Artist: MIKE TRAMP
Title: Capricorn  
Label: CMC International (USA), CNR Music (Europe) 

TRACKS:
Already gone
If I live tomorrow
Here I don't belong 
Heart of every woman 
Have you ever 
Better off 
Had I not complained
Running out of life 
Wait not for me 
Love will come and go.
 

Many people might remember Mike Tramp's name, in the late Eighties and early Nineties he was the singer of the hugely successful band WHITE LION that sold over 6 million albums worldwide. "When the children cry" is already a classic rock song and hit the pole position of the charts in numerous countries back in 1988.

Almost ten years after that success, 2 years after the split-up of his second band FREAK OF NATURE which toured Europe from 1993 to 1995 playing several hundreds of gigs, Mike Tramp released his first solo-album ever in 1997, called "Capricorn".

One may expect to hear "old-fashioned" Hardrock, but will be very positively surprised, that "Capricorn" is a mature Rock-album far away from any trends. Stylistically comparable to artists like John Cougar or Tom Petty, the 10 songs on the album show that Mike Tramp has not only grown up, but also that he is a magnificiant songwriter, able to write perfect and catchy tunes such as the groovy "Had I not complained" and the heartbreaking ballad "Love will come and go".

The lyrics of the album are very personal and really worth listening to. Every song  tells its own story, e.g. "Have you ever" is Tramp's biography told in 5 minutes.

Anyone interested in mature Rock-music should give "Capricorn" a listen. Unfortunately, stars of the "Eighties" are almost never given a "second chance", but MIKE TRAMP deserves respect and attention for writing and recording this personal and very enjoyable album.

A really interesting  fact is that Tramp's former WHITE LION-bandmate James Lomenzo (bass) has done the artwork of the album and that Jerry Best (guitar) and Kenny Korade (bass), both ex-FREAK OF NATURE, played on "Capricorn", which proves that Tramp has not separated in anger with his former bands, but is still friends with several musicians he used to tour the world with.

Fans should take the time and visit Mike's website at http://www.trampuniverse.com  for more info. This is a very interesting site.  There is a detailed daily diary of Mike's promotional tour for "Capricorn" in early 1998.
 

Review by Markus Pfeffer / Germany
E-Mail: Pfeffer.Markus@t-online.de