KISS MY ASS-(EX)

Producers include: Lenny Kravitz, Alan Reynolds, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Cliff Norrell. Engineers include: Bob St. John. Producers: Lenny Kravitz; Alan Reynolds; Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley; Cliff Norrell and Gin Blossoms; Gavin Mackillop; Billy Gould; J. Mascis; Nuno Bettencourt; Tom Hamilton and The Lemonheads; The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; Yoshiki. Engineers include: Bob St. John. All songs written or co-written by members of Kiss. During their heyday, there wasn't a more popular band in the world than Kiss. With their unique brand of kabuki metal, and their elaborate stage show, Kiss defined spectacle in rock and roll. But as the impertinently titled KISS MY A** demonstrates, the lyric dimension of their songwriting--and the band's pedigree in classic rock craft--has too long been overlooked. As this extraordinarily varied retrospective/testimonial makes clear, their music lends itself to a wide range of interpretations and stylistic takes. Most surprising are an Aaron Coplandesque reading of "Black Diamond" by Yoshiki & The American Symphony Orchestra, and a spirited down home acoustic rendition of "Hard Luck Woman" by...yes, Garth Brooks, who makes Kiss sound like a cross between Springsteen and Mellencamp. One curious aspect of KISS MY A** is the surfeit of Boston area alterna-nation bands represented, including Dinosaur Jr., Extreme, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the Lemonheads (who treat "Plaster Caster" as something of a Sex Pistols romp). Then, Anthrax weighs in with a suitably barbaric "She," while the Gin Blossoms mine the classic vein of '70s glitz and glam to enliven "Christine Sixteen." During their heyday, there wasn't a more popular band in the world than Kiss. With their unique brand of kabuki metal, and their elaborate stage show, Kiss defined spectacle in rock and roll. But as the impertinently titled KISS MY ASS demonstrates, the lyric dimension of their songwriting --and the band's pedigree in classic rock craft--has too long been overlooked. As this extraordinarily varied retrospective/testimonial makes clear, their music lends itstelf to a wide range of interpretations and stylistic takes. Most surprising are an Aaron Coplandesque reading of "Black Diamond" by Yoshiki & The American Symphony Orchestra, and a spirited down home acoustic rendition of "Hard Luck Woman" by...yes, Garth Brooks, who makes Kiss sound like a cross between Springsteen and Mellencamp. One curious aspect of KISS MY ASS is the surfeit of Boston area alterna-nation bands represented, including Dinosaur Jr., Extreme, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the Lemonheads (who treat "Plaster Caster" as something of a Sex Pistols romp). Then, Anthrax weighs in with a suitably barbaric "She," while the Gin Blossoms mine the classic vein of '70s glitz and glam to enliven "Christine Sixteen. "