Nostalgia is a privilege of the seasoned. Many heed the fast lane of life and dread each mile, but with each passing sunset comes a new page in the scrapbook. And there is a particular warmth one feels upon taking a trip down memory lane; like the afternoon sun that glares though the windscreen as you roll past the sign bearing that forgotten town's name. LITA FORD has a lot of stories to tell from across her 40-year career, and "Time Capsule" contains plenty of tricks and trinkets to make for quite a raucous tale.

Opening up a record with a ballad is a very bold move, but in this instance it just must be a truly savvy one. Following a comical intro with a cameo from LITA's ex and W.A.S.P.'s former axe-man Chris Holmes, "Where Will I Find My Heart Tonight" sets the scene perfectly for a bout of reflection upon the past. In the vein of rummaging through old boxes whilst the autumn leaves are blanketing the ground, the locksmith key changes sway this number from mild acoustic glimpses into lost romance, to fuzzy, wrenching licks of crazy nights on the strip. LITA does spend a vast part the record tapping into the more pathos-ridden chapters of her past with big ballads, but they all pack stupefying punches which have even the most slow-tempo of the songs give you a taste of her stiletto; such tracks include the 'phaser' drenched "War of the Angels", a huge, compelling throwback to metal's power ballad era, and "King of the Wild Wind", which drops a dynamic bombshell upon the listener towards the end.

As with anything that bears LITA FORD's touch, for every saccharine treat there is a serving of spice to go along with it. "Time Capsule" shifts your palette into high gear with "Black Leather Heart" and "Rotten to the Core", which see the guitar mistress feel a burst of rejuvenation and reach deep inside the bank to pull out some jolly-old, rocking guitar riffs that once coloured the streets of L.A.

Although "Time Capsule" is largely a compilation of previously unreleased material that Lita had lying around her house, it has a very endearing quality to it. I must admit that a lot of the tracks on the album do sound like outtakes from former, burned-out studio sessions, but that doesn't deduct from their merits. The production might seem a bit stuffy, but it does wonders to give the record a raw sound like that of a cassette that's been stuck inside your muscle car since high school. The guitar tones hop the border between 80's and 90's with a thick fuzz lined distortion that makes you think that Lita had raided Billy Corgan's pedal board.

The overall musicianship is tight and full of energy, and tracks like the instrumental "On The Fast Track", "Mr. Corruption" and a cover of Jimi's "Little Wing" retain the fresh juvenile fun of a jam session in your parent's garage; or an album by David Lee Roth. Lita's vocals too, sound youthful and refreshing, and her voice still possesses that smoky, velvet texture with poised rips of attitude and notes of sex. And even though there are moments where the songs show some signs of staleness, the subtle elements of surprise and fine execution elevate them to respectable levels.

In a nutshell, this is a highly enjoyable album and shall be a treat for long-time fans. Full of guest appearances from 80's superstars like Billy Shehan, Dave Navarro (in an incredulous feature on a mandolin) and Jeff Scott Soto, it is surely a renaissance fair for the hair sprayed. And whilst it is far from original, "Time Capsule" is a pleasant record that's is full of fine songwriting and warm sentiment.