Kiss – Dressed to Kill – 1975

This might sound a bit strange, as I genuinely like the simple and uncomplicated songs on this Dressed to Kill. It’s really the melodies that take center stage, and it doesn’t matter that Kiss’ technical skills on the instruments aren’t flawless, or that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s voices occasionally clash a bit. It just makes it sound a bit more authentic than it probably would if everything were perfectly polished down to the smallest detail. Dressed to Kill is raw rock, plain and simple, and it works excellently.

However, I would argue, referring to the opening sentence, that Kiss must be one of the most overrated bands ever. Not because I want to diminish their place in music history, but I would claim that the main reason for their success is their astonishing image and very skillful marketing. Today, people might not raise an eyebrow at four guys with makeup anymore, but back then, it was new, perhaps a bit cool, and possibly a bit daring in the eyes of the public. Striking is probably the word I’m looking for, and nowadays, it probably thrives more on nostalgia than anything else.

But regardless of marketing, I like this album, which includes classics like C’mon and Love Me, She, Rock Bottom, and perhaps the biggest and best Kiss hit of all time – Rock and Roll All Nite!