Now and Then

by Paul Stanley, Paul Stanley's Soul Station

Overview

Famous rock stars paying homage to a genre that inspired them is nothing new, though more often than not, these vanity projects manifest themselves in the form of well-meant but heavy-handed Americana "roots" collaborations or the inevitable jazz standards record. As the frontman for Kiss, Paul Stanley has made a lasting impact on rock & roll, marshalling one of the industry's most die-hard fan bases, the Kiss Army, well into its fifth decade of obsession. While Stanley-penned classics like "Lick It Up" and "Hotter Than Hell" are far from subtle, his voice has always been a particularly nuanced instrument with more range than Kiss' music usually allowed. Before donning the face paint and frightening generations of parents as the Starchild, Stanley was just another 1960s New York teenager listening to Otis Redding, Philly soul, and Motown hits on the radio. On Now and Then, his first release fronting Paul Stanley's Soul Station, he honors that particular era of R&B and soul, offering up vivid renditions of much-loved classics as well as five originals written in the same vein. Unmasked and guitarless in front of a nimble 15-piece band, his takes on evergreen hits like Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and the Five Stairsteps' "O-o-h Child" are decidedly faithful, coming across as affectionate tributes rather than self-serving showpieces. Wielding his warm falsetto with ease, Stanley gamely tackles the Temptations' enduringly sweet "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," sounding nothing like the hard rock god of "Love Gun" or "Detroit Rock City" fame. Dappled with horns, strings, backing singers, and a robust rhythm section, Soul Station's arrangements are elegant and lively, pumping up the energy when needed without going over the top. A record like this could have easily gone south, but Stanley's love for these songs is quite apparent, making Now and Then a surprisingly pleasing listen. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	03/19/2021
Label:	Universal
UPC:	0602435170466

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Paul Stanley's Soul Station   Primary Artist
Paul Stanley   Primary Artist,Vocals,Orchestra
Crystal Starr   Primary Artist,Vocals
Rafael Moreira   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Songa Lee   Violin
Jon Papenbrook   Trumpet
Ely Rise   Keyboards
Ray Yslas   Percussion
Kathleen Sloan   Violin
Mike Nelson   Saxophone
Giovanna Clayton   Cello
Ben Burget   Saxophone
Laurhan Beato   Vocals
Gavyn Rhone   Vocals
Natalie Leggett   Violin
Eric Singer   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Ed Wynne   Saxophone
Alex Alessandroni   Keyboards,Music Direction
Sean Hurley   Bass

Technical Credits

Sean Hurley   Group Member
Norman Whitfield   Composer
Eddie Holland   Composer
Greg Collins   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Rafael Moreira   Group Member
Jon Papenbrook   Group Member
Jeff Fura   A&R
Brian Lowe   Photography
Ely Rise   Group Member
Tom Jermann   Design
Ray Yslas   Group Member
Ian Sefchick   Mastering
Bryan Holland   Composer
Alex Sale   Production Manager
William Hart   Composer
Crystal Starr   Duet,Group Member
Steve Olmon   Assistant Engineer
Keith Leroux   Photography
Laurhan Beato   Group Member
Mervin Steals   Composer
Gavyn Rhone   Group Member
Jeremy Sponder   Product Manager
Stan Vincent   Composer
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles   Composer
Lamont Dozier   Composer
Barrett Strong   Composer
Eric Singer   Group Member
Warren "Pete" Moore   Composer
Melvin Steals   Composer
Alex Alessandroni   Group Member
Al Jackson, Jr.   Composer
Brian Holland   Composer
David Spreng   Engineer
Al Green   Composer
Thom Bell   Composer
William Robinson   Composer
Willie Mitchell   Composer
Paul Stanley   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Group Member,Orchestration
Linda Creed   Composer
Marvin Tarplin   Composer