The Aces – Gold Star Baby
Utah natives The Aces are back with their fourth studio album, Gold Star Baby, set for release on 15th August. This time, the girls take a step away from their signature indie-alternative sound and dive into a new disco-inspired landscape that explores their queerness, trauma from their hyper-religious upbringing and a celebration of personal liberation. Intertwining themes of euphoria with previous struggles invites fans along on what will be a bumpy but meaningful ride never ventured before. The complete genre switch to disco-pop is a risky jump, however, and raises the question of whether they will land it cleanly. The band already have some standout career moments under their belt, including supporting Chappell Roan and selling out their headliner at London’s KOKO. Having recently announced their upcoming world tour, it’s clear they have no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
The record kicks off with Welcome to Gold Star Baby, a narrated promo-style intro over a cheeky beat that sets the tone for the playfulness to come. Jealous follows, a standout opener with a disco-tinged rhythm, funky guitar riffs and a bubblegum melody that encourages sing-alongs. The Magic echoes a similar vibe but lacks structure, with no clear chorus, making it less memorable. It features an interesting drum riff that could have individualised the song, but it’s over too quickly to leave a strong impression.
This repetitiveness continues in the title track, Gold Star Baby. At this point, it would have been refreshing to change up the sound to combat the uniformity. The simplistic lyricism here – “I’ll be your gold star baby, you’ll be my gold star baby” – feels underdeveloped compared to past writing. A mid-album spoken track, The Girls Interlude, adds narrative charm and creates a storyline as a sweet phone call to a friend, but it overstays its welcome with a script that borders on slightly cringeworthy.
Fire In the Hole shifts gears with a slower, retro-club vibe and melodic guitar lines, striking a stronger balance between The Aces’s past and present styles. Stroke stands out for its bold, sex-positive lyrics that ooze confidence, while She Likes Me reinvigorates the tracklist with strong vocals from sister leads Cristal and Alisa Ramirez, creating a memorable anthem.
The Aces close on I’m Sweet (I’m Mean), which again leans into their older sound. Though a solid number, it lacks the energy to end the record with impact – something with more of a bang might have served better to keep fans going.
Gold Star Baby is a daring reinvention for The Aces. While sometimes stumbling on cohesion and lyrical depth, its ambition and flashes of brilliance hint at exciting growth. Fans will find plenty to enjoy, even if the landing isn’t always smooth.
Emily Downie
Image: Courtesy of The Aces
Gold Star Baby is released on 15th August 2025. For further information or to order the album visit The Aces’s website here.
Watch the video for The Magic here:
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