Ace Frehley – “Space Invader” [Album Review]

It has been 5 years since Anomaly was released and, as a long time fan, I have been anxiously waiting for a new Ace Frehley record. Well the wait is almost over because on August 19th Ace will be launching his latest full-length, Space Invader, into the cosmos. I was fortunate enough to be able to score an advance copy of the disc and I can happily tell you it was well worth the wait. The first thing worth mentioning (and this is a big plus for me), is that Space Invader is quite a bit crunchier and heavier than Anomaly. Don’t get the wrong idea though, this it is still rock and roll in the classic Ace Frehley style, just with a bit more bite.

Seconds into disc opener “Space Invader” it is more than evident that Ace is back in a big way. His unique vocal tone and scorching guitar leads are as good as ever and are sure to please his legion of cult followers. I especially liked the performances he turned in on the later tracks “Inside The Vortex” and “Past The Milky Way”; both of these are standout tunes and, forgive the pun, are “out of this world.”

Also worth noting is the terrific cover of the old Steve Miller classic “The Joker” which stays close to the original, but adds a fantastic ripping solo giving it that special Frehley touch. Lastly, the disc ends on a good note with “Starship,” a mid-paced rocking instrumental that I think closes things out perfectly.

Not every track is a resounding shot to the moon though and, for me, while decent songs, I felt that “Immortal Pleasures” and “Change” just kind of fell flat. Overall though, I think Space Invader is a solid disc from a legendary musician and hall of famer, and in my opinion, is the perfect follow-up to Anomaly.

Track Listing:

01. Space Invader
02. Gimme A Feelin’
03. I Wanna Hold You
04. Change
05. Toys
06. Immortal Pleasures
07. Inside The Vortex
08. Past The Milky Way
09. Reckless
10. The Joker
11. Starship

Run Time: ??:??
Release Date: August 19, 2014

Check out the song “Gimme A Feelin'”