Music review: Mike Tramp – 鈥橲tray from the Flock鈥�
The name might not be familiar, but the voice is unmistakable.
Fans of rock music from the 1980s will recall White Lion. The Brooklyn-based band featured lead singer Mike Tramp and guitar virtuoso Vito Bratta.
During my college years, watching MTV consumed a majority of my evening hours. I simply couldn鈥檛 get enough of the continuous stream of music videos that served as background noise while chilling out after a long day.
With the support of MTV, White Lion鈥檚 鈥淧ride鈥漵erved as the band鈥檚 breakthrough album from 1987 with the help of the infectious rocker 鈥淲ait.鈥� The band would follow with 1989鈥檚 鈥淏ig Game鈥� and 1991鈥檚 鈥淢ane Attraction鈥� before finally calling it quits.
Since the band鈥檚 breakup, Tramp has continued his musical journey alone with a career that carries on with his latest solo effort.
鈥淪tray from the Flock鈥� finds the Danish singer-songwriter in fine form. His long-flowing blond hair is now significantly shorter and darker, but his voice still possesses the same electricity as it did back in the days when White Lion delivered rousing tracks like 鈥淗ungry,鈥� 鈥淟ittle Fighter鈥� and Golden Earring鈥檚 鈥淩adar Love.鈥�
鈥淣o End to War鈥� is a powerful opener that details the horrors of battle and is a natural continuation of the earlier White Lion hit 鈥淲hen the Children Cry鈥� as Tramp sings, 鈥淗ear the cries of a million children/Keep destroying what they鈥檙e building/Ain鈥檛 got bread and ain鈥檛 got water/Caught right in the midst of slaughter.鈥�
鈥淒ead End Ride鈥� outlines the desperation of a failing relationship when neither partner can seem to find a satisfying resolution to the many obstacles that keep blocking the path to happiness.
鈥淗omesick鈥� addresses life on the road as a rock star and the numerous days spent away from friends and family in search of fortune and fame. It鈥檚 a realization that hits the heart far too late to make amends.
Other highlights include the heartbreaking confessional 鈥淣o Closure,鈥� the spirited road track 鈥淥ne Last Mission鈥� and the soul searching described on 鈥淢essiah.鈥�
鈥淒ie with a Smile on Your Face鈥� closes the set with a rocker鈥檚 mentality as the 58-year-old singer declares, 鈥淲hen you live like you want/And do as you please/You can die with a smile on your face.鈥�
With Tramp delivering a solid album from start to finish, 鈥淪tray from the Flock鈥� is certain to bring a smile to the faces of White Lion fans everywhere.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.