MIKE TRAMP
“Songs Of White Lion Vol. II”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Mike Tramp is a rock ‘n’ roll artist from Denmark, best known for fronting the hard rock bands White Lion and Freak Of Nature during the eighties and nineties. Tramp has also had a successful solo career over the last twenty five years, releasing fourteen albums – along with the recent compilations ‘Songs Of White Lion’ (2023) and ‘Songs Of White Lion Vol. II’ released in 2024…

…and once again sees Tramp re-imagining ten more songs from his previous band White Lion.

White Lion was a hard rock/glam rock band formed in 1983 by Tramp (vocals) and Vito Bratta (guitars) – the band completed by James LoMenzo (bass) and Greg D’Angelo (drums). The band released four albums in the six year period between 1985 and 1991 – (debut album) ‘Fight To Survive’ (1985), ‘Pride’ (1987), ‘Big Game’ (1989), and ‘Mane Attraction’ (1991), featuring a number of single releases such as ‘Wait’ (1987) and ‘When The Children Cry’ (1988).

White Lion broke up in 1992, with Tramp forming the hard rock band Freak Of Nature, releasing two albums ‘Freak Of Nature’ (1993) and ‘Gathering Of Freaks’ (1994). Following Freak Of Nature’s disbanding in 1996, Tramp embarked on his solo career, also reforming White Lion on two separate occasions (1999 and 2004) – the second reformation resulting in a brand new studio album ‘Return Of The Pride’ (2008).

On ‘Songs Of White Lion Vol. II’, Tramp comments “would Leonardo Da Vinci have re-painted the Mona Lisa if he had gotten a second chance? That we will never know, but I can say for sure, that I am beyond thrilled to have gotten a second chance to re-record and sing the songs I wrote between 1983 and 1990. Today I have such a better understanding of how I want to express the songs in my voice than I had when I was in my twenties, it’s just a fact, and I’ve grabbed the chance”.

This time around, ‘Vol. II’ contains songs selected from White Lion’s first, second and fourth albums, featuring the singles ‘El Salvador’, ‘All You Need Is Rock ‘N’ Roll’, ‘Lights And Thunder’ and ‘You’re All I Need’, along with ‘The Road To Valhalla’, ‘Lonely Nights’, ‘Don’t Give Up’, ‘Till Death Do Us Part’, ‘Out With The Boys’ and ‘Farewell To You’.

So if you’re expecting some kind of “greatest hits” package that features the original versions of the ten songs on offer – you’re gonna be a little disappointed! This is a compilation of re-imagined, re-recorded, and re-worked songs by an artist who’s been a consistent presence on the road – whether that’s in a band or as a solo performer.

And with twenty songs still remaining from White Lion’s first four albums, and ten on the bands 2008 album ‘Return Of The Pride’ – what’s not to say there could be a “vol. III”, “IV” and “V” yet to come!

Overall, an intriguing new take on classic songs from the past, ‘Songs Of White Lion Vol. II’ is so much more than just another compilation.

TRACKLIST

Lights & Thunder
Lonely Nights
Till Death Do Us Part
El Salvador
The Road To Valhalla
Don’t Give Up
You’re AII I Need
Out With The Boys
All You Need Is Rock’n’Roll
Farewell To You

https://miketrampofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MikeTrampOfficial

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