TRAMP'S WHITE LION - Rocking The USA

Posted: 4/18/06

Reviewed by: Dirt

Category: Hard Rock

Released: 10/24/05

Label URL: www.frontiers.it

Artist URL: www.trampswhitelion.com

1/2

Like so many other hard rock bands, White Lion's career hit a brick wall when the grunge scene decimated all in its path in the early 90s.  Prior to the Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden explosion, White Lion's career looked very promising.   Unfortunately, the bi-polar nature of the industry, MTV, and the buying public changed all that.  The pretty boy looks of Danish lead singer Mike Tramp and the band's peppy, upbeat song structures became a thing of the past, replaced by artists and songs that attracted the dark, down, and the depressed.

Through the years, Mike Tramp has kept active, first with the band Freak Of Nature and then as a solo act.  After coming out of the dark 90s, there had been interest in a possible reunion of White Lion, but that never came to fruition.  Guitarist Vito Bratta never signed on.  In fact, the public hasn't heard from him since the demise of the band.  Since Mike couldn't put the original unit back together, he decided to create his own version of White Lion with all new players.  This version of the band conducted a short US tour in February and March of 2005 (as well as playing Germany's Bang Your Head Festival in June 2005) to see how much interest there really was in White Lion.

Rocking The USA is a live recording culled from the 2005 US tour.  The two cd set features 16 tracks and covers material from Fight To Survive (1985), Pride (1987), Big Game (1989), and Mane Attraction (1991).  All the hits are here ("Wait," "Tell Me," "When The Children Cry," "Broken Heart," "Radar Love," and "Love Don't Come Easy"), as well as fan favorites ("Lights and Thunder," "Hungry," "Lady Of The Valley," and "Lonely Nights).  The band is tight and honestly it's impossible to tell that Vito is missing because guitarist Jamie Law plays the songs just as we all remember them.  It's the late 80s all over again!  Vocally, Mike Tramp is in fine form, sounding just like he did so many years ago. 

The Bloody Truth:  Sadly, Mike put Tramp's White Lion to rest shortly after Rocking The USA was released.  If I recall correctly, he didn't feel the needed support from promoters.  Too bad because Rocking The USA found Mike and Co. in fine form bringing back a form of music that there is too little of on the club circuit.  If you were a White Lion fan back in the day - plunk down some cash, you'll enjoy this one.