Alive! in Bloomington, MN

Alive!
was the album that catapulted
Kiss
from cult attraction to mega-superstars. It was their first Top Ten album, remaining on the charts for 110 weeks. Culled from shows in Detroit, New Jersey, Iowa, and Cleveland on the
Dressed to Kill
tour, the record features producer
Eddie Kramer
doing a masterful job of capturing the band's live performance on record. The band's youthful energy is contagious, and with positively electric versions of their best early material, it's no mystery why
is widely regarded as one of the greatest live
hard rock
recordings of all time.
"Rock and Roll All Nite"
became a Top 20 smash and was the main reason for the album's success, but there are many other tracks that are just as strong --
"Deuce,"
"Strutter,"
"Firehouse,"
"Parasite,"
"She,"
"100,000 Years,"
"Black Diamond,"
and
"Cold Gin"
all shine in a live setting. Although there's been some speculation of extensive overdubbing to correct mistakes,
remains
' greatest album ever. An essential addition to any
rock
collection. ~ Greg Prato