Cinderella - Long Cold Winter

From the very first track ("Bad Seamstress Blues"), it was obvious that Cinderella was moving in a different direction with this album, toward a mix of the pop metal that was their forte with a bluesy inflection reminiscent of Aerosmith. Songs like "Fallin' Apart at the Seams" and "Gypsy Road" showed this influence clearly while making the album more musically interesting than its contemporaries, although the anthemic "The Last Mile" and the hit single "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" were definite highlights. Added to the mix were ballads like the title track, as well as less grandiose tunes such as "Coming Home." Not exactly a classic album, but a likeable listen overall. --Genevieve Williams