Asshole

Sooo, Gene Simmons has a new solo album out, his first since his 1978 Kiss solo album. Is it any good? It's not great from a lyrical or songwriting sense, but then Kiss has never been known for their advanced lyrical structure, or their complex musical arrangements. What they are known for is kick-ass anthems and ballads.

Here's a track by track breakdown:

1. Sweet and Dirty Love: Probably the most Kiss-like song on the album. Guitar rock, passable, but not that memorable.

2. Firestarter: Gene covers the Prodigy song and puts forth a noble effort. The song isn't bad, a good choice of a cover.

3. Weapons of Mass Destruction: Another Kiss-like song and probably the weakest song on the album. Generic aggro-rock.

4. Waiting For the Morning Light: This sounds like a written for Peter Criss to sing song. Good little sappy ballad.

5. Beautiful: God help me, I really like this song. This is the one that I find myself singing inadvertently. An ode to a transvestite, this is a pretty little song.

6. Asshole: Some of the lyrics in this song (But you got a personality/like a bucket of pee; You're such a creep/You look like a sheep), are painfully weak, but then there are the ones that make me laugh (cause you're the cream of the crap), so this is an uneven song. Good but uneven.

7. Now That You're Gone: Gene likes the children's choirs on his songs, and this one has one. Sounds like a song about his father. Good enough. So, so pretty.

8. Whatever Turns You On: This song should be really, really bad, but is actually pretty good. Shannon Tweed and others sing backup. The other catchiest song on the album that will probably never get any airplay.

9. Dog: Could very well be a song by Cake, so of course I like it.

10. Black Tongue: Intercut with clips of Frank Zappa, this is another catchy little song. I like the chorus on this one.

11. Carnival of Souls: This one was allright. Sounds like something from right before the reunion tour.

12. If I Had a Gun: Gene sings about taking all the fools out. Not brilliant, but good. Not as good as Henry Rollins "Drive By Shooting," but not terrible.

13. 1,000 Dreams: Gene ended his first solo album with a cover of "When You Wish Apon a Star," and this song has much the same feel.

This one isn't going to go down as the best album of the year, but not as the worst either (Though it wouldn't surprise me if it shows up on some critics worst of the year lists). I enjoyed it, and it's stayed in my car cd player for awhile now.

3 1/2 babes