I will here
list all of KISS' official album releases and rate them in the
order of what album I think is best, and what song is
greatest, etc. Bare in mind that KISS (or their record companies)
have released a heap of best-of compilations, so I decided to
make a own
page/section for those.
Of course, one can argue that the live-albums actually are "greatest-compilations",
but I still reckon them
as part of the "normal" ones. In
addition, some best-of CD's do have some new recordings on them,
but I will then try to comment on that in that context.
Remember that this is MY personal opinion of
what I feel is the best album and songs, and not necessarily the
best in terms of recording/producing/etc. But
I must admit that I had a really hard time rating them in this order,
since my liking can vary from time to time.
Elsewise, regarding medium, I appreciate vinyl
when it comes to KISS records (especially from the 70s),
but I basically have everything
on cassette and CD's too. If you want to get some KISS yourself,
check out www.cdon.com or www.amazon.com (Beware
of the fact that you buy the remastered version if you buy CD's).
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1: CREATURES OF THE NIGHT (1982)
As you probably have guessed by know,
this is my favorite KISS album to date. Released around the time
I was born, this is a definitive heavy classic.
Best song: WAR MACHINE
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2: THE ELDER (1981)
This album was KISS' first concept album,
and it's in many ways very "un-KISS-ish". Mr. Simmons and Stanley wish
this album never was made, but I think it's a very good one indeed.
Best song: I |
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3: KISS (1974)
The very first album is raw and unpolished,
with a lot of classics which never go out of style. KISS have
had a lot of these tracks in their live-set all through the years.
Best song: DEUCE
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4: REVENGE (1992)
KISS' revenge came in 1992, and they had
adapted to a more "grungier" style and grown beards. Very strong
songs, and with a new drummer, Eric Singer. This album was dedicated
to Eric Carr.
Best song: GOD GAVE ROCK 'N' ROLL TO YOU II |
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5: DRESSED TO KILL (1975)
The third album, filled with many great
songs in my opinion, not to heavy though, but still good. The
guys all dressed up in suits that doesn't fit is also a funny
treat.
Best song: ROOM SERVICE |
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6: ALIVE II (1977)
The second live-album, which pretty much
was on KISS' peak of popularity, particulary in the U.S. Image-wise,
they were perfected at this point, and the liveshows were fast
and furious.
Best song: DETROIT ROCK CITY
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8: HOTTER THAN HELL (1974)
The second album, with a entirely different
sound than "KISS". A heap of very good songs too, and
Ace really has some of his best songwriting-work on this record.
Best song: GOIN' BLIND |
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9: ALIVE! (1975)
The album that really made KISS big, and
that's no surprise. A very thight live-album, with some excellent
solos and renditions of the songs up to that point.
Best song: WATCHIN' YOU
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10: UNMASKED (1980)
This is not the album where KISS took
their make-up off, which some journalists wrongly state as
a fact. A very "poppy" album,
at the end of the disco-era. No Criss-drumming, but he's
still on the cover.
Best song: NAKED CITY |
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11: PAUL STANLEY (1978)
Mr. Stanley's version of a soloalbum,
which all of the members made in 1978. I feel this is the strongest,
and also nearest KISS in style of all the four solo albums.
Best song: TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME
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12: ROCK AND ROLL OVER (1976)
The straightforward KISS-rocking album
with nifty artwork on the cover. Lot of tongue-in-cheek lyrics,
i.e. on "Take
Me".
KISS wanted to create a "live-sound" on this one, but
it didn't quite come through.
Best song: LADIES ROOM
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13: DYNASTY (1979)
This is the album which contains the huge
disco-hit "I Was Made For Loving You" (or as KISS-fans
call it, IWMFLY). But I honestly don't think that's the best
song on this one, I rather go for "X-ray Eyes".
Best song: X-RAY EYES
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14: LICK IT UP (1983)
The first album without the "war paint",
though still with a lot of cool tracks in the same area
as the "Creatures of..."-album. The music video for
the title-track is a bit bizarre...
Best song: NOT FOR THE INNOCENT |
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15: ALIVE III (1993)
The third live-album which came around
when I really became a big fan. Listened a lot to this,
but I guess it's not my absolute favorite when it comes to interpreting
the classics.
Best song: I STILL LOVE YOU
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16: LOVE GUN (1977)
A definitive classic and one of my favorite
covers, but not quite songwise. Contains Ace Frehley's vocal-debute
with "Shock Me", which is quite cool.
Best song: ALMOST HUMAN
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17: DESTROYER (1976)
By many seen as the ultimate KISS album,
Destroyer became what it is thanks to big-time producer Bob
Ezrin (Alice Cooper, Pink Floyd). I'm afraid I'm
a bit tired of this one, but still a milestone album.
Best song: KING OF THE NIGHT TIME WORLD |
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18: GENE SIMMONS (1978)
Mr. Simmons' try at a soloalbum, which
turned out quite eclectic. I was excited the first time I heard
the opening track "Radioactive", but the album has
grown a lot for me through the years..
Best song: MR. MAKE BELIEVE |
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19: ACE FREHLEY (1978)
This album is by most people it seems,
seen as the absolute best of the soloalbums. I think it's okay,
but not terrific. Excellent guitar- and solowork, though.
Best song: SNOW BLIND |
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20: CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1997)
"The
Lost Tracks" was the subtitle of this album, and that's basically
because of the timing of the release, I guess (straight after
reunion). A little too "wannabe-Seattle-grunge" if you ask
me.
Best song:
CHILDHOOD'S END |
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21:
PSYCHO CIRCUS (1998)
This one was to hype the "new" KISS even
more back in '98, when the guys had been warming up for a while
touring. Not a amazing record, but it certainly has got it's
peaks.
Best song: DREAMIN'
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22: HOT IN THE SHADE (1989)
I guess the intention of this album was
"the return of the heavier KISS", but that failed at
tad, I'd say. Some wild 'n' raunchy tunes, and also
containing the super-hit
"Forever".
Best song: HIDE YOUR HEART
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23: MTV UNPLUGGED (1996)
"The return of original KISS",
with some help from their friends. B. Kulick and E. Singer
contributed to make this album as good as it is technically.
Great fun to hear them all together.
Best song: NOTHIN' TO LOSE |
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24: ALIVE IV: SYMPHONY (2003)
And here, the fourth "Alive"-album,
and KISS goes classic, in the traditional sense. Good and pretty
tight, but by far as great as "ALIVE II" (surprise,
surprise).
Best song: GREAT EXPECTATIONS |
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25: PETER CRISS (1978)
Oh, almost forgot, good ol' Pete's album.
Actually this album isn't too bad. But I must say that it really
isn't an album I want to brag about regarding KISS' catalog.
Best song: EASY THING
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26: CRAZY NIGHTS (1987)
Some of you might be shocked that I rate
this album this low, but I can't say I like it particulary much.
Of course the title track is fun when you're at a party...
Best song: CRAZY, CRAZY NIGHTS |
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27: ANIMALIZE (1984)
Oh yes, this furry one. "The angry
bee-guitarist"
(as Simmons likes to call him) Mark St. John played on this album,
and with some wierd solo's too. Gene was practically absent on
the record.
Best song: HEAVEN'S ON FIRE |
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28: ASYLUM (1985)
It maybe a tie between this and "Animalize",
but I may go for this one. A mix of eerie and not-so-exciting
songs, but one good ballad "Tears are falling". I really
dislike the cover..
Best song: WHO WANTS TO BE LONELY |
Well, that pretty
much sums it up, as for the "regular" albums. It is,
as with many other bands, A LOT of greatest hits albums
out there on KISS. It's a nice beginning for those
of you who haven't heard KISS before, or just want
their well-known songs....
Check 'em out here! (opens
in new window)
Hope those
of you who don't know what KISS sounds like, take the
opportunity to do that some time
in the near future.
;) Rock
on!
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By the way, if you see a KISS
logo written this way...
...this is the so-called "German KISS-logo".
The original logo got banned in the 70s,
because some people decieded it resembled
the SS-symbol under WWII. |
But this is the
KISS logo with it's proper "ss", but
KISS is NOT written with "z's", like "Kizz",
as many believe wrongly...
So, the conclusion is either "Kiss" or "KISS". |
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