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
From the 3 songs I’ve heard so far I’d say my feelings remain mixed. I think Ace might need someone like Eddie Kramer to help bring out the best of him and push him in the right directions both musically and vocally. The songs certainly don’t sound bad, but I do feel some improvements could have been made here and there. As I listen to them at times I kind of wish I could have been there to give him some advice that I believe could have made the songs a little better. As I said though, they certainly aren’t bad and I am definitely looking forward to checking out the rest of the CD.
I think a lot of classic rock artists who used to sell records galore, and whose music is imprinted on our brains and hearts, were able to do so in part because of first rate producers that brought out the best in very talented artists. For example, KISS’ first three albums, which exhibited great song writing, didn’t really pop sonically. It wasn’t until Eddie Kramer took those songs and did his magic on Alive! that they reached their full potential. Bob Ezrin pushed KISS to their musical limits on Destroyer and the results speak for themselves. Witness what Mutt Lang did for Def Leppard and AC/DC. Those producers understood that for every thundering power chord there, a quiet passage would really balance that out over here. Or how to texture a song with acoustic guitars behind the Les Pauls. Now that classic bands aren’t really moving tons of new records, it’s difficult for them economically to justficy the cost of a Eddie Kramer, Bob Ezrin, Mutt Lang, etc. if the album is only going to move 250K copies. As such, I don’t think newer AC/DC or KISS products, for example, are up to par with their classic stuff. They can’t because they don’t have that outside producer’s expertise and extra set of ears in the mix. Paul may give us some line about wanting full creative potential, blah, blah, as the reason he produced them, but if you listen to Sonic Boom and Monster, they lack the sonic and textural diversity that made classic rock interesting and memorable. All the songs are the same tempo, in the same range, indisinguisable guitar solos (although I don’t deny Tommy knows how to play), and lyrical content that just isn’t that interesting. Take Rock and Roll Over for example. Every song was different. Doctor Love was a different tempo than Mr. Speed. The guitar solos were memorable yet entirely different (as were Makin’ Love, See You in Your Dreams, etc.). The acousic intro to I Want You was perfectly balanced by the hard rocking rest of the song. And Hard Luck Woman? Acoustic guitars with Peter’s distintive vocals. Magic that i guarantee was possible in great part becuause of Mr. Kramer. Paul and Gene can’t and don’t want to pay for that, plus as they get older they seem to have trouble with anyone telling them what to do. Ha! I kill me. Ack!
Ace [doesn’t] need a singer he is the singer of his band, he had a singer on second sighting which is an album I like a lot but a little to glossy with todds vocals which are good but I rather hear ace sing it just sounds real
Listen to old journey if it’s singer’s your into, a band that needs a singer is Kiss because Paul can’t cut it, Autotune can’t even help him
Sad but true
My bad Autotune might help paul if he daisy chains about 4 of them together!
I have heard the entire album and it’s awesome. Best guitar playing in many year, not even any throw away songs on it. If you’re an Ace fan you’ll love it. It’s really that simple.
“Gimme A Feelin'” is an old time, cliched rocker with simple lyrics and basic melody. However, i can’t get the tune out of my head! It is indeed contagious….something I have not been able to say for any KISS related music in decades. Rock on Ace!