KISS, Tom West, Wallice: New album reviews

As the supergroup’s latest farewell tour drags on, we get a sound bite from the last one PLUS Tom West and Wallice.

KISS at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast on Good Black Friday 2001, playing what should have been their last show ever.

This week’s album reviews from The Courier-Mail (ratings out of five stars):

ROCK

KISS, Off the Soundboard: Tokyo 2001 (Live)

(Universal) ***

As the global pandemic makes KISS’s long goodbye even longer, they’ve kicked off a new soundboard recording series with a show from their first Farewell Tour 20 years ago. The Tokyo Dome show was recorded exactly a month before their “last ever” show on our own Gold Coast, and features a near-identical setlist and the same line-up of Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley with Eric Singer standing in for the recently departed Peter Criss. While professionally mixed with crowd noise included, the soundboard concept and minimalist cover design gives it that “official bootleg” quality. And fans might want new music from the supergroup, but it’s nice to at least have an album concept that’s not repackaged greatest hits.

ROOTS

Tom West, I’m Livin’

(AntiFragile) ***1/2

Tom West had this album in the can when unforeseen circumstances – the global pandemic and his father’s tragic decline and death – set him on a different creative path, resulting in his debut Antarctica. Now this is the second long-player to be released, and in contrast it seems more political than personal. “It’s over now, lay your theories down,” he sings as he mourns the demise of Left Wing Rebels. And on the title track – on which he goes full Neil Young, saving arguably the best for last – he takes aim at “those f—-n’ suits up in ivory towers. counting’ the hours hours hours…” Exile opens the set on a desolate note, while on King Cambyses West wonders: “Where did all the big things go/The glaciers and volcanoes?” There’s the clappy stripped-down ditty Lost Mountain, while strings make bird noises on Can You Hear Those Birds Calling? and the addition of female vocals enhance Prescription For Reality.

POP

Wallice, Off the Rails (EP)

(Independent) ***

“Nineties weezer fronted by Lana Del Rey” is how LA’s Wallice characterises her style, and it seems an apt description. The cover text on her debut EP is a nod to the Japanese heritage on her father’s side. It’s inoffensive indie pop concerned with the usual travails of young adult life. On 23 she looks forward to coming of age – “Maybe I’ll be married soon/And buy a house with three bedrooms” – while Hey Michael calls out a lady killing “American psycho” (played by marinelli) and the noisy Headache lets down another would-be suitor. It’s a promising debut, and at six tracks generous for an EP.