The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Blow My Fuse
Artist: Kix
Label: Atlantic Records
Release Date: 1988

Rating: 5 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Requiem:
    I've noticed that there's been a lacking of glam metal reviews in the classics section on metaljudgment.com. I can agree that a lot of the genre was a bit cheesy, but look at today's popular metal music. Nu metal is unfortunately still lingering around and bands that used to be good (Metallica) have been completely diseased by it. So it's education time for those who aren't familiar with the glam genre, as I will tell about somewhat of a rarity or a "one hit wonder" if you will. The band is Kix and the album is Blow My Fuse. After writing off so many of the hair metal albums that used to get me fired up, this is one of the few that is still standing strong.

    Much of the album's credit must go to producer Tom Werman, who made this band really shine. Much like Mutt Lange did for Def Leppard, Werman achieved for Kix. He took a band that was at its prime and really made it come through in the sound. The band this time around had a hard rockin' energetic sound that brought to mind Cinderella, AC/DC and Def Leppard, but had an imprint all its own. Werman captured the band with crystal clear production, from the crisp splashes of the cymbals to the razor sharp guitar tones. The real kicker is the vocals, which take a very talented Steve Whiteman and make him a near god. His slightly raspy vocal tone gave him an original sound and his delivery was mind blowing. And the backing vocals had that Pyromania vibe to them. The record was a gem in the rock and roll scene then, and it still is now.

    Ten songs. Nine rockers and one ballad. Not a dud in the bunch. The band caught their fame with the ballad "Don't Close Your Eyes", which made it into the US top 50. The song excelled with its soothing keyboards and Whiteman's huge vocals and infectious chorus that rang in the heads of all of us in '88 for days on end. It was a surefire classic and still holds its weight to this day. The rest of the album is full fledged rock and roll that gives the rest of the album the kick it needed. "She Dropped Me the Bomb" is an upbeat number that kills with its big chords and Whiteman taking his vocals places many just could not perceive. "Dirty Boys" showcases some crafty guitar work and the song's high octane pace calls for driving down the highway as fast as possible. "No Ring Around Rosie" shines in the vocal dept. with a vocal tradeoff between Whiteman and band mates. Of course with the amazing production and the 8,000 vocal overdubs, it's jaw dropping.

    Blow My Fuse is a necessary must own for anyone who is a rock n' roll fan or wants to hear one of the finest production jobs out there. Tom Werman should get an award for the killer job he did on this. Whiteman's vocal performance is in the spotlight the entire time, and luckily he's got a great band backing him up. Nothing cheesy here, and far more talented and evolved than any jokers like Poison or Warrant could ever dream of being. It's too bad grunge had to come and kill the good vibes, cause we may have gotten something even better next time.
    5 out of 5

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