Not from my point of view. But it doesn't take away from it either. It's still the same great song I have always loved.
I don't know where I know King of the Night Time World from. It might be just that it's just one of those Kiss songs, or it might be from the movie Detroit Rock City. It's not a bad little track, but it's nothing special. Which make it's placement on the first side of the original vinyl perfect, since the next song is also one of my favourites.
God of Thunder is everything I love about Hard Rock. For starters it's hard, I mean for it's time of original release it was almost thunderous. Then there is the fact that it's heavy, it's big and so well produced. I think the production on this song is one of Bob Ezrin's best examples. This song was just so far ahead of it's time. I also love Gene's vocals as well.
I get to Great Expectations and start shaking my head. I think this song would have been much better as an album closer. Instead it finished off the first side of the original release, which also works. However, in the age of the CD it doesn't work so well. Instead it seems more like a silly track in the middle of the album. "You're sittin' in your seat / And then you stand and clutch your breast / Our music drives you wild along with the rest / You watch me singing this song / You see what my mouth can do / And you wish you were the one I was doing it to / And you watch me playin' guitar / And you feel what my fingers can do / And you wish you were the one I was doing it to / Well, listen / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations / You're dying to be seen / And you wave and call my name / But in the day it seems that I'm a million miles away / You watch me beatin' my drum / And you know what my hands can do / And you wish you were the one I was doing it to / Well, listen / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations / Then you feels these eyes from the stage / And you see me staring at you / And you hear between the lines, my voice is calling to you / Well, listen / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations, do you want to play the role / You've got great expectations, you'd even sell me your soul / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations / You've got great expectations, do you want to play the role / You've got great expectations, you'd even sell me your soul / You've got great expectations, as long as you can play the role / You've got great expectations".
All tasteless jokes aside, Flaming Youth isn't that great of a track either. When it follows great Expectations it just seems like middle of the album filler. On it's own, it's pretty much a toss away song, and ends up being better as a tasteless joke. Which is kind of sad since this song was written by everyone in the band except Peter Criss. Even Ezrin is credited on this track.
Leave it to Gene to write a song called Sweet Pain. I'm not sure why this song is so poppy sounding. If they had given it more of a darkened edge it would have been so much more powerful and enjoyable. It's like Simmons is trying to sell S&M to school girls using Bazozoka Joe comics.
Now from this point to the end of the album all the fillers are gone and the rest of the album is clear sailing, as long as you like Kiss.
First up is Shout It Out Loud, which is just a really fun musical party. This is pretty much a party sing along wrapped up in some fills, with a constant driving drum line. All you need to know to enjoy this song is the title. If you know that you can sing along and have a good ol' time.
Beth. What is there to say about Beth. It's considered Rock's first big power ballad. Leave it to Kiss to give us that and Gene Simmon's monster ego. The worst part is we can't even blame Gene for this one, it is was the drummer's fault. That's right it was Peter Criss that gave Bob Ezrin the sap lyrics that ended up becoming a very pretty song.
That is followed by Do You Love Me?, which closes the album. It's the perfect song to follow up Beth, but not the right one to end the album. It's a great Kiss song, but it's not a closing track. It's a strong and solid album filler, but better than just your basic filler track.
I guess it should be mentioned that the album does have a slightly hidden track, and by hidden I mean unlisted. There's a soundscape at the end called Rock and Roll Party, which to me has no added or useful value to the album, but that's okay either way. It's one of those things that are just there.
To me the biggest problem with this album is the song order. Most albums have weak tracks, but it's the placement of the weak tracks in this album that hurt it. Not even that all the weak tracks are weak, they just suffer from bad placement. If the track listing went Detroit Rock City, Flaming Youth, King Of The Night Time World, God Of thunder, Shout It Out Loud, Sweet Pain, Beth, Do You Love Me, and finished with Great Expectations the album may have been better to me than it was.
7/10 - content
7/10 - production
7/10 - personal bias
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