Though they had their moments,
Lita Ford's PolyGram albums tended to be uneven. When the graduate of
the Runaways -- a great but neglected '70s band that also boasted
Joan Jett and
Cherie Currie -- moved to Dreamland/RCA in 1988, her solo career got somewhat of a boost, both creatively and commercially. On
Stiletto, the input of hit producer/songwriter
Mike Chapman is an asset. Though not outstanding, the album is a focused and generally enjoyable disc ranging from sweaty rockers like "Cherry Red," "Bad Boy" and "The Ripper" to the eerie ballad "Lisa" to a cover of
Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed."
Chapman, known for his work with everyone from
Sweet to
Scandal, liked his rock commercial, slick and hook-laden -- adjectives that definitely describe
Stiletto. Nonetheless,
Ford never lived up to her tremendous potential, and wasn't given many more chances -- with alternative rock's ascension in the mid-'90s, the type of hard rock and arena rock she specialized in went out of vogue.