Been asked by many for my review of the new Ace Frehley album. I have been living with it for a while now and premiered the title track last night on my radio show. I have been hesitant to post a review because many will feel it will be bias because of my long time friendship with him. However anyone who TRULY follows me and what I do knows I give my honest view regardless of personal relationships on all things. So with that in mind here’s my take; this is a very solid hard rock album. Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it as good as the ’78 record? No, but in some ways pretty damn close. But it is not 1978 and Ace is not 30, and we haven’t had 35 years to live with this to see how it holds up. But it is an album better than many will expect and certainly delivers in many areas. It is pretty simple really. If you are an Ace fan, love his persona, attitude and playing, you will love the album. The album has a space theme running throughout. Maybe a statement of ownership from the original (and in my opinion only) spaceman? Production is solid. It sounds live, guitars loud, and it really jumps out at you (maybe at times a bit too much). Maybe the most amazing thing about the album is Ace’s voice. Obviously he was never Freddie Mercury, but in a Keith Richards sort of way he has an attitude and conviction in his voice that people love and more than makes up for any lack of range. People love when he sings and it clearly worked during the Kiss years with Shock Me, NY Groove and many others. Ace’s voice is strong and out front throughout. Really impressed how well he’s belting it out. And his playing is maybe better than it’s been in a very long time. My only complaint being that some songs fade on solos that I wish would stay up another 30 seconds or so. Always hated when my favorite albums and players have songs that fade while there is tasty guitar stuff happening. But everything has to end at some point I guess. As for the songs the best of them are the title track, the lead single “Gimme A Feelin” (best shot at real airplay as a single to me), “I Wanna Hold You” (another possible single), “Immortal Pleasures” (different vibe, great vocal and Ace singing about the good times.), “What Every Girl Wants” (another possible single), and “Past The Milky Way” (a classic space vibe that reminds me of something from the ’78 album, great solos, fades too soon though. Would love it to just keep going!). The space theme continues with the album closer, an instrumental titled “Starship” that does give a nod to Fractured Mirror and clocks in at around 8 minutes. Again some of Ace’s best soloing and guitar sounds in a very long time. The guy that influenced so many closing out with a sonic blend of guitars on top of guitars! The final thing heard is Ace asking if “anyone has seen George Jetson”, followed by his classic cackle! Again, classic Ace! The Steve Miller cover of “The Joker” is fine but I would have liked to see him make it more his own. The tracks I didn’t mention are far from throw aways, but material wise I like the above tracks best. It really is a fine album that is best served listened to as a complete experience. And here is what’s really great about it. It truly has the classic Kiss vibe running through it naturally. While that band continues to try and make records that sound like classic Kiss by making two fine musicians in Tommy and Eric play like the people they have to portray, Ace IS classic Kiss. It’s the genuine artifact! The album drips with the spirit of classic Kiss and classic Ace from top to bottom naturally. It is all Ace knows. And if you are a fan that’s a damn good thing! Regardless of the attempts at times from the current Kiss to diminish his contributions, when you listen to Space Invader it becomes incredibly obvious just how much Ace meant to Kiss in his sound, playing and attitude. And this album proves he still has it in spades, or Ace’s… As Gene Simmons said himself during his R&R Hall Of Fame speech, Ace has often been imitated but never duplicated. Now there’s something I can truly say I agree with from Gene! Again, if you are/were a Kiss/Ace fan, nothing not to love here. Clearly Ace’s years of sobriety have reinvigorated him to create an album far better than anyone might have expected at this point in his career. And Space Invader is sonic proof just how vital he truly was (as was Peter) to the sound and concept of Kiss. Welcome back to the one and only Space Ace!
PS: There is a deluxe version of the album with two bonus tracks. But those tracks are only radio edits of two songs on the album. So unless you are super hardcore or want the digipak and poster the regular version has essentially the same material.
198 Responses
Decent Album….Great Guitar Player….A legend who has influenced thousands of kids including me a middle class kid from Pakistan to pick up the guitar….I salute the original Spaceman! And KISS still rocks with Tommy and Eric…lets be grateful that we have both 🙂
Well said Asad.
Amen to that Asad! Good post!
Great points
I’m halfway through the CD. There isn’t a bad track yet. I love the upbeat energy of the album. It has sort of “eff yeah!” vibe of “Trouble Walkin’.”
Ace hasn’t reivented himself but certainly seems to be enjoying himself. And it’s contagious on this album. “Starship” is beautifully composed. It’s probably the first riff I’ll try from the album. This song should silence the “Ace can’t play and never could” crowd but you know it won’t; you can’t reason with a cult.
Hey, speaking of cults, Chris Wyse kills it on bass. As much as I love The Cult (SONIC TEMPLE was the first cassette I ever bought with my own money) Wyse gets a chance to shine with Ace in a way with doesn’t with The Cult. Ace seems to know how to compose collaboratively with other musicians to draw their best out of them. Wyse is every bit as good on bass on this album as Anton Fig was on drums for Ace in the past.
In the pantheon of Ace’s work, I’d put this between ’78 and Frehley’s Comet.
From what I heard so far and considering where Ace is in his career—–It is fantastic. Like Eddie said he had an original and very unique style. Its funny I just read a new comment from Gene after someone asked him if there will be a new record. He said no one is drunk. Its sad he cant get off that subject. Let it alone already. Ace is Alive. Thats a miracle in itself . I wish Ace a lot of luck. I dont hate KISS in its current form but nothing replaces what they had. In many ways ACE is much more creative on probably a much lower budget to work with.
I wish you were here in AZ. Eddie, I have a request , tell Ace to get out here!!!
I have seen many good things on you tube from you Eddie!
I just sampled Invader-Love it and take it with a grain of salt,Ace is older
that said, Joker Fucking blew me away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No one is perfect and we all grow older and wiser. Now 48 myself I have only seen KISS live twice
but only with Ace, would never have gone otherwise. As years have passed, bigger Ace fan than KISS.
So tell the great Space Man from me he has many fans in Phoenix !!!!!
When Kiss released Monster, which is a consistent album with a couple of great songs on it, Gene plays his ass off on that thing, and I gotta hand to them, it sounds organic, Gene and Paul didn’t resort to overt tricks, for example, Paul’s voice is mixed a bit down, which is so much better than autotune. But every interview they did really disparaged Ace and Peter’s contributions, and it was an aggressive campaign, these weren’t just a few off the cuff remarks. It is baffling when you consider that the originals did it twice, their’s was no fluke.
It is a strategy, bashing the others’ product to promote your own. Some people “buy” it, some don’t. I also like Monster, but the “aggression” in the current Kiss’ campaign to diminish the contribution of others (who actually helped Kiss to survive the late 90s) looks like the attempt of old men to me desperately trying to consolidate their part in rock’n roll history – which, if so, would be ridiculous because they already owned that place, while currently they’re are working hard at destryoing it.
DR….
My top 5 drummers:
(all in their prime)
1. Peter Criss
2. Alex Van Halen
3. Lee Kerslake
4. Vinnie Appice
5. Frankie Banali.
Guitarist:
1. Ritchie Blackmore
2. Glenn Tipton
3. Eddie Van Halen
4. Tony Iommi
5. Jimi Hendrix
6. George Lynch
It’s just a matter of taste man, no one is smarter than someone else when it comes to this stuff.
….players DR, not so much songs and albums, in those cases you can hear a band coasting, plus, I am presupposing a level of professionalism in the players I’ve selected…..Now, on to the matter of the Spaceman and Catman circa the 2000s….this is a bit of legal fiction. THE ROMANS DID THIS WHEN THEY DIDN’T WANT THEIR HEIRS TO INHERIT THEIR LAND SO THEY WOULD ADOPT SOMEONE THEY THOUGHT WAS WORTHY AND CLAIM TO THE ROMAN COURTS THAT THIS WAS THEIR ‘SON.’ THIS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS!!!!! I wouldn’t have cared, but you would never see a Aaron Rogers slight Brett Favre, never….now, next we will talk about the origins of natural law and the breakdown of religion, uhhhhh
You have terrible taste in drummers! Peter Criss is the worst drummer KISS ever had!!!
technically, you’re right. eric carr and singer obviously had much better chops. that being said, peter was great up until about Tokyo ’77. as a drummer, I do appreciate his style and fills. his playing served the songs on most of kiss’ best albums ever.
What I have heard so far sounds great. Ace s voice stands out on the joker, i love his version of the song! I cant wait for this to come out almost like the excitement of getting a kiss album from the 70s that just got released and you have not heard any of the songs yet and when you wake up you know the most important part of the day is listening to the new kiss record, again and again until you know every guitar solo and every word! You know what I mean kiss fans!! Ha ha!! Im really thankful to hear new music from ace and cant wait to see him on tour!!!
Great post, Shawn, once which totally reflected what I’m feeling at this point. I remember in the 70’s when the only thing that mattered on release day was going to the record store, picking up the “perfect” copy (no dog-eared corners or creased spines), getting home, locking myself in my room, and cranking up the stereo while “studying” the album art. Amazing memories. In fact, I had to let myself off the hook for listening to the samples on Amazon because at first I didn’t want to spoil the mystique. But there’s plenty left for this coming Tuesday. What I’ve heard already sounds great – it’s got that 70’s KISS rock/power pop vibe that I love. Of course, looking forward to making a more informed opinion upon hearing it. Ace rules!