Album Reviews
But Dynasty is Kiss' eleventh recordnot including last year's four solo discs and apparently the time has come to increase the band's credibility quotient outside the headbangers' community. A cover photo by Francesco Scavullo is one obvious tip-off, and the tentative disco rhythms in both "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Dirty Livin'" are another. Kiss also offers the hip gesture of including the Rolling Stones' "2,000 Man" as the album's token cover version. But, unfortunately, this move backfires because, whereas the Stones were playfully psychedelic in the Their Satanic Majesties Request original, Kiss humorlessly trots out the same old buzz-saw guitars and goose-stepping drums over which Ace Frehley sings with absolutely no conviction.
Much of the blame for Dynasty's sorry lack of spark can be laid at Poncia's console. Ponciawho just as timidly produced drummer Peter Criss' solo LPhas smothered most of the fire in the classic Kiss sound, reducing the guitars, drums and even Gene Simmons' bloody howl to a pseudosophisticated whimper that makes the group's ragged 1973 debut disc sound like apocalypse now. Only Stanley's "Sure Know Something" is salvagedand that by one of the new record's few memorable hooks.
Kiss itself still has to answer for erratic playing and an increasingly dull songbook that may never transcend the brainlessly brilliant "Rock and Roll All Nite (and Party Everyday)." You can't blame these guys for trying, but the respect they so earnestly crave is far more than just a kiss away.
(Posted: Aug 23, 1979)
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- I Was Made For Lovin' You
- 2,000 Man
- Sure Know Something
- Dirty Livin'
- Charisma
- Magic Touch
- Hard Times
- X-Ray Eyes
- Save Your Love
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Your Turn
Review 1 of 2
rockfan writes:
Dynasty was the first Kiss album that left me with mixed emotions. I Was Made For Lovin You and Sure Know Something are great songs with out a doubt, but they are still disco. The cover of the Rolling Stone's 2000 Man with Ace on vocals was decent, but not enough to save the album. As for the rest of the tracks, just studio produced sub-par material!!!
Mar 19, 2008 00:18:44
Review 2 of 2
starchild7 writes:
I like this album. Disco was very populair back then. I like
KISS's I Was Made For Lovin' You. It was good disco-rock!
Feb 27, 2007 17:41:54
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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.