Ace Frehley – Space Invader (eOne Music, 2014)

I’ve only talked about it a few times here on THKD, but those of you that know me personally and/or follow me on social media are no doubt aware of my unabashed love of all things KISS.  As such, I couldn’t help but be a little excited when I heard that my favorite original member, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, had signed a deal with eOne Music and a new solo album was on the horizon.  Frehley’s last effort, 2009’s Anomaly, was a solid slab of rock and the guitarist seemed poised to succeed where Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley had failed with the abysmal pair of recent faux-KISS records, Sonic Boom and Monster.  After all, Frehley’s 1978 solo record was the last great KISS album, and is quite frankly more enjoyable front-to-back than many of the full-band KISS albums from the quartet’s classic era.  Sure, 1978 was a long time ago, but considering the potential shown on Anomaly and the fact that Frehley was on-point when I saw him live a few years back, there was reason to be hopeful.

Enter Space Invader, an album that although flawed still manages to blow away anything KISS has released since the ’70s. See, unlike Stanley and Simmons, Ace still comes from a very genuine place of blue collar rock ‘n’ roll, balancing a veteran’s touch with the youthful naivete and pop sensibilities that made those early KISS albums so special.  For all intents and purposes, Space Invader is a Frehley-fronted version of the album KISS should be making in 2014, but can’t because they no longer have an Ace up their sleeve.

Some may gripe about the clunky lyrics, but honestly, if you’re picking up an Ace Frehley record expecting the second coming of Dylan in the lyrics department, now might be a good time to stop reading this review and go get your head checked out. Ace’s lyrical obsessions haven’t changed since 1978; it’s still fast cars, faster women and hurtling through outer space, but that’s neither here nor there, because the reason you pick up an Ace album is for the goddamn guitars, and on that front the spaceman delivers and then some.  Space Invader is basically a clinic on how to write sturdy, hard-rocking riffs, and to the complete and total surprise of absolutely no one, the leads and solos are also off the fuckin’ hook.

From a compositional perspective, tracks such as “Inside the Vortex” “Reckless” and the title track are among Ace’s best, the hooks made that much sharper by what might be his most confident-sounding vocal performance ever.  Yes, as mentioned earlier there is some lyrical cheese, but that’s just part of what makes the album the unpretentious good time that it is. There are also a few low points, such as an uninspired cover of Steve Miller’s “The Joker” that doesn’t hold a candle to Frehley’s previous cover choices (Hello’s “New York Groove” and Sweet’s “Fox on the Run”), but these are minor gripes in contrast to the righteous riffage and catchy choruses that inhabit the majority of the record.

Although there’s no “Snowblind” or “Ozone” on Space Invader, it’s still a damn fine record that grows on you a little more with each listen.  It’s a fun, well-produced, poppy hard rock album that’s bound to appeal to fans looking for a proper modernization of the vintage KISS sound w/ guitar chops galore.  Paul, Gene and the two impostors better watch their backs, because the Space Ace has landed, and he comes not in peace, but to beat them at their own game.