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SCORPIONS – Taken By Force
Scorpions – Taken By Force [Remastered] (2002, Hip-O Records)
Originally Release: 1977, RCA Records
1. “Steamrock Fever” … 3:38
2. “We’ll Burn the Sky” … 6:27
3. “I’ve Got to Be Free” … 4:01
4. “The Riot of Your Time” … 4:10
5. “The Sails of Charon” … 4:23
6. “Your Light” … 4:31
7. “He’s a Woman, She’s a Man” … 3:15
8. “Born to Touch Your Feelings” … 7:41
BONUS TRACKS
9. “Suspender Love” … 3:21
10. “Polar Nights (live)” … 6:57
Band:
Klaus Meine – Lead Vocals
Ulrich Roth – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Rudolf Schenker – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Francis Buchholz – Bass, Backing Vocals
Herman Rarebell – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Produced by: Dieter Dierks
I’ve always been hesitant to try some of the earlier Scorpions albums because I’ve always been told they are somewhat psychedelic, and that’s just no my style. I finally took the chance on this album though because I’ve heard it’s a sign of things to come and is a blue print for the signature sound they would develop fully on albums like Lovedrive, Blackout and Love at First Sting.
Well, it’s true, you can definitely hear where the band was heading in the next decade. In fact, I don’t think any of these songs would sound that much out of place on any of the aforementioned albums. There’s a touch of weird to the album like on “Steamrock Fever” with the kids chanting in the background and on “Born to Touch Your Feelings” with the girls talking near the end, but then again, despite the fact that this band is easily in my Top 10 of all-time, there’s always been something weird about them.
Nonetheless, I have to say this is an essential Scorpions album and like many of their releases, the songs will quickly stick in your head with “The Sails of Charon” easily ranking up there as one of the band’s greatest songs.
The bonus tracks are pretty good. “Suspender Love” I’m assuming was a B-side/unreleased song from the Taken By Force sessions and the live version of “Polar Nights” is from the live album Tokyo Tapes (the studio version can be found on 1976′s Virgin Killer).
Highlights: “We’ll Burn the Sky”, “I’ve Got to Be Free”, “The Sails of Charon”, “Your Light”, “He’s a Woman, She’s a Man”, “Born to Touch Your Feelings”
KISS – Love Gun
KISS – Love Gun [Remastered] (1997, Mercury Records/Casablanca Records)
Original Release: 1977, Casablanca Records
1. “I Stole Your Love” (3:04 )
2. “Christine Sixteen” (3:14 )
3. “Got Love for Sale’ (3:27 )
4. “Shock Me” (3:46)
5. “Tomorrow and Tonight” (3:38)
6. “Love Gun” (3:18)
7. “Hooligan” (2:59)
8. “Almost Human” (2:47)
9. “Plaster Caster” (3:28 )
10. “Then She Kissed Me” (3:02)
Band:
Paul Stanley – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass (“Love Gun”)
Gene Simmons – Lead Vocals, Bass
Ace Frehley – Guitar, Vocals
Peter Criss – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Produced by: Eddie Kramer
An iconic hard rock record from an iconic hard rock band… And hey, guess what? The album sports an iconic album cover!
The great thing about KISS’ 1970s output was that the albums were short and sweet. The songs didn’t overstay their welcome (nothing touches the 4 minute mark here) and they usually kept the albums at 10 songs, so it really cut out the chance for filler.
Some of the band’s most well-known songs are here: “I Stole Your Love”, “Christine Sixteen”, “Plaster Caster”, “Shock Me” and of course my favorite KISS song — “Love Gun” (Paul has often said it’s his favorite as well).
“Hooligan” is another great lead vocal track by Peter Criss. I’ve always loved his voice and his songs always deliver on the KISS albums. It’s when he’s left to his own devices that his music becomes spotty. “Tomorrow and Tonight”, I have to admit, is pretty lame. It’s basically the band going for another “Rock And Roll All Nite” (“tomorrow and tonight, tomorrow and tonight, we can rock all day, we can roll all night…”). “Then She Kissed Me” is a re-working of The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me”. A lot of people have given this song a thumbs down over the years, but I think it’s pretty cool.
I don’t care much for “Plaster Caster” either, to be honest. It was written about Cynthia Plaster Caster, who was famous for making casts of um… male body parts. I’ve read rumors that this was written by Gene as a way to entice Cynthia to cast him, but I’m pretty sure if he called her up and asked, she would have done it. More than likely, it was just a song written to grab a few headlines and nothing more.
Highlights: “I Stole Your Love”, “Love Gun”, “Hooligan”, “Almost Human”, “Then She Kissed Me”
