Tom Keifer
The Way Life Goes (Deluxe Edition)
Cleopatra Records
I was the perfect age when Cinderella hit the scene. Night Songs was quintessential hair metal, with rocking tracks and the requisite power ballads. The switched things up on their sophomore effort. Long Cold Winter introduced the blues to an audience eager for something new, or rather something old. However, their third album, Heartbreak Station veered too far into the blues for the mainstream audience. And then grunge came along.
All of that is to say, Tom Keifer has learned from his past. I missed The Way Life Goes when it was initially released in 2013. The solo debut from the former Cinderella frontman was a pleasing mixture of throwback glam metal, grungy blues, and twangy country. “Solid Ground” kicks the album off with heavy rock rhythms, fast guitars, and that unmistakable Keifer scream. A bluesy riff drives “Cold Day In Hell” with solid harmonica playing punctuating the message being sent to people who try to take advantage of you. The trip to the country is realized in “Ask Me Yesterday,” with its acoustic sound and story of moving from being young and knowing everything, to growing up and realizing you don’t know anything. “Thick and Thin” is a rock ballad with a beautiful piano base that harkens back to the music video era. Things even get a little psychedelic with “Welcome To My Mind,” with a nice mix of effects and tricks to keep you on your toes.
The deluxe edition release includes all of the original songs, plus two new tracks – a studio version of the popular live cover of “With A Little Help From My Friends” and a new version of the Cinderella classic “Nobody’s Fool” featuring Lzzy Hale from Halestorm. Both tracks are very well done and a fine addition to the re-release. There will also be a bonus DVD (that I did not get the opportunity to review) with music videos and a short documentary. Taken as a whole, this is a great package for those of us who missed the initial release. Is it a good deal for people who already own the original album? I can’t say, but they should probably look into it. The Way Life Goes was already a very good album filled with a diverse mix of music. If you missed it the first time, give the Deluxe Edition a shot.
