Album Review: Kiss - Paul Stanley

Kiss - Paul Stanley

Casablanca - 1978

8/10

Regarding the four solo efforts, Paul Stanley’s is the one most aligned with the typical Kiss catalog of the ‘70s, so it makes perfect sense when fans regard it as “just another Kiss album.” It may sound boring by that description, but considering how two of the other three experiments went, there’s little room for surprise that this is one of the better ones. Objectively, Paul is probably the best singer for the band anyway, so what it really comes down to is songwriting. Thankfully, the ball is not dropped on Paul Stanley.

If anything, it’s a slight look into the next full-length that we’ve seen from the entire band (more on that at another time). Opener “Tonight You Belong To Me” is a somber rock banger, reminiscent of the soon coming “Sure Know Something,” a strong note to open things up on. There’s still a heavier punch in tunes like “Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me” that last the whole way through, kicking out faster rhythms and the harder stomp that tend to make up the more addictive tunes. See “It’s Alright” for the same thing, amazingly reeling in a chorus that’s just as fun. There’s even a vocal bridge with strong bass here that I can appreciate.

I also find some gold in the ones that avoid the harder structures entirely. “Hold Me, Touch Me (Think Of Me When We’re Apart)” rakes in a feel-good charm, utilizing a piano and emotional tonal shifts without feeling stupid, unlike many Peter Criss songs. “Aint Quite Right” is another that utilizes softer licks, colorful leads, and a cooled-down tone to boast nice poetic flow. Combining the sharper edges with emotional tampering fared well on “Together As One” too, using softer builds and clean licks to bring on an explosive chorus; the Led Zeppelin-esque outro was certainly a surprising touch.

There’s certainly a song or two that hold little weight like others from the ‘70s run, but these ultimately mold together really nicely. The emotions being cast feel consistent from end to end, not only holding a firm ground but doing it with songs that stay catchy. If anything, I feel like this works as the perfect transition between Love Gun and Dynasty. The issues with the former get cleaned up, and the musical ideas we find more of on the latter are executed better here than on any of the other solo efforts. Much like Ace Frehley’s, this is very much worth seeking out.