CD Review: KISS - Sonic Boom

A new KISS album?  After all this time?  Oh HELL YEAH!

Let me tell you the story.  I was filing some paperwork in the office yesterday, and listening to one of Washington DC's last rock & roll radio stations when I heard it announced the KISS would be playing a concert at the Verizon Center.  I immediately announced to one of my colleagues that I was going... which made him laugh "Really Bill?  a KISS concert?  I suppose you'll be going to WalMart to get their new album tonight".  The truth is, I had no idea that KISS had released a new album.  I seldom listen to the radio and I pay little attention to music industry news, so I hadn't heard anything about the concert or the album.

As soon as I was finished shuffling paper, I called Mrs. Gunfighter and asked if she wanted to go to the concert and got the response I expected:  A laugh followed by "um... NO!"  Not to be put off, I decided that she would get 24 hrs to change her mind before I bought a ticket to go ALONE (I hope you are feeling guilty, sweetheart.... sending me off to Rock  Roll All Nite... by myself).  As I write this, she has about 4 hours to recant.

Anyway, feeling good about myself, I went home in the afternoon, got a haircut, picked up soccergirl from swimming, got her home to finish her homework, gave her a snack, an was about to whisk her off to Girl Scouts, when Mrs. GF came home.  The Mrs. decided to come to Scouts with us, so after dropping SG at the meeting, we decided to kill an hour at WalMart, where I immediately snapped up the new KISS album; Sonic Boom.

A lengthy intro, I know... but I'm not just an aging KISS fan, I'm also a middle-aged suburban dad who blogs, what do you want?

When I got in my car to head into work on this fine morning, I loaded the new CD into the player, to rock out while I made the I-95 trek with the other Lemmings.  Let me tell you, I got no surprises.

Look, KISS is a party band... a stadium band.  They play rock and roll right out of the 1970's because that's where their roots are... and that's where most of their fans are from.  They didn't disappoint me.  Now, I don't think that this effort is going to garner them any timeless gems like "Calling Dr. Love" (which I am listening to as I write this)or the anthemic "Rock & Roll All Nite", but that doesn't mean that the album is no good.  Quite the contrary, it is good.  The music is good, lyrics are good, and the vocals are good... this is classic KISS, and I love it.

I suppose it is easy to believe that I would give the album a glowing review just because I was in my teens at the height of KISS's success... that I would give them a pass for nostalgia's sake in some sort of pathetic grasp at my youth, but I hope you know me better than that.  The bottom line is that, if you are a KISS fan, or ever were a KISS fan, this album won't disappoint you.  If you've never listened to a KISS album before, this is good a place as any to start.

NOTE:  I would have included an image but the new Typepad image up-loader is still in Beta, and it really sucks!