Kiss - Lick It Up (1983)

Free of make up, Kiss hit a form that suggests there's some life in the glam rock dog yet. The second album to feature Vinnie Vincent, 'Lick It Up' is a stripped down rock 'n' roll record that in the past they've struggled to make. I'd rate this as one of their best, especially in the sense that gimmicks are few and far between, even the title cut struts with that infectious chorus, but it's the likes of 'Exciter' and 'All Hell's Breakin Loose' which score points. Even Gene Simmons elevates himself to more than just bass player with long tongue, rumbling through a set of ballsy cuts, such as 'Fits Like A Glove.' Still incredibly overrated as a phenomenon, it's a shame that Kiss are so sporadic in releasing decent records, instead their past is littered with so many half-hearted platters, but thankfully 'Lick It Up' isn't one of them, so lap it up!

7/10