MIKE TRAMP – Trampthology [2-CD Greatest Hits +4] (2020-2021)

Celebrating 25 years as a solo artist former WHITE LION and FREAK OF NATURE singer MIKE TRAMP released his first best-of album: “Trampthology“, only available on physical format 2-CD/LP.
Released for Christmas at the very end last year, “Trampthology” is a very special treat for all fans of Tramp, with 16 of the biggest hits from his amazing solo career, plus four brand new songs.
Of course for fans of Mike’s the solo material is only part of the history and whilst there have been exhaustive collections before both of Freak of Nature and White Lion there’s not really been one that concentrated on the solo material except the ‘This & That’ box set released a few years back in 2017 which was more an exhaustive collection of demos.
Here we get the cream of Tramp’s recorded works and a choice too with the release coming both on double gatefold 180g vinyl and double CD.

We open with the Americanized beat of ‘Give it All You Got’ from 2015’s Nomad 20 years after starting his solo career, before we step back to the brighter and crisper sounds of that debut solo record ‘Capricorn’ from 1997 on ‘If I Live Tomorrow.’ I guess there in those two songs you have the story of Mike Tramp solo – on the one hand a voice that in contemporary times is striving to shake off the trappings of the past, and the younger Tramp who hasn’t turned his back yet but who is striving for something a little more.

Third track ‘More to Life Than This’ is one of the best Mike Tramp song of any era, any band. It’s a great tune and never gets old. The wonderful ‘The Road’ follows, it’s a song you might have heard earlier in the year on Tramp’s latest studio outing ‘Second Time Around’ or Tramp’s ‘Mike Tramp & The Rock ‘N’ Roll Circuz’ from 2009 that was released only in Denmark where it originally appeared.

The first new song comes in the form of ‘Ain’t Done Yet’ and has a distinct Country flavor that almost makes you think of what bands like ‘Smokie’ did in the 70’s and oddly sounds older than anything else on here. The new tracks actually all end each side of the vinyl which is a nice touch having them equally spaced though the collection.
The next new track ‘Take Me Away’ is different again, a light breezy Blues tinged mid-tempo story that is wonderfully smooth and evocative and probably the best of the new numbers.

The third new track ‘Every Time’ is different again, a slow and downcast trademark Tramp ballad designed as a tear-jerker but lacing that memorable refrain that would make it a keeper.
It’s ‘I’ll Never Be Young Again’ (another ballad) though which closes the album that is possibly the most assured of the new material even if in tone and pace it is rather like ‘Every Time’.

As far as the remaining songs go there’s some great balance throughout the album though there is a definite focus on the slower and mid-tempo numbers that have really characterized Tramp’s output in the last ten years especially.
There’s pretty much two from every album with a few exceptions and it’s nice to see the inclusion of the 2013 single ‘The Way It Was Before’ too.

If you’re a fan, you’ll love this especially if you got to know Mike through his solo work, and the four new tracks hopefully are an indicator of many more great years to come.
As a pick of a 25 year solo career it’s a pretty impressive line up.
Highly Recommended

CD 1:
1. Give It All You Got
2. If I Live Tomorrow
3. More To Life
4. The Road
5. Ain’t Done Yet (new song)
6. Dead End Ride
7. Maybe Tomorrow
8. Mr. Death
9. Mother

CD 2:
1. Take Me Away (new song)
2. Cobblestone Street
3. Trust In Yourself
4. New Day
5. Bow And Obey
6. Every time (new song)
7. Coming Home
8. Lay Down My Life For You
9. Better Off
10. The Way It Was Before
11. I’ll Never Be Young Again (new song)

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