Tag: kix

This was album number four for KIX and the one that really did the business in terms of sales and has been certified platinum. This is mainly due to the songs being much more radio friendly and bringing in outside writers to help give the band that elusive hit single, which they had with the ballad Don’t  Close Your Eyes and No Ring Around Rosie.

Now, Rosie is a kick ass song and is more like early Kix and their first album, which is killer. Other highlights for me are Side 1 close out track She Dropped Me The Bomb, where they steal riffs straight out of Highway To Hell-period AC/DC, but who cares when the song is this good. In fact, the majority of the album is based around that whole AC\DC vibe with the added bonus of the hooks and choruses being pure party time rock n’ roll. My favourite track however is the final track on the record, Dirty Boys. The DC vibe is there for sure, but the tempo is high and rockin’ and this is how you close out an album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is KIX’s third album, released in ’85, they hit gold with this and the one that came next, Blow My Fuse. I was a big fan of the first album and the brat rock attitude that ousted from the grooves. This album on the other hand is very commercial sounding, produced by Beau Hill.

You can’t keep a good AC/DC riff down, and opener Midnite Dynamite reminds big time of the down under rockers, albeit with a very catchy hook and chorus – it’s my favourite track. Red Hot (Black & Blue) is a slowed down rocker and again, that hook and chorus are great – sooo catchy. Bang Bang (Balls Of Fire) follows and has sleazy riff. This band are all about the big sing-a-long chorus, and this track is no exception. The tempo increases somewhat with the fast blast of Layin’ Rubber, a great welcome injection of pace. Side 1 closes out with Walkin’ Away and it’s a super cheesy ballad.

Normal service is resumed with Side 2 opener Scarlet Fever. It’s the full on stomp rock groove that they do so well with added solo by Mike Slamer. A cool opening to Cry Baby and a return to first album brat rock vibes. Cold Shower tries something a little different with a funk groove and gang vocals. Lie Like A Rug is up next and has Anton Fig on the drums. I have to say there is a touch of the Stones’ Satisfaction to parts of this song. The album closes out with Sex, a sleazy barroom rocker.

A fun album that I haven’t played in a long while.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is the band’s follow-up to their hugely entertaining debut, and was released back in ’83. Change was already afoot as original guitarist Ronnie Younkins was replaced by Brad Divens, and that energetic archaic approach was being smoothed out to a more corporate sound, which would pay dividends with the Blow My Fuse album.

The more basic AC/DC sound was becoming more prevalent with tracks like Love Pollution and Get Your Monkeys Out, which is fine, but tracks like Body Talk and Loco Emotion just fail miserably as they do not sound like the band at all and sounds more new wave. Thankfully there are redeeming tracks like Mighty Mouth, which is just kick ass rock n’ roll and more of what the band are all about. The last track Restless Blood feels more like the energy of the first album and is my favourite track.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

I know Midnite Dynamite and Blow My Fuse were big albums for the band, but to me, this is their best album. It shows the band as their true selves – before record company nonsense kicked in. A cross between glam/power pop and good old rock n roll, this is one fun record. I bought this as a cold buy and had never heard the band before – I just liked the cover and the song titles.

I was super stoked when I first dropped the needle on the record as first song, Atomic Bombs, is a great fun up-tempo rocker. Every song is just pure gold and has that big feel good vibe. Love At First Sight has a killer groove and sing-a-long chorus and should have been a single. Heartache is an ode to young lust. Poison is a monster glam/sleaze track with a killer beat and groove, and has an awesome solo – plus a great call and response section. The Itch closes out Side 1 and reminds me of AC/DC with the guitar sound and main riff.

Side 2 kicks off with the band’s signature song, Kix Are For Kids, and a fun fast old school rock n roll romp it is. Contrary Mary follows and is Faster Pussycat before they were a thing. This album came out in ’81, and I would say this album was an influence on quite a few bands that came after. If I had to choose between this and Crudley Motts first album, I would go for this every time. Better songs, better playing, better frontman, and a way better guitar player. Anyway back to the record. Next up is The Kid, which starts with a solo guitar piece before the full on stomp glamfest kicks in. Last track is Yeah Yeah Yeah, and I know it’s cheesy as hell, but I love the simplicity and the fun vibe of this track – even though lyrically it’s not very PC.

So this record is not gonna change the world, but if it doesn’t put a smile on your face and happy feeing in your soul, then you are in need of therapy.

9/10 from The Grooveman.