Kiss - The Very Best Of KISS Review
Posted by Kosta Anoussos on 09.04.2002
KISS fans get "treated" to yet ANOTHER compilation ...
After saying farewell to their fans last year on their last tour ever, KISS has eaten up their words and vowed to be back on the road by 2003 in support of their latest "Best Of" compilation, The Very Best Of KISS, released on August 27 by Mercury/UTV Records, the last ever KISS album to be released by this label, according to bandmates Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
The latest from KISS represents their 6th compilation in 9 years, if you include live, unplugged and tribute albums, and if you exclude a box set that was released last year which included 5 CDs and a book, detailing the band's tremendous career, which makes hardcore fans wonder once again why this album was necessary in the first place.
While many of the band's longtime fans (including yours truly) hated the idea of KISS releasing yet another repackaging of their material, new fans that haven't had the chance to take a listen to the group's vast catalog will love this album.
Containing 21 tracks from their debut album "KISS" in 1974, to their hit 1992 CD "Revenge", KISS doesn't skip a single hit on their latest offering. All songs are in chronological order, which gives you an idea of how KISS' music evolved throughout all the years and line-up changes. The CD starts off with songs from their first 3 albums. "Deuce", "Hotter Than Hell"... These songs served to introduce KISS to the world, but didn't catapult KISS to mainstream fame like they had hoped. That honor instead goes to track 6 on the CD, "Rock And Roll All Night", taken from their breakthrough 1975 double-album Alive!. From there, KISS fans journey into the glory years of 1976-1979, with such anthems as "Detroit Rock City" and "Shout It Out Loud".
"I Was Made For Lovin' You", the band's biggest smash to date is also featured on the album, as is "New York Groove", a song from guitarist Ace Frehley's 1978 platinum-selling self-titled solo album.
A very sad aspect of this album is the lack of 80s hits, as there are only 3 featured: "I Love It Loud", "Lick It Up", and the monster ballad "Forever", with which KISS scored a Top 10 hit in 1989. Finally, the album closes with the 1992 international hit song, "God Gave Rock and Roll To You II", a cover of Argent's "God Gave Rock and Roll To You."
The 411: A very good choice for newer KISS fans, or for hard rock fans who want to experience the KISS phenomenon for the first time. Recommendation to avoid for those who already own KISS' CDs, or who already possess past KISS compilations.
