Cherry Pie (Bonus Track Version)

Warrant singer/songwriter Jani Lane got a bad rap. Truth is, he was a skilled songwriter, one who grew up on AM radio and the Midwestern pop traditions of Cheap Trick and Artful Dodger. Those influences show here, as shrouded as they are in Sunset Strip metal trappings. Both “Bed of Roses” and “I Saw Red” are sweet-tart gems. There’s even an anti-slavery narrative with a big pop hook (“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”), while “Song and Dance Man” is a rare moment of metal-pop self-mockery. This deluxe set collects rarities, including a dis to former Second Lady Tipper Gore and a pair of album-era demos.