Unmasked (W/Newpk)

 

 

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Situation;KISS has been very succesfull in the 70s as the decade was ending disco was `it`and they decided to make a disco record `dynasty`wich did good on charts and the single `i was made for loving you` disco fans loved it but fans of KISS`s rock n roll roots hated it.Now a new decade comes and `Unmasked`their second disco album arrives see below for my rewiew.

Thats right rock n roll icon KISS went disco a decision fans boed but think about it,just because they try something different it doesnt mean it sucks.Yeah me too i would have liked another rock album but i like this album they actually do disco pretty well,so if you are ready to accept that they try new things and actually give it a chance you might like it.

I am a die-hard KISS fan and i like their good AND bad times and i think Unmasked is a good album that deserves a listen.People might think im crazy but i like this album and for some reasons,Ace has 3 songs here and on Dynasty wich are what saved the records.But there are some bad factors such as Peter Criss departure wich caused problems to the band and strugle for the beggening of the decade.

Songs;Ace did a nice 3 songs contribution in `talk to me` `two sides of the coin` and `torpedo girl` whom are all good.I like the disco/pop ballad `Shandi` who was a big hit in Australia and song like `what makes the world go round`are good despite disco.I like the song `is that you?`Its surprising that KISS made me like like something that i didnt like originaly.

The cover/name issues;The weird comic book cover for the album is interresting,the name of the record says `unmasked` but we would have to wait another 3 years to see them unmasked for the first time.On the cover the comic strip is about a photograph who try to get KISS members pictures without makeup,its the first time i saw an album with comic strips on it.

Unmasked was a huge hit in Australia so was the disco/pop ballad `Shadi` the album didnt do good in America as KISS lost popularity there but they realized that they became bigger in other countries that tour is one of their biggest attendences ever wich is surprising!

The album was released in may of 1980 and Peter Criss left officialy around that time.Shortly after the release it reached Gold but they were far from the usual platinum.

I think its a good album check it out if you like disco or sweeter music than rock only a REALLY dedicated fan would like it as fans from their rock albums might be disapointed.It has some good moments.

As a kid I remember loving this album cover. I loved any album cover that was different, and you could stare at for hours. It didn't occur to me that this cover represented a newer, cartoonish Kiss far removed from the one on the Destroyer cover.

Indeed, if Kiss were falling apart at the seams on Dynasty, now they had truly run out of steam. Peter Criss was effectively gone, and Anton Fig plays all drums herein. The band were increasingly separated. Ace Frehley played all the basses on his own songs, and even Paul played bass on a couple of his. "Shandi", the top 10 single in Australia, featured no Kiss members at all except Paul Stanley.

Nobody knew this at the time. Unmasked, on the surface of it, was a newer brighter poppier Kiss but underneath there was nothing new about the fragmenting that had set in years earlier. Vini Poncia (Dynasty) was brought in to produce once again, hot on the heels of "I Was Made For Loving You". Kiss had never sounded so pop, with keyboards in the forefront and compression on the drums. The thunder had been sucked right out of the lifeblood of the songs. Indeed, the demo and live versions available elsewhere reveal a heavier Kiss, almost punk-like in delivery.

There are good songs here, most notably Ace's. Heavy on melody, "Talk To Me" and "Two Side Of The Coin" nonetheless do feature some great soloing by the Spaceman. "Torpedo Girl" is campy but fun; imagine Kiss doing a summer beach song. It's odd but I like it. Paul's "Shandi" of course is great and sounded even better when performed acoustically by the band in 1995. Simmons again is underreprensented here with only three songs: "Naked City" (OK), "She's So European" (better) and "You're All That I Want" (best).

It is arguable that Unmasked wasn't even the nadir, the Kiss sank even lower of the next album, Music From The Elder. I don't agree with that. The Elder may have failed as an album, but it did succeed in bringing some seriousness back to the table and some rock values back to the production. To me, Unmasked represents the nadir, maybe not the worst album Kiss ever made but probably the least Kiss-like. Even so, some of the songs are so well crafted that I can't give it just one star. It won't be something you want to listen to in the car with the windows down, or anywhere that someone might overhear you. There's still some material, most notably Ace's, that doesn't embarass.

Two stars.

1980's KISS Unmasked (they still had make up on) was the first KISS album to not feature any contribution from the "Catman" Peter Criss. Criss was in the process of leaving the group since their previous album, 1979's Dynasty (Criss only worked on the track "Dirty Livin"). The drummer for the remaining 8 tracks of Dynasty is the same for all of Unmasked, Anton Fig. Fig maybe best known for being the drummer for David Letterman, but he also worked on Ace Frehley's 1978 solo album and later as a member of Frehley's Comet. Unmasked gets a bad rap due in most part because of it's radio friendly sound, which shouldn't be a total shock since Dynasty featured a few similar moments ("Sure know something" and their big disco hit "I was made for loving you"). Many credit Ringo Starr producer Vini Poncia for steering KISS into the more pop sound. Poncia, ironically, came from Peter Criss' recommendation after producing and sharing writing credits on Criss' "very friendly" 1978 KISS solo album. Unmasked would be the last time they would work with Poncia as producer. As for the music on Unmasked, there are several great riffs and the recording sounds very good (easily KISS' most polished up until now). Many fans were discouraged by KISS' dabbles in pop mainstream ("Shandi" maybe the most poppy here), but it was no different than when "Beth" was released in 1976, of course that was on the same record as "God of Thunder"! Still Unmasked is no throwaway, there really isn't a weak song on the album and there's a total of 3 Ace Frehley penned and sung tracks! ("Talk to me", "Two sides of the coin", & "Torpedo Girl") I've always thought Ace was a strong influence in the band and it's obvious he got more album time on Dynasty and Unmasked because his '78 solo album was the highest seller of the four. The albums are stronger for it. I've always been a fan of Peter Criss, his drumming style (Parasite's a fave) is a big influence on my own and his vocal contributions are a nice contrast to the others, but his few song credits with KISS have been somewhat dispensible (excluding Beth, depending on the listener). Not to say Gene & Paul haven't done their share of dispensibles! Still each member was essential to the whole and it wouldn't be KISS without them. The next album, the very experimental "Music from the Elder" would be the last for Ace Frehley and the first for drummer Eric Carr, who gave KISS a much needed kick in the (...). KISS gave up on the mainstream pop (at least for awhile) and returned even harder with 1982's Creatures of the Night featuring Vinnie Vincent on guitar (even though Ace was on the cover). This was the same line-up that "unmasked" on MTV and released the first non-makeup album, 1983's Lick It Up. I recommend including KISS Unmasked to your collection. Even though the classic line-up was dissolving at this point, I think it's an underrated album with some great rock songs. Also if you're a KISS fan (at least the make-up years) you have to complete the set! Rock on!

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3.0 out of 5 stars BUBBLEGUM KISS
I've always had a soft spot for this album. While far from the band's best, UNMASKED is still a worthy addition to the catalogue, if only for the beautiful "Shandi" and the catchy... Read more

Published on Feb 20 2010 by LP Quagmire

3.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 Stars - Give it a chance
No, this is not a classic sounding Kiss album but it actually holds up nicely after 30 yrs. Outside of some of the synthesizers (yes synthesizers) the recording is really hard to... Read more

Published on Dec 19 2009 by Darryl Brueckner

5.0 out of 5 stars UNMASKED A REAL HIDDEN TREASURE
This was my vert first music ever that I bought to show u how long it was I bought this record on eight track.And I still have it.The guitar riffs on this album kick ass. Read more

Published on April 21 2004 by SILAS C MASON

2.0 out of 5 stars Only For True Die Hard KISS fans
Kiss' Unmasked was recorded in 1980. After the release of "Dynasty", Peter Criss had left the band even though he was still on the cover. Read more

Published on Mar 25 2004 by Edward J. Holmes

4.0 out of 5 stars this is'nt that bad
I admit when I first bought this album I was like "what the hells this pop rock crap!?". but then I listened to it more and the catchy tunes grew on me. Read more

Published on Jan 27 2004 by David

4.0 out of 5 stars An underestemated album.
In my opinoin Unmasked is really an underestemated album. I think it has some rellay great songs from this era in time, I mean it was all about disco in those days and KISS made... Read more

Published on Jan 23 2004 by MikeC

5.0 out of 5 stars Could Be Kiss At It's Best!
This album really let's Ace shine! Listen to Talk to Me especially...excellent! The only thing that could have made this lp better is if Peter was on board.

Published on Jan 11 2004 by bill smith

2.0 out of 5 stars The First Song Rocks! But.......
Unfortunately it is straight down the dustpipe from there. I remember when I bought the original vinyl back in college. Read more

Published on Nov 28 2003 by "The Woj"

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad ... Die Hard KISS FAN only ALL Others... Well?
I must agree. This was a sign of what happened to KISS in the 80's. Kind of like Bell-Bottoms. Everybody loved it at the time. But in hindsight funny as h*ll. Read more

Published on Aug 19 2003 by Mot Rats

3.0 out of 5 stars Realism, If You Please.......
This looks like one of those CDs that people either love it or loathe it. I think KISS Unmasked falls somewhere in between the grey area. Read more

Published on July 22 2003 by uhhuh

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