Ace Frehley “10,000 Volts”
With all the noise of a certain bands retirement taking up the cyberspace column inches and airwaves, it’s easy to forget that arguably everyone’s favourite and coolest member of that bands history had all the top drawer moments. He also continued to long after leaving the band – twice – each time he dropped another gunslinging blues rock n roll with attitude record. Much like new album 10,000 Volts.
Ace Frehley knows this. He knows it’s his DNA in the background catalogue of songs we know as the really fucking great rock songs of that band and he knows that when he does his solo work, it’s all still there.
How else do you explain that laid back back swagger, the grooves that scream sexual energy, that vocal drawl of many a rock n roll night of debauchery that pours out into lead off singles 10,000 Volts and Walking On The Moon?
This album displays many of Frehley’s best traits be it the autobiographical sensitivity of Cherry Medicine, the ballad Back Into My Arms or the man’s take of where the world is heading in Blinded.
There’s the epic solo and grinding riff of Cosmic Heart which sears the speakers, the throwback style of Fighting For Life with its 80’s fist pumping hooks and the upbeat Constantly Cute which is concocted with harmonies and Frehley’s charm.
The overriding feeling throughout the album is Frehley is enjoying himself. The lyrics range from boyish and cheeky to thought provoking. Only one song lasts over four minutes which means each song grips you immediately with hooks be it guitar or vocal.
One grip that can happen with guitarists who do solos albums is that they can become self indulgent musical wankery. Not here. Ace uses the solos to accentuate the story telling of the song without disappearing up his own arse and the songs are the better for it.
Songs like Life Is A Stranger already tell you how good a lyricist and musician he is as he pours out his heart singing ‘you saved my life’, the solo tugging the heart strings perfectly.
Up in The Sky – that one song hitting the four minute mark – and Stratosphere round out the album from the guy affectionately known to many as Spaceman. The first is another rocker that asks the questions about what we really get told by the news. The latter an instrumental that could roll over the credits of Hollywood movie.
A movie about an alien with otherworldly musical abilities who becomes a member of the biggest band in the world, leaves and becomes the most successful solo artist of said band.
Sounds unbelievable right? Well listen to this album and be prepared to be hit by 10,000 Volts.
Album Review By Iain McCallum
