Casablanca - 1980
9.5/10
The start of the 1980s continuing the final step of the Kiss makeup era would see its second offering as being a more concentrated look at the standout aspects of Dynasty. A year earlier, this one combined disco and heavy rock elements to make something far better than it had any right being. Unmasked strips away (or perhaps, unmasks, ha…hahaha) that harder element and tosses the band into full-on pop feelings. The disco aspects appear relaxed (while still present) since what’s left of them drains into the pop elements that flood the entire disc, so perhaps they stand out less.
The end result is truly fantastic! This isn’t to say there’s zero guitar distortion or riff-heavy moments, but they take a back seat anywhere they’re notable. Like before, we also see a higher influx of Ace Frehley fronted tunes, fitting the vibe very well. Despite this, his interest and writing was already dipping, and Peter Criss would see the first album without a single contribution, all but being out of the band by now other than in name. Sweeter finishes are coated onto the guitars and the drums alike to fit the general vibe, evident in the latter even more with shiny percussion fills all over. Swing all of this into generally upbeat melodies, and you’ve got your album.
It makes sense that Unmasked would be loaded with emotion, all things considered. “Shandi” is probably the most melancholic song to date, a dreary tune that breathes all too real experiences of emptiness. On the flip side, the Ace fronted “Talk To Me” coats on some serious harmony, feeling upbeat and full for something so simple in nature. “Easy As It Seems” boasts a synth solo, acting as a more pulled-together flipside of “Shandi,” and “Tomorrow” is as early ‘80s pop as it gets. These angles are what make the album stand out so much, and what I would call the biggest appeal. As Kiss have done before, they managed to make a cover into their own, with “Is That You?” starting us off and sneaking right into the mix from the start.
Yet, songs that hint at more traditional writing for the band show their faces plenty. “Naked City” is chock full of ‘70s Kiss layers and harmonies in the chorus, dipped into a noir-esque anthemic feel that much of this decade would see. Gene Simmons gave this a poppier coat on “She’s So European,” and “Two Sides Of The Coin” rakes in slightly harder rhythms to blend with the vibe Ace already set on “Talk To Me.” The conclusion might be that each singer has their own vibe on this album. Even “What Makes The World Go Round” fits into the Paul blend with its choppier, bright rhythms, boosted by a strong solo.
All that holds this back from absolute perfection is closer “You’re All That I Want” yielding very little innovation compared to everything else. Had this number been dropped, we’d have an album as good as the debut. “Torpedo Girl” captures the disco energy the hardest with its bassline, and would have been a perfect enough closer. Otherwise, the first Kiss album to bring us to the 1980s is just about perfect. It’s a more focused idea of what was laid down a year prior, being strong enough as is. More band skirmishes and experimental changes would come before submitting to the glam metal movement, but there’s no doubt that little hints are dropped here too.
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