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 executed, suffer from a sense of rock & roll déjà vu. Rather than draw from his influences and subtly blend them into new interpretations, Keifer trots out snippets of classic rock in full regalia. Led Zeppelin makes an appearance on the title track – Keifer's answer to "Since I've Been Loving You" – and again on "Bad Seamstress Blues," which harks back to "Black Country Woman." AC/DC steps in on "Gypsy Road" and "The Last Mile," and the ballad "Coming Home" finds Keifer seesawing vocally between a bad Bob Dylan and an even worse Bon Jovi.

Despite these numerous spectral intrusions by classic rock icons, Long Cold Winter could hardly be called unsatisfying. It still teems with feisty moments, and at the very least it exhibits an admirable willingness by Cinderella to take a stab at something different. Even if the band missed the mark this time around, the top-notch musicianship and streetwise savvy displayed on the album should make Cinderella a force to be reckoned with if it ever finds a musical slipper that fits. (RS 538)

KIM NEELY