The name
White Lion has caused quite a bit of controversy in the past few years. Alot of people viewed the band as being a collaboration between Vito Bratta and
Mike Tramp, and the absence of Bratta is going to automatically be a strike against any album carrying the name "
White Lion" but lacking his involvement. It's no mystery that he has become somewhat of a "lost" guitar hero since the blanco feline disbanded after "Mane Attraction". He completely disappeared from the face of the music industry and its still shrouded in the great questions of the unknown - exactly why he decided to remove himself from even the smallest spotlights for so many years.
Even after a 'breaking of the silence' that occured in his first public interview in so many years where it was revealed he had suffered an injury, dealt with family problems and was asked back by Tramp (2003) but refused the offer. He has also made statements that he wished the current
White Lion didn't even exist and other such jealous sounding blatherings. So Bratta is out of W'Lion, perhaps permenantly and that is that (for now anyway).
As for Tramp, his name has been all over since the fall of the Lion.
Mike Tramp has managed to ride the changing tides of popular music, delving into modern/punkish territory with Freak of Nature, delivering albums on a singer/songwrite style scale under his solo name and more. 2003 saw Tramp yearning to return to his musical roots (and the glory days of music meant for a good time) and assembled some unknown musicians for a tour. They began playing the popular songs from the
White Lion catalogue under the name "Tramp's
White Lion", the fans began clamouring for another album under that monicker and electrified with that 80s-nostalgic sound.
The demand was so great that a live album followed in 2005 called "Rockin In the U.S.A.". "Pride" was a massive album for 1987, one that yielded two top ten hits and put the band firmly on the map as contenders in the pretty boy/hair band category, so its no surprise that after getting a little taste of what Mike could be serving up now, that the fans went beserk begging for a part five to that 80s legacy.
So here we have his decision to use the
White Lion name, minus Bratta and most of the original members of the band, and also the usage of "Pride" in the album's title. It's another link to the past for Tramp that automatically pits this disc against the quality of the old. In fact, calling it
"Return of the Pride", brazenly challenges the first four albums on its own terms. The style is what is promised, but somehow, the quality is a bit lacking, despite the years that have honed Mike's songwriting skills and ability as a singer.
Jamie Law has a gruff guitar style that fits the aggression of the album, and Tramp can still appeal to the emotions in us all with his shaggy, breakable voice. He was never the greatest of singers, but there is a raw appeal to his vocals that felt right amongst the pompy sticky choruses and the mind boggling guitar theatrics from Vito.
"Return to the Pride"'s overall sound is rather raw as well, being more of a 'live' feel, it lacks the gloss and 'epic' stylings of those earlier albums. Not a strike in its favor I'm afraid. And back to Law, he just isn't a very exciting guitar player. His downtuned sound and ham-fisted riffs are more tinny annoyance than anything else, and seem disjointed and out of place on something bearing the
White Lion name. Occasionally he steps up to the plate and delivers something of note, but its not as prevalent as one would hope.
But all is not lost. There are a handful of very decent songs here that are almost worthy of the
White Lion banner, such as the epic
"Sangre de Cristo". It's a long, theatrical opener that lets the clock tick away as it clicks along at a fast pace, putting enough progressive whirling storm in the music to compare it to their past "Thunder and Lightning". Unfortunately, while one song of this bearing is acceptable, having two is overkill, especially since
"The Battle of Little Big Horn" is a history lesson about Custer's Last Stand. Say what? A sprawling song, bogged down by those downtuned guitars and an unfocused feel that is ever more apparent with the disc's hollow production sound.
"Dream" harkens back to the olden days and flows forth with kicky melodies and a lovely, easy flowing chorus that's joyous. The twisting guitar work is darktoned, lashing its vines out covered in skin pricking thorns. Just enough to draw driplets of blood. The laid-back feel is perfectly fitting to the song, and the lyrics are thoughtful as well.
Also setting a feel of days gone by is
"Set Me Free", that is deep and sorrowful, a motley bird struggling against its caged captors. Dreaming of taking wing... a few squalls of guitar and the flutes give way to keys, growling guitars and determined vocals.
"Live Your Life" has been described elsewhere as terrible, but in fact, it is a song that has alot of energy and verve. The guitars are wild and bounce all over the place. It's overly repetitive and too modern but is not completely trash. Although no one would be mad enough to offer it up as a song-of-the-year kind of gushing praise. Thegroundwork for
"I Will" makes it an interesting listen, although it is an average tune in its own right. There is a modern melodic rock/storyteller's vibe here with the outlining of the father/son relationship. It seems more in line with Tramp's solo work than a
White Lion band effort. However the mingling of the two worlds (and the overshadowing of Freak of Nature's influence) is a constant tug-of-war match all over this album.
And I must complain about Frontiers' treatment of the demo disc. Hearing the music fade out now and then for an announcement of "you are listening to the
White Lion album 'Return of the Pride'" is *extremely* detrimental to the music. Especially since it seems to pop up at the most annoying times.
Tramp should have had a better pulse point on how to package a "new"
White Lion album, and while these modern touches are not unexpected, their use is poorly executed on the album at times.
White Lion fans were likely anticipating a disc that was shock full of superb guitar solos and memorable riffs, and honestly, you'd be hard pressed to slog through
"Return" and remember even one solo fondly, if at all. The misdirections are painful, the here-and-there scattered tunes that celebrate the past lack even the production gloss of the 80s albums and some of their thunder is stolen in the process.
It manages to break through the lines of purely average, but lacks that grasp of greatness. After so many years to ponder a reunion, Mike should have had better songs, and a more impressive guitarist on hand. As it is,
"Return of the Pride" challenges the past cds and ends up failing in its lofty conquest. Hopefully Tramp is taking notes and a second album will come forth that will be worthy, but til then... this album is likely to be quarreled over as a battleground with only those that open their hearts to listen beyond the
White Lion name, coming through as the true victors.
Written by
Alanna Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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