8/12: REVIEW OF ACE FREHLEY’S “SPACE INVADER” ALBUM.
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.
Space Invader is growing on me and there is stuff to like about it, but I think you kind of have to want to like it to find it. That’s not to say it’s bad, but it’s not super catchy, and what is tends to be surrounded by cheesy lyrics…so it’s probably not going to grab you instantly, especially if you’re not an Ace fan. I can see how one would not like it at all, but after a couple listens, I can also see how people think it’s rather good. In the end, though, I think Space Invader is far more comparable to Frehley’s Comet than his ’78 solo album.
I think that’s a pretty thorough and fair assessment of this. I do think it helps if you’re a hard fan of the original Kiss, but especially his very unique personality. It is nice to see someone who has the air of I just do what I do and I don’t care………it makes it more fun and organic.
Eddie: I”m sure you commented on these all before, but I just finished reading Paul’s book, after plowing through Ace’s and Peter’s. What is, or where can I find, your take on these books. Knowing your relationships with them, I’d really love to see a bird’s eye view of what they say. It’s fascinating to read different accounts of the same incidents. Overall, I found Peter’s to be the most standard rock bio: cutting, opinionatedly honest, revelatory at the end. Ace’s was as predicted the most fun to read, provided some interesting insights into both the others, and attempted to bring balance to some very unbalanced and crazy parts for his own history. Personally, a dead deer in the pool is not a reason to barely make a sold out concert where thousands of people, not to mention everyone associated with the show, are waiting for you. Paul’s was my favorite: It seemed highly vulnerable, uncharacteristically honest for a rock bio, especially a Kiss one…….. And was the best written. You try to weigh all the perspectives together to arrive at what might be the underlying reasons for certain things. Ironically, it seems that Gene has mellowed and now Paul was the one with the vendetta about having the originals play at the RR Hall of Fame. Ultimately, a mistake on all fronts. He seemed to be the lone standout. On the one hand, according to his book, the original two, while playing a part in history, were immensely destructive and selfish to the band. The replacements are low maintenance, according to him more diverse musically and tons easier to work with. He wants to honor that. Understood. But you get one opportunity to preserve history in the manner of playing for your peers. That will never happen again. Knowing his self exploration on learning to love himself and find a life balance, that decision made it seem a little like perhaps he wasn’t begin quite as “honest” as he made himself out to be…………. It’s 15 lousy minutes. You and Gene promoted and encouraged the last reunions. You don’t have to do that again. It just seemed dishonest after a pretty seemingly honest book. Going out for soup at a dive diner by yourself after playing sold out MSG? Revealing! Watch. Ace’s new album is going to climb and actually give a punch to Kiss………which is maybe what Paul needs right now.
Hey gang, just buy the darn CD today! Or this weekend. Or definitely before next Tuesday! Let’s help it have a strong Billboard debut showing!
Bought deluxe digipack edition today at best buy solid cd. Only problem is it was missing the poster. Just had standard lyric booklet.
Hello,
I love Ace’s new album, I also made my wife listen to the whole album in the car. She said he sing a lot about space and girls, I said he is a space man and a lover, lol.
She actually liked it, but when she heard that cover of The Joker, she thought Ace did a excellent job and she likes it. My wife is a singer, I trust her opinion. But the negative post here is because they Dont have a open mind. When my wife’s favorite singer is Barry Manilow, then she says something like that.
Thanks