Nobody is ever going to accuse guitarist Ace Frehley of having a golden throat. But the guy can write a catchy rock tune, still wail like a master shredder, and fuels his tunes with a sure and certain personality. The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and original KISS member does just this across 11 tight little rock diddies on his 2024 album, 10,000 Volts.
The opening one-two heavy riff punch of the album’s title track and “Walkin’ On The Moon“ set the tone of big rock songs with catchy choruses, Frehley’s vocals, and a solid no-frills backing of drums, bass, and an occasional harmony vocal. This is pretty much what we get throughout the production here, co-handled by Frehley and Trixter guitarist Steve Brown.
Lyrically, half the tunes feature the guitarist pining for, thanking, and confessing how things are now because of the influence of a life-changing love. It sets a slight juxtaposition, as I am never sure if he has the girl, lost the girl, or is happy with the girl. Songs like the 80s-flavored ballad “Back Into My Arms Again” tells this kind of tale.
We get some good digs at the world at large. On “Blinded,” Frehley sings about his mistrust of science, although he doesn’t seem as blinded as good old Thomas Dolby. And “Up In The Sky,” he ruminates on what he knows he saw up there and how the truth is being hidden. We do get the silly Space Ace on “Constantly Cute.” The guitar playing here shows off a fleet of fingers, while the material is remains fun and accessible. Spanning a half-century plus of making music, dare we say this legend still has an ace or two up his sleeve?
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
