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I'm currently working on the new Eric Jerardi Band release to be included in a complete discography review including all 4 studio albums, 3 live compilations and his 2 dvd's. More to come soon!
Album reviews: 2 featured discs.
KISS – 20th Century Millenium Collection - Best of vol 2 (2004)
I’ve wanted to cover this compilation a number of years ago but never really got around to it. Though it’s simply the label trying to turn the same old product around and make a few bucks off it, I still don’t mind these much. If it ends up in some kids’ player or iPod even, then the game’s won!
This is a really good primer of the 1980’s era of the band. Now, one of the only easy ways to the get the 1985 reissued remix of “Creatures of the Night”, since the 1997 remastered versions have come out and the correct track listings and mixes have been restored.
Though there are only a few pictures of this era featured on this compilation, the most notable ones are there. The last lineup in makeup with Eric and Vinnie during ‘Creatures’ are featured inside the cover with the end of the era with Eric and Bruce during ‘Hot In The Shade’ on the other flap. There’s a nice group shot from the ill-fated ‘Animalize’ lineup feat. Mark St. John on there but both the front and back cover shot features the band from the ‘Crazy Nights’ era and the back shot right from the “Reason To Live” video. Actually, the video in Feb. 1988 that got me into KISS!! So this is a testament of why a band should try to keep coming on. For every album you release, you will pick up new fans that will continue to buy your product and support you till the end. Though the ‘Lick It Up’ and ‘Asylum’ era photos are missing, the main point was to show pics of each lineup, regardless how many albums that grouping covered.
However, due to the fact the 90’s and esp. the reunion of Peter and Ace didn’t produce much new material, I think the addition of other sans makeup era material would have fit nicely on this disc. Including 2 of the new tracks from ‘Smashes, Thrashes & Hits’, and then the studios discs of ‘Revenge’ and ‘Carnival of Souls’ feat. Eric Singer on drums recruited after the death of Eric Carr. I actually made up such a disc for myself.
The album features 2 tracks from each 80’s album in order. So the 2 ‘Smashes’ and first 2 singles from ‘Revenge’ and the promo album cuts from ‘Carnival’ would have fit in quite nicely if this were to be a more of a distinctive era covering disc. Mainly, no makeup and the constant changing of lineups after Ace and Peter.
A previous compilation released on this label, ‘Gold’ covers the beginning to the ‘Killers’ import only compilation, though many fans count this as an official release. So ‘Gold II” would cover the rest of the band’s history nicely. This would be a great add to any jukebox that still plays discs!
KISS - SONIC BOOM (2009)
Disc 1 - new studio album
The best songs on this album are mostly Paul’s. What a shocker! But here it goes: “Modern Day Delilah”,” Russian Roulette”, “Never Enough”, “Danger Us”, “I’m An Animal”, and “Say Yeah”.
The last 2 songs mentioned are ok but not great. But they add a nice bit of flavor to this modern day “Hot In The Shade”-esque album. That album was produced by Gene and Paul in 1989. It had way too much of a demo feel to it. They really needed a producer to kick it up a bit. The only albums that were ever self-produced that really held any weight were 1984’s ‘Animalize’ and 1985’s ‘Asylum’.
This album really doesn’t hold any water to those fine platters at all. And for example, the Eric Singer lead vocal track “All For The Glory” really doesn’t advance him any farther into the KISS realm of notice. He’s really more like a Ringo Starr type of contribution here. Tommy Thayer’s track “When Lightning Strikes” tries to bring the image of an Ace track but falls flat on it’s face. Thayer had co-written a lot of the tracks on "Hot In The Shade" as well. Might shed some light onto the lackluster songs on this disc. Nothing memorable here in the slightest. It’s obvious that the co-written track by Paul keeps him firmly in place as a hired gun that only that has a role to fill. And since these tracks aren’t even written by them, they really suffer well below the mediocre labeling.
However, disc 2 of this set has some promise. Though they are all covers of their classic songs, they don’t just cover the 70’s stuff, they do some good remakes of their 80’s classics too. Though nothing from their 90’s platters of “Revenge” nor “Carnival of Souls” are here. Though it would have been interesting to listen to a remake of at least “Unholy” or “Domino”.
Disc 2 – KLASSICS
Featured here are remakes of many classic tunes.
1. The perfect opener of course is “Deuce” – though it ends just a bit too soon.
2. “Detroit Rock City” has some better drum work by Eric on it and a nice modernization of a racing car sound effect! An excellent version for modern and/or classic rock radio stations to add to their rotation.
3. “Hotter Than Hell” sounds just as fresh as if it had been written yesterday. Not to mention the gong hit near the end of the song rings out 10x’s better than the original!
4. “Love Gun”, how can they ever go wrong with this rocker?!? Only KISS could ever get away with not only the song but also as an album title as well! Paul sounds tired here but the group harmonies are done quite well.
5. “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” sounds more like a heavy riffed tune as opposed to its original disco version. But it still shows good song writing. Paul’s voice sounds very good here but you can tell he can’t quite hit the notes he used to.
6. “Heaven’s On Fire” has always had that opening vocal that instantly demands recognition by Paul! But some of Gene’s bass slide is missing through out.
7. “Lick It Up” is a complete cover through and through. Never really was a great song per se, but at the time when they unmasked, it did get the attention of a new generational fan base. The live version you hear on ‘Alive III’ has some extra licks written into it and gives it a little more live to enjoy. Unfortunately, it’s lost here.
8. “I Love It Loud” can never be remade! Without Eric Carr, it’s lost. It’s like redoing any Led Zep tracks without Bonham! But it’s still a decent remake. If you haven’t heard the original on the ‘Creatures of the Night’ album, you really can’t appreciate what I’m talking about!
9. “Forever”, an excellent remake! Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr really made this shine in ’89. They would both be proud of this one. The keys are a bit more prevalent than the original but doesn’t really overpower it in any way.
10. Back to the 70’s with “Christine Sixteen” from the infamous ‘Love Gun’ album. Very good version.
11. “Do You Love Me” has always been one of their best album cuts ever and a great album closer! Again this is a great remake in it’s own right.
12. “Black Diamond” features Singer on vocals and it’s not too bad at all. The missing element is the 3 stick hits right before Paul yells, “Hit it!”. Sadly, the ending is a faster slowdown of a record ending and cuts off pretty quick.
13. “Rock And Roll All Nite” the rock n roll national anthem as it’s often referred to is what it is. And of course it’s like the original studio version, no guitar solo! Makes you wanna put the more popular version of ‘Alive!’ on instead.
Disc 3 – DVD – LIVE IN BEUNOS ARIES which features 6 songs performed in the capital of Argentina is a shameful document of a band that’s way past it’s prime and resurgence. The fans more or less dictated the whole show. They are tired of the retread of the original line up scam of new guys in original makeup and though Eric Singer was an official member of KISS, that only partially is accepted.
The 6 tracks featured here must be the highlights of the concert that took place on April 5th, 2009. And if these are truly the highlights of the show, the rest must have been pretty shoddy! The songs are “Deuce”, “Hotter Than Hell” which feature Gene’s fire-breathing act; “C’Mon And Love Me”; “Watchin’ You”; “100,000 Years” and the closer, their trademark anthem, “Rock And Roll All Nite”.
Not to mention Tommy tries to do the Ace copy and does a bad mimic of him. It’s time for KISS to perhaps get Ace and Peter back for one more album and tour, call it a day and then get Eric and Bruce for one or 2 more albums to make nice bookends and call it done. KISS are not the Stones and need to respect their fans and the legacy they’ve created and go home. Release all the solo albums they want and have Gene and Paul do projects together, but it’s time to put it up in respect to us as well as to themselves.
