KISS: The Songs 1974-2012

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by GodShifter, Feb 7, 2017.

  1. The Slug Man

    The Slug Man Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    RAISE YOUR GLASSES

    I guess I'm in the minority, but this is my favorite off Psycho Circus after the title track! Yes, it is like the 5th wannabe anthem out of 6 or 7 tunes so far, but you know, unless they're doing an Elder or COS, a lot of this band's output is anthems or would-be anthems. Yes, the opening riff is a ripoff of The Who (that whole E-B-A thing in the key of E), but just about every band has that progression at some point. Good call, @GodShifter on it sounding a bit Cheap Trick-ish as well (doggone it, I wanted to be the first person to point that out). Good vocals, especially that line "MARK at hit it" and at the very end, the "Come on!" Even though if I were him I would've added a "Come on, people, come on" or something after it.

    In a just world, we would be seeing this song used a lot on TV during the Olympics, etc., etc.

    Just to be contrarian, though: Ever notice how, considering how anti-drug and anti-drink they are, Gene and Paul refer to alcohol? It started with "Cold Gin," but here I don't think the glasses in question here are just filled with milk.
     
  2. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    I'm sure I read about it when it was new, but I had forgotten that the 12" version of "IWMFLY" had been released on CD. It makes me wish I had picked this up back then!
     
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  3. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    CT
    Well you still can!
     
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  4. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    This observation is right on the money. This is the point in time where KISS go overboard with being self-reverential. Given the nature of this project, and the anticipation and expectations for it, it was inevitable to a certain extent. But in trying so consciously to recreate DESTROYER, the album lost any semblance of being "real" or "genuine". It's so calculated, that it's actually borderline uncomfortable to listen to at times. Whether it was planned or by accident, the album actually loses the "plot" on the last two tunes, and is no longer trying to mimic DESTROYER, and what a coincidence, things pick up considerably!
     
  5. GodShifter

    GodShifter Forum Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Dallas, TX, USA
    There’s definitely some “Baba O’Riley” in RYG but @Tree of Life is right in that there’s only so many guitar chord progressions that can be used in rock music. Unless the lift is blatant, which I don’t believe this one is, I usually don’t comment on it. I will say, outside of two songs, PC has been really subpar so far.
     
  6. William Smart

    William Smart 21st Century Schizoid Man

    Location:
    North Haven, CT
    The glasses are filled with IPA! Mine and @npgchris ' are filled with Guinness Stout! Flown into our favourite pub on the wings of wee tiny fairies with wee tiny electric guitars. OK OK its delivered by Big fat guy in a beer truck, by the name of Otto, the guy not the truck. How crazy do you think I am?

    What? You'll fly it in for free? Ty Mr. Kringle!
     
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  7. SizzleVonSizzleton

    SizzleVonSizzleton The Last Yeti

    I find it funny that KISS reunited their original lineup and straight up agreed to pander to the fans. People accepted that pandering with open arms and open wallets and then some strange sense of consternation appears when they release a pandering album. Everybody signed that deal with the devil. Live with it!

    Paul Stanley writes anthems to rock and roll, that's what he's going to be remembered for when people get past the rest of the junk and look at the music. Hell, we think he's aping Destroyer on this album; well look at his songs on there. Detroit Rock City, King of the Nighttime World, Flaming Youth, Shout it Out Loud, Do You Love Me. Anthems one and all. He tried to reinvent the wheel on CoS and wasn't comfortable in that element so without question he's probably going to lean too far in the other direction when he starts writing again for the Starchild character.

    And with Raise Your Glasses, I'll take it. Not a classic and probably not going to get onto too many Paul comps but so what? The Starchild is the Master of Ceremonies so he's going to raise a toast. One album of the Rain was enough, I'm ready for the parade.

    I love the ultimate arrogance of the "When all the others only talked I did it" lyric. "Hey everyone, let's have a toast TO ME!!!"

    Paul should stop writing anthems about the time he stops breathing.
     
  8. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    CT
    Thanks for writing exactly how I feel about PC. You put it into words for me.
     
  9. dave9199

    dave9199 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC
    I think the original lyrics to the chorus of RYG were:

    To write this song we sat around
    And picked our asses, picked our asses
    We asked Gene to help us out
    But he was lovin' his gasses, lovin' his gasses
     
  10. Cooks420

    Cooks420 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    I just listened to Sonic and Monster this past weekend ... from my vantage point, it’s ONLY going to get progressively worse from here on out, save 4 songs tops. Just a complete **** show, trust me.
     
  11. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
    Artistry wins again!


    :D
     
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  12. Cooks420

    Cooks420 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Well, to be fair, 2/5s of *NSync sang better than everyone in KISS when their S/T album dropped in 1997, as I’m assuming that’s the album keeping PC from hitting number one.

    And since we’re on the subject, “No Strings ...” and “Celeb” are extremely strong pop albums in their own rights, respectively. Wonderful production and songwriting.
     
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  13. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
    And danced better, which is most important.
     
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  14. ejluther

    ejluther Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newtown, CT
    And the Lauren Hill album is a stone cold classic, too...
     
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  15. ejluther

    ejluther Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newtown, CT
    I'll take the counterpoint here and say I find Sonic Boom and Monster to be markedly better than PC (certainly more genuinely fun), trust me. :righton:
     
  16. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    I'll say Monster at least is better. Not markedly better, but better
     
  17. Cooks420

    Cooks420 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    The problem I have with these albums is that they’re overproduced to the point that it almost doesn’t sound like KISS anymore.

    It just sounds like another recycled Frontiers band that could’ve recorded a great record, but decided to throw in the towel and write some ******** they thought would sell. Which is a shame because Harem Scarem and The Defiants are so effing talented, but they just wasted their efforts on turds recorded and mixed by a bunch of jokers.
     
  18. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    While I have to admit that I haven't listened to either album recently, I think I've listened to them enough that I can safely disagree with this statement. Overproduced? I don't see that. With both albums, they converged in the studio, hashed out ideas together, and fleshed out the songs as a group. There were no outside songwriters or producers. Just the band. And no laboring over a song until it's been altered into something different from what it started out as. If anything, you could say they're underproduced (though I don't believe they are).

    If I end up feeling differently when we put these under the microscope, I'll cop to it, and admit you're right. But overproduced is not an adjective I would use to describe these records.
     
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  19. Cooks420

    Cooks420 Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Fair enough.

    I would ask you please pay attention to the lead and backing vocals especially. Back on the older albums, voices were distinct. On these albums, it’s like the producer is utilizing the same pitch correction and whatever FX every other rock band is using on their voices to the point where they lose their distinctiveness .

    Please also note the bass drum, which sounds the same as every other modern day bass drum sound as well; they’re probably using the same program everyone else uses. Along with putting the drums up front, another “of the times” production fad.
     
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  20. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    You're 100% correct.

    The way I see it, there are two very different reactions that one can have to PSYCHO CIRCUS, and both are equally feasible and defensible. (Obviously, there are way more than 2 possible reactions, but I'm spotlighting opposing views for the purposes of this example).

    1st Perspective: I really wasn't too thrilled with KISS going in a bit more of a "heavy metal" direction on both REVENGE and CARNIVAL OF SOULS. Pop/rock, fist-pumping anthems are what they do best, and what they're most known and loved for. I welcomed the return to that kind of focus on PSYCHO CIRCUS, and for the most part, the sounds they came up with are what I love, and what I want, from KISS when they make an album.

    2nd Perspective: KISS' songwriting and musicianship had made some interesting advancements on the preceding couple of albums, and their studio work was getting more interesting to me. Going back to a "classic KISS" template on PSYCHO CIRCUS, while understandable given the success of the reunion, creatively felt like a big step backwards. And the album was doubly disappointing because it didn't even represent a genuine reunion in the studio, and the album seemed to consciously mimic one of their best-known 70's albums. This change in direction was disappointing.

    Not surprisingly, I fall into the 2nd camp. But I think either reaction to this album is understandable, and easily supported with certain arguments. Obviously, there are no right or wrong opinions when it comes to the music that moves us (or doesn't). Either of these perspectives are easy to understand, in my opinion.

    While in many ways it would have been awesome to have let the Reunion Tour speak for itself, and for them to have quit while they were ahead, realistically there was no way in hell that was going to happen. There was way too much money sitting there on the table, just waiting for them to pick up. They were going to ride this thing until the horse couldn't go any further. But that doesn't mean that some of us can't regret that their recorded output took a step backward (if in fact we were a fan of the direction they had been heading).

    But you're right, the deal with the devil was made, and there was no changing direction at that point. Given that reality, I don't think it's unreasonable to have wanted KISS to at least have given us as honest of an album as they could have at that point, with the actual guys pictured on the back cover playing on the thing! Forget trying to make Destroyer II, and just make a good reunion album. Having said that, I totally get how and why things went down as they did. It doesn't mean I can't regret it, however!

    But hey, let's "raise our [officially-licensed KISS] glasses", why don't we? :cheers:
     
  21. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    Duly noted. To be honest, I'm not sure if I've ever listened to these albums on the headphones. The majority of the listens that they have gotten from me have been on my car stereo, so I confess I am not aware of the vocals sounding the way you have described.

    The mastering on MONSTER is horrid, with overbearing compression and (to my ears) horrible dynamic range, which has always made that one a tough listen, despite my love for most of the songs. But I'll pay more attention to what you are talking about. :righton:
     
  22. William Smart

    William Smart 21st Century Schizoid Man

    Location:
    North Haven, CT
    I love Stand! Sly is definitely groovy. My favorites are It's A Family Affair & If You Want Me To Stay, but anything by the Family Stone Rocks! :D
     
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  23. npgchris

    npgchris Forum Resident

    Fresh is my favorite album of theirs! :righton:
     
  24. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Raise Your Glasses

    I really like these Paul Power Pop songs. Gits tuned down 1/2 step.

    Starts off with a neat little drum cadence then goes right into Who territory with E-B-A out of the Baba O'Reilly book but with a little boogie bend at the tail. The verse kicks in with a key change to D at :21 with a cool Sabbath type riff that has the bass going up chromatically A-Bb-B-C and then it reverses back down. At :33 the pattern repeats but this time in arpeggio fashion with some mean bluesy bends along the way. Paul is in great voice. Listen for that great legato lift at :46 at "now". The guitars then slide down. Awesome. The pre chorus kicks in at :48 and drops in fourths until at :57 the rise out gets us to the chorus at 1:03. Listen for Paul's aaaahhhs in the first two bars.....fantastic power pop harmonies. The chorus chords are modeled after the intro chords with some variation.

    The verse returns and the pre chorus and chorus follow. At 2:16 a bridge enters based on C Major....another key change... and rises in fifths. Staccato chords along the way. The bridge turns around at 2:28. The guitar break based on the intro chords follows and Ace's guitar solo is a favorite of mine. Listen for some wicked Johnny Thunder's influenced bent double notes with open string E at 2:33-2:45...killer tone and double tracked to boot. Then some Angus like pulloffs and then at 2:57 the pre chorus returns but this time enters softer in Raspberries fashion with Paul's lines in canon style. The chorus returns at 3:22 and sounds great after the variety that preceded it. Paul adds some overlapping lines and sounds awesome. The song fades.

    What can I say....I am a sucker for PS Power Pop tunes. This reminds me of his solo stuff. A great song IMO but I am in the minority.
     
  25. William Smart

    William Smart 21st Century Schizoid Man

    Location:
    North Haven, CT
    RYG : understand I don't care if a song panders I could care less if KISS sounds like AIC or Sinatra (I love them both BTW) all that matters is does the song move me. Does it connect! RYG sounds like a bad Budweiser commercial with all the guys at the pub watching Football (Soccer) the team scores and " Raise your glasses! Raise your glasses"! If we wait for team KISS to score we're going home sober as the Pope!

    When I put PC in the player my wife immediately said "why'd you play that you hate it"? I don't hate PC it's just not a go to CD for me. If it's playing in the background I don't freak. The problem is I crank everything to just below distortion.
    An enigma wrapped in a quandary stewed in a cunundrum. For sure that's one hell of a burrito!
     

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