KISS
MTV Unplugged

THE REVIEW

Proponents of a compelling rock'n'roll and known for their outrageous image, the Kiss, for the past forty years, have been a true institution of world rock music, one of the few capable of placing within their extensive discography explosive tracks as well as sweet ballads, stadium anthems as well as more subdued pieces. If albums like "Destroyer," "Love Gun" or the first two historic "Alive" are now to be considered among the cornerstones of their artistic trajectory, as well as a certain very American way of interpreting rock, it is undeniable that, in the collective imagination, the myth of the Kiss often remains linked not only to many excellent songs but also to the exaggerated theatricality that has always distinguished them.

Arriving at their debut on the crowded New York scene of the early seventies, they immediately became a worldwide phenomenon, releasing something like ten official albums in just over five years. While initially their eccentric image and the quality of their albums went hand in hand, very soon they began to lose pieces, with a rapid decline seemingly looming. The eighties, in addition to forcing the band to make painful but needed line-up changes, saw the Kiss, now completely under the hands of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, shift, depending on the moment, towards heavy metal, glam metal, or AOR, a questionable move in terms of artistic integrity but one that nevertheless highlighted the chameleon-like abilities of the quartet.

The nineties saw a grand comeback of these Americans, now true icons, and it was in this context that conditions matured for this "MTV Unplugged". Among the few merits of MTV, indeed, was certainly the idea of creating the eponymous program, which over the years saw, among many participants, several leading names of the "heavy" scene (Korn, Scorpions, Nirvana) put aside electric guitars for once to embrace acoustics, offering their audience a new take on their classics. With this album, the Kiss silence anyone—if there were any doubts after more than twenty years of honorable career—who believed them capable of staging shows as grand visually as they were negligible artistically, authors of songs as catchy as they were forgettable. "We are part of that generation according to which if a song doesn't work acoustically, it simply doesn't work." Said and done, the Kiss put on a one-hour show where they showcase, alongside old and new classics, pieces rarely played or little known to the wider public, thus offering an exceptional setlist.

"Comin' Home" opens the show, showcasing a cohesive and confident band, engaging despite performing in a very different setting than usual. "Goin' Blind", a rarely performed piece, will prove to be a classic in years to come, returning with force in the band's concert setlists. "Do You Love Me?", which at the time closed "Destroyer," works much better here than in its original incarnation, while "Domino" shows how Kiss still had plenty to say in the nineties. The absence of the typical wall of guitars allows the individual techniques to shine, as in the case of Bruce Kulick, an excellent sidekick, as well as Eric Singer on drums, who had recently joined Gene Simmons and company. "Sure Know Something" and "I Still Love You" underscore, once again, what an exceptional artist Paul Stanley is, charismatic and technical at the same time, one of the most recognizable voices in rock over the past forty years, while "See You Tonight" and "A World Without Heroes" highlight the interpretative talents of the other protagonist of the evening, a Gene Simmons in top form.

It goes without saying that the true event of the evening was, for the fortunate ones who could attend the recordings of the show, not only being able to see and hear the Kiss in such an unusual guise but also the fact that, after years of requests, they finally decided to satisfy the most die-hard fans by organizing the reunion of the original band. "Beth" shows how Peter Criss's voice hasn't lost its charm even after twenty years, while "2000 Man" has the dear Ace Frehley as its absolute protagonist. The grand finale sees all the musicians involved in the event end the night beautifully with "Nothin' To Lose" and "Rock And Roll All Nite," authentic classics from the early days of the Kiss of New York, amidst the rapture of the audience.

"MTV Unplugged", besides being one of the most interesting albums in the long history of the group, was also an opportunity for the four original members to reunite, giving rise to the historic formation's reunion, which, however, despite being long-desired by fans, would turn out to be short-lived. In conclusion, the album is worth it, a pleasurable listen that might intrigue even those who have usually kept their distance from these four masked men's extravagant proposition, showing them, for once, in a more intimate and refined guise.

Kiss:

• Paul Stanley, vocals and guitar
• Gene Simmons, vocals and bass
• Bruce Kulick, guitar
• Eric Singer, drums and vocals

featuring:

• Peter Criss, vocals and drums
• Ace Frehley, vocals and guitar

"MTV Unplugged":

1. Comin' Home
2. Plaster Caster
3. Goin' Blind
4. Do You Love Me?
5. Domino
6. Sure Know Something
7. A World Without Heroes
8. Rock Bottom
9. See You Tonight
10. I Still Love You
11. Every Time I Look at You
12. 2000 Man
13. Beth
14. Nothin' To Lose
15. Rock And Roll All Nite