Randor's Song of the Week: 02.28.10

"Under the Rose" by Kiss from the album Music from "The Elder". 1981.
    Although the start of the 80's found Kiss quite popular internationally, their appeal at home was marred by a more pop-friendly sound and the departure of the Catman, Peter Criss. Hoping to get back in the good with the American public, they began pulling tricks out of their spike-studded sleeves. A few years down the line, they would stop sporting their trademark face paint. For 1981, however, the band decided to go for a concept album, hoping to both please the fanbase and prove themselves as credible musicians- not just simple rockers. Instead, the record alienated both fans and critics, becoming one of only two Kiss albums to not hit at least Gold certification (that's quite something by the way, considering they have seven Platinum and nine Gold albums). It also sparked the Spaceman Ace Frehley's frustration with the band's direction, leading to his departure the following year.
    I haven't heard the whole album, but just from this featured song alone, anyone can tell this isn't the Kiss you're used to. With more melodic verses and a choir sounding like some Gothic version of Queen, there's no rock and rolling all nite. No wonder the fans didn't quite appreciate the tracks here. It's a completely different sound than classic Kiss. Most experiments done by popular bands don't quite achieve the remarkable shock and boost they're designed to have, but this particular attempt significantly dented the band's reputation. They would eventually recover, but Music from "The Elder" doesn't get much attention from even Kiss these days.