Gene Simmons - A**hole
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Gene SimmonsEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2004-06-08
Music Label: Sanctuary Records
Soundtracks:
- Sweet & Dirty Love
- Firestarter
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Waiting for the Morning Light
- Beautiful
- ***hole
- Now That You're Gone
- Whatever Turns You On
- Dog
- Black Tongue
- Carnival of Souls
- If I Had a Gun
- 1,000 Dreams
Free Music Notes for A**hole
Free Music Review: Listen with your EARS, NOT your......
Hit: 5 Stars
Anyone buying this album expecting to hear "Son of Kiss," must not remember the ecclectic nature of Gene's 1978 solo album. THAT was not purely a hard-rock album, and NEITHER IS THIS. I've read a lot of AMAZON reviews, and a lot of the critics that slam the album sound predisposed to accept nothing other than a hard-rock album from Gene Simmons. Others take the opportunity to slam Kiss, or comment on a bunch of other things that have nothing to do with this album. The least they could do is use spell-check before posting their rants.
Surprisingly, the reviewer for Billboard Magazine got it right -"A**hole" is a pop album at heart. When I say "pop," don't think Britney or Christina, think Beatles' "Rubber Soul," or Beach Boys "Pet Sounds." Now, I'm not saying that "A**hole" is anywhere near the caliber of those classic albums, but it's a solid B+ album with a very 60's feel to it. Maybe that's because both Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan co-wrote songs on the album, but tracks like "Whatever Turns You On" and "Beautiful" have that vibe as well.
True, there's a VERY wide array of musical styles represented here. If you like your albums to sound similar from song to song, "A**hole" is not for you. If that's what you want, go ahead and buy a WASP or Rob Zombie album, as one reviewer suggested.
This is an album that takes a while to sink in. You probably won't "get" every song the first time you hear it. Once it does, it offers quite a few pleasures. If you like your music to be a little challenging, give this one a try.
Track by track:
1. Sweet & Dirty Love - Good, strong rocking opener. The closest thing to a "typical" Kiss song (if there is such a thing) on the album.
2. Firestarter - I like Gene's version much better than Prodigy's - Gene's vocals are a much better fit. But overall, the repetition wears thin quickly. Not my favorite type of song.
3. Weapons Of Mass Destruction - Sounds like a leftover from Gene/Kiss circa "Animalize." Chorus could have a stronger hook.
4. Waiting For The Morning Light - Pretty song. Gene, not Bob Dylan apparently wrote the lyrics, so there's nothing too deep going on. Pleasant, but unremarkable.
5. Beautiful - Here's where things start to get real interesting. Gene sings a sympathetic song about a transgender/transvestite. Strong hook and chorus on this one.
6. A**hole - Funny song. Should go over well in a crowded bar. Could have been funnier, though. As it is, it's a bit light. It needs another verse.
7. Now That You're Gone - Apparently about Gene's father. Having the children (including Gene's daughter) sing the chorus at the end was a great idea.
8. Whatever Turns You On (Turns Me On) - I really like this one. Sounds like something from the late 60s or early 70s. Loose and fun with a very catchy chorus.
9. Dog - Very cool, especially following "Whatever Turns You On" on the CD. It's the kind of song that sticks in your head after you hear it. As Gene sings, "I like it...."
10. Black Tongue - Excellent all around. Psychedelic flavor and a "sing-along" chorus. The entire Zappa family can be heard here. A nice tribute to Frank.
11. Carnival Of Souls - Reminds me of "Weapons" a bit, but this is a better song. Cool how the tempo slows down on the chorus. Good guitar solo.
12. If I Had A Gun - One of my favorites (perhaps my favorite) on the album. A dark song with a bright chorus. Gene's vocal perfectly captures the inner pain of a guy who can't take it anymore. The female vocal counterpoint in the chorus really makes the song.
13. 1,000 Dreams - You'll either love it or hate it. I love it. Perhaps the best written song on the album (expect someone to cover this and have a hit with it in a few years). I think Gene invented a new musical genre with this one - "Tropical Country."
Normally, this CD would merit 4 stars from me, but I'm giving it 5 to counteract the one-star voters who should either stop listening to music altogether, or listen a whole lot harder.
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