By Ira Kantor
The KISS dynasty would reach a fractious crossroads in 1980, seven years into an official career that took them from clubs in Queens, New York, to the world’s arenas.
Egos, creative malaise, and dissension in the ranks would see the most famous lineup of the made-up musical marauders come apart as Peter Criss, the band’s literal backbeat, departed for good, only to return in small doses in the decades ahead.
Yet within the annals of the group’s history, KISS still managed to churn out a pretty decent album, one that didn’t significantly dent the charts but 40 years later stands out as a solid effort.
Sandwiched in between the try-too-hard, overproduced Dynasty and the WTF overtly conceptualized Music From “The Elder,” Unmasked doesn’t go out of its way to please listeners. In fact, it’s surprisingly straightforward approach driven by instrumental hook and kitschy T&A playfulness arguably harkens back to Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” — from a hard rock standpoint.
A KISS fan since high school, I only started listening to this album in the last four months, thinking that because of Criss’ virtual no involvement in its creation, it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. Any true KISS fan will say the band’s discography begins with their eponymous 1973 debut and essentially ends with Dynasty, despite the Cat Man’s visage being plastered all over Unmasked.
Silly me. I found myself surprised at how no-frills, no-filler, all-ease this album really is. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s not a masterpiece by any means. Yet it deserves a chance, especially since we all know that sooner rather than later KISS’ true “end of the road” will happen.
Here’s a few reasons why:
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On Unmasked, KISS perfects the three-minute power pop single.
Unashamedly influenced by groups like the Raspberries, Small Faces, and Big Star, KISS’ bread and butter has always been keeping songs to verse, chorus, verse, chorus, and then chorus ad nauseum. On this album, many of the tracks pack unexpected punch and power harkening back to their pre-Alive days. There’s the great, strutter-feel harmonies on opener “Is That You?” There’s the intense “What Makes the World Go Round” (whose sound would seemingly appear on one hair metal record after another in the decade ahead). There’s the darker yet catchy “Easy As It Seems” (dig that bass!). “Tomorrow” essentially sets the precedent for Loverboy’s “Hot Girls In Love.” Taking a cue from their debut album, the band gives everything they’ve got, proving here — just like then — they have nothing to lose.
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“Shandi” is what “Beth” should have been.
It never became a hit in the states, but Australia took to “Shandi” like a [insert cliché here]. Between its groove, multi-part harmonies, and Paul Stanley’s expertise with balladry, KISS offer a sweet, brooding song that is the complete antithesis of something like “Christine Sixteen.” Where their first Top 10 hit “Beth” merged Criss’ husky voice with classical orchestra, “Shandi” should have stayed in the band’s set lists for the next 40 years. It’s a great KISS song. Heck, it would have been a great track for the Ronettes if it had been created 15 years earlier. The song’s accompanying music video also proves bittersweet as all members — Criss included — shift from costume to regular clothes and depart, foreshadowing the Cat Man’s forthcoming departure from the group.
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Ace Frehley steps up to the plate.
Up until the release of Unmasked, Ace Frehley would only sing sporadically on KISS songs, gradually gaining more and more confidence. “Shock Me” and “2000 Man” would become his first standouts. “Rocket Ride” never gets mentioned within the scope of KISS “hits” but it is actually one of the stronger band songs in their arsenal to barely make the Billboard Top 40. Here, Frehley sings on three tracks — “Two Sides Of The Coin” (the most descriptive line in the entire song), “Talk To Me,” and “Torpedo Girl” (the guitar riffs of which can seemingly be heard on the future “Mr. Blackwell”). While they don’t offer much lyrically, kudos to Frehley, who after the release of his successful self-titled solo album a couple of years prior, takes a chance and proves he can be a hard rock George Harrison, penetrating the band’s creative makeup typically dominated by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
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Gene Simmons actually tries in spots to sound like Paul Stanley.
Simmons to “Naked City” is Stanley to “I Was Made For Lovin’ You.” You wonder how both hit those notes without their voices just shattering.
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It’s not “The Elder”!
After the release of Unmasked and the addition of new drummer Eric Carr, KISS decided they suddenly cared about what others thought about them. They would change their hairstyles and outfits, and re-enlist producer Bob Ezrin to craft – as Stanley would eventually deem – a “smart” work. While Music From “The Elder” boasts two standout numbers (“The Oath,” “I”), it would ultimately bomb and drive Frehley completely out of the group by the time of 1982’s Creatures Of The Night. Even though Unmasked is not Destroyer or Dressed To Kill, it doesn’t sound like it a work driven by the intention to please. The music is peppier, tongue-in-cheek, and good enough to satisfy the fans who hailed the band as the future of rock and roll from the word go.
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The band paid attention when they heard “Disco sucks!”
Though one of the band’s more commercial albums, Dynasty produced a disco backlash, thanks to the previously mentioned “I Was Made For Lovin’ You.” At the same time, the members’ four solo albums of 1978 would send their respective egos into a tailspin. Remember, Ace Frehley would hit the Top 20 with the disco-laden “New York Groove.” Not wanting to be labelled a dance band, and knowing the bulk of their fan base would remain in their corner, KISS had neither the desire to sell tons of records or sell out. This is why, even with knowing things were about to change completely for the band, KISS stopped overthinking, which works completely to their advantage. The result is Unmasked.
