Album Review: The Von Tramps - "Go"

 

Hailing from Minneapolis, this is the second album from the Von Tramps and I have to be honest and say it's my first encounter with them. Supposedly written following the end of the lockdown and being based around the theme of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, it's an agreeably upbeat affair.

If you remember the Amorettes from a few years back (around the time of their Game On album when they still had that vital rawness and urgency to them) then it's safe to say that the Von Tramps’ brand of chantalong choruses and barrelling riffs may well sound a bit familiar. They come at things from a more punky angle than a classic rock one though so there's definitely an element of the Donnas and the Dollyrots in there as well. It gives the likes of the opening title track and Live Fast a fired up and sunny quality to them making them difficult to resist.

They're not afraid of chucking in a curveball rather than just keeping things straightforward though - Love & War and Lo Mein both make incursions into ska/dub territory showing an extra string to this band's bow as do the icy almost gothy guitars on Come Alive and Your Fire. It all adds up to a most enjoyable album which packs great tunes and hooks and unexpected twists and turns in equal measure from the early hours paranoia of 2am to the bouncy Bosstones style melodies of Fake It Till You Make It. The group are just starting to make inroads into Europe touring (including supporting Nite Songs favourites Buster Shuffle at the moment) and hopefully they'll make it to the UK for some dates soon - I could definitely see this band cutting loose to good effect in the live arena.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)