Customer Reviews

Let Me Rock You

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After releasing two phenomenal solo albums in 1978 and 1980, Peter Criss returned to the studio to record the greatest album of his solo career, 1982s "Let Me Rock You." Joining Peter is his third solo venture was the great songwritter Russ Ballard (the writer of Ace's remake of "New York Groove"). Taking the producer's chair once again was Peter's personal favorite, Vinnie Poncia. Together, this trio put together a marvelous album that is too good to put into words. The song-writting is top-notch and Peter's vocals are the best they have ever been. His vocals are the cleanest on this album than any of his other previous work. Better than any other album he's recorded with KISS or solo. The whole album is truly magnificent. The sound of this album is more rock and roll and mixed in is the piano, the brass and the synthesizer that Peter uses very well. This album can please anyone and it is probably one of my favorite albums I have ever bought.

The opening track, "Let It Go" is an excellent piece of Rock and Roll. Great vocals by Peter and the guitar riffs are excellent. This is one of Peter's best songs to date. The next track, "Tears" was in fact co-written by former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent and also plays guitar on this track. This is very powerful semi-ballad. The song moves at a solid pace with a very powerful instrumentals backing up Peter's voice. The next track, "Move On Over" was written by Criss and Poncia. These two make a great songwriting pair. This is the greatest dance song Peter Criss has ever written. This is very solid rock and roller that contains heavy guitar solos and is a true masterpiece as it instantly become another Peter Criss classic.

The next track, "Jealous Guy", a track originally performed by John Lennon, Criss did an excellent job in remaking this rock classic. Peter's vocals are truly magnificent and he did an excellent job recreating the feel and emotion to Lennon's original version. The next track, "Destiny" is a very heavy rock and roller. The song is about meeting the love of your life and how it all happens because of destiny. The lead guitar truly shines here. Listen to the sample and you'll know what I mean. Another excellent classic is, "Some Kinda' Hurricane" is one of the songs that Russ Ballard wrote. The song is very heavy instrumentally and heavy on Peter's vocals. Another instant classic right here! The title track, "Let Me Rock You" is actually a 1950s style doo wop. Peter does a marvelous job on this song and he captured the style of doo wop very well.

Track eight, the second ballad of the album, "First Day In the Rain" is a good Peter ballad, but not his absolute best. Another song about being out on his own again. The next track, "Feel Like Heaven" was actually written by Gene Simmons. This is a lighter heavy metal track that sounds great with Peter's jazzy style voice over those guitars. Finally, the last track, "Bad Boys" is a track that Peter based on his childhood and advice his mother would give him as a child, "Don't go where the BAD BOYS go." This is light-sounding track and is the the second slowest song on the album but still is another unique Peter Criss song.

This album is without a doubt is Peter Criss's greatest moment as a solo artist and no one can say any different. I was hooked on this album as soon as I listened to it one time fully. I've owned this album for only 1 day and here I am already telling you how great this is. It's so good, don't even bother listening to samples of the songs. This is not an album that takes a while to get used to or anything like that. On this album, the Catman sinks his claws into you. Just sit back and let Peter Criss rock you away! Rock on, Catman!

Oh man this is what the peter criss solo lp should have been.Peter finaly turns it up a notch and proves even without Kiss he can boogie.Check out Let It Go you;ll be playing it over and over like a giddy child with nintendo

While i would stop short in saying that it has better songs than I Cant Stop The Rain and Dont You Let Me Down on his first solo,i can say this is a better overall effort.
It contains a Gene Simmons song called Feels Like Heaven,which he was so kind as to let Peter have.I am surprized that Kiss didnt actually do that song as its quite a good song.
I cannot find a bad song here.I actually bought this album in about 1985.It was as rare as anything in those days.News of what Kiss was doing was scarce,let alone ex members,there was a heavy metal shop in Melbourne central.But i'd hardly call this heavy metal.Problem was this album crashed initially as far as record sales went.I got it as an import,and i was glad i did cause i realy enjoyed this album better than any of his other solo's.
Went through a patch and just kept playing it,but the radio stations refused to have anything to do with Kiss in those days.1982 was a bad year to release this album.
Going through the tracks in this album he realy did a fine job at picking some emotional tracks like Tears,Jealous Guy(which is different to the other versions ive heard but still quite good),Let Me Rock You(I realy like this tune)and First Day In The Rain which are all excellent.
Also he had some good disco/rock type tracks here like Let It Go,Destiny,Some Kinda' Hurricane and Bad Boys,not a bad song here.
It was a while till he released another solo after this,but it wasnt because this was a bad album.

Criss is here far from the Kiss sound. But it doesnt matter. Its
a little improvment from the Out of Control album, and it sounds fresh in todays music. Kiss producer Vini Poncia has taken over the production, and the soundpicture is pure magic. Its sympho rock, espesially on Track 2 Tears. Let it go Track 1 is more rock and roll. Move on Over Track 3 its more simple. He also have
a go on the John Lennon hit Jealous Guy. Eat youre heart out Brian Ferry, who also had a minor hit with this one. Track 5 Destiny has a certain quality over it, but its not Criss on his best. Track 6 Somekinda hurricane, is a real rocker, fast and moving towards a climax of pure rock orgasm. Track 7 Let me Rock you, is the title track, and been out for a surprise. Criss doing doooo op, and its doesnt sounds like rock, is pure pop with the sound from the sixteees. This is a treat, and earfriendly. Pure joy. More or less. Track 8 First day in the rain is a ballad, but its not up to it`s usuall standard. Track 9
Feel like heaven is back on what we can called a "light heavy metal track". Track 10 Bad Boys is rythm and blues and its interesting. Over all Its time for a new Solo album from Peter Criss. Peter Criss will surely rock you on this one.

In this time and age, Peter Criss' "Let me rock you" is probably a very un-cool album. But it is a good effort from the former Kiss drummer with the rough voice. The material is rather diverse with its rocking numbers like "Some kinda hurricane" and "Feels like heaven" combined with disco influences in form of "Destiny" and softer piano based efforts like "Let me rock you". Mr. Criss even does a Lennon cover in the shape of "Jealous guy". Peter Criss is going for a blend of different musical styles and you get pop as well as rock and ballads. Critics may have an opinion that this album lack a clear direction, but I think this is the reason this album is such a strong effort. The material is of high quality and I can highly recommend this album.

This CD is essential and may surprise many doubters and nay-sayers who have dismissed Peter as the least capable Kiss member past and present. Peter Criss excudes charisma on this one with a stylish collection of material that still stands up today some 20 odd years plus. Having possibly accepted that he was not the greatest songwriter, he opted wisely for a collection of his own work and some contemporary writers such as Russ Ballard. Neither the best vocalist or drummer it is the heart and soul that draws the listener in. Highlights abound and the styles are varied. "Let It Go" is a great opener somewhat reminisant of Dynasty's "Dirty Living". It is the next cab off the rank in the Vinnie Vincent (then known as Vincent Cusano) penned "Tears" that is the stella highlight. This is the best songs Peter has put his vocals too bar non, and could have been with some push a radio hit. One assumes this song was recommended to Criss by the label during the early recording sessions for the masked ones "Creatures" opus. Indeed "Feel Like Heaven" was penned by Gene Simmons although that song feels as if it were derived from the "Unmasked" and "Dynasty" eras and is nowhere near as good. "First Day In The Rain" is sublime too both emotive and atmospheric being a dreamy ballad no way insipid in inspiration like "Beth". The title track "Let Me Rock You" is fifties doo wop and is kitchy but likeable too, reminding me a little of Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl'. The closer of "Bad Boys" is an obvious nod to the Stones and is possibly the best Criss penned number to date. Obviously ignored by a label and a record buying public who had out grown Kiss let alone the ex drummer, it is a real shame because "Let Me Rock You" was accessible pop rock with a slight eighties feel that deserved huge sales. Certainly more accessible than ever before.

Speaking as a flaming heterosexual male, Peter Criss is NOT a handsome man. The picture chosen for the cover of Let Me Rock You is absolutely awful! Peter's hair looks like he hasn't bathed in weeks, his beard is a poor excuse for facial hair and his right eye seems to be looking at something different than his left eye. All vanity aside (remember: Don't judge a book by its cover!), Let Me Rock You is a slightly weaker album than 1980's Out of Control. The songs are much more polished and commercial than those found on Out of Control. Let It Go is a keyboard-heavy track that tries to rock but just doesn't get off the ground. Sure it's catchy but as far as being a good song....that's iffy. Tears, a song written by KISS' savior Vincent Cusano (AKA Vinnie Vincent), is surprisingly slow-paced. Vinnie is known for his good rockers (I Love It Loud, Young and Wasted, Lick It Up and Unholy, especially) but this piece of pop piffle sure veers away from his usual oeuvre. Move On Over is easily the best song on the album. A great groove, an above average vocal from Peter, good stuff! Next up is Peter's cover of the John Lennon classic, Jealous Guy. I'm sorry to say that Peter does not do justice to the song. He seems off-tune a good deal of the time and the insturmentation is much too heavy. It almost sounds like an Elton John song! Destiny follows and gets the album back on track again. This is a good song with a very catchy chorus and some decent guitar licks. Some Kinda Hurricane opens with a great guitar which continues on through the song. This is more of the kind of song I would expect to come out of Vinnie Vincent than Tears! Let Me Rock You has a do-wop feel to it that is reminiscent of the 1950's. It is a good song with a catchy chorus and a decent bass line. Future Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens wrote First Day In The Rain, a slower song with a good guitar solo as its centerpiece. Feel Like Heaven, written by The Demon himself, Gene Simmons, is runne! r-up for best song on Let Me Rock You. A smokin' lead guitar backed by a snappy rhythm section and good vocal outing. Good work, Gene! The album's closer is Bad Boys which has a country-feel to it. The song itself isn't particularly good but it has a very unique sound. Let Me Rock You is the second of Peter Criss' post-KISS solo efforts. After this album, we would not hear of Peter on record for almost 5 years. It's too bad that he got caught up in the fiasco that was happening with the shift from Casablanca Records to Phonogram because these are both good albums that I believe would have been much better received had they been marketed properly. As far as the music goes, I believe that Peter made a poor choice in bringing in so many outside writers. He only has writing credit on 2 of the 10 songs on the entire album. Had he stuck with his own material, I think Let Me Rock You would have been a more jointed effort rather than the mishmash of writing styles exhibited here. The album is very good nonetheless and should definitely be given a chance. Like its predecessor Out of Control, Let Me Rock You is a real surprise!

This is a great solo effort by Peter. Much better than the previous two solo albums. There is not a dull moment on this one.

This is not stellar stuff even in its heyday. However, those who like Kiss and Pete can put up with its sometimes poppy style. Peter has a surprisingly good voice with range. I too wish he had more faith in his writing and really go at it solo. His early Kiss songs were and still are classics. My daughter likes it as well as my wife. I think he was REALLY trying for that target audience, hoping to be the next Frank Sanatra. Peter, you are great all by yourself.

Well it's 1982. The post disco freeze out is still in full swing,Kiss have found a new drummer and have gone back to their hard rock sound and Peter Criss's solo career was now in full swing. His previous album Out of Control was a huge creative winner but a big commercial loser. It wouldn't be long after this that the members of Kiss would publicly remove their makeup for the first time during an MTV show. In actuality Peter jumped the gun on that with this. In terms of looks,he's about what one might expect under the catman getup. Rather a bearded,baby faced man really. Nonetheless that wasn't the only and most important change this album represented for Criss.

The music featured here differs from the previous two solo records he made in that the production has definitely entered the 80's. That's in terms of instrumentation mostly and sound quality,not in general sound. "Let It Go",Move On Over" and "Destiny" are heavy grooving...hard progressive new wave I suppose. There are other more elaborate type numbers such as "Some Kinda Hurricane" and "Feels Like Heaven" too,with a few rock fusion type references. "Tears" and "First Day In The Rain" are two of his slickest and most keyboard heavy ballads whereas he finally comes full circle with his John Lennon influence on a cover of "Jealous Guy",done up here in a rather more uptempo rock n soul piece with a bit of an R&B lilt to it. On the title track,he's back to straight ahead soulful,catchy rock n roll.

Even if you never heard any of Criss's other music or know nothing about Kiss,this isn't a hard album to like. The songs are well written,the playing is superb and the instrumental arrangements are fresh and original. It's not a bad example for early 80's rock music actually either. By putting everything based on the rhythm as opposed to heavy uses of electronics,it avoids a lot of the cliche's of the early to mid 80's that bring out a lot of what I call "antieightiesitis" in too many people. Criss's career after this would stall almost completely until the 90's. As this,as with it's predecessor was a commercial failure,presumably because a certain era had come to an end perhaps. Or that a lot of people just flat out didn't like Peter Criss as it turned out. And perhaps,even for them it may be one day time to revise that opinion.