Paul Stanley’s Soul Station

Kiss co-founder/singer/ guitarist goes back to his first love.

All those years as Kiss’s frontman/singer, ‘Starchild’ had a guilty secret. He was a soul boy. When the Kissing stopped, Paul Stanley went straight back to his ’60s-’70s roots, first indulging his passion on-stage and now recording the band with this surprisingly good, affectionate and enjoyable homage. Surprising simply because, who knew? Nine well-chosen covers and five originals are graced by Stanley’s light, accessible tenor, a well-drilled band and a cushion of backing vocalists. Starting strongly with The Spinners’ Could It Be I’m Falling In Love, Stanley is most at home on sweet soul favourites such as The Delfonics’ La La Means I Love You, The Stylistics’ You Are Everything and The Five Stairsteps’ ebullient O-O-H Child, while Al Green (Let’s Stay Together) and The Four Tops’ powerhouse Levi Stubbs (Baby I Need Your Loving) get the least convincing covers. Good originals too: try Save Me (From You), the Motowny I, Oh I and duet Whenever You’re Ready I’m Here.