Anomaly [IEX Clear & Neon Green]

by Ace Frehley

Overview

When all four original members of Kiss released solo albums in 1978, critics and fans alike hailed lead guitarist Ace Frehley's disc as the best of the bunch. Additionally, Frehley was the only one to score a genuine hit (an energetic cover of Hello's "Back in the New York Groove"). Though the Bronx-born guitarist/singer found limited post-Kiss chart success with his band Frehley's Comet, he seemed to have trouble following through on the creative promise of Ace Frehley or classic Frehley-penned Kiss tracks such as "Shock Me" and "Hard Times." 2009's Anomaly, however, surprised even longtime supporters with its forceful, confident performances and sharp songwriting. Mixing Kiss' tight '70s hard rock sound with a bit of '80s pop-metal tunefulness and aughts-style bone-crushing stoner metal-esque guitars, the album remade a case for Frehley as one of rock's most potent, soulful axe slingers. The hard-grooving "Pain in the Neck" and opening track "Foxy & Free" (which briefly references Jimi Hendrix's "Foxey Lady") are both classic "Spaceman", matching thick power chords with blistering, slightly sloppy solos, blunt yet emotionally direct lyrics, and vocals as quintessentially New York City-sounding as the rumbling of the subway. Elsewhere, Frehley branches out a bit, going for a Middle Eastern-by-way-of-Led Zeppelin flavor on the throbbing "Genghis Kahn," and showing off his surprisingly dexterous acoustic guitar chops on the six-minute-plus, prog-ish instrumental epic "Fractured Quantum." For all of Anomaly's ambition and exciting hard rock though, the album's most poignant moment is the simple ballad "A Little Below the Angels," a soul-searching look at Frehley's history of drug and alcohol addiction and his subsequent path to recovery. In the hands of a lesser artist, the song's frank lyrics and spoken word interlude might be unbearably cheesy, but Frehley's disarming honesty and relaxed feel make it just one highlight of an astonishing return to form. ~ Pemberton Roach

Product Details

Release Date:	08/11/2023
Label:	Mnrk Heavy
UPC:	0634164698317
Rank:	24845

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Ace Frehley   Primary Artist,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Rhythm),Special Effects,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Synthesizer),Bass,Guitar
Pearl Aday   Vocals (Background)
Kari Kimmel   Vocals (Background)
Anton Fig   Drums
Brian Tichy   Drums
Derrek Hawkins   Guitar (Rhythm)
Scot Coogan   Drums,Yodeling,Vocals (Background)
Scott Coogan   Drums,Yodeling,Vocals (Background)
Marti Frederiksen   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Strings,Keyboards,Percussion,Guitar (Bass),Organ (Hammond),Vocals (Background)
Anthony Esposito   Bass,Guitar (Bass)

Technical Credits

Ace Frehley   Composer,Producer,Layout Design,Cover Art Concept,Design,Effects
Jay Messina   Tracking
Mick Tucker   Composer
Tim Hatfield   Tracking
Bruce Somers   Vocal Engineer
Mark Weiss   Photography
Rich Tozzoli   Overdubs
Brian Porizek   Design,Art Direction
Jesse Mendez   Composer
Frank Munoz   Text,Assistant,Layout Design,Associate Producer,Creative Consultant
David Askew   Composer
Andy Scott   Composer
Steve Priest   Composer
Connolly   Composer
Anthony Focx   Mixing,Mastering,Digital Editing
Priest   Composer
Alex Salzman   Overdubs,Tracking
Sebastian Bach   Composer
Marti Frederiksen   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Mendez   Composer
Brian Connolly   Composer