Casablanca - 1979
9/10
The last year of the ‘70s would see the start of the final stage of Kiss’s makeup days. This era sees some of the biggest jumps from album to album, likely due to trailing right off of the four solo albums a year prior. We would also see band hardships and absent members, particularly Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, on and off from here on out. Peter Criss’s solo album likely already saw a lack of caring on his end, but despite that, much of what we got on those four efforts gets channeled into Dynasty, thankfully with very little contribution on his end. You can only assume we’re in for a trainwreck.
Amazingly, we’re not! Dynasty, with all of its complications, came out on top far better than it had any right to. The funk tamperings that worked into several of the solo records morphed into more disco-oriented rhythms, and more than ever, the basslines carry much of the weight in this regard. While that style dominated the pop world of the late ‘70s, there’s still a raw energy to the production that allows the bass and lead guitar to jump out with the same regard, and all of these things compliment each other wonderfully. How often can you say you heard a disco record with heavy riffs and raw bass?
That’s all well and good, but it means little if the songs suck, right? As many have observed, Paul Stanely would take over much of the writing roles and control moving forward, which fared wonderfully. Moreover, Ace Frehley contributing to more vocals did wonders, having one more spot here than Gene Simmons did. Opener “I Was Made For Lovin’ You,” despite being such a bizarre jump from what we got on Love Gun, has such a steady beat with beefy rhythms, and sets up the idea for the whole album. My personal favorite is “Sure Know Something,” one that reflects the laid back energy of Paul’s solo album in an even tighter way; no heaviness is needed for this disco banger, and airy leads carry the bouncy basswork nicely.
Just about everything else rests on the same energy, and while there may be a song or two that still contains that old filler energy, not a single note feels out of place. ”Hard Times” puts a lot of focus in the chorus basket, letting Ace be as catchy as he can with a slight metal edge. Moreover, him fronting the Rolling Stones’s “2,000 Man” not only flows like a river, but outdoes the original. Simmons delivers “X-Ray Eyes” in a fashion that allows harmonies to take the reigns as well as ever, and I even have to hand it to Peter Criss on “Dirty Livin’.” It’s his final song, but at least it revives the mess that was his solo effort. If nothing else, a lot of these tunes test Paul’s vocal range, “Magic Touch” showcasing that as much as the opener. I still find myself singing along to the more obvious tunes, making this album super addictive.
All things considered, this never should have come out as strong as it did, and it’s easily one of the most consistent records of the ‘70s run. Many see it as the last worthwhile Kiss record, others even stop before it. That’s a mistake, because the next several records yield some of the biggest nuances in the entire Kiss discography, for better or for worse, and the foundation is laid right here. I challenge you to find me another album that combines disco with metal-oriented passages and ‘70s rock charm as nicely as this one does.
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