Kiss 2014 Vinyl Reissues (Pt5)

I'm almost through the entire set now (save the exclusives)....last night I listened to Crazy Nights. I know it's not a high watermark in terms of songwriting, but the sound is once again fabulous, especially the drum sound. Eric really shines on these reissues. This leaves Psycho Circus and the Millennium concert before I'm finally through the first complete pass.

I also started buying the Mastered for ITunes versions, and I nabbed up Kiss-Alive! for this first round. I know you guys are all about the hi-res downloads but the ITunes ones sound close enough for me at 256 kbps, and they are ridiculously budget-friendly. The sound quality difference and enhanced low end is still very noticeable to these ears. I plan on buying 2-3 every month, but I'll probably limit it to the essentials since I have the records. I plan on getting DP and Killers next, followed by 1979-82 period and then finish with the 1976-78 period, because to me they aren't that drastically different. I was going to wait until physical media was released, but I already have the original lp issues with all inserts, the lp reissues, the 97 remasters, etc. so there's no real benefit to waiting for physical packaging.

 

Nice review!

I agree re: Crazy Nights. It sounds fabulous. It's remarkable "to me" (and in my opinion) that in general, many of the 80's records end up being the pearls for sound. Unmasked, Animalize, Lick It Up, Asylum.....and Crazy....all highlights in this reissue series.

Listening to the reissued Crazy Nights made me appreciate the record and the songs on it more than ever.

I'm wondering if the "rips" that are on the cloud and given at time of purchase through Amazon, get matched on iTunes for these mfitunes that you speak of? I haven't bothered to check.

I've purchased mfitunes for my iPod for other releases (not Kiss) separate from releases I already had....just to listen to when traveling or at the gym. The sound is great for portability, and I don't have to mess with ripping the cd. It's too easy.

Finally, I'm quite interested in your opinion of Millennium. It doesn't seem that a lot of members here picked this one up. I could be wrong? However, I did buy it. Besides Elder, it may be the only one that I regret buying. The cd from the box sounds better. What do you think?

 

Someone mentioned somewhere that the MFIT versions are a bit louder than the Amazon Cloud versions, but otherwise are the same.

I also don't understand why the 80's lp's sound so much better, but I can't complain either. The only one I disliked was Hot in the Shade, but that was because most lp's sound awful when an hour of music is crammed onto them.

I'll post a review of the Millennium Concert once I listen to it, as I still have a backlog of lp's to listen to. I'm saving that one for last!

 

What would be the chances of THE ORIGINALS being reissued? That album has always seemed so elusive to me. I just recently bought a crappy used version off ebay just so that I it in my collection. Would love to have a fresh clean version with all the inserts included.

 

Attended the Chicagoland Record Shown this Sunday in Hillside, IL. A dealer was selling a sealed copy of the Originals for $2,500.00!!!! No thanks! I've found three copies with all inserts minus the sticker for 30 bucks at Half Price Books. One even had the Love Gun inserts in them! Records were VG plus.

PS: for those folks in the Chicago area, Reckless Records has dropped the price on some of the reissues to 22.99, so head over there if you need them!

 

Just arrived. As I said in my previous post, this is an object I've lusted after for most of my teenager life and my entire adult life. I bought the Colombian version of this album brand-new from the store when it was released in my country (1982), but I knew it was far from being like the original one. No foiled cover, no inserts and the gatefold pictures were even replaced by some more recent ones (from the "Elder" era, including Eric Carr replacing Peter Criss). But before the Internet, the only way in which you could think about getting an original one was travelling to the United States or having a good contact there (and both options were out of the question for me).

But 36 years after its original release, I've been able to get it. Honestly, it isn't that much because of the music, since I already own it (although this version sounds so much better, of course). But the original artwork of this double LP has always been an obsession for me. This copy even came with the stuff shown in the last two pictures (in the following post, since no more than 5 pictures are allowed per post), which has nothing to do with the original album. The previous owner must be a true Kiss freak!

 

More pictures:

 

Nice!! Mine arrived a few days ago but I haven't had the chance to spin it. I think your jacket is in a little better shape than mine. The red letters on mine are starting to wear off, and mine didn't come with the inserts, so you have a nice, complete set. This one originally came with plain, white inner sleeves, right? Mine look like the originals, since they're starting to yellow. The main thing I dig about mine is it's a Sterling pressing.

 

Here you can see part of one of the inner sleeves:

 

Wow! I've just found this! I had absolutely no idea!

 

Welcome to the Sterling club, sir. Please, allow me to take your coat. May I escort you to the sitting room, or perhaps the humidor?

 

Well, we are fellow club members then!

 

Awesome! I need to get an original someday. I remember when it first came out and one of the neighbors had it, I thought it was the coolest cover. By the time I was purchasing albums, I could only track down the mid-80s reissue with non-gateful/non-foil cover. A few months after I purchased that, the same store (RIP Harmony House) had an original cover in their racks at regular retail price. I should have just bought it but funds were tight then!

 

I love the iTunes Plus tracks, they sound excellent.

 

Sterling pressing of DP is delicious ear candy!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you

 

Thanks, same to you.

 

Just in case you are a Discogs user and have your collection listed there, I've just added this Sterling-pressed version of "Double Platinum", which didn't exist in the database (until now):

http://www.discogs.com/Kiss-Double-Platinum/release/6348945

 

A big Happy Thanksgiving to all my KISS brothers!

 

Ah.....I will now play Love Gun in your honor.

 

By all means, there's nothing that says "Thanksgiving" quite like Love Gun.

 

Just checked and found my copy is a Sterling press as well! I knew it always sounded good! And since it is out, I just have to put it on!!

 

Picked up Lick It Up (EU) yesterday. Somewhat underwhelmed to be honest. I like the sound, no doubt. Much prefer the eq to the original version but still, I think they could have done a much better job considering the prices they normally go for (I bought 8 or 9 records this weekend as HMV had 40% off vinyl so not much to complain about price-wise). I am just not very impressed with the overall quality of the cut/press. Even after cleaning the record on my Clearaudio RCM the surfaces were still quite noisy with some IGD - the complete opposite to the Iron Maiden reissues for example (all of the Maiden reissues - eq issues aside - blow the KISS reissues out of the water in terms of cut/pressing quality imo) which have flawless surfaces and virtually no IGD. I`m sorry to say that the three reissues I`ve bought so far will probably be the last .

 

On this day today in 1962, I was bought into this world by a Motown loving mother and a country loving dad. Fortunately they allowed & bought me my first record from a mom & pop grocery store in a rural town where I grew up in Florida. For $2.99 "Destroyer" turned me on to Rock N Roll and my love of Kiss forever. I played that record endlessly for days trying to figure out who was singing the songs, who was Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons & Peter Criss. I've bought some of the reissues, I wonder why sometimes since I've heard every tune at least a thousand of more times. I had every album and when cd's came out, bought every one on cd also. I've seen them in concert more than any band on the face of this planet, the last being on tour with Def Leppard, two of my favs. That also, will be the last time I see them live unless I can choose the set-list. Getting back on track, one of the albums I contemplated buying but ultimately decided not to was "Double-Platnium". Same songs, different album and I'd rather put 30 bucks of gas in my car than buy an reissue of songs that I have on their previous records. I did buy some and the one I was most disappointed in was "Resurrected". They mucked up Christmas on that one. I'm happy with my collection of Kiss records. I long ago took down my posters, well one is still in my man-cave and is actually a picture I took, laminated on wood(a concert shot) so it's stays. I'm looking at it now. A great memory of the first time I seen them on their "Destroyer tour", front row Lakeland civic center. They have been a fabric of my life now for 40 years and I'll never be ashamed to say I am a KISS fan! My fav. records by them in order.

1. Destroyer-The First record you ever owned will always be #1. Besides, every song is great..except "Beth". I hated that lame as ballad.

2. Alive-It's a great, great live album with a variety of tunes off their first 3 records.

3. Revenge-Kiss raw and rocking. Plus their best stage show after Destroyer and Alive II.

4. Hotter Than Hell-I love the songs on this one a little better than my next fav.

5. Dressed To Kill-I wish they would have never recorded RNRAN. Way, Way, overplayed but other than that great tunes on this one as well.

6. Monster-I love this one. Freak is classic Kiss, Gene sings his ass off. Would be higher on y list but the Singer & Thayer sung tunes are weak.

7. KISS-Some great, great tunes on this although like RNRAN, If I ever hear "Deuce" in concert again I'll cut my ears off.

Love Gun-My favorite album cover by them by far. Two weak tunes put this below Monster. You guess them.

9. Rock N Roll Over-It was close between Love Gun and this one. Just a bit weaker IMO.

10. Alive II-Awesome gateway album fold out and booklet inside is enough to make this top ten.