Mike Tramp - More to life than this
It's only been 13 months since Mike Tramp released his last album, the critical acclaimed "Recovering the Wasted Years". The album was a strong effort with some really strong and personal lyrics, while the music was a bit softer than Mike's first solo album "Capricorn".

"More to Life Than This" has a more rocky side, in the vein of "Capricorn". Again the lyrics are great, but they are not as personal as the "Recovering the Wasted Years" songs. This time it is more straight Rock N' Roll from one of the strongest voices in Rock.

A great advantage about Mike's albums is that they are timeless. Both "Capricorn" and "Recovering the Wasted Years" are still spinning often in my CD player. I am sure that "More To Life Than This" will prove long lasting as well.

The overall style for the album is set with album opener More to Life Than This. The distortion pedal is brought back from the closet and it is suiting this amazing song perfectly. Mike's friend and former Freak Of Nature guitarist Oliver Steffensen is playing a great rocky guitar. The song has 3 verses each describing a human destiny. The common theme is the injustice that life sometimes treats you with. Mike is questioning if this is real life.

There's got to be more to life than this
a so called reason why we exist
a better way to tell us
Why we live and die



Lay Down My Life for You features a great Hammond organ and a real strong chorus. This is a track that keeps growing every time you hear it.

Don't Want to Say Goodnight might as well been a track off "Capricorn". It's a solid rock song and in my opinion an obvious single release. The song has everything - a great hookline, fantastic chorus and melodic appeal.

The verse for Nothing at All features only Mike and his acoustic guitar. This is a moody ballad, where Mike's characteristic vocals are unfolded completely. Once again Oliver Steffensen delivers a great melodic solo. Oliver and Mike are made for each other musically.

Day by Day is co-written with ex. Freak of Nature guitarist Kenny Korade. The song is a traditional rock song with a great melodic chorus. Speaking of Freak of Nature the song Back From the Dead has a similar groove and riff resembling the trademark for Freak of Nature. You might think that Kenny Korade also co-wrote this song, but it is Kasper Damgaard, who co-wrote 5 songs on the last album. This is his only contribution to the album. I will label Back from the Dead as Stand Back part 2, since it reminds me of the excellent song from "Gathering of Freaks".

The album has a very rocky middle part starting off with the great song Live for Today. This is a straight Rock N' Roller with a great atmospheric rhythm guitar. Oliver Steffensen provides licks that are typical for his style of playing. Listen to Take it Easy from the last album to hear the likeness. The lyrics are not so deep, just the positive message about Live for Today, which makes this a happy Rock N' Roller.

I Won't Let Go builds up for the chorus and ranks among the strongest songs on the disc. This song should be perfect for the radio, since the chorus is very melodic. Furthermore Steve Lukather is brought in to play a great solo that justifies this song entirely.

Surprisingly the album features a duet with female singer Stine Larsen from the Danish band Stripclub Junkies. Stine's solo vocal on the second verse is sounding a bit weak compared with Mike's power organ. The duet contributes to the diversity on the album. In the beginning this was my least favorite song, but it grows and the standard of this song is high, confirming the overall quality of the album.

The album opened with the rocky title track and closes with a fantastic ballad. Like the song structure for More to Life Than This, this song is divided in 3 independent verses. Verse 1 is about The Good, which is Mike's son Dylan. Verse 2 The Sad is a rather moody lyrical verse probably about Mike himself. The ugly is an unidentified person, who betrayed Mike's trust and hurt his feelings so deeply, that he had to publish them in this verse.

Every verse is rounded off with a chorus theme with changing lyrics, fitting each verse of The Good The Sad and The Ugly. Another guest star Eric Johnson plays two guitar solos, which rank among the greatest I heard in a long time. The tone of his guitar fits the mood for the ballad perfectly.

With a playing time of 6.19 The Good the Sad and The Ugly is a brilliant moody finisher to one of the guaranteed albums of the year.

The album has everything from beautiful ballads, mid-tempo songs and straight Rock N' rollers. The icing on the cake is Mike Tramp's amazing vocals, which still are in a great shape. The same goes for his song writing capabilities, which are intact.

Written by Michael
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
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Ratings

Michael: 8/10

Members: 7/10 - Average of 1 ratings.



Member ratings

Profile pictureSteen (Staff)

Rating: 7/10
Yeah, this is another quality addition to the Tramp catalogue. More to life than this is f... · Read more ·

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Comment by jeroen peters (Anonymous) - Friday, August 1, 2003
The Good, The Sad and The Ugly says it all!!! Mike at his very best on this one. Killer ballad. I agree that the guitarsolo by Eric Johnson is breathtaking and gives me the same cold shivers as Steve Morse's intro on "When a Blind Man Cries". Honest music from a man that even in his "hair-metal" days was not afraid to write about politics, peace and every day life. 8 out of 10.... but still growing.


Comment by Saodi Khalil (Anonymous) - Saturday, May 1, 2004
Mike ur the best


Review by Steen (Staff) - Friday, May 2, 2003
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Comments: 518
Yeah, this is another quality addition to the Tramp catalogue. More to life than this is filled with Melodic Rock of high quality, that has the special "Mike Tramp touch". Unfortunately that special melancholic atmosphere that ruled the other two releases is a bit toned down here. I miss that atmosphere in some of the songs. Like Michael said, More to life than this is more straight forward. Still, this is an album that grows with each listen and it almost, but not quite manages to reach the same high level of impact as Capricorn and Recovering... I find a couple of songs to be too straight forward and sweet for my taste (Lay down my life for you where that line is repeated so many times & Goodbye song that just doesn't work for me)

Luckily all the other songs more than make up for this. The ultra melodic More to life than this and Don't want to say goodnight, the rocking I won't let go and Back from the dead and the ballads Nothing at all and above all The good, the sad and the ugly are all excellent Tramp songs that deserve high praise.

A must for all Mike Tramp / White Lion / Freak of Nature fans, but I would advise those who want to get to know Mike Tramp to start out with Capricorn.

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Steen (Staff)
Friday, May 2, 2003










Review by Michael
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Released by
Ulftone/Kick Music - 2003

Tracklisting
01 - More To Life Than This
02 - Lay Down My Life For You
03 - Don't Want to Say Goodnight
04 - Nothing at All
05 - Day by Day
06 - Live for Today
07 - Back From the Dead
08 - I Won't Let Go
09 - Goodbye Song
10 - The Good the Sad and The Ugly


Supplied by Kick Music


Style
Rock

Related links
Visit the band page

Mike Tramp - Official Website

Other articles
Recovering the wasted years - (Michael)

Capricorn - (Steen)

Band Information - (Michael)

Live at Skanderborg Festival, Thursday August 7th - (Michael)

Rock ´N´ Roll Alive - (Michael)

Stand Your Ground - (Michael)



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