Rock and Roll Over

Rock and Roll Over finds KISS returning to more direct, physical rock and roll after the dramatic craft of Destroyer, on the band’s fifth album. Thick guitars, hand-clapping beats and the contrasting voices of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons throw off hook after hook within short songs. From the drive of “I Want You” and the playfulness of “Calling Dr. Love” to the straight-ahead push of “Makin’ Love” and “Mr. Speed,” the album lines up KISS’s character without strain, stripping back elaborate staging so the feel of a band playing as one lives throughout. Meanwhile, a melancholy number like the Peter Criss–sung “Hard Luck Woman” gives the record a range that keeps it from turning monotonous. Proving the songs are strong even without flashy tricks, it is a fulfilling record of the golden period — its energy, vacuum-sealed straight from the heat of the live room, feels great.