DERAPS – Deraps (2022)

To be released tomorrow, the self-titled “Deraps” is the debut album from Canadian-Australian power trio DERAPS, a young, up-and-coming Rock ‘n’ Roll band consisting of Canadian guitarist and lead singer Jacob Deraps (winner of the 2016 Dweezil & Frank Zappa Fellowship Award), Canadian bassist William Lachance, and Australian drummer Josh Gallagher.
The band is a throwback to 70s and 80s hard rock when fun and energetic riffs were the order of the day. For those of us old enough to remember, the term ‘smile rock’ was used in the 80s, and it was a term attached to one band in particular for their constant happy energy, and huge smiles when performing. That was of course the original Van Halen, and today’s music has a new band that has devoted themselves to plucking a page from history, and bringing back a bit of that sound and energy: DERAPS.
The album brings together 11 songs full of pure rock ‘n’ roll riffs, polished guitar solos and perfectly tuned harmony vocals.

Deraps sound takes you right back to California of the late ’70s, when a new generation of bands rocked the global scene. They’ve captured that enthusiasm and a bit of that sound that catapulted Van Halen to the top of the heap, without being an imitation, but by being inspired to bring back that kind of love of music and hard rocking sound.
Their debut, self-titled album shows exactly how far Jacob Deraps has come since his discovery by Dweezil Zappa those 6 years ago when he was just 19 years old kid with a love for Hard Rock that pre-dates the 1990s.
The album has 11 tracks that cover the gambit from fast-paced rockers, to acoustic tunes, to even a cover of “Ballroom Blitz” (legendary hit by The Sweet) which they put their own spin on.

The album has excellent production values, superb performances, and really catchy tunes that will keep any Hard Rock fan smiling and stomping their feet. The guitar playing is great on every track, the vocals have lots of character and great harmonies to be the perfect frosting on the pound cake of a solid rhythm section.

”Deraps” has all the trappings of a career defining debut album. Whether it’s the shredding guitar on “Invasion,” or the catchy “Sex, Drugs & Rock N’ Roll,” or the bombastic “Make Ya Groove,” the memorable “Veins of My Heart,” or the Van Halen-esque “Wild To The Woman,” or the slightly restrained “On My Mind”, the album has variety that’s so subtle that you don’t notice it at first because everything flows so well throughout.
As an added bonus, Deraps has included a brilliant rendition of “Ballroom Blitz.” The song has been done to death, but Deraps‘ version is so fun, loose and refreshing that it’s noteworthy.

The guys in Deraps could be the grandchildren of some of the musicians that created some of my favorite 80’s glam or hard rock records. The truth is those musicians are a dying breed. The future is in the youth.
Deraps is one of the few bands that has gotten me excited about the future in a while. It’s like they’ve time traveled to the days of the late ’70s and the entire ’80s days of the Sunset Strip and took notes of all the strengths of the best of the best from those eras.
They are disciples of Van Halen, much like Roxy Blue on their debut album. Wolfgang Van Halen isn’t continuing the tradition… so why not Deraps?

With such a strong debut album, it gives Hard Rock fans a lot to look forward to from these fantastic young musicians. Lovers of guitar-driven Hard Rock and everything Rock 1970s-1990s, Deraps has it all.
Be sure to check them out, and add this great debut to your album collection.

 

01 – Invasion
02 – Sex, Drugs & Rock n’ Roll
03 – My Side of Town
04 – Live Fast Die Slow
05 – Veins of My Heart
06 – Elizabeth
07 – Make Ya Groove
08 – Wild to the Woman
09 – On My Mind
10 – Fuck Off
11 – Ballroom Blitz

Jacobs Deraps – guitar, lead vocals
Josh Gallagher – drums, backing vocals, co-lead vocals
William Lachance – bass

 

Pre order:
www.amazon.com/Deraps/dp/B09XDTK3NF