KISS; "MTV Unplugged" (Mercury). * * 1/2
RIK EMMETT; "The Spiral Notebook" (Vanguard). * * *STUART WEBER; "Departures" (Bridger Records). * * 1/2
Acoustic albums seem a trend these days.
What was kick-started commercially back in 1990 with Tesla's "Five Man Acoustical Band" and blossomed into a multimillion-selling MTV bandwagon now often appears to be an easy way to rejuvenate a career.
Still, MTV aside, several record labels have offered their own "unplugged" formats for years and a few new acoustic labels have popped up. Vanguard Records has specialized in folk-acoustic art since way back, and Bridger Records is up and on the rise.
Kiss, ex-Triumph axman Rik Emmett and instrumental guitarist Stuart Weber are three artists trying the acoustic mode on new albums.
- KISS, the masters of theatrical rock/metal, have stripped their production down for the MTV Unplugged series. And for fans, this is probably the fourth Kiss "live" album to be added to their collection.
No fire-spitting, no exotic dancers and no high-frequency lead guitars. Instead, "Kiss: MTV Unplugged" is just what it states. No gimmicks (well, actually, one big acoustic one) and no flashpots.
Taking songs from their two-decade career, the band offers versions of the vintage "Comin' Home," "Plaster Caster" and the newer "Domino" and "Nothin' to Lose."
By now it's no surprise that guitarist-singer Paul Stanley and bassist-vocalist Gene Simmons welcomed original drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley aboard for a full-makeup tour and kept guitarist Bruce Kulick and drummer Eric Singer, respectively, on board.
The last four songs on the album feature Criss, Frehley and the rest. Criss belts out the ballad "Beth" and Frehley does the Rolling Stones' "2,000 Man," which Kiss did on the "Dynasty" album. The band hits hard on "Nothin' to Lose" and gathers itself for a huge finale of, what else, "Rock and Roll All Nite."
A surprise is Simmons' "See You Tonight," from his 1978 self-titled solo album, and "A World Without Heroes," the band's collaboration with Lou Reed on 1981's "Music From the Elder."
But as with a lot of acoustic albums, there is a heavy tilt toward ballads. "See You Tonight," "A World Without Heroes," "I Still Love You" and "Every Time I Look at You" are spotlighted. Too bad "I Want You" isn't here.
Fans who'd like to have heard live jams like "Detroit Rock City," "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and "Firehouse" will have to go back to "Alive," "Alive II" and "Alive III," plugged in.
- RIK EMMETT built a career as the lead vocalist-guitarist for Canadian progressive three-man metal band Triumph. His throaty voice and techno-wizard guitar parts made the band a counterpart to the similar three-piece band Rush.
In 1988 Emmett embarked on a solo career that hasn't proved as lucrative as Triumph. But in 1996, the man seems to have found his niche.
"The Spiral Notebook" was apparently recorded live with very few overdubs. Emmett's voice has been honed for the mainly acoustic approach, as has his guitar. But when he wants, Emmett still can burn up a string solo.
Opening with the tender "Anything You Say" and riding on the folk-reggae-rock "Raise High," the album displays Emmett's versatility and hidden talents for creative songwriting.
"The Longing" is a ballad that nearly segues into the bluesy "Talk It Over."
The use of a Leslie-effect-laced Hammond organ and jam-easy tunes bring out the grooves on "Little Bitta Love," and the twanging guitar hits out the almost country sounding "The Numbers Game."
Overall, the album should prove as fresh for Emmett as it is for listeners. Fans of his more melodic metal anthems such as "Somebody's Out There" and "Magic Power" may not appreciate "The Spiral Notebook," unless they are into musicianship for its own sake.
- STUART WEBER blends a little slack-key guitar with folk, blues and jazz. On his album "Departures" he creates a jangly intro for each tune - especially on such doodles as "Dog Dreams" and "District Attorney No. 1" and "No. 2."
But Weber also ventures into sentiment on the eloquent "Season's Change" and yearning "Homing Bird." Other great instrumental picking can be heard on "Red, White & Yellowstone" and "Pend Oreille."
The album isn't designed to be played as background music, either. "Departures" is exactly what the title implies. Every song ventures into another aura or world.
RATINGS: four stars (* * * * ), excellent; three stars (* * * ), good; two stars (* * ), fair; one star (* ), poor, with 1/2 representing a higher, intermediate grade.