"This one may have just passed everyone by ..."
This one may have just passed everyone by as a result of Cinder Road being dropped by their record label and following their noses to Japan in support of their new found popularity there. Indeed although the album is available through iTunes and via the band's website, an official label backed release is only currently available in Japan. Miss this album at your peril as it was one of 2010's best offerings, even better than 2007's excellent 'Superhuman'.
Produced by Scott Stevens of The Exies, 'Damage Control' has a tougher sound but doesn't skimp on melody; powerful opener 'The Worst Way' and the galloping 'Sex Addict' are hard hitting yet hooky, whilst 'Losing Ground', a soulful power ballad, contrive to illustrate the improved togetherness and songwriting of Mike Ruocco. Indeed the band now shows a slickness that simply wasn't evident under the band's former name, Plunge.
The power pop tinged 'It Hurts', 'Give It Up' and the acoustic flavoured 'Tennessee' are the equals of anything Mitch Allan could have written in Ruocco's former band SR71. With the U.S seemingly disinterested in Cinder Road and the current album, their loss is Japan's gain as this really is a superb album from start to finish. Having toured there recently with Orianthi and with 'It Hurts' riding high at number seventeen, it is an irony indeed that Cinder Road is having more success now without major label backing than when it did…….in the land of the rising sun at least.
Mike Newdeck
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