Paul Stanley takes his time between solo albums. The Kiss vocalist's last one was back in 1978. Gene Simmons is busy working on his reality show and increasing the Kiss empire, so Stanley must have decided this would be a good time for a solo project.
Live To Win is a little mellower than a Kiss album, but don't forget that Stanley is in his '50s. There are some harder edged rock songs, but the majority of the CD is mainstream pop/rock with giant hooks and singalong choruses along with a few ballads. Stanley, with help from producer Desmond Child, showcases his ability to write songs that are really catchy. His voice also sounds great. He hasn't lost any range or vocal power, unlike some of his aging rock and metal contemporaries. A little more edge and a little less polish would have made it even better, but this is still a very respectable effort.
