From: Larry D
Larry D. tha Kissluvr with his review of the Album Psycho Circus Kiss' first with the original line-up in almost twenty years.
I have to say, the first time I heard it I was quite disappointed in my 3-D superheroes but after a few more listens i was quite pleased with what I was hearing. Did that happen to anyone else? Anyway here's my review track by track:
PSYCHO CIRCUS- I love the intro with the circus music in the back round I could just see Blackwell, Kismet and the whole Psycho Circus gang putting on a show, and then when the music started I was very happy with the results Paul's voice is as strong as ever and the song has a little Detroit Rock City sound to it in the bridge before the solo, can't wait to hear this one live!!
WITHIN- Now call me crazy but I think that Carnival of Souls was the best album KISS had put out in a while even better than Revenge and Within falls into the COS category and it is my favorite song on the album because it just flat out kicks ass. Gene's voice, the bass line, the drums and I love that faint sound of Gene's voice in the backround I think it rules. I hope to hear this one live. For me, if the rest of the album had sounded like this I would have loved it from the beginning.
I PLEDGE ALLIGENCE- Forgive me but this songs sucks from beginning to end I hated it and I haven't hated a KISS song since UNMASKED so I'll just keep going.It was just a corny song.
INTO THE VOID - To be honest with you I had totally forgotten about Ace and Peter until I heard this songs and I like it a lot.Sounds a little like Van Halen but Ace sounds great and the solo kicks ass. I definitely think we will be hearing this one on the tour. Hell, it may take Shock Me's spot on the set list but then again in a perfect world we'd get both wouldn't we?
WE ARE ONE- Gene is the man! Gene's batting 2-for-2 with this one I love the you are me I am you part. This is a really cool song as Gene takes Paul's spot as king of the mellow songs in Psucho Circus.He also reminds us that he has a really great voice too with range to rival Paul's. And just between us this songs strikes me as the kind of song you wouldn't admit you liked in front of your friends but as soon as they leave you crank it up becauce there's no denying it's a great song.
YOU WANTED THE BEST- Don't care for this song a great deal, although I was happy to finally hear from Peter on this one. I like the way they traded off lyrics but the chorus was the part I didn't like. Otherwise it was a cool song.
RAISE YOUR GLASSES- I think this song will be one that you hear at a victory party at the World Series or something. Its a fun song to listen and sounds like We Are the Champions by Queen in the chorus which is my favorite part of the song. I don't know everytime I hear the song I see teams celebrating like they just won a huge game. Think about it.
I FINALLY FOUND MY WAY- I would have liked this song a lot more if it had more acoustic guitars and less orchestra, To me it sounded too much like KISS trying to make Beth again. Peter sounded great and I liked the song, I would probably love it if it sounded like I Will Be There or Everytime I Look At You. I did however love the duet part with Paul, I thought that was very cool.
DREAMIN- Another okay song with Paul's amazing voice propelling into the good area. I like it put always pass it over to get to our next song.
JOURNEY OF 1,000 YEARS- Gene was 3-for-3 and although he didn't really give us any of his classic "Demon" voice he still kicks ass. and when I hear this song I see a big cinamatic video kinda like the Smashing Pumpkins "Tonight, Tonight" video. I like the way he incorporates Within into it too. In Within he tells us to Fly without Wings and in Journey he asks us if we did it. I thought that was cool.
All in all after a few listens I was very pleased with what I was hearing and can't wait for the tour to start 7 out of 10 is my grade for the album. And that's all I have to say about that.