New KISS album on Youtube...

[MIB41]

Here are two full length songs from the new album with the remaining ones located to the right of the screen. The whole album is leaked, but at $13.00 for a two disc set and a DVD concert, it's hard to pass up. Not a bad studio performance.

YouTube - Kiss Yes I Know Nobody's Perfect + Stand

[MIB41]

I think of all the songs, "Stand" is the best in the bunch. I love the vocal harmonizing near the end. Reminiscent of Revenge for the song "I just wanna".

[huedell]

Hi MIB---I look at SONIC BOOM as a better version of CRAZY NIGHTS or
LIVE TO WIN---not really what I wanted (I was looking for a more edgy approach, if only lyrically ala REVENGE/CREATURES/LICK IT UP), but I
congratulate Paul on being able to sway that style more to what I was
looking for than CN or LTW...and it goes without saying
(almost!) that this is a better album on the whole than PSYCHO CIRCUS,
although it should be noted that I don't think any of the songs on
SONIC BOOM really match the PC title track in quality.

I liked MDD, RUSSIAN ROULETTE, YES I KNOW and SAY YEAH the best I guess

[mike binion]

Thanks for the link.

[MIB41]

Hmmmmm. Crazy Nights was a Ron Nevison production and filled with alot of keyboards for radio. For me, this album is a little harder to compare as a whole to any one record that comes to mind. "Delilah" sounds like it could have come off Animalize while a song like "Danger Us" sounds like it could have fit in comfortably with "Lick it Up." What was noticable throughout the record were the various guitar "treaments". Some very old school riffs but played over some, perhaps, overly-polished songs. Eric and Tommy made good on their lead vocal debut (All the Glory & When Lightening Strikes). But, while interesting to listen to, and certainly not bad compositions by any stretch, I don't see myself selecting them for a Kiss compilation disc. I thought Gene gave a 70's-style approach to his singing on "Nobody's perfect". I liked his return to that old style of 'beckoning' as he did on songs like "Dr. Love" and "Christine Sixteen". Now the composition itself was not 70's in direction, but it was refreshing to see Gene give some 'old school' attitude to the song. I do agree that the album, as a whole, retains that 80's polish which is a production standard Stanley can't seem to get away from. At the moment, my favorite songs are "Stand", "Never Enough", and "Russian Roulette". Operative phrase here is "at the moment". Need time to digest it all.

[huedell]

yeah, that's basically my feelings, but it's that overly polished stuff--
-keyboards or not---that makes me think CRAZY NIGHTS.

SONIC BOOM has some satisfying moments but nowhere near what I was
really hoping for even AFTER hearing MDD---I still thought there was
hope for an all around edgier album.

[MIB41]

I completely agree. Oh, on a funny note, I finally got to listen to Ace Frehley's new album in it's entirety, and I have say I'm ready to park my initial criticisms and give the album two thumbs up. Sampling the album as I did originally was no way to approach this record. Hearing each song, at full length, had me sitting back in surprise. In comparison to the slick production values of Sonic Boom, I prefer the treatment of Anomaly by Ace. It's far edgier and a better produced record. Scary...

By the way, THAT album is also on Youtube...

YouTube - Ace Frehley-Fractured Quantum (Full Song)

[huedell]

I've heard clips of Ace's tracks off his new album and on the whole, I think
the Ace album may be a better "effort" than SONIC BOOM in the ways
you mentioned---but honestly I'm just not that interested in combing through
it at the moment---maybe one of these days.

Probably one of the things that turned me off to caring that much about the
Ace album was OUTER SPACE not really doing it for me and that song being
available for so long before the actual album.

[MIB41]

Well you and I are spot on with the attitude towards the samples put out last week. I grimaced through most of them. But many of those samples were taken from leaner moments in those songs. When I found the whole album online I decided, reluctantly, that if I was going to be critical I had to take the whole ride so I could say I was fair. I did and I have to say that was first time Ace actually surprised me. When you have the chance, sit back and listen to it. I bet you'll feel different as I did.

[draconianguard]

Thanks for the link. Different songs remind me of different eras. I was surprised there was more 70's sounding parts on the album since Modern Day Delilah didn't have the 70's feel. I'm An Animal is my favorite. Tommy's vocals sound a little too similar to Gene's IMO, but When Lightening Strikes is good. Stand, All For The Glory and Modern Day Delilah are my least favorite tracks.Since I didn't expect much out of the album, I was pleasantly surprised.

With Ace's Anomaly, I was a bit let down. I love Outer Space and was hoping most of the album would be in that vein. It's not. Foxy & Free and Pain In The Neck are the 2 other songs I really like on the album. The Fox On The Run cover is good. I hated A Little Below The Angels the first time I heard it and like it more now. Fractured Quantum is good, but runs a little long. Sister,Too Many Faces, It's A Great Life are the throwaways IMO. At least we don't have John Regan singing which is always a plus

Where I live (Connecticut), there are stores that didn't order any and others that stocked them and sold them and sold out fairly quickly. I hope Ace tours soon, he's great live.

[MIB41]

Thanks for the link. Different songs remind me of different eras. I was surprised there was more 70's sounding parts on the album since Modern Day Delilah didn't have the 70's feel. I'm An Animal is my favorite. Tommy's vocals sound a little too similar to Gene's IMO, but When Lightening Strikes is good. Stand, All For The Glory and Modern Day Delilah are my least favorite tracks.

No problem. Glad you got to listen to it. You can check out Ace Fehley's new album from the same guy on Youtube. If your looking for the 70's experience, he'll take you right there.

YouTube - Ace Frehley-Fractured Quantum (Full Song)

[txteach]

To me they all sound the same.

[nvmbrsdoom5]

Hi MIB---I look at SONIC BOOM as a better version of CRAZY NIGHTS or
LIVE TO WIN---not really what I wanted (I was looking for a more edgy approach, if only lyrically ala REVENGE/CREATURES/LICK IT UP), but I
congratulate Paul on being able to sway that style more to what I was
looking for than CN or LTW...and it goes without saying
(almost!) that this is a better album on the whole than PSYCHO CIRCUS,
although it should be noted that I don't think any of the songs on
SONIC BOOM really match the PC title track in quality.

That's almost exactly how I feel about the whole thing too. The lyrics are really bad, and while I know they've had a huge amount of bad lyrics in the past, I think they've got the ability to write better stuff lyrically (i.e. Revenge, Carnival of Souls, Creatures Of The Night...) I definitely got a vibe of "Lick It Up meets Crazy Nights" with alot of what I hear on this disc. Still though, it's a reasonably enjoyable listen and, as already mentioned, overall is better than Psycho Circus.

I'll be curious to hear the new songs live, as they usually tend to jack up the tempos a bit (which is good) and make the tunes a bit more beefy overall.

And Singer & Thayer's playing is outstanding I don't care what the naysayers think.