Ace Enders & A Million Different People - When I Hit the Ground
17 Mar 2009
Vagrant Records
Review by Meghan Kearney

Though you may know him best from his early works with Drive Thru Emo band The Early November, 26 year old Ace Enders returns with the second album under his current project Ace Enders and A Million Different People. Being in the biz for almost a decade, jaded by the affliction of the music industry, Ace brings us When I Hit the Ground.

Musically matured, lyrically reminiscent, and all around more polished than ever, When I Hit the Ground is loaded with tracks that look back on childhood dreams and the bittersweet days of Ace’s past.

“Reintroduction” starts the album with a soft distorted guitar and sing-speak vocals. The opening lyrics “I’ve been a ghost/ I’ve been a question/ I’ve been a mirror/ A poor reflection/ I’ve been a myth in the passing years of my life” kick off the rumination of Ace’s past. After building slowly into a heartfelt ending, the first track is emotionally and musically a perfect fit for the stories behind When I Hit the Ground.

The album follows with “Take the Money and Run” a more energetic, slightly incensed track that is almost certainly about not-so-youthful days making music for The Man. “New Guitar” is a quick and delightful acoustic track referring to the musical dreams of a new guitar as the key to success. Next is “The Only Thing I Have,” a more optimistic track full of sparkling vocal work and more cheery musical backings. Lyrically the theme remains, but aims to inspire with the lyrics “When you’re lost look for the sign/ Its there have a look/ And there you will find.”

The title track “When I Hit the Ground” is hands down the most inspiring, heartfelt number on the album. Filled with piano, and a prominent smashing of cymbals and drums, this track is a remorseful, vibrant love song. Though it strays from the albums theme, its beauty represents not the nostalgia of past Ace Enders, but more of what he has become despite set backs from his past.

Farther into the album is “Leader” another powerful, piano fronted song about hope and inspiration. Again, a song full of Ace’s impressively heartfelt and emotional vocals. With pleasurable alliteration of lyrics “And we fight the fire with a bigger brighter lighter” this dynamic track is another of the album’s best.

With an album that has strayed far from 2002’s For All of This, both lyrically and soundly, Ace proves he’s withstood years of the sometimes-corrupting big music industry. Though he spent most of his early adult years producing music for the masses, Ace Enders has come to terms with his talent as an art. Not a money maker. And with When I Hit the Ground he is more focused than ever upon writing music for simply that.