GENE SIMMONS - ***hole (CD ALBUM, 2004) KISS

GENE SIMMONS - ***hole (CD ALBUM, 2004) KISS

Whether you love or hate Kiss bassist/marketing mastermind Gene Simmons, the main revelation of his second solo album is how eclectic he can be with his musical choices. (This is, after all, a guy who covered "When You Wish Upon a Star" on his solo debut at a time when he was still sporting demon make-up.) Apparently, the cocky bassist's Rolodex got quite a workout for this project. Former Kiss bandmates Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer were recruited for the swaggering "Weapons of Mass Destruction," Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro shows up on a scorching cover of Prodigy's "Firestarter," and Bob Dylan, of all people, helped co-write the heartfelt ballad "Waiting for the Morning Light." Throughout the record Simmons shifts gears, from the ZZ Top-flavored boogie of "Sweet & Dirty Love" to the Beatlesque ballad "Now That You're Gone," to the surprisingly catchy title cut. This notorious cad even gives another glimpse of his sentimental side on the lush, Patsy Cline-inspired closer "1,000 Dreams," complete with strings and crying pedal steel.

TRACKLIST

1. Sweet & Dirty Love
2. Firestarter
3. Weapons Of Mass Destruction
4. Waiting For The Morning Light
5. Beautiful
6. Asshole
7. Now That You're Gone
8. Whatever Turns You On
9. Dog
10. Black Tongue
11. Carnival Of Souls
12. If I Had A Gun
13. 1,000 Dreams