2008 Woodie Awards
The Trapps are 'Solid Rock' on new album
Jessica Bagar
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: Entertainment
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Outside of New Paltz lies a particular area of the Shawangunk Mountain Range coveted by rock climbers from all over the world called "The Trapps." It is the longest and most popular cliff formation of the Shawangunk Mountains, created by the collision of the Earth's crust, whose rocky formation proudly boasts the largest number of climbing routes in the entire mountain range. Much like the formation of "The Trapps," a local band of the same name could not have formed without the merging together of the unique musical influences that unite the band. Simply put, The Trapps are "solid rock" in more ways than one.
The Trapps formed in the winter of 2003 and is made up of Sean Schenker on lead vocals and guitar, Warren Gold on lead guitar and slide guitar, and Jason Sarubbi as backing vocals and on bass. Three years later, the band has birthed and nurtured their first self-produced, full-length CD entitled "Good Luck or Goodbye?" which is dedicated to the pursuit of peace everywhere and which fuses together traditional rock-and-roll and bluesy jam-rock undertones to create the sound found on the album.
The first track of the album is introduced and concluded with a chilling flute solo that immediately draws the listener in, with its sound creating images of a lonely battlefield where the only sign of life are the melancholy cries of the flute. Right away, "History" exemplifies the band's peaceful nature, with Schenker singing "I've been so mellow throughout my whole life / Mellow beginning with a sadder ending. / My only son, pray that you stay young / And find some peace and hope of understanding." Throughout the song, he explores such themes as the loss of innocence and the destructive nature of man without coming right out to say such things. The lyrical content of the song, coupled with a smooth tune and intensifying guitar solos, showcase the talents of each band member and set the tone for the rest of the album.
"Alright Now," starts off more upbeat with gentle percussion and a quick guitar solo to get the track rolling. As their most well-known song, "Alright Now" is played regularly on Off The Beat-n-Track Radio Show, 98.1 WKZE, was listed in the Top Ten Songs of 2004 by Music Writer John Barry for the Poughkeepsie Journal and was accepted as part of the 2006 Woodstock Film Festival CD Compilation debuting in October 2006. For such a well-received song, though undeniable catchy the chorus seems a bit trite and almost too sugar-coated, standing apart from the tone of the rest of the album. The song does, however, keep one's spirits up with its "sing-along" quality which is important.
The Trapps formed in the winter of 2003 and is made up of Sean Schenker on lead vocals and guitar, Warren Gold on lead guitar and slide guitar, and Jason Sarubbi as backing vocals and on bass. Three years later, the band has birthed and nurtured their first self-produced, full-length CD entitled "Good Luck or Goodbye?" which is dedicated to the pursuit of peace everywhere and which fuses together traditional rock-and-roll and bluesy jam-rock undertones to create the sound found on the album.
The first track of the album is introduced and concluded with a chilling flute solo that immediately draws the listener in, with its sound creating images of a lonely battlefield where the only sign of life are the melancholy cries of the flute. Right away, "History" exemplifies the band's peaceful nature, with Schenker singing "I've been so mellow throughout my whole life / Mellow beginning with a sadder ending. / My only son, pray that you stay young / And find some peace and hope of understanding." Throughout the song, he explores such themes as the loss of innocence and the destructive nature of man without coming right out to say such things. The lyrical content of the song, coupled with a smooth tune and intensifying guitar solos, showcase the talents of each band member and set the tone for the rest of the album.
"Alright Now," starts off more upbeat with gentle percussion and a quick guitar solo to get the track rolling. As their most well-known song, "Alright Now" is played regularly on Off The Beat-n-Track Radio Show, 98.1 WKZE, was listed in the Top Ten Songs of 2004 by Music Writer John Barry for the Poughkeepsie Journal and was accepted as part of the 2006 Woodstock Film Festival CD Compilation debuting in October 2006. For such a well-received song, though undeniable catchy the chorus seems a bit trite and almost too sugar-coated, standing apart from the tone of the rest of the album. The song does, however, keep one's spirits up with its "sing-along" quality which is important.
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