Style: blues rock, hard rock
Label: Tony Nicole Tony Records
Year: 1994
Home: Los Angeles, California
Members: Peter Criss ~ vocals/drums
Mark Montague ~ bass/vocals
Mike Stone ~ rhythm guitar/vocals
Mike McLaughlin ~ lead guitar
Additional: Kirk Miller ~ guitar
Wayne Johnsen ~ acoustic guitar
Dito Dodwin ~ piano/slide guitar/b. vocals
Doug Shawe, Stephen Presley ~ keybaords
Ed Kanon ~ cymbals
Guest: Ace Frehley ~ lead guitar
I know Peter Criss isn't considered the greatest drummer in rock, but it shocks me continuously on this album how it features the most non-driving, bare bones & boring drum patterns ever. At times it felt like a beginner's drumming. I struggled to even find an interesting fill. I was thinking about holding off this criticism till later in the review, but it just taints the entire album for me from the beginning to the end. As a bassist, I see the drums as a foundation of a band. A great drum pattern is more than just keeping the beat, but is creating dynamics, filling the space between sounds & emphasizing things. Perhaps this is my jazz background talking, but when I hear great drummers like Mickey Hart, John Bonham, Eric Carr, the Appice Brothers, Neil Peart & countless others, than I'm verified that in a rock context the drums have the same role. This is one reason I don't like double bass drumming that just pounds away. I'd rather hear a metronome at loud volume, as it adds nothing to the music in my ears.While often the music can be driven just as fiercely by not using this technique. I recently reviewed Black Tongue who find a great balance with & without the technique & are always fierce. While when I hear music with a lousy drum part & it seems to just have no backbone, then I am verified again as to how powerful the drums are. Hearing
Cat #1, I hear no backbone, no drive, no climax, no nothing & the album suffers for it. Without a backbone none of the songs ever kicked into high gear for me. They slogged when you thought they would skip. If Peter doesn't have the skills, than bring in someone to play the parts. Billy Joel did it on his classical album, confessing he couldn't play what he wrote. The Rolling Stones used a different drummer when Charlie Watts couldn't do the reggae back beat they started to include in their songs. No shame. You're still the voice & guiding light of the album, Peter. As it is, I can't believe a drummer would release an album with such poor quality drumming. If the drumming wasn't bad enough ... the other problem I have with this album is that the Peter Criss sound is all based on Kiss' "Beth", i.e. raspy vocal ballads or variations on that theme. Truthfully, Peter is an adequate singer. "Beth" might be a great song, but that doesn't make him a great singer. Rod Stewart is famous for his rasp, but he is a great blues belter. Louis Armstrong is famous for his rasp, but he had a great sense of melody. Tom Waits has a rasp, but he pours out every note like his life depends on it. Peter does not pour out anything. He just sings words with no meaning put into them & with melodies that are not so interesting. He's trying to get the most mileage out of his rasp, but it doesn't offer much. There's not too many miles to the gallon for this, or at least the way he's using it. While, there's only one "Beth". Its a good song, but you're never going to write another "Beth." Move on, don't try to do "Beth" over & over & over ... or you'll have an album that sounds like this. The fact that he includes a new acoustic guitar arrangement of "Beth" doesn't help. Who asked for this? This is like doing a new synthesizer version of "Stairway To Heaven" or "Fairies Wear Boots" on classical guitar. Leave the past behind & just create some good songs from scratch. Though, I'm wondering if he even is a composer & writer hearing this mess. "The Truth" sounds like a drunk man with no good voice singing the most boring song ever. In my life I'm a bassist & have done some production work. I'm not a composer nor pretend I am. Its okay if you aren't a composer, Peter. I can't help but think of Dave Grohl. When he moved out from behind Nirvana's drum kit & into the Foo Fighters he didn't try to be Nirvana 2.0.. He found a new sound, new lyrical style & new approach. Peter isn't doing that, & when he does the result is weak & half-hearted. The result is that the album feels scattered, like it doesn't know if its blues, or rock, or Peter Criss new & improved or just Beth 2.0. The most going for the album is a few decent guitar solos. Though, ironically, those guitar solos are out of Peter's hands, so I can't give him credit for them. Thus, the best part of the album has nothing to do with the focus, which is Peter. Essentially, the part I liked least was Peter. All I can say is I loved his autobiography, but neither this nor his solo debut. For those that declare this album is great, I just don't hear it. There's some decent moments here, but I feel like not enough to fix the album. On the other hand, this has more zest & personality than Ace Frehley's debut
Frehely's Comet. That sounded nothing like Ace, so at least here Peter sounds like Peter. But, in terms of any non-Kiss music I wasn't swayed. Maybe he gets kudos for not going the typical hard rock sound of his peers, but just because he does something different means he should get praised for doing it well.
No comments:
Post a Comment