This 1983 album pushes
Kix
in a more
new wave
direction than their hard-rocking debut outing. On this surface,
Cool Kids
might seem like a commercialized cash grab: it contains a handful of tracks penned by hired guns like
Nick Gilder
and
Holly Knight
and also adds a layer of
-styled synthesizer shadings to
's
pop-metal
sound. However, this impression is soon revealed to be wrong as soon as the album is spun because the outside song contributions fit neatly in with the group's own songs and the sonic embellishments enhance the group's sound instead of watering it down. The standouts among the outside contributions are the title track, which blends
verses driven by staccato guitar lines with a hard-rocking, shoutalong chorus, and
"Body Talk,"
a danceable fusion of
hard rock
firepower and a synthesizer-layered
beat. The group's songs live up to the standard set by these carefully constructed tunes by presenting an equal amount of hooks and inspiration:
"Mighty Mouth"
is like a
bubblegum
song played at
speed and
"Get Your Monkeys Out"
blends
glam rock
drum beats with jungle noises and a singalong chorus. However, its finest achievement is
"For Shame,"
an soulful, acoustic
power ballad
with lovely harmonies that predates all the
hair metal
ballads that would become popular during the mid-'80s.
Pete Solley
's slick production manages to bring all this strong material to life by effectively balancing the group's guitar-fuelled power with an array of arrangement frills (voice-box guitars, drum machines) that draw attention to the strong
pop
hooks in each song. The end result is an underrated gem that is begging to be rediscovered by fans of
. ~ Donald A. Guarisco