Dressed to Kill

by

KISS

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THE BAND: Gene Simmons (Gene Klein), Paul Stanley (Stanley Eisen), Ace Frehley (Paul Frehley), Peter Criss (Peter Crisscoula).

THE DISC: Released 3/19/75. Recorded at Electric Lady Studios (NYC). 10 songs clocking in at approximately 32 minutes (amazingly short in this day and age... 8 of the 10 songs were under the 3 minute mark). A classic black and white photo of the band in their face paint and leisure suits standing on a NYC corner is simply classic (not to mention Peter's buck saddle shoes and Gene's clogs). Originally released on Casablanca Records in 1975; this remastered edition was released in 1997 on Mercury's label. Much improved sound in my book (deeper bass guitars and crisper highs). Liner notes are slim - a 2 page fold out with song titles, writing credits and times. Underneath the disc on the inside cover, there's an informative 5 paragraph history of what the band was going through at the time.

COMMENTS: "Dressed To Kill" was the band's 3rd album in 13 months. Where I have a hard time listening to Kiss' 1973 debut and "Hotter Than Hell" (due to a very slow/labored feel to the songs and extremely poor sound production), I have absolutely no problem sitting down and listening to "Dressed To Kill" for repeated spins. Neil Bogart was at the helm for "Dressed To Kill" (Kiss' first 2 albums were produced by Ken Kerner and Richard Wise)... maybe that's the main difference. The band's first big hit is here - "Rock & Roll All Nite" - and it's a worthy anthem for our youth (even 30 years later). The song symbolized the inimitable relationship between Kiss and their hardcore fans. But, the deeper tracks on "Dressed" are totally captivating. The fast paced "Room Service", "Getaway", and "Love Her All I Can" simply don't let up. The slower songs like the now classic "She", "Two Timer" and "Ladies In Waiting" are all Gene Simmons penned songs about the opposite sex (surprised?). Still, their beats are unforgettable. And perhaps the most daring song, "Rock Bottom" with it's delicate acoustic intro, mixes the soft and hard side of Kiss. 4 songs from this album made it to the infamous "Alive!" album released in the same year. 1975 was a pivital year for Kiss - their unique brand of music entertainment was in high demand, but Kiss was shut out of major concert tours because they routinely performed better than the top-billed acts. Greater things were to come in the same year with "Alive!" being released - catapulting them into rock stardom. I love "Dressed To Kill" and it is easily my favorite "early" Kiss.