Blitzen Trapper is a strange enigma. They have a sound unlike any other band. It's a mixture of timeless, somewhat southern sounds, but interlaced with electronic melodies that are both calming and exciting. Some songs would fit well in a Western movie soundtrack, while others could be part of a dark film noir. Their music is light, but filled with heavy messages. As you listen to a folky, upbeat song, you might suddenly realizing he's singing about murder.
The lyrics are often thick metaphors. An entire song can be a strange allegory that one can never fully interpret - the meaning behind the song will change with your mood. Likewise, they use a lot of imagery in their lyrics: heaven and hell are common, and the wilderness, storms, wild animals, infinity, creation. These shifting meanings talk about the search for redemption, but looking in the wrong places. Of life altering journeys; or a man who's tongue is replaced by a flower and can only speak truth, but a truth that kills those who hear it (The Man Who Would Speak Truth).
Lead singer, Eric Earley, is equally hard to pin down. He masters the story telling style, like you hear in a lot of traditional country. Often times he sings with a raspy forlorn voice. Sometimes he'll also half speak, half sing in a energetic monotone voice, like you'd hear from Cake or other laid back 'alternative hip-hop' artists. He also plays a variety of instruments, including banjo, keyboards, harmonica and rhythm guitar. This band has a style for everyone,
VII (2013)
This latest album is probably the best to check out if you've never heard this band before (Furr would also be a good first album). It has a Brokenbells meets bluegrass country feel. Interestingly, it has a bit of funky musical style, but this certainly ain't no disco. Like most of their albums, it still carries the dark undertones and lyrics that are a contrast to the more upbeat tunes. They use a lot of banjo, an instrument that is usually associated with happy music. It's backed by frequent but low key electronic noises.
Feel the Chill is one of my favorite tracks from this album-you can listen to it below (there is no video, just the album cover). Upbeat and catchy...but with lyrics that talk about death. Shine On is also a good song to check out. The album starts stronger than it finishes, with some of the later songs getting just a little monotone.
American Goldwing (2011)
This album is pure Americana. Earley sings yearning but hopeful lyrics, with a the music that is folky rock and a little upbeat. The songs go back and forth between rustic rock and banjo picking, with plenty of harmonica throughout. It features more use of the piano/keyboard and, like all their music, lots of swooning steel guitar.
Check out the title song, American Goldwing for a nice mellow folky song and Street Fighting Sun for a peculiar rocking song.
Destroyer of the Void (2010)
This album is more like a classic rock album. It's got an old British rock feel, with lighthearted tunes and almost a mandolin style. The vocals are more prominent here than the other albums and the music more minimal. Because of this, Destroyer has a lot of storytelling.
Check out Laughing Lover for an upbeat choppy song, or The Man Who Would Speak True for one of their strange metaphorical tales.
Furr (2008)
Black river Killer is incredibly haunting. It's that sort of song that gives me the chills. There are a lot different interpretations, but I feel it is about a man lost and depraved...searching for salvation, but the only thing that makes him feel clean is the darkness. The blackness keeps him alive. The song opens with the story of how he was blamed for the murder of a girl. I'm thinking this is referring to his lost love, and getting blamed for her death was what pushed him into this wicked state. He has lost himself, and in his corruption he seeks a way into heaven through murder. Maybe his redemption lies in helping others find theirs. And though he is not surprised when he cannot find the light, he still searches for reprieve in the darkness. See the music video for this below: it captures the mood of the song perfectly.
The rest of the album is a mixture of mournful and hopeful melodic folk rock. Gold for Bread has a similar theme, about running and trying to find one's way, but is more hopeful than Black River Killer. The title song Furr is a tale of a man who becomes part of a wolf pack. A happy, if strange, story.
Wild Mountain Nation (2007)
More of an indie folk/pop album, which I don't mean as in insult because this is their first 'good' album. The style in some songs reminds me of the band Of Montreal, and that sort of early hipster folk. But this flow is punctuated by weird upbeat tunes with a lot of distortion and tracks that are crowded with as much noise as possible. It goes back and forth between banjo style music to electronic keyboard tracks with vocals that are hard to understand sometimes.
The first track, Devil's A-Go-Go is a quick paced song that features a lot of distortion. I also like the track Sci-Fi Kid, which features a lot of electronic music. Nothing heavy, mostly just melodic tones and keyboard. The words are pretty vague, one could interpret just about anything in these strange lyrics. Alternatively Country Caravan is a relaxing, folky country song
Field Rexx (2004)
Starts out really noisy, kind of indie rock. Shifts through a really soft rustic rock in the middle. Maybe a bit experimental, but very mellow. The album would be more coherent without the beginning noisy songs.
Blitzen Trapper (2003)
In hindsight, you can see the different elements of what they would become. The eponymous album is a little bit of an old school pop style, and even electronic keyboards once in awhile. But taken by itself, the frequent use of a sliding guitar makes it more of a weird country rock with some of the songs ranging into a post punk, slightly Brit rock style. Though still a lot of slow melodic songs too. Their wide range of styles is present, but since a lot of it has yet to be refined and polished, it makes the album a bit disjointed and all over the place. This also includes heavy country elements considering I wouldn't actually call it country. Whiskey Kisser is the best example of a hipster's song comprised entirely of country music style.
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