Blister. Tramhaus

It is getting close to five years when Tramhaus made its entry on this blog with its first single 'I Don't Sweat'. Many singles followed, an EP, album number one 'The First Exit', live shows, two singles announcing a new album and today is the release of album number 2, Blister.

Where 'The First Exit' was already a statement of quite some proportions, Blister is a veni, vidi, vici affair, without having to cross the Rubicon. With Blister Tramhaus shows to not only be at the top if its own game but also en passant throws some Fontaines DC and early Simple Minds into its mix, while not losing itself for a single second. Listen how Lukas Jansen sings in 'Cluster' and how a synth pops up here and there on the album and you'll know what I mean. In other words, Tramhaus has made itself even more interesting in the most positive kind of ways.

That line is supposed to be a conclusion to a review and in a way it is. What more can I add to it? Well, not that much if I'm honest. From the first single and opener 'Plovdiv' I am grooving and rocking and rolling with Tramhaus. As an aside, both the band and myself visited Plovdiv in the south east of Bulgaria in 2025. Hopefully the members got to see a little of the Roman archeia in the town and that it wasn't 43 degrees like it was when we were there.

Photo: Marc Elisabeth

With 'Plovdiv' the band opens in a smart way. The link to 'The First Exit' is obvious in the raucous and wild playing. From there the games begin. Tramhaus broadens and widens itself from that moment onwards. Not just the two guitars interplay but also a synth like in 'Sly (Like Ever)'. Someone will have to switch instruments during the show. It works however as the use of keys make the sound more varied. The sudden switch to dark, distorted chords on a guitar does the rest.

With the change in singing, Tramhaus also makes its fans ready for changes in the future. Listen to 'Solace' and you'll find that the postpunk idiom is left by the wayside completely. Lukas Jansen does not need to shout and is finding his singing voice. Perhaps still slightly wobbly but more than good enough. He will lead Tramhaus wherever it choses to go next. With Blister the curtain showing that future is lifted somewhat. There's more than enough postpunk to keep early fans like me happy but also a level of development I had not expected for album number 2. The band may be ahead of expectations, while able to take its fans along on the basis of the quality of songs.

There's often talk of that difficult second album. You will not find anything resembling this challenge on Blister. Tramhaus is The Netherland's top band of the 2020s, okay with Personal Trainer. With Blister it confirms its position with ease. Just listen to that riff of 'I Was Never Alone'. There's no more to write, read nor to understand. As long as you understand that things just don't get much better than Blister.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can order Blister here:

https://subroutine.nl/product/tramhaus-blister-sr136-cd-lp/