Cinderella

Cinderella's 1986 debut established the band as hair metal gods, but they quickly surrendered the glamour (and babes) for gritty bar rock. Long Cold Winter, the band's sophomore effort, opens with acoustic blues a la "No Expectations" before diving into full-tilt boogie. Tom Keifer growls like Bon Scott, while his mates nick even more licks from the Stones (via vintage Aerosmith in many cases). And that's totally awesome. Unlike Trixter and Warrant, Cinderella are students of hard rock history.

An odd assortment of balls-out grunge and back-porch blues, Long Cold Winter is indeed a
radical departure from the no-frills crotch-rock mentality of Night Songs, Cinderella's 1986
debut. And as for the variety it offers, this album leaves its predecessor in the dust. In his
eagerness to explore new songwriting territory, though, Tom Keifer falls victim to
influencitis. As a result, many of the songs on Long Cold Winter, however well e... More >