WARRANT – Cherry Pie [Rock Candy remastered +5]

Rock Candy specialists have given their Remastered & Reloaded treatment to the most beloved WARRANT albums, their first & second, both among the best US Melodic Hard Rock / hair metal records ever. Warrant’s second effort “Cherry Pie” is terrific, the epitome of the ’80s American Melodic Hard Rock / Hair Metal movement.

Warrant’s debut album surpassed expectations and produced a #2 hit single, spring boarding sales way in excess of gold status in the first months of its release.
The scene was set for their sophomore album but nobody was ready for the explosion of success that followed.

“Cherry Pie”, once again produced by veteran studio wizard Beau Hill (Winger, Ratt) and originally issued in 1990, launched the band to even bigger success; the title track becoming one of the most played songs of the year and a virtual prime time MTV staple.
In addition, the band’s front man Jani Lane had become a poster boy for the movement, with his, and the band’s, faces splattered over virtually every music magazine around.

Musically the album was far superior to their debut and decidedly heavier, featuring such brazen rockers as ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’, ‘Love In Stereo’ and, of course, the superbly crafted title track.
‘Mr. Rainmaker’ is remarkably powerful with a chorus that is still memorable today, I love the catchiness of ‘Bed of Roses’ and ‘Song and Dance Man’, the party sense of ‘Sure Feels Good to Me’, and the groove of the Blackfoot cover ‘Train Train’.
Of course there’s great ballads in the glossy ‘I Saw Red’ enhanced with piano, and the awesome ‘Blind Faith’ (much more than just a power ballad).

This Rock Candy remastered reissue includes five bonus tracks. ‘Game Of War’ is the long-sought 1988 demo that garnered Warrant attention at the labels. It’s unpolished but you can hear how an A&R person looking for the next Poison would have signed this band.
The stadium-ready stomp of ‘The Power’ is the demo from a the song later used in the 1992 Cuba Gooding Jr. movie called Gladiator.

Then there’s the excellent ‘Thin Disguise’, only used as single B-side and for its quality shoulda been included into the main album, ‘I Saw Red [Acoustic Version]’ also originally B-side (I love this version even more than the original), and the single version of title track ‘Cherry Pie’ only destined to radio stations.

To my ears, both first Warrant albums sound fantastic in its original release. Is this Rock Candy remaster worth of it?
As I said with the first Warrant remaster, I guess the answer is yes. There’s more bass presence, guitars come cleaner and the dynamic output is great.
Anyway, any version of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” is an essential addition to your melodic hard rock collection, and if you need to choose one, get this Rock Candy remaster.
A MUST HAVE

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

01 – Cherry Pie
02 – Uncle Tom’s Cabin
03 – I Saw Red
04 – Bed Of Roses
05 – Sure Feels Good To Me
06 – Love In Stereo
07 – Blind Faith
08 – Song And Dance Man
09 – You’re The Only Hell Your Mama Ever Raised
10 – Mr. Rainmaker
11 – Train Train
12 – Ode To Tipper Gore
BONUS TRACKS:
13 – Game Of War (Demo)
14 – The Power (Demo)
15 – Thin Disguise
16 – I Saw Red (Acoustic Version)
17 – Cherry Pie (Single Version)

Jani Lane – vocals
Joey Allen, Erik Turner – guitars
Jerry Dixon – bass
Steven Sweet – drums
additional personnel:
C. C. DeVille, Mike Slamer – guest guitar
Eric Oswald (Jani Lane’s brother) – intro on Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Scott Warren – Keyboards
Bruno Ravel Steve West (Danger Danger) – backing vocals
Fiona – backing vocals
Alan Hewitt – organ, piano, strings
Beau Hill – organ, banjo, keyboards, production, mixing
Juke Logan – harmonica
Paul Harris – piano, strings

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Cherry-Pie-Warrant/dp/B06X97F57H
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