Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
|
Product Description
CD Remastered
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
(Music From) the Elder has divided KISS fans for a quarter of a century. Some dispise the records as being silly, misguided or just plain awful. Others see it as KISS showing a more serious side to complement their simplistic bombast of the 1970s, while other (like myself) see a bit of both.
The album has numerous moments of brilliance. Under the Rose is perhaps their best kept secret, dark, compelling, mystical, Gene sings the song with real force. A complete departure from anything the band had ever done before, it was a magnificent song. World Without Heroes shows Gene in fine form again with a sad, mournful theme, wonderful lyrics that hit home with real resonance and a fantastic guitar solo. The other real standout of the album is the final track, simply titled 'I'. It is classic KISS, heavy, anthemic, fist pumping rock 'n' roll. Only the outro of the song, with its referrences to the concept of the album tie it in with the rest of the songs. Bizarrely, it is ignored by the band live, despite being not only in the same vein as their classic 1970s output but also much betetr than a lot of it. Then we come to the low points on the album. Most of them centre around Paul Stanley who took to the concept like a fish out of water, usually a fish singing falsetto. Just a Boy seems to be picking up and developing into a strong song until the Star Child croons into the heavens to ruin it. The same happens with the Oath, spoilled by Stanley's shrill shrieking. He even manages to ruin the half decent Only You. Dark Light is the last track Ace Frehley recorded with the band but is well below his previous offerings. Fanfare and Escape from the Island are decent instrumental pieces but are nothing special.... Read more ›
The album has numerous moments of brilliance. Under the Rose is perhaps their best kept secret, dark, compelling, mystical, Gene sings the song with real force. A complete departure from anything the band had ever done before, it was a magnificent song. World Without Heroes shows Gene in fine form again with a sad, mournful theme, wonderful lyrics that hit home with real resonance and a fantastic guitar solo. The other real standout of the album is the final track, simply titled 'I'. It is classic KISS, heavy, anthemic, fist pumping rock 'n' roll. Only the outro of the song, with its referrences to the concept of the album tie it in with the rest of the songs. Bizarrely, it is ignored by the band live, despite being not only in the same vein as their classic 1970s output but also much betetr than a lot of it. Then we come to the low points on the album. Most of them centre around Paul Stanley who took to the concept like a fish out of water, usually a fish singing falsetto. Just a Boy seems to be picking up and developing into a strong song until the Star Child croons into the heavens to ruin it. The same happens with the Oath, spoilled by Stanley's shrill shrieking. He even manages to ruin the half decent Only You. Dark Light is the last track Ace Frehley recorded with the band but is well below his previous offerings. Fanfare and Escape from the Island are decent instrumental pieces but are nothing special.... Read more ›
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is probably the most-lamented album in the KISS catalogue. Not many KISS fans would admit to liking this album in the 80's and it's easy to see why. It didn't sound anything like what KISS did before or after. (To be fair it does show a certain resemblance to the other orchestrated master piece Destroyer. Guess that's the Bob Ezrin touch.) After a couple of fairly weak-sounding albums, and pretty weak material on Unmasked, this is what KISS decided to release? Commercial suicide.
But, the songs are awesome. It's not KISS as most people know them but for me that isn't necessarily bad. This album contain some absolute gems and with the restored original track sequence it's a much better album than the vinyl issues. The remastering is spot on with the bass becoming much clearer and the separation between the instruments is stellar. The most pleasant suprise among the KISS remasters.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
A very soft, heart felt musical rock album. I think about a boys rise from nothing to a saviour of his people after being trained by elders (Order of the Rose).
Album sales and tours were apparantly bad, but it has become a cult classic.
I heard this album when I was quite young, so actually appreciated the music for what is was. A musical fantasy from some dungeon and dragon scenario. It's the way I think about it to this day.
Songs from the dark side of the mind (Mr. Blackwell) and the triumphant (Just a boy)!
You won't find much like it.
Fantastic!
:-)
Album sales and tours were apparantly bad, but it has become a cult classic.
I heard this album when I was quite young, so actually appreciated the music for what is was. A musical fantasy from some dungeon and dragon scenario. It's the way I think about it to this day.
Songs from the dark side of the mind (Mr. Blackwell) and the triumphant (Just a boy)!
You won't find much like it.
Fantastic!
:-)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By B. S. Marlay
Format:Audio CD
After 1976's Bob Ezrin-produced `Destroyer', it would have seemed a no-brainer for Kiss to record a soaring metal concept album. So, when the venture finally came to pass in 1981, I imagine a reteam with Alice Cooper's producer promised a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, with Kiss all over the place after their disco bubblegum musings with `Dynasty' and `Unmasked', and public and behind the scenes line-up changes, the final project - `Music from The Elder' - took its place as an unfortunate, if interesting and ambitious, misfire.
The problem with this album is that, rather than pick up where `Destroyer' left off and produce another soaringly energetic hard rock opus, it is infected with too much of the glossy pop stylings of the previous two albums and too many middle of the road leanings. It is heavy and serious in parts, while slight, comic-book-like and a bit dumb in others. It veers wildly from being complex to simplistic; thunderous to Disney-eque. Not only does it feel too planned and thought through, it never manages to be abandoned, which was the winning quality of `Destroyer' - and of successful rock in general. It always feels constrained by its ambitions, which in turn tends to give the unfortunate impression that the band's reach was beyond their abilities.
That is not to say that it is poor. Over half the songs on `The Elder' are very good. They just needed to aim for metal and energy, rather than portentous prog rock.... Read more ›
The problem with this album is that, rather than pick up where `Destroyer' left off and produce another soaringly energetic hard rock opus, it is infected with too much of the glossy pop stylings of the previous two albums and too many middle of the road leanings. It is heavy and serious in parts, while slight, comic-book-like and a bit dumb in others. It veers wildly from being complex to simplistic; thunderous to Disney-eque. Not only does it feel too planned and thought through, it never manages to be abandoned, which was the winning quality of `Destroyer' - and of successful rock in general. It always feels constrained by its ambitions, which in turn tends to give the unfortunate impression that the band's reach was beyond their abilities.
That is not to say that it is poor. Over half the songs on `The Elder' are very good. They just needed to aim for metal and energy, rather than portentous prog rock.... Read more ›
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By James Choma
Format:Audio CD
This album received A LOT of bad press when it came out - mainly from the fans. It was a radical departure from the Kiss of old, but with Bob Ezrin back in the Producer's chair, they made a great album. "The Oath" with it's great guitar intro, "Just a Boy" with its baroque intro, and "Only You" are some of the stand out songson the album. Eric Carr turns out some great drumming on this album, while Ace turns out some great work on "Escape From the Island" and his solo on "A World Without Heroes". It's worh adding to your collection. To quote Rolling Stone's review: "Kiss thinks with the heart and not the ..." on this album."
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 196 reviews
3.7 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Why under the name of Kiss?
I hate this album, i like Kiss of hard rock from the beggining until Love Gun and from Psycho Circus. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Yaniv Riahi
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very different from all other Kiss albums.
In terms of sales this 1981 Kiss album failed to deliver. Very much due to the fact that generally Kiss fans were not expecting or ready for the musical direction Kiss took for... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Daniel A A Moonen
3.0 out of 5 stars
a decent rock opera..
If kiss had released another hard rocking release the same year as this one , noone would have been upset. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Michael Dobey
4.0 out of 5 stars
wrongly overlooked ?
This album was a flop when originally released and alienated the majority of Kiss fans BUT I think it's a pretty good album if you ignor the keyboard nonsense of "Fanfair" +... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Lies Inc.
4.0 out of 5 stars
better than i imagined
i looked at the album n after taking the plastic off n was very impressed at the quality this record has kept over the years.i think i got a deal. Read more
Published 18 months ago by kburnett1971
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underated by the critics.
I have read many critics view of this album and found that their stereotypical point of view and genre restricting opinions to be flawed. Read more
Published 18 months ago by P. S. Co-head
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Kiss it isn't, but it stands alone as a great album.
It's all subjective, of course, but I for one rate this album very highly. I am a long time Kiss fan, and one thing '.. Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2010 by Mr. A. Willis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kiss the Elder film track
Some classic early musical talent on this album.. from Dark light and one track that stands out from the crowd is Mr Blackwell, it is a classic bass guitar bad boy track by Gene... Read more
Published on 28 April 2010 by Mr. D. WALTERS
5.0 out of 5 stars
epic
please refer to the above reviews these people are talking out there backsides the elder is by far the best kiss album ever sonic boom youre having a laugh. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2009 by Desmond Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars
music from the ill advised?
where to start? mis guided,ill judged,craving attention to their quality as musicians,run out of ideas?probably a mixture of all of the above. Read more
Published on 26 Dec 2008 by Mr Blackwell
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
