Search - Kix :: Cool Kids

WAY COOL KIDS

Tim Brough | Springfield, PA United States | 02/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was Kix's pop move. Just because I said POP move, don't run away. "Cool Kids" was the kind of pop HARD rock that was all over the air waves during the 80's hair band craze. It's a shame that the first half of this disc didn't get the obvious radio play it so richly deserved. Kix had that snappy hook delivery down better than many of their platinum peers. Granted, the title song and accompanying video got some MTV play, and the Atlantic seaboard played the single "Body Talk" half to death. The wave didn't spread, though, and Kix was left on the road to capture more converts."Cool Kids" is divided into two distinct halves. There is the the radio ready first half, as exemplified by "Body Talk" and "Loco-Emotion." The keyboards sound forced and the duck quack guitars on "Body Talk" really don't belong there. That doesn't distract that these are still crackerjack rock tunes. They're only teasers to lead us to the heavy half of the album. You could tell you're in for something rougher when Steve Whiteman's screaming intro to "Mighty Mouth" gives way to some fiery guitar. The groove continues with "Let Your Monkeys Out." This "Stranded In The Jungle" styled selection was a live favorite during Kix concerts, but even more of a show grabber was the band's first ballad, "For Shame." Tender and lacking in pretension, this was a stripped down acoustic pleasure before going "un-plugged" was cool. One of these days, this track will be discovered by some movie producer who needs an 80's love ballad for a period piece, and it will become the radio hit it has always deserved to be. And then you get the album's closer, "Restless Blood." Kix's hard rocking bar band roots come through loud and clear here. It's the kind of pounding guitar track that closes an album and leaves you thirsty for more! "Cool Kids" didn't bring Kix to the mainstream, but it wasn't for a lack of material. If the production on the first half of the record wasn't so gimmickry, this would have been a five star album in the same league as the debut."

KIX are for kids. Cool kids!

Chad Von Haden | Los Angeles | 12/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a KIX fan since day one and own everything they ever put out and I am baffled by the response and otherwise negative reviews of this album. I've heard the words "New Wave" used to describe this album along with comparisons to the Thompson twins. I'm sorry, but using a bit of keyboard does not make you "New Wave". Are we listening to the same album ?!?!? This is by far the greatest KIX album put out. And I love them all, but there is not one mediocre song on the entire "Cool Kids" record. And nothing on it sounds new wave. It's a great rock and roll record all the way through.



I would steer any potential new fan to this record first, even though it really wouldn't matter since all their albums were great, but I think this is the epitome of KIX.



Remember what Mr. Whiteman screamed to you from the first album.... KIX are for kids!!"