Ace Frehley "Anomaly"

Never a big KISS fan, I did like the guitar work of Mr. Frehley,

and his solo record was certainly the best of the four individual

albums released by the bands members back in (gasp!) 1978. Frehley's Comet never worked for me, either...too contrived. So when the new KISS album came out last year, for Gene Simmons' sake, I gave it a chance. Lame, lame, lame. Recorded as if it was the 70's, but played like the old farts they are. So imagine my surprise when I learned of a new record from Ace. Isn't he dead? Nope, and this is a fine album if you were ever a fan of the first one.

Eerily similar in several spots, yet fresh sounding, this is far superior to 2009 KISS. He sings of his life in that same NY voice, the voice of a guitarist, not a singer. Crunchy guitars, hooks, it's all there, just 30 years later. Only weak spot is the cover of the mighty Sweet "Fox On the Run". Could have done without that. But hey, it sold enough to crack Billboard's Top 30. Mad Rocker approved!

Them Crooked Vultures

This all started when I called my sister to wish her a "Happy
Birthday" last October, and I asked her what was she going to
do that night. She said she had no real plans, but that everyone at TPAC was telling her to go see this band they were hosting at War Memorial. I had no idea who she was talking about, Them Crooked Vultures, but then she threw out the name John Paul Jones. I told her to go, no matter what. It's not often to see Rock history play. After getting off the phone, a quick Internet search produces one of those "Ohmygawd" moments. Not only is it true that JPJ is in a group and back on stage (what was that other band...Lead Dirigible?), but Josh Homme of Kyuss and QOTSA, one of, if not the greatest, stoner rock guitarists ever. And then there's the other guy, a star to and connection for a younger generation, played in bands called Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl. Not a fan of his bands but the man can smack some skins! I've now seen statements calling him this generations' John Bonham. That maybe true. He toured and played with Homme and QOTSA for a couple of years, and was the instigator of this supergroup, so I have to place credit where due. To be able to pull JPJ out of the producer's booth and on to the stage...gotta love him. And this album is just exactly what you'd think it would be, Zeppelin-ish time changes and shifts, much QOTSA influence via vocals and guitar, and those slammin' drums. And my sister got to see them a solid six weeks before the album was released. I'm soooooo jealous. The thing about supergroups, they are usually a one-time-only gig. TCV will probably be one, too, like the last great supergroup trio in 2001, Oysterhead (go ahead, look it up, you'll get it).

Prefab Sprout "Let's Change the World With Music"

Damn, I've done it again. I really thought this record was available in
America. I've read about it in domestic publications, but I guess the closest it is available is from Canada. Some of you may remember this band from the mid 80's, especially if you shopped in the Sound Shop in Tullahoma. I
played and pushed the hell out of their "Two Wheels Good" record, featuring the brilliant song "Faron Young" ("...the sunset makes a fence out of the forest"). Paddy McAloon has been compared to Paul McCartney as a songwriter, and that's not too far off. Four outstanding albums spanning 1984-1990....and then nothing. Gone. Nada. Seven years pass before a new release in Europe, and then four more before the next one, neither surpassing any of the previous releases, yet still faithful to the Prefab sound. Paddy was always shy and reclusive, and now we know he nearly went blind and deaf, unable to hear bass sounds. Can't blame him. So when I read of "Let's Change..." last fall, I felt the pull of those old songs from my late twenties, pure pop emotion. I had to give it a chance. And when I did, it all came flooding back. However, this was somewhat different. Turns out, this is a 1992 demo that was refused by the record label (arrogant idiots, obviously), performed completely by Paddy, all keyboards, no band, and it is gorgeous. If you ever liked Howard Jones, this is for you. A hair too much religious imagery for me, but otherwise emotional and spiritual, tailor-made for all those "Positive" radio stations out there. This, and all Prefab Sprout records, grow better over time and are utterly addicting.