KISS Discography - My Life As a Kiss Fan

[TAC]

So I'm up to All For The Glory and it's really the only song off of SB that I didn't think sucked. I actually like it. Is that Eric singing?

[dtvoices94]

So I'm up to All For The Glory and it's really the only song off of SB that I didn't think sucked. I actually like it. Is that Eric singing?

Yep, that's Eric singing

[BlobVanDam]

So I'm up to All For The Glory and it's really the only song off of SB that I didn't think sucked. I actually like it. Is that Eric singing?

Yep. I love his voice. The funniest bit is in the bridge section when Eric and Paul are doing a harmony, and Paul slowly takes over the mix.
And wtf? Nothing on SB sucks, except Say Yeah.

[Lowdz]

I found all the Eric/Tommy songs on SB and M sucked.

[dtvoices94]

I found all the Eric/Tommy songs on SB and M sucked.

I have a soft spot for Outta This World (must be the Rocket Ride vibe in the lyrics combined with the outro.  The other Eric/Tommy songs are terrible.

[Stadler]

I found all the Eric/Tommy songs on SB and M sucked.

I have a soft spot for Outta This World (must be the Rocket Ride vibe in the lyrics combined with the outro.  The other Eric/Tommy songs are terrible.

Totally respecting everyone's right to like (or not) what they like, but I personally think "terrible" is a little strong.   Certainly they are stronger than "I Just Found My Way" (back to you, babe!).   Or "Hooligan" (won't go to school, again!). 

[King Postwhore]

Oh whoa no Stadler.

I kid.  I'm with you.  they are just average.

[bl5150]

whoa no

This is a KISS thread -  "Whoa yeah!" is the way to go 

[King Postwhore]

Well all right.......

[TAC]

So I'm up to All For The Glory and it's really the only song off of SB that I didn't think sucked. I actually like it. Is that Eric singing?

Yep. I love his voice. The funniest bit is in the bridge section when Eric and Paul are doing a harmony, and Paul slowly takes over the mix.
And wtf? Nothing on SB sucks, except Say Yeah.

What? Say Yeah is the only song I really like on SB!


So SB was better, though not great, on the second listen. But I still don't feel it's in Monster's class. I LOVE All For The Glory. I do like Say Yeah a lot, and Yes I Know also stood out a bit.

[dtvoices94]

I found all the Eric/Tommy songs on SB and M sucked.

I have a soft spot for Outta This World (must be the Rocket Ride vibe in the lyrics combined with the outro.  The other Eric/Tommy songs are terrible.

Totally respecting everyone's right to like (or not) what they like, but I personally think "terrible" is a little strong.   Certainly they are stronger than "I Just Found My Way" (back to you, babe!).   Or "Hooligan" (won't go to school, again!).

I finally found my way may be the worst song in the KISS Catalog (and that's saying something).  Hooligan gets a pass because of Ace's killer solo (see Houston '77 for additional proof).
It's weird because as much as I loathe When Lightning Strikes, I'm in the opposite direction for Outta This World.  Eric's songs to me seem forced and contrived (and I'm a huge ES fan going back to the Badlands days).

[TAC]

I'm the opposite. I feel like the Tommy songs are forced and contrived. I do like Outta This World. Total Ace vibe.

[dtvoices94]

I'm the opposite. I feel like the Tommy songs are forced and contrived. I do like Outta This World. Total Ace vibe.

Just curious...what are your standout Monster tracks?  For some reason, that album doesn't sit well with me.  I love Shout Mercy, and Long Way Down is one of the more musically ambitious tracks in the catalog but the rest of it is just missing something for me.  For example, I think Wall Of Sound could be an all time Gene classic but it's just underdeveloped.  The band boasted about Back To the Stone Age but to me it's throwaway filler, same for The Devil Is Me (sounds like a spruced up Family jewels theme song).  Eat Your Heart Out is just a weak song, same for the token Eric song All For The Love of R&R (dig the Stones vibe but it just doesn't work for me).  The production is so harsh that I find it tedious to listen to.  To me it's just there...a 6 or 6.5 out of 10 at best.

[TAC]

I'm the opposite. I feel like the Tommy songs are forced and contrived. I do like Outta This World. Total Ace vibe.

Just curious...what are your standout Monster tracks?  For some reason, that album doesn't sit well with me.  I love Shout Mercy, and Long Way Down is one of the more musically ambitious tracks in the catalog but the rest of it is just missing something for me.  For example, I think Wall Of Sound could be an all time Gene classic but it's just underdeveloped.  The band boasted about Back To the Stone Age but to me it's throwaway filler, same for The Devil Is Me (sounds like a spruced up Family jewels theme song).  Eat Your Heart Out is just a weak song, same for the token Eric song All For The Love of R&R (dig the Stones vibe but it just doesn't work for me).  The production is so harsh that I find it tedious to listen to.  To me it's just there...a 6 or 6.5 out of 10 at best.

Even though I am an Old School Kiss fan, I am literally hearing both albums for the first time in the past week or so. I literally had no interest in either TBH. After keeping up with this thread, it put me in a Kiss mode. I figured I'd check the albums on Spotify and listened to Monster. I found it much stronger than I expected. I immediately bought both, SB blindly.
So to answer your question..

I love H or H. It reminds me of the great 80's Paul openers like I've Had Enough, King Of The Mountain, etc.. I actually think it's the strongest song from both albums.
I also like Freak a lot. And I like the Tommy/Eric songs.

I'm with you on The Devil Is Me, and there is something missing in Wall Of Sound. You mention Eat Your Heart Out as weak. It's funny you say that because whenever someone does a KISS album ranking, there's usually one album where you go..WTF?? For me, that album is Asylum. And EYHO has an Asylum feel. My guess is that you rate that album pretty low, as do most.. But I like it a lot.

I feel like Monster loses a little steam at the end.

SB has some brutally awful songs, like Russian Roulette, and Hot And Cold. I'm not saying Monster is a great KISS album. I'm just saying it's better than I expected and I like it better than SB. I'm still taking 15-20 albums before Monster, trust me.

[dtvoices94]

I like Asylum more than most but truthfully, I like Gene's songs (esp Any Way You Slice It and Trial By Fire...Secretly Cruel too) more than Paul's which for me is an anomaly on the non-makeup albums.  I got it for Christmas in 1985 and right out of the gate I didn't care for King Of The Mountain, I'm Alive, or Uh! All Night.  Who Wants To Be Lonely and Tears are Falling are killer and probably lift the album higher than it S/B.
Whoah...I love Russian Roulette but totally agree about Hot & Cold.  My expectations were low for SB and were exceeded, but higher for Monster and I was let down.  Both are still lower-tier KISS albums for me. 
I'm in the process of ranking Stadler's list after a catalog listen through.  I won't be as detailed as I can talk about KISS ad nauseam...I'll just list them in order.

[Stadler]

whoa no

This is a KISS thread -  "Whoa yeah!" is the way to go 

NERD ALERT:   "Whoa no" counts though; a call-and-response of that is in the pre-chorus of "Got Love For Sale".

[King Postwhore]

Bingo!

[TAC]

I like Asylum more than most but truthfully, I like Gene's songs (esp Any Way You Slice It and Trial By Fire...Secretly Cruel too) more than Paul's which for me is an anomaly on the non-makeup albums.  I got it for Christmas in 1985 and right out of the gate I didn't care for King Of The Mountain, I'm Alive, or Uh! All Night.  Who Wants To Be Lonely and Tears are Falling are killer and probably lift the album higher than it S/B.
Whoah...I love Russian Roulette but totally agree about Hot & Cold.  My expectations were low for SB and were exceeded, but higher for Monster and I was let down.  Both are still lower-tier KISS albums for me. 
I'm in the process of ranking Stadler's list after a catalog listen through.  I won't be as detailed as I can talk about KISS ad nauseam...I'll just list them in order.

Nice on the Asylum love. I agree with you about Gene's songs. I am not a Gene guy, but Asylum, to me, is the best "Gene Songs" album of the 80's.
Though I do skip Radar For Love every time and Tears Are Falling half the time. I love King Of The Mountain though. Love how they started the album with a drum solo!

[BlobVanDam]

SB has some brutally awful songs, like Russian Roulette, and Hot And Cold.

They're two of the best, you nitwit!

[TAC]

Do the songs come mislabeled in Australia?? 

[BlobVanDam]

I think your opinions are mislabeled.

[TAC]

I think your opinions are mislabeled.

Woah no..

(wouldn't be the first time  )

[King Postwhore]

Don't worry Blob,  an American agrees with you.   

[cfmoran13]

Even though I like Monster better than SB, I have to say it has one of their most cringe-worthy songs in "Take Me Down Below".  IMO, that song and "Read My Body" are probably the 2 worst songs they've put out since the 80's.

NERD ALERT:   "Whoa no" counts though; a call-and-response of that is in the pre-chorus of "Got Love For Sale".

NICE!!!

[TAC]

I don't disagree about Take Me Down Below. And as a general statement, a lot of KISS' sexual lyrics were cringe worthy in the 80's when the band was still relatively young. Now, they're just gross!

[Stadler]

I don't disagree about Take Me Down Below. And as a general statement, a lot of KISS' sexual lyrics were cringe worthy in the 80's when the band was still relatively young. Now, they're just gross!

That's just it; you can't void Kiss for cringe-worthy, that's half the catalogue.   But very rarely did they veer into gross (even Christine Sixteen isn't really "gross") but "Take Me Down Below" I think crosses the line.

I stand by my list; SB is better than Monster, but neither outright suck.

"Nitwit" is a great word. 

[TAC]

I must have my ears on backwards. 

[King Postwhore]

I must have my ears on backwards. 

Or you're talking out of......

[TAC]

I must have my ears on backwards. 

Or you're talking out of......

Shit, I on a good night, I can do half the alphabet!

[King Postwhore]

 

I can sing God Of Thunder.

Hey wait a.....

[bl5150]

And you guys reckon KISS' lyrics are gross 

[King Postwhore]

 

Tim said that. Lol

[TAC]

 
 

[Lowdz]

Even though I like Monster better than SB, I have to say it has one of their most cringe-worthy songs in "Take Me Down Below".  IMO, that song and "Read My Body" are probably the 2 worst songs they've put out since the 80's.

NERD ALERT:   "Whoa no" counts though; a call-and-response of that is in the pre-chorus of "Got Love For Sale".

NICE!!!

I had HitS on in the car the other day and was prepared to give RMB a chance - only when it came to it I hadn't even bothered ripping it! 

[TAC]

I listened to HiTS the other day. I have to say that it is a Bottom 5 album for me. Maybe Bottom 3. I forgot how much it sucked.

Always have loved You Love Me To Hate You though. It was such an awesome tour too. When they seemed to really embrace the older stuff again.