One album I like more - one album I like less

jannep17 · Post by **jannep17** » Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:08 pm

Have you re-evaluated any Kiss albums?
Do you have one album you like more than you did than when it came out?
And one you like less?

For me, Hotter Than Hell has grown immensely. I used to be bothered by the muddy production. Now I see it as close to a masterpiece.

On the other hand, Unmasked has gone from a summer favourite to an album I only listen to now and again. Too polished. I can't listen to Shandi at all.

B5Erik · Post by **B5Erik** » Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:26 pm

Interesting topic.

Which one do I like more? Which one has aged particularly well? Hmmmmmm....

Dynasty, maybe? Yeah, out of all the KISS albums, that's the one that has gone up in my appreciation and enjoyment.

Which one has aged poorly and I like it less now? Easy...

Lick It Up. Loved it when it came out, loved it for years, but now I think about it and it ends badly. Fits Like A Glove, Dance All Over Your Face, And On The 8th Day - crap. Gimme More? Musically, mediocre. Lyrically, UTTER crap. That's 40% of the album that's crap or kind of crap. That's not good. I don't hate the album thanks to the highlights, but I appreciate the songs individually more than the album as a whole. As a whole it is betrayed/sabotaged by it's weak links, and there are too many of them to overlook.

The Silver Spoon · Post by **The Silver Spoon** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:25 am

Aging well - the more I listen to rock and roll over the more I think it’s one of their best
Aging poorly - destroyer just gets more commercial and worse every time I listen….

kantsu · Post by **kantsu** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:11 am

I like more-Unmasked
I like less-ALIVE II

Glasgow Kiss · Post by **Glasgow Kiss** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:40 am

I like more - Unmasked. Maybe it's me getting older, but the poppy edge doesn't grate the way it used to.
I like less - Psycho Circus. I TRIED to convince myself when it came out, but it might even be my least favourite Kiss album these days. It's just a bit shit.

Post by **Kissoff** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:02 am

jannep17 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:08 pm Have you re-evaluated any Kiss albums?
Do you have one album you like more than you did than when it came out?
And one you like less?

For me, Hotter Than Hell has grown immensely. I used to be bothered by the muddy production. Now I see it as close to a masterpiece.

On the other hand, Unmasked has gone from a summer favourite to an album I only listen to now and again. Too polished. I can't listen to Shandi at all.

I never could listen to Shandi at all.

Kisscandinavia · Post by **Kisscandinavia** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:08 am

More: Peter Criss solo album
Less: Hot in the shade

Stanley! You look so cute · Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:22 am

Wired: Hotter Than Hell
Tired: Ace Frehley '78 solo
Expired: Destroyer

DeKiLaLoMa · Post by **DeKiLaLoMa** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:30 am

Going up ^^^
Carnival Of Souls

Gone up^^^
Hotter Than Hell
Lick It Up
Creatures Of The Night
The Elder

Going down vvv
Psycho Circus
Dynasty
Unmasked

Gone down vvv
Paul Stanley

Hi I'm Witz · Post by **Hi I'm Witz** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:39 am

I have never DISliked Dynasty but today, it's status among the other albums is way higher for me than it used to be. I just never get tired of listening to it. It's one of the very few KISS studio albums where I don't skip a single song. Also my opinion of Animalize and Asylum has gone up considerably higher over the years as well.

As far albums that I like less than I used to, I'd say it's probably a tie between Revenge and Sonic Boom. I practically never play these two anymore where for a time I played them quite often.

My opinion of the remainder of KISS'catalogue pretty much remains unchanged.

lespaul · Post by **lespaul** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:43 am

more : unmasked
less: alive II

Mr Slow · Post by **Mr Slow** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:47 am

More: ASYLUM. Always enjoyed it but in the past decade or so I’ve found myself listening to it more and more. So many good hooks and melodies amongst some pretty heavy riffs and great performances. Eric Carr’s best album in my opinion. And what a debut from Bruce!

Less: DRESSED TO KILL. Spending time on KISS forums and Facebook groups can condition you to just accepting that the first 6 albums are the best 6. But to me DTK is a bottom 5 record. It feels rushed, has way too much filler and only really has 2 or 3 truly great tunes on it.

jestor92 · Post by **jestor92** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:57 am

More: Animalize. I didn’t really care for it when I got it, but over the years Gene’s songs really grew on me and I’ve always liked Heaven’s on Fire and Get All You Can Take.

Less: Love Gun. I used to play the heck out of that album, but now I only listen to I stole your love, and love gun the most. I prefer the live versions of shock me and Christine 16.

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:58 am

Like more:
Dynasty
Carnival of Souls
Peter Criss 78

Like less:
Animalize
Psycho Circus

Hotter Than Heck · Post by **Hotter Than Heck** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:06 am

Everything from the debut thru Alive II along with Ace's 1978 solo LP have all aged extremely well for me - they all still sound crisp to me & they get better & better each year

I like Crazy Nights less now than I did in 1987 but I didn't like it very much in 1987

steve · Post by **steve** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:10 am

My opinions of each KISS album have rarely, if ever, changed through the years. First impressions tend to stick.

That 70s Guy · Post by **That 70s Guy** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:04 am

More- Psycho Circus (listened to it recently,not as bad as I remember)
Less- Carnival Of Souls (hasn't aged well at all)

joma5477 · Post by **joma5477** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:20 am

More - Gene and Peter's solos.
Less - Carnival of Souls. When it came out, KISS could do no wrong so I'd tell myself it was awesome. When I listen to it now, meh.

Strutterer · Post by **Strutterer** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:30 am

One album I like more: Asylum
One album I like less: Love Gun

I had barely any love for Asylum pre-pandemic. This has been one of the good things to come out of the last year and a half. Great record!

Like jestor92 said, I pretty much listen to the hits/big songs off Love Gun and skip every album track. It's never been one of my favourite Kiss record, yet Love Gun's standing has dropped quite a bit in the last year or so.

ChiptTooth67 · Post by **ChiptTooth67** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:53 am

Like more: Asylum….has kind of grown on me over the years.
Like less: The Elder…..thought it was crap when it came out. Every few years I’ll put it on, thinking maybe I’ll realize what I’ve been missing all these years and come to like it. Nope, complete garbage, worse with every listen.

atowntommy · Post by **atowntommy** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:00 am

More: Asylum
Less: Lick it Up

rwgriffith · Post by **rwgriffith** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:43 am

More: Carnival Of Souls (I really love this album a bunch
these days. Strong effort & I enjoy the darker vibe
of the music)

Less: Crazy Nights (Never really liked it and kinda hate it
now...do still enjoy the title track and "Turn On The
Night")

jannep17 · Post by **jannep17** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:48 am

Marc Aze wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 9:24 am interesting. thinking about it what happens to me is that every album has its ups and downs and varies depending on the day but it keeps an average that doesn't change too much.

If you count all the albums, that's true for me as well. Hotter Than Hell and Unmasked are the ones where the needle has moved more than usual.

YesterdaysLegend · Post by **YesterdaysLegend** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:09 am

Great topic!

Today/2021

I like more: Animalize. Paul songs have always been great but while the City sleeps and Murder in High heels have grown for me

I like less: Revenge. Paul … i used to like I Just wanna and Take it off but now they are mediocore as the rest of Pauls input on that album. Unholy is still awesome. Domino : new lyrics please.

KingOfHearts89 · Post by **KingOfHearts89** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:23 pm

Psycho Circus is an album that I really have started digging more, Gene especially is on fire with We Are One and Journey of 1,000 Years.

I used to praise Asylum a lot as the best non-makeup album, but now i'm not so sure. With the exception of Tears Are Falling, I don't really care for the album anymore.

Robdaddy · Post by **Robdaddy** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:27 pm

Marc Aze wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 9:24 am interesting. thinking about it what happens to me is that every album has its ups and downs and varies depending on the day but it keeps an average that doesn't change too much.

Same here!

sugardaddy · Post by **sugardaddy** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:35 pm

The Elder...no album has grown on me more since it came out. Not that I hated it then.

Animalize, Asylum,CN, HITS...enjoyed them at the time but indubitably the worst run of releases in their career

Legsofsteel · Post by **Legsofsteel** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:13 pm

Less: Psycho Circus. It was one of my first KISS albums. I liked it as much as their classics like Destroyer, Hotter than Hell when I was getting into KISS. I still like a few songs, and it is not their worst album, but I don't like it nearly as much as I did when I first got into KISS.

More: Music From the Elder. Musically excellent. And an interesting and cohesive album.

Also Animalize which is their most underrated album. Sounds fresh and frantic to this day. And even the weaker Gene songs on side 2 I've come to appreciate more over time. Got some good grooves on this album that I didn't notice at first.

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:22 pm

YesterdaysLegend wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:09 am Great topic!

while the City sleeps

Unholy is still awesome. Domino : new lyrics please.

Agreed on all this. While the City Sleeps is a Top 3 Gene song (1984 - Present) in my book. Love it.

AlmostRockingHuman · Post by **AlmostRockingHuman** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:29 pm

More : AsyLum
Less Animalize worst album for me

FlamingRuth · Post by **FlamingRuth** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:37 pm

I went about 20 years without listening to Dynasty in its entirety. When I played it again( about 5-6 years ago) I liked it a lot more.
I very rarely listen to any of Kiss’ live albums these days. Overall, I enjoy studio tracks more—- that goes for a lot of bands, not just Kiss.

joma5477 · Post by **joma5477** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:54 pm

FlamingRuth wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:37 pm I very rarely listen to any of Kiss’ live albums these days. Overall, I enjoy studio tracks more—- that goes for a lot of bands, not just Kiss.

For most bands in general, I totally agree. For KISS, I prefer the Alive! versions to the studio tracks...problem is a lot of my favorite tracks are the deeper cuts that didn't make it on Alive! On Alive II it's closer to 50/50, live vs studio as to which I prefer.

SpaceAce98 · Post by **SpaceAce98** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:01 pm

More- Dynasty
Less- Monster

FlamingRuth · Post by **FlamingRuth** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:05 pm

joma5477 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:54 pm
FlamingRuth wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 1:37 pm I very rarely listen to any of Kiss’ live albums these days. Overall, I enjoy studio tracks more—- that goes for a lot of bands, not just Kiss.
For most bands in general, I totally agree. For KISS, I prefer the Alive! versions to the studio tracks...problem is a lot of my favorite tracks are the deeper cuts that didn't make it on Alive! On Alive II it's closer to 50/50, live vs studio as to which I prefer.

When I feel like listening to live tracks, I usually want to SEE the performance now, as well as hear it.
I got spoiled by Youtube! I was much easier to entertain before that lousy internet came along!

TheSpoiler · Post by **TheSpoiler** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 2:18 pm

Going Up: The Elder
Going Down: Love Gun
Gone: Destroyer

Post by **Grand Classic** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:27 pm

I loved Crazy Nights when it came out as I pretty much was a total KISS sheep then and gave them a pass on everything, but now think it is dogshit for the most part with the exception of Hell Or High Water and Thief In The Night.

I dug the Gene 78 and The Elder at the time when released, but have grown to REALLY love these albums. So much so that if these were debut albums, I would totally follow these artists who are continually making those styles of music.

I never really listen to Love Gun anymore - when of course it was on a pedestal when I was growing up. Full of filler and the weakest of the original 6.

Homer Simpson · Post by **Homer Simpson** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:31 pm

Going up: Crazy Nights. Still one of my least favorites, but I appreciate it more now for what it is
Going down: Destroyer. So many songs I really hate---not simply sick of---actually hate (especially King of the Nighttime World, Flaming Youth, and Shout It Out Loud)

Eddie Van Hazel · Post by **Eddie Van Hazel** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:56 pm

Album that has grown on me - "The Elder"

Didn't pick it up when it was released. I started getting into VH/Ozzy/Priest and other stuff, so "The Elder" was off my radar.
..I didn't hear it until 1991. Over the years, I've really grown to appreciate it.

Album that I like less - "H.I.T.S"

I've ranted on the FAQ many times on how much I despise this album, so I'm not going to go any further.

battra · Post by **battra** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:28 pm

Up:
Animalize
Asylum
Unmasked

Down:
Umm....none really.

Easy Catman · Post by **Easy Catman** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:05 pm

At one time my least favourite of the original 6 Hotter Than Hell is now number 1 and Love Gun has gone in the opposite direction.

The only albums I play regularly without skipping are Unmasked, Dynasty, Creatures, Dressed To Kill and Peter and Paul 78

Lick it up never gets play time anymore although I think Exciter and A Million To One are fantastic.

mot$$33 · Post by **mot$$33** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:12 pm

More. Gene solo
Less. Creatures.

StrangestWay · Post by **StrangestWay** » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:15 pm

more, Dressed to Kill
less, Animalize

Tito · Post by **Tito** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:22 am

More:
Paul '78 (always liked it but it still keeps getting better)
Gene '78 (couldn't get into it as a kid, love it now)
Live To Win (was disappointed initially but quite like most of it now)
Sonic Boom (has aged really well, I like it start to finish)

Less:
Alive III (loved it at the time, can't deal with the production anymore)
Psycho Circus (obvious problems aside, I used to like a lot of the songs. Not so much anymore, other than title track and "Journey...")

scotty971 · Post by **scotty971** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 11:26 am

More: Unplugged. They sound so great on this. Top notch!
Less: None.

LoveGun77 · Post by **LoveGun77** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 12:30 pm

Unmasked for sure...i understand the commercial aspect of it etc. But damn,the songs are so memorable and catchy. I love it. It has grown on me more and more. I think it's a cool album. The guys sound great on it.

Destroyer...Yes I know its got a lot of Kiss classics on it. But i hate the sound of it,to be honest. Least fave of original six. It's not terrible of course...but i have grown weary of it.

d4nugster · Post by **d4nugster** » Sat Jul 24, 2021 10:58 pm

i used to think much of love gun while less of rock and roll over. the opposite stands now.

i used to hold the mid eighties records on par with their 70s output. i can't stand 'em today. they are the nadir of KISS music to me. animalize, asylum, crazy nights, the two cheese hits from stah and hits.