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Ace Frehley
Anomaly
(Bronx Born Records)
Let’s face it; if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read the analogies ‘some legends, it would seem, never die’ or ‘some legends only get better with age’ in a review or preview of a highly-anticipated new release, I’d finally be able to abandon my day job and begin stalking Alyssa Milano full time. Seriously folks, it’s almost as if the terms ‘legendary’, ‘influential’ and ‘groundbreaking’ have been overused to the point where their actual meanings have become forever lost. Although I’ll be the first to admit that I have been guilty of committing such grammatical atrocities on a disturbingly regular basis, I’ve also never been one to shy away from using such hackneyed descriptives when I feel they are genuinely appropriate. Fortunately, this was most definitely the case with Anomaly, the latest overly-belated outing from legendary ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley.
On the stellar Anomaly (2009), an expertly assembled twelve song collection of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, each track, beginning with the presumably self-explanatory “Outer Space”, and a refreshingly faithful rendition of the battlescarred Sweet classic “Fox On The Run”, immediately commands the rapt and undivided attention of all parties involved. Inarguably the most enduring Kiss subordinate, Frehley wastes little--if any--time brazenly engulfing the ‘proverbial average listener’ amid a predictable (albeit ultimately satisfying) array of soaring vocals and razor-sharp riffs and solos. Driving home each key focal point with a much-welcomed authenticity, the guitarist wisely distances himself from the shameless, payola and chart position-driven tactics so typically employed by his few ‘contemporaries’, resulting in a collection of maddeningly infectious material.
Continuing with the relentlessly pummeling “Too Many Faces”, and the unflinchingly apologetic lament “A Little Below The Angels”, the steadfast--to say the very least--combination of vocalist/guitarist Ace Frehley, rhythm guitarist Derrek Hawkins, bassist Anthony Esposito and drummers Anton Fig, Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, Stevie Salas, Vinnie Moore) and Scot Coogan (ex-Brides Of Destruction, Otep) steamroll ahead with what can only be described as a carefully-calculated ease. Punctuating each curiously long-overdue composition with a now-trademark swaggering tonality, the guitarist deftly delivers the goods with a previously unparalleled confidence that belies an otherwise undeniably troubled past. Now wholeheartedly embracing his demons--or so it would seem--as a form of quasi-therapy, Frehley boldly ‘bares’ his soul in an unexpected display of clarity.
Co-produced, mixed and engineered by a seemingly unlikely tandem of ex-Beautiful Creatures/Bang Tango guitarist Anthony Focx and the acclaimed Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne), other standouts, including the ham-fisted--yet oddly introspective--“It’s A Great Life”, and the equally impressive, acoustic-laden closer “Fractured Quantum”, offer a staggering wealth of further sonic evidence in support of the legendary guitarist’s continued relevance. Once mired amid a career repeatedly marred by prolonged, inexplicable periods of inactivity, Frehley has once again proven that good things do come to those that wait. Projecting what appears to be a clear conscience and a renewed focus on the proverbial ‘…business at hand…’, the guitarist at long last seems destined/determined to solidify his reputation as on the genre’s true ambassadors.
So what, exactly, are you waiting for? Arguably the embattled former Kiss axeman’s most impressive solo effort to date (surpassing even 1989’s brilliant Trouble Walkin’), the majority--if not all--of the decidedly ear-pleasing wares contained herein effectively accentuate Frehley’s woefully underrated talents. As a result, even if you somehow find yourself unable to wholeheartedly embrace the occasionally overly-polished behemoth that is so often the mighty Anomaly in its entirety, one must, at the very least, sincerely admire Frehley’s ability to persevere despite the most unfavorable of circumstances. As a result, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of that won’t leave you feeling ‘…coyote ugly…’ the next morning just for freakin’ enjoying it, then this, my friends, might just be the high octane cure for whatever ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
Anomaly (2009) **
Greatest Hits Live! (2006) **
Loaded Deck (1998) **
12 Picks (1997) **
Trouble Walkin’ (1989) **
Second Sighting (1988) **
Live + 1 (1988) **
Frehley’s Comet (1987) **
(Music From) The Elder (1981) *
Unmasked (1980) *
Dynasty (1979) *
Ace Frehley (1978) **
Double Platinum (1978) *
Alive II (1978) *
Love Gun (1977) *
Rock And Roll Over (1976) *
Destroyer (1976) *
Alive! (1975) *
Dressed To Kill (1975) *
Hotter Than Hell (1974) *
Kiss (1974) *
* as a member of Kiss
** as a solo artist