tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post4369325520200093203..comments2023-09-18T04:48:28.075-07:00Comments on Isorski's Musings: CD Review - KISS - Sonic BoomIsorskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-46539071142682418082009-11-19T09:58:05.809-08:002009-11-19T09:58:05.809-08:00Duke, you make great points and after seeing the b...Duke, you make great points and after seeing the band this week live, I am turned around about the "new" lineup. They actually made me forget about the original KISS and really embrace what is happening now. Sonic Boom in general has grown on me.<br /><br />Anon, thanks for your thoughts. I agree Danger Us is the weakest tune. The one I have started to really like a lot is I'm An Animal. They really ought to do that song live. They'd kill it.Isorskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-40406524637330181652009-11-18T21:58:12.705-08:002009-11-18T21:58:12.705-08:00I hated going to Wal-Mart too but was mostly pleas...I hated going to Wal-Mart too but was mostly pleased with Sonic Boom. It's a good record, albeit with some issues throughout.<br /><br />I had already heard Delilah about 20 times on kissonline.com, but having lived through kick ass opening tracks in albums past and filler the rest of the way, I was prepared for a let down. Instead I got catchy song after catchy song. <br /><br />The best song in the record IMO is This I Know (Nobody's Perfect) because it's the only song that makes me laugh, or at least draw a smile on every listen. I crank it up in my car and like to scream the BGVs. <br /><br />I HATE Never Enough because the verses are a direct rip-off of Nothin' But a Good Time from Poison.<br /><br />Loved Russian Roulette with the cool intro, outro.<br /><br />While Gene offers unlimited sexual metaphors, I didn't like the obvious attempts to conjure the past (compare Calling Dr. Love lyrics to this album's).<br /><br />I liked the vocal interplay on Stand. I love it when bands put forth a great effort to create an epic song.<br /><br />I actually prefer When Lightning Strikes over any Ace Kiss song except for Rocket Ride. I'd buy a Thayer solo record in a new york minute.<br /><br />While "Glory" offers the best solo in the record, it is a direct rip-off of Frehley.<br /><br />The worst song on the album is Danger Us. Paul tries to sing like Gene with an overdone rasp and it doesn't work; he's straining too much. He should've sang it clean. Also, if you study the main guitar riff (after the picked intro), it's really the God of Thunder riff played faster with a slight modification. Kiss should be better than that type of self-plagiarism.<br /><br />I like Say Yeah, except I just heard the live version in Atlanta (posted on kissonline.com) and they can't pull off the chorus. The guys are off key.<br /><br />Overall I've heard Sonic Boom 50+ times by now, but I still like it even with the issues. I must be a Kiss fan or something...<br /><br />however, being a fan has its limits. That second CD with the re-recorded tracks SUCKS!!! everything sounds off, the original energy is gone, things are missing, the whole thing is weak, weak weak. The only song that I liked redone in the studio was Do You Love Me. Maybe Black Diamond too. The rest was crap.<br /><br />I liked the DVD though...but it only has 5 tunes so I haven't seen it but once.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-12666813117319699392009-10-22T05:18:14.166-07:002009-10-22T05:18:14.166-07:00For those of you wishing for the original line up,...For those of you wishing for the original line up, consider a few things: While have I been listening to Kiss since '76, I still greatly appreciate the new album and the "new" members (if you want to call guys who have been around 10 years as "new".) The old days werent as good as what your memories are. Ace was a drunk who mailed his tracks in from wherever he was, and Peter had constant issues over the amount of money he wanted. Both wanted more light shining on themselves than they did on the band as a whole. For Pete's sake, Tommy had to re-teach Ace his own guitar solos for the reunion tour! The current line up is more talented musically and vocally than the original line-up ever was. Kiss fans, like Paul and Gene, had to endure alot of crap from two guys who didnt really give a damn. Which WAS a sad thing for all fans to see. The new album is one of their best, and while it has an early Kiss vibe,it IS new ground in the level of the harmonies and instrumentation. If you want to look for uninteresting and unapealing material...check out most of their material from the '80-'85 period. The new album is great.Dukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01725585135254135239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-63639275420133968862009-10-09T15:39:16.416-07:002009-10-09T15:39:16.416-07:00I have to say, I am liking it better with each lis...I have to say, I am liking it better with each listen. I too have tickets to see them in November, so my 10 year old can finally get to see them. After that, I might be done with KISS. Unless they get in the R&R Hall of Fame and the original four get together again, even for just one night.Isorskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14484072540653411158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-21285763311057199912009-10-09T11:53:05.530-07:002009-10-09T11:53:05.530-07:00I love the record more with each listen. I haven&#...I love the record more with each listen. I haven't missed Peter since the day he left, frankly, and they were a shadow of their former selves the two times I saw them after he rejoined the band. That shadow was still a dark awesomeness obscuring most other rock outfits, but a shadow nonetheless.<br /><br />I think this record really shows they love what they do and have a great time doing it. It takes too much work to do something like this record, and the promotion of it, and not have it look obvious if you are phoning it in. These guys phoned it in for a good chunk of the 80s, perhaps, but they aren't now.<br /><br />As for your question, Paul, I like Sonic Boom better than Anomaly, though I love the Frehley record too. There are a couple tracks on there that after a couple listens I was already skipping past. That is not the case with the KISS record.<br /><br />Anyway, here's my take on the whole thing, if you're interested:<br /><br />http://stumblingthewalk.blogspot.com/2009/10/baby-feel-my-tower-of-power.htmlChrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10070278104646895235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-66946106630185737042009-10-09T10:35:38.385-07:002009-10-09T10:35:38.385-07:00I agree with just about every one of your assessme...I agree with just about every one of your assessments. A lot of it made me angry, including having to go to WalMart. <br />I don't care what KISS or any other person says, Peter Criss completes the KISS sound. Sure he might not be Neil Peart but at least he doesn't sound like every other generic studio drummer in the world!Sir Penthttp://www.lizardsfromafar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-74675955607391659952009-10-09T07:48:55.264-07:002009-10-09T07:48:55.264-07:00Greate review. I don't really care for many o...Greate review. I don't really care for many of the songs myself. I've been a Kiss Kadet since I was 4 back in the 70's and have seen them numerous times. When I saw them in 2004 with what is now the current lineup, it just wasn't the same. At least when Peter was with the band in 2003 it still had just enough of the KISS escence to make it work. I have to admit I am going to see them in Dallas in December and I'm sure it'll be great, but not as great as the original band could be.Steve Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-14008597556885949842009-10-09T06:34:16.173-07:002009-10-09T06:34:16.173-07:00I guess I liked this album more than you did! I go...I guess I liked this album more than you did! I got it over two weeks early and have been listening to it alot!<br /><br />http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2009/09/19/i-got-sonic-boom/<br /><br />>Interesting to me that the cover looks like the cover to "Rock and Roll Over"<br /><br />That's because the same artist did those two covers.<br />I did two interviews with him:<br /><br />http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~tokyo5/interviews.html#doret2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-51128159040397759422009-10-08T21:26:00.220-07:002009-10-08T21:26:00.220-07:00I'm having a hard time getting past the fact t...I'm having a hard time getting past the fact that "Modern Day Delilah" sounds like a mashup of Pearl Jam's "Even Flow" (the rhythm guitar) and Black Sabbath's "N.I.B." (every time Paul shouts "oh yeah!").harmolodichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14178088865993057500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-21913750822557286302009-10-08T20:33:56.643-07:002009-10-08T20:33:56.643-07:00I can see how it made you mad. I'm not a big ...I can see how it made you mad. I'm not a big KISS fan so didn't have to endure Walmart :0Bar L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11100008292699584336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32259972.post-17480059003092428312009-10-08T17:13:06.162-07:002009-10-08T17:13:06.162-07:00Interesting to me that the cover looks like the co...Interesting to me that the cover looks like the cover to "Rock and Roll Over", the only KISS album I ever owned way back when I was a wee lad in 3rd grade. Guess they could not come up with any new ideas for album covers either. <br /><br />I guess some musicians are successful because the innovate and break new ground (e.g. The Beatles), and others are successful because they do the same thing over and over again.Dr. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12761381841131597933noreply@blogger.com