CINDERELLA – Heartbreak Station [Bad Reputation Records remastered 2-CD digipak]

French reissue label Bad Reputation has been doing a great job releasing ‘Collector Series / Remastered with Bonus‘, with the main attraction being the addition of a bonus tracks or bonus disc, making these reissues the ‘definitive expanded versions’. In a Rock Candy Records fashion, these are official remasters in arrangement with the original recording companies.
In the case of “Heartbreak Station“, the third album by CINDERELLA, it was released in a 2-CD digipak including a bonus disc with previously unreleased on CD material.

After two successful albums that effectively followed contemporary US glam hard rock trends, Cinderella reached back into the Stones and Aerosmith songbooks and created a sneering, raunchy bluesy hard rock album that was artistically their finest moment, even if it didn’t reach the same commercial heights as its predecessors.

“The More Things Change” as an opening song is a statement of how they’ve changed their sound and evolved through the years as musicians. It’s quick to show the new direction and is one of the catchiest and most memorable tracks off Heartbreak Station.
“Love’s Got Me Doing Time” has a cool groove and even some Jimi Hendrix style of playing, “Shelter Me” is one of the best tracks from this album, it’s catchy and the chorus is instantly etched in your mind. A classic in Cinderella’s catalog.

Like Long Cold Winter, the title track of this album is both the longest cut, and the ballad. Cinderella have done amazing ballads and “Heartbreak Station” ranks up there, it’s touching, has a neat chorus, feels sincere and is just as good as any of the ballads they’ve done, albeit with a slightly different sound. The lyrics to me are heartbreaking and very personal and anyone’s who’s ever experienced a heartbreak will be touched by this one, a true tearjerker the highlight and centerpiece of the album.
“Sick For The Cure” picks up the pace and gets things rocking a little more, it has great lyrics and Tom’s delivery is absolutely fantastic.

“One For Rock And Roll” could be described as a happy go lucky, “I don’t care because I’m happy with simple things” bouncy delight. A simple effective and infectious song. “Dead Man’s Road” is a bluesy as Cinderella gets and Tom’s voice shines through altering between his normal and raspy voice. It’s one of the highlights of Heartbreak Station and it stands out, it takes you places.

“Electric Love” stands out for being much different from the rest, the simplest way to explain it is that it’s a trip for the listener with its groove (reminiscent of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion”).
“Love Gone Bad” and “Wind of Change” end the album tremendously well and on a high note, there is not a bad moment here.

This Bad Reputation remastered reissue includes as bonus track on the main disc the song titled “Move Over”, which is a B-side from a rare promotional maxi-single. It’s a cover of a Janis Joplin song and perfectly fits the album’s material, done by Cinderella with a biting rockin’ approach. Love Jeff LaBar’s hot solo and the Hammond organ all over. The song worth this reissue alone.

But there’s more: an extra disc.
And it features excellent live cuts, capturing some of the album songs but also recordings from 1988, and as extra a rare version of “In From The Outside”, a track from the band’s first album, played live into the studio – no crowd noises and with a ‘jam’ feeling.

Coming from a big fan of the band’s first two records, “Heartbreak Station” is an incredible album that pursues different musical territories. It’s undeniably Cinderella but with a twist; in fact, it’s a return to their classic rock / bluesy hard rock roots.
Tom Keiffer is a superb songwriter and on this album the maturity and beauty he reaches in the lyrics is something extra. The band feels organic thanks to countless tours together, and production is top notch.

This Bad Reputation remaster is really good, and you have juicy a collectors material.
You probably already got a copy of this album, however this “Heartbreak Station [Bad Reputation remaster 2-CD digipak]” is the definitive, most complete version available, the one to treasure.
HIGHLY Recommended

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

CD 1: Heartbreak Station remastered +1
01 – The More Things Change
02 – Love’s Got Me Doin’ Time
03 – Shelter Me
04 – Heartbreak Station
05 – Sick For The Cure
06 – One For Rock And Roll
07 – Dead Man’s Road
08 – Wake Your Onw Way
09 – Electric Love
10 – Love Gone Bad
11 – Winds Of Change
12 – Move Over (B-side) [Bonus Track]

CD 2: ‘Live Train To Heartbreak Station’
01 – The More Thing Change
02 – Somebody Save Me
03 – Heartbreak Station
04 – Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)
05 – Gypsy Road
06 – Shake Me (Clyder Radio One, 19 Nov. 1988)
07 – Rock Me Baby (Clyder Radio One, 19 Nov. 1988)
08 – Second Wind (Clyder Radio One, 19 Nov. 1988)
09 – In From The Outside [Live into the studio]

Tom Keifer – vocals, guitar, dobro, mandolin, piano
Eric Brittingham – bass guitar
Jeff LaBar – guitars
Fred Coury – drums, percussion, backing Vocals
with:
Rod Roddy, Brian O’Neal, Rick Criniti – keyboards
Ken Hensley – organ
Jay Levin – steel guitar
Bashiri Johnson – percussion
Roy McDonald – programming
The Memphis Horns
Elaine and Sharon Foster, Tawatha Agee, Eric Troyer – backing vocals

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badreputation.fr/CINDERELLA-HEARTBREAK-STATION
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