Cinderella Album: “Long Cold Winter”

Cinderella followed its debut Night Songs with Long Cold Winter, which featured some improved instrumentation, distinct songs instead of the same sound throughout, and a more blues-based song infused with their usual metal. The opening "Falling Apart/Bad Seamstress Blues," has some classic acoustic blues before launching into metal blues in the second part, including some superior electric blues guitar. As in their first album, they put forth a sound that should've put Warrant, Firehouse, and Winger on alert to what metal should've been.

The heavy rocking "Gypsy Road" is this album's "Shake Me." Strangely enough, the video for this song was released before "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," as that song charted first. As it turns out, this was released as a single after the success of the first three singles. It peaked at #51, and I put this to the order when it was released. Why not release it as the first single as it was in the UK?

Probably because of the success of pop-metal bands doing ballads; Cinderella's first single (and second video) "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" bettered its previous ballad, "Nobody's Fool," by one place, peaking at #12. It starts as a piano ballad before going full force with the guitars and synths to give it a soaring effect, of some hope left to mend what was sundered.

The next single was "The Last Mile," which falls into the metal blues category. This hard-driving song reached #36, which would've signaled them to hold off on singles, but they came out with yet another one, the mid-paced "Coming Home" which made it to #20. Some country inflections on the mellower parts give evidence that they just didn't go for straight ahead metal. A definite asset to this album.

As for the rest, it's mostly hard-driving numbers such as "Second Wind," that push this album on further heights than Night Songs. "If You Don't Like It" shows a defiant stance on lifestyle a la Billy Joel's "My Life" but with some attitude. "If you don't like it, I don't care" becomes an anthem against that elite exploitative 9-5 set. "Fire and Ice" is another song on a predatory woman, with its "shake for me ooo yea" a reminder of their first single, "Shake Me."

The title track sees them going into slow heartfelt electric blues mode, with Tom Keifer's banshee-like vocals strangely not out-of-place, showing that Clapton and ZZ Top didn't have the sole monopoly on blues-based rock.

Long Cold Winter also benefits from extra drumming assistance from Cozy Powell, who took Carl Palmer's place in ELP, and Denny Carmassi of Heart, as well as session percussionist Paulinho da Costa. And given that Keifer and bassist Tom Bittingham were two of three co-producers showed that this time, they were ready to break new ground. A definite improvement over Night Songs, Long Cold Winter will warm those who are 80's metal fans, whether rediscovering or discovering this for the first time.

THE BAND: Tom Keifer (vocals, guitars, harmonica), Jeff Labar (guitars), Eric Brittingham (bass), Fred Coury (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (1988) 10 tracks clocking in at approximately 44 minutes. Included with the disc is a 4-page foldout containing song titles/credits/times, song lyrics, 2 band photos, and thank you's. Recorded at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, NY. Additional players included - Cozy Powell (drums), Rick Criniti (synth, piano), Denny Carmassi (drums) and Kurt Shore (keyboards). Label - Mercury Records.

COMMENTS: Though not quite in the same league as Cinderella's '86 debut ("Night Songs"), this sophomore release is still a great rocker. Where "Night Songs" was for the most part straight ahead 80's hair/glam rock, this "Long Cold Winter" continued to rock, but also showed Keifer's love for the blues. Highlights include the opener "Bad Seamstress Blues / Falling Apart At The Seams"; the piano ballad "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" that coolly reminds me of Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home"; the album's first hit "Gypsy Road"; the slow and melancholy title track; and two minor hits with the mid tempo rocker "The Last Mile" and the heaviest track on the album "If You Don't Like It" (in the same vein as their earlier "Shake Me"). "Don't Know What You Got" reached #12 on the US charts - and turned out to be the band's biggest hit to date. Two filler songs with "Second Wind", and "Fire And Ice". As an album, "Long Cold Winter" failed to top the #3 "Night Songs" (reaching #10 in the US) - both albums have sold 3+ million units. One of the hidden gems on this album is "Coming Home" with it's slow acoustic intro and Keifer singing, well, sounding almost normal... I like his voice here and often wondered what would've happened had he sung more songs like this. The music on this album is varied - fast, slow, bluesy... and a sign of things to come - their 3rd album "Heartbreak Station" (1990) was very bluesy. If I'm going to grab one Cinderella album, more times than not it will be "Night Songs", but this "Long Cold Winter" comes in a close 2nd. A very accomplished record at the time (4.5 stars).

Cinderella made a classic with this one. This is the best heavy metal record of 1988. The blues influence is real and not forced like some bands would later do.(Poison anyone?) Cinderella was not shallow like most of their peers. They should have gained a level of stardom equal to bands like Van Halen and Aerosmith. A classic.

The band had something to prove with this album. Coming of the big first album "Night Songs" and the much played tracks from it. This album to me showed off even a wider rang in the bands style. Showing that yes they could do the power ballads that so many late 80s group were known for. They also proved that the power of metal still was alive and kicking inside of them. I don't hear many people talk about this one, but maybe talk is not what you need!! Put it on and listen and hear what I'm talking about.

Sure, "Night Songs" did well and Cinderella were already a household name by the time this album came out. Still, this album produced almost as many MTV hits (remember when MTV actually played videos while people were awake?) as Def Leppard's "Hysteria", and for good reason. This disc is a must have for anyone looking for good. bluesy hard rock.