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So
here we are, 16-17 years since White Lion last reared it’s head and roared
loud’n’proud. What we have now is a White Lion minus guitar maestro Vito
Bratta, this is Mike Tamp and hired guns. Now I’ve seen Mike Tramp twice
in the original White Lion days and twice as a solo artist and I have
great respect for the man. During his solo days I saw him play at Bradford
Rio’s in front of 20 people and still put on a two hour show which
included a couple of White Lion tunes.
The man is a comsummate performer
who can deliver a passionate performance, but vocally I don’t think he can
cut it these days. This album features 11 songs but is immediately let
down by the production, which unfortunately, is so thin as to be
transparent. You can’t even begin to compare this album with the
blisteringly far superior 80’s output.
Opener 'Sangre De Cristo'
is an 8½ minute epic with some of the
multi-tracked melodies having a 60’s vibe near the beginning. The rythmn
section of Claus Langeskov and Troy Farrell are tight but the production
lacks punch. The guitars straddle past and present and partially succeed.
The songwriting evoking memories of War Song and Lights and Thunder.
Track two and it’s time to 'Dream', a song that is also heavily let
down by the production. This has a great hook and the bones of a great
song just begging to be filled out with a meatier production.
'Live Your Life' is a fast-paced
rocker with a catchy chorus but has that demo quality feel about it.
Another song that feels restrained by the production.
Onto 'Set Me Free'
a slower song and an emotive vocal from Mike and a
great solo from guitarist Jamie Law. This is another song that has embers
smouldering but needs the production to fan the flames
This leads us into 'I Will'
with it’s keys/piano led opening before
the guitars kick in and Mike provides us with another emotive vocal on a
song that is crying out for some fuel for the fire.
Another epic clocking in at just over 7 minutes to follow the opener goes
by the title 'Battle At Little Big Horn'. This is another song that
could have been fantastic, the solo is great but overall it’s patchy.
Lyrically, Mike can tell a great story and this song brings to mind Fight
For Freedom but musically is only half convincing in it’s execution.
Next up is the ballad, 'Never Let You Go', with some wonderful piano
work and Mike’s best moody and emotive vocal.
This leads us into 'Gonna Do It My Way', the guitar intro reminding
me of that first White Lion album. Once again you can hear a great song
but it’s just flat.
Then we’re onto 'Finally See The Light', a mid-tempo tune with a
flatline drum intro (someone get the crash cart!!). The song has a bit of
a groove to it and is quite catchy but feels a bit hit and miss, may work
better live.
Second but last song is 'Let Me Be Me', a keyboard intro then the guitars
kick in (make me big, Big, BIGGER!!) Another fast-paced rocker that may
work better in a live setting.
And so we’re onto the last song, 'Take Me Home', a bonus track for
the european market. An acoustic guitar driven tune with some eloquent
orchestration but Mike’s voice is sounding rough and knowing what he was
capable of in the past I can’t help but think the worse.
I
have to say that the musicians on here have put in some excellent work,
Mike has written some great lyrics, Jamie Law has laid down some brilliant
fretwork, Claus Langeslov and Troy Farrell have provided some solid
backbeats but it all feels a bit too loose. There’s a brightness in each
song trying to escape but the production leaves things flat when what’s
needed is something big, beefy and full.
This album probably has more in common with 'Fight To Survive'
on a sonic
level. So not so much as 'Return Of The Pride', more Return To Survive. The
band are touring during the summer and all we can hope for is the songs to
take on a new lease of life in a live setting.
*Review by Brassy |
