IKONS presents a four-CD collection of previously released KISS material with each disc featuring 14 songs by the band member who sung them. I am a fan of their trademark over-the-top goofiness and straightforward rock, but there doesn’t seem much point to this set. There’s nothing new for members of the KISS Army and it’s a poor introduction to new listeners.
Disc one is by The Demon (Gene Simmons) with tracks from every studio album between 1974’s KISS and 1979’s Dynasty as well as “Larger Than Life” from the unlive part of Alive II and “Radioactive” from Simmons’ 1978 self-titled solo album. It’s a good mix of well-known songs (“Calling Dr. Love”) and deep album cuts (“Ladies Room”), most of which revolve around sex, including the ode to the underage “Christine Sixteen” that contains a bass riff sampled for Tone Loc’s “Funky Cold Medina.”
Disc two is by Star Child (Paul Stanley) and follows the same pattern as disc one with a song from every studio album between KISS and Dynasty as well as “All American Man” from the unlive part of Alive II and “Wouldn’t You Like To Know Me” from Stanley’s 1978 self-titled solo album. It also presents a good mix of well-known songs (“Detroit Rock City”) and deep album cuts (the schizophrenic “Rock Bottom” with its acoustic-instrumental opening). He uses the word “love” often, but aside from the quizzical “Do You Love Me” and the angry “I Stole Your Love,” other references (“C’mon And Love Me,” “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”) are more in line with Simmons’ carnal tunes, in case anyone was confused by the subtlety of “Love Gun.”
Disc three is Space Ace (Ace Frehley) and is the weakest of the set, making clear both his justified lack of confidence in his singing voice and why he never broke big away from the group. Although he wrote songs, Frehley didn’t sing lead until “Shock Me” from Love Gun, so this disc moves further ahead into the KISS catalog to accumulate 14 tracks. There are five from his 1978 self-titled solo album, two from ‘80s albums Unmasked and (Music From) The Elder, and one from 1998’s Psycho Circus. It’s all below-average rock, and I can’t imagine ever taking this disc back out of the sleeve.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
yeah, i'm a big fan but this collection is as silly as a Kiss Kasket.
2 - JD
I feel that Ace's one would be the best one.... He was the only one who kept the rock mood when Kiss was going into pop music. Sadly, not everyone thinks that...