Winning Combinations: Cinderella & L.A. Guns

Album Review

The budget-line release Winning Combinations is one in a series that compiles five songs each from two artists of a particular genre. While the Cinderella/L.A. Guns edition is a no-frills presentation, it does include each band's generally accepted high points. Cinderella turns in the classic Bic ballads "Nobody's Fool" and "Don't Know What You Got ('Til It's Gone)"; "Gypsy Road" represents the band's eventual lean toward ragged, bluesy rock. L.A. Guns might fare better here, since it's better to view the outfit's spotty career in summation. The MTV hit "Never Enough" struts, and "It's Over Now" is surprisingly sweet, as is "No Mercy," which effectively elapses the sleaze of the band's 1988 debut into a satisfying two minutes and 51 seconds.