Danielle Steers debut album is a mix of nine cover versions of Jim Steinman songs from the last forty years of his catalogue. Steers is an established musical theatre star creating the role of Zahara in the wonderful Bat out of hell which I saw first in Manchester and then in London at the Coliseum and The Dominion Theatre. She is a Steinman fan herself and the Bat out of hell fans adored her strong stage presence. More recently before Lockdown she was in Six as Catherine Parr and was due to perform in concert herself.
The album title “The Future ain’t what it used to be” (5 minutes) is taken from a track on the 2006 Meatloaf album. Its name suggests the 1942 Duke Ellington Jazz song “Things ain’t what they used to be” or perhaps the 1960 Lionel Bart musical “Fings ain’t wot they used to be” but this is a soaring powerful rock and roll song which shows off her clear powerful vocals. it makes a great opening track to the album.
