Peter Criss - Out of Control
#371
by Aaron Conte
September 1980
Peter Criss
Out of Control
Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5
Aaron’s Rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Kids’ll buy anything with “KISS” on it.
Why did I do this to myself? I really do not need to be using this covid-19 alone time beating myself up by listening to Peter Criss albums, but I figured enough time had passed since KISS put out their solo albums, and since Peter released his "real" solo albums, that maybe my listening-sound-ear-palette had matured enough to allow a non-judgmental pure admiration review of a record forty years old. I know I'm still in a bit of denial. ANYthing the original four (members of KISS) do should be great right? I had to have Peter's "KISS solo" album, and I was psyched to get it! First of all, green! Makes all the sense in the world right? Cat. Jungle. Green. Plus all the other members' new colors...red, purple, blue...it really exploded my twelve year old mind way more than when Dorothy came out of the house in Oz. Surely this album was going to be amazing.
I could not have been more wrong. What a stinker. What a let down. I remember when it was over, playing it from the start again as if I didn't really hear what I had heard. "This can't be his solo album! What record did I put on by mistake?!" Peter helmed some real KISS fan classics. This is the voice behind, "Hard Luck Woman", "Black Diamond", "Baby Driver", "Hooligan", "Mainline", "Getaway", "100,000 Years", and of course "Beth". Arguably the best singer in the band, and it's hard to beat Paul Stanley belting it out while jumping up and down in stacked heel platform boots, but Peter could just sit back behind his drums in capezios and rest his voice while he waited to kill two or three songs a night.
When this, his first real solo album "Out of Control" came out, I remember it having a prominent record store ad, and yet I didn't pick it up. After all, I had already seen Peter without the cat-make-up and wasn't too excited to listen to what could be more middle of the road dreck. I'm glad I saved my $7.00.
Let's drop the needle on this.
"By Myself". Man you sure are. What the hell happened man?? You were in the biggest band in the world, plus you had your anonymity - not too shabby. A star when you wanted to be, and a regular Joe when you wanted to be. Lead off track by the drummer of a huge rock and roll band. No drums. Acoustic guitars and strings. This could have been on The Elder it's that good. "By myself starting over again. For once in my life I got a chance." Spoiled brat. Cat. Barf.
"In Trouble Again". Not a bad riff. Too much cowbell. Very sanitized. Noo Yawk Italian Catholic slip is showing. Peter was a trouble maker yes that's true, and it's what got him thrown out of the band, just not sure why he wants to brag about it here.
"Where Will They Run?" A Linda Rodstant throw away maybe? Rhodes piano, heavy bass, tame drums. By now it's obvious everyone was banking on Peter's voice to carry this whole project. He had that raspy, full throated, Rod Stewart type howl, and it definitely pushed some classic KISS songs over the top and had people sit up and take notice of who was singing that lead!?
"I Found Love". It's Billy Joel's "Movin' Out" intro. Then he starts singing. Oh god why am I doing this? So vanilla. "There's Nothing Better". Uptempo with a music hall piano. Doesn't suck but still would be better if Phil Collins was singing.
"Out of Control". Finally we get to it, the title track. Ugh and it's about "ladies", and he's "been with them all." But THIS one has him, you guessed it, "out of control". Lame.
"Words". Soft rock ala The Eagles, it's just that Peter is no Don Henley.
"You Better Run". He's singing the The Young Rascals song that Pat Benetar did much better this same year. Mind blown. "My Life". I'm simply struggling to get through the record at this point.
"Feel Like Letting Go". Painful.
I admit to being a huge KISS fan. They were instrumental in my growing up and throughout my life in general. Posters all over the room, saw the original band twice, and even met Gene and Paul in 1978 at a restaurant before their show. They were my fab four and my parents couldn't understand it. True Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace were no John, Paul, George and Ringo, but their impact was just as great on the youth during the 70's as The Beatles had in the 60's. I still will cut Peter a break for his terrible solo material, but I can't in good conscience recommend you pick up this album, in any format, should you have thirty-eight minutes and fifteen seconds to spare. Go get tested. It's got to be more fun.
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