by Derric Miller
— Managing Editor —
Mike Tramp, as much as any musician who made it big in the ’80s and then was lost in the ’90s Grunge movement, deserves a second chance. And it’s not like he hasn’t been trying. His Freak of Nature band releases, post White Lion, flat out ruled. Of course, people were too busy gazing at their shoes, going unshowered and growing shitty facial hair, to notice. He also tried to get the recluse genius Vito Bratto out of his bunker to reclaim the White Lion mantle, but that never left the ground. His new album, Second Time Around is Tramp embracing both his rocking past and his more acoustic, storytelling solo style, making for one hell of listen.
“All of My Life” is an upbeat paean to the past, where Tramp came from and how he got there, to the point where he traveled the world, gave up everything for the music … and now, as the song describes, he wants it all back. He wants … to go home. Now, it’s likely this yearning strikes every musician who ever “made it,” and the pure honesty of his vocals draws you in. Even after all these years, Tramp is a better singer in tone, depth, and overall ability, although he’s lost a bit off the high end. But he never screamed like so many of his brethren, so really why would he start now?
“The Road” is that odd song where you will swear you’ve heard it before. It sounds like a hit … maybe from the ’70s, or ’80s, or some decade. Certainly not this one. Tramp owns a natural warmth to his vocals you really don’t hear in many vocalists today.
“Come On” is one of the fastest songs on the release, Tramp racing through the lyrics, and the thumping beat sounds happily menacing, like something’s coming but hey, it might not be that bad. Quirky, interesting rhythms aside, it gets a bit disjointed musically.
Perhaps the gents wanted a sing-along song, and that’d be on “Lay Down Your Guns.” There’s a whole lot of “la la la las” in the song, one of those lift your lighter at a live show when those still happened, and again, it’s a throwback tune. Stage Dolls fans will be all over this one.
There is fun to be had, here, though, and you can find that in truckloads on “No Tomorrow.” There’s even a few throaty howls. The messaging is uplifting, with the refrain, “everything’s gonna be fine,” and the riffing by Oliver Steffensen is smooth and danceable.
“When She Cries,” a ballad, ends Tramp’s newest release. From “Valhalla” to “When the Children Cry,” his somewhat scratchy, emotive vocals slide perfectly into this realm. He sings the ballad as well as any vocalist from back in the day, again, because he’s a natural. He’s not TRYING to sound emotional or contemplative … he just is. Likely the second best song on the album, next to “All of My Life.”
Second Time Around isn’t really fair for the title, because he never really left, touring and making music all these years since White Lion. If this album is him discovering anything, it’s Tramp re-discovering himself.
Genre: Rock
Band:
Mike Tramp: Vocal, Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Piano
Oliver Steffensen: Main Guitar all songs
Claus Langeskov: Bass
Morten Hellborn: Drums
Soren Andersen: Additional Guitar
Jay Boe: Hammond B-3
Marcus Nand: 12 String Acoustic Guitar, 1st solo on “Back To You”
Emily Garriock Langeskov: Backing Vocals
Lars Rahbek Andresen: Piano on “Highway”
Tracklisting:
01. All Of My Life
02. The Road
03. Anymore
04. Come On
05. Between Good And Bad
06. Lay Down Your Guns
07. Highway
08. No Tomorrow
09. Back To You
10. When She Cries
Label: Target Records
Online:
www.facebook.com/miketrampofficial
Hardrock Haven rating: 
(8.1 / 10)
