ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 218 ACE FREHLEY - TROUBLE WALKIN' (1989)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Ace Frehley

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: Yes (Kiss)

Album: Trouble Walkin'

Producer: Eddie Kramer/Ace Frehley/John Regan

Running Time: 44:27

RJ's Top 5 Songs: 1. Do Ya...2. Shot Full Of Rock...3. 2 Young 2 Die...4. Hide Your Heart...5. Trouble Walkin'

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it). 

Ace Frehley, aka The Spaceman, has a new album out this week (Space Invader).  In honor of the original Kiss guitarist, this week I present his 1989 solo album Trouble Walkin'.  Here are some tidbits regarding the album:

• Trouble Walkin' is Ace's third or fourth solo album, depending on how you look at it.  I count his 1978 solo album while in Kiss, so for me it's his fourth.
• It reached a measly #102 on the Billboard chart.
• One single was released, the ELO cover (Do Ya), which failed to chart.
• This is Ace's first post-Kiss solo album to not use the name Frehley's Comet.
• Hide Your Heart is a cover of a song co-written by Paul Stanley, which also appeared on the Kiss album Hot In The Shade.
• Vocals for 2 Young 2 Die were performed by Richie Scarlett.
• The album was reissued by Rock Candy earlier in 2014.

Personally, I think Ace was really firing on all cylinders here.  Yeah, there are a couple of forgettable tracks (I'm thinking Lost In Limbo and Back To School).  But this group of songs has a good energy.  Ace's playing is terrific and his voice was never better.  I've always loved Ace's work, but to be honest, I've never considered him well suited to carry a full album as a front man.  I prefer him as a contributing vocalist and a guitarist with two or three really strong songs per album.  But, in his defense, he pulls it off well here.

On a side note, I'm not sure what's up with Remember Me.  My CD has a live version, but I'm not sure if that's how the album was originally released or if it's one of those things where it was re-released with a live version in place of a studio version (I'm thinking the first Kiss album and how the cassette I had contained the live version of Nothin' To Lose instead of the studio version).  Maybe someone with a deeper knowledge of his work will read this and can shed some light on it.  It just seems out of place to me.

1. Shot Full Of Rock

2. Do Ya

3. Five Card Stud

4. Hide Your Heart

5. Lost In Limbo

6. Trouble Walkin'

7. 2 Young 2 Die

8. Back To School

9. Remember Me

10. Fractured III

 

[Gordon Williams]

I agree with Rich, and that was what I was getting at. His "heydey" (and Kiss as well) was "way back when". But, his lead playing is even better now than it was back then (and I have always just loved Kiss Alive). But Ace's playing has kept improving, and his style and sound have continued to "modernize"...if that makes any sense.

Scott's second paragraph right above "hits the nail on the head".