THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: ace frehley

ACE FREHLEY – 10,000 Volts

July 8, 2024 /

This is probably one of Ace’s best solo efforts, mainly due to the inclusion of Trixter pair PJ Farley and Steve Brown in the writing and production of the album. In fact, there were a raft of rumours doing the internet rounds saying that Steve Brown not only played rhythm guitar on the album but they were his solos. Well, if you listen and know anything about Ace and his style then you will know he plays just about all the solos on the album. I would say Steve Brown had a bigger hand in the writing of the songs than the solos played.

Ace always had the knack of writing really good catchy pop rock tunes and this album’s contenders are Constantly Cute, Cherry Medicine, and Back Into My Arms Again. My attention however is drawn to the two stand out tunes on the album: the title track (my favourite track on the album) which is just superb with a killer riff and a chorus that you will be singing all day long, and the anthemic Cosmic Heart which is just such a great song with that great hands in the air chest beating chorus.

Kiss haven’t put out a new album for over twelve years, they have instead gone out on the endless farewell tour coining in the cash. At least Ace is still putting out new music which is what a true musician would do. Here’s to the next one!

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ACE FREHLEY – Trouble Walkin’

February 8, 2022 /

This is the space Ace’s fourth studio album, released originally in ’89. This is the RSD reissue from 2020. The record company tried to recreate the success Ace had with New York Groove by releasing Do Ya – a cover of The Move track – as a single hoping for a similar reaction, but it bombed. I don’t know why they bothered, as the rockier tracks are way better. Shot Full Of Rock would have been a better choice, or Five Card Stud, as this to me, this is what Ace is all about.

Hide Your Heart, which was part written by Paul Stanley, is a typical Kiss-style track. The title track has a trademark sleazy Ace riff and sing-a-long chorus. Back To School is a track that any late 80’s LA glam band would have been proud of.

I like Ace a lot, and I sure would like to see him in Kiss one last time, but honestly – I think he is better away from all the bullshit. A really good album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ACE FREHLEY – Frehley’s Comet

March 17, 2021 /

Ace is back and he told you so. Quite an apt lyric as this was Ace’s first attempt at going solo after his removal from Kiss. His battles with exotic substances have been well documented, especially by his former band mates who would use this as an excuse not to bring him back in to Kiss.

When you compare this album to what Kiss were doing at the same time – this holds up really well – and I would say it’s better. At least Ace is being honest with who writes the tunes – unlike his ex employers who would buy songs from outside writers and then put them down as Simmons/Stanley compositions. So the anthem that is Rock Soldiers get us underway, with it’s spoken lyrics by Ace – its very Kiss sounding. Breakout is next and is a great song and a nice track to follow on. The next song shows how weak Ace’s voice is, and it’s not that good of a tune if I’m honest – even though Ace plays a nice solo. Something Moved follows and is a better tune, and a typical hair rock track of the day – written and sang by Tod Howarth who would later join Dave Lee Roth’s band. Side closer, We Got Your Rock, is a typical 80’s stomper sing-a-long tune.

Over to side 2 we go and Love Me Right gets things underway with it’s semi funky riff and an Ace vocal. Calling To You starts off with a riff you have heard a million times before, and could have been any band of the time, but it’s an ok tune. Dolls is a quirky tune about Ace’s love of dolls. He doesn’t specify which type, but you get the drift. Stranger In A Strange Land is the penultimate track and is another typical stomper track. The final track is the instrumental, Fractured Too, not a bad tune – it just doesn’t do a whole lot and doesn’t go anywhere.

As I said earlier, it’s comparable with what Kiss were churning out, and in places it is really good. It sort of sums up Ace really.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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