They invented an expression for bands like
Cinderella.
Nearly Men.
Never did a band come so tantalisingly close to greatness.
For three albums (and several singles) they were contenders, then ironically, they slid down the greasy pole of fame with
'Still Climbing', their fourth album.
Their previous release,
'Heartbreak Station' was a phenomenal hard rock/metal hybrid, critically acclaimed but largely rejected by fans of the grown up pop metal of
'Night Songs' and '
Long Cold Winter'.
One or two tracks aside, '
Still Climbing' sounded tired, uninspired, a contractual obligation. Consequently there followed a rapid fall from grace.
Today, the band's resurrection has been greatly exaggerated. Relatively recent tours with
Poison and other contemporaries have been successful, boosting sales of the band's '
Greatest Hits' album to in excess of a million. But writer, vocalist, guitarist Tom Keifer is the key.
And unfortunately, throat surgery and work on solo material seems to negate any possibility of a new
Cinderella album.
Meantime, to remind us of just how great the band were, here's a CD&DVD package,
'Cinderella In Concert', released by the enterprising UK label, The Store For Music.
The audio disc is the
'Live At The Key Club' gig from 1998. One you may well be familiar with in other guises. Say no more.
For the unfamiliar, it's a magnificent example of an awesome rock band live. Okay, it's warts'n'all, but the band are tight, loud and have an unfailing ability to nail every melody, every chorus. Yes, there are a few smudges here and there and the occasional note gets blurred, but on the whole they delineate their own back catalogue in strong, sure, strident brushstrokes.
And what a back catalogue it is. From the hard edged, grown up pop metal of
'The More Things Change', through the Gothic
'Night Songs', the simplistic but hugely popular
'Don't Know What You Got Till It's Gone', to the timeless, evocative ballad '
Nobody's Fool'. All buoyed up by Keifer's flair for a sinuous melody and unique, grit gargling vocals.
Fortunately for the discerning rock fan, Keifer also had the temerity to write songs that credited his audience with a modicum of intelligence. You'll not hear as finely wrought or as beautifully observed narratives as those on
'Shelter Me' or '
Heartbreak Station', both taken from the album of the same name.
The DVD
, 'Live In Detroit, 1991' comprises of an extended, 18 track gig. Despite the limited camera work, you can't help being impressed by the sheer quality of the band's material.
Ten years after the fact, both the audio and the DVD recordings of this '
Cinderella In Concert' release reflect brightly on a body of work that few other rock bands will ever hope to emulate.
Shine on.
Written by
Brian Thursday, October 16, 2008
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