Mike Tramp - 'Museum'

Once again Tramp opens up his emotions for the whole world to see.

Mike Tramp once sang of Rock ‘n’ Roll – “It ain’t no fashion, it’s a way of life”. Very true, yet Tramp is one of those artists who has always managed to reinvent himself to fit in with the musical trends of the day. First coming to prominence in the glorious heyday of the eighties with the hugely successful White Lion, he rode out the Grunge storm with the excellent ‘Freak Of Nature’ and then in 1998 began releasing a string of solo albums in a more straightforward Rock ‘n’ Roll vein, culminating with the ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Circuz’ releases. However, in a time when the likes of Ed Sheeran and Newton Faulkner can play to thousands of people armed with just an acoustic guitar, last year’s ‘Cobblestone Street’ saw Tramp head back to his roots with an acoustic-based, Folk orientated release; it enabled him to tour the world completely on his own, selling his t-shirts from a cardboard box at the side of the stage at the end of the show.

So ‘Museum’ sees Tramp picking up where ‘...Street’ left off. The thing is, while still acoustic-based, the songs on this release are anything but stripped back and feature some unusual arrangements and textures, along with a touch of Psychedelia in places, as if the freedom of being a solo artist that is unrestrained from a specific genre has opened up a whole new world of opportunity. First single ‘Trust In Yourself’ and ‘Freedom’ feature simplistic drum patterns, catchy piano melodies and subtle electric guitar textures, ‘New World Coming’ has elements of Led Zeppelin’s acoustic stomp moments, ‘Time For Me To Go’ is a mid-tempo ballad constructed around a ticking clock rhythm with a hint of Country, ‘Down South’ brings forth a harder edge with a funky rhythm and ‘Slave’ continues in a similar vein with a cleverly constructed percussive pattern.



Yet there are still a number of Tramp’s trademark ballads that reveal the true character in his voice and allow his Danish accent to shine through. ‘Better’ is a slow-burner built around a cascading piano melody that builds in mood, ‘Commitment’ a beautifully simple guitar and cello duet, ‘And You Were Gone’ is a tale of lost love and ‘Mother’ possibly his most heartfelt and revealing composition to date.

Once again Tramp opens up his emotions for the whole world to see, his lyrics telling the story of his life, his loves, and his family, while occasionally casting a caustic eye on society in general. This is where Mike Tramp wants to be now, is certainly where he appears to be the most comfortable and will most probably stay for the foreseeable future.

Ant Heeks