“Rock and Roll is here to stay”. When Neil Young said that 30 years ago, I don’t think he knew how right he was. Oregon natives, Blitzen Trapper, have been the living embodiment of the Canadian rock legends words since their formation in 2000; relentlessly playing their folksy, bluesy, country-esque rock throughout the underground circuit. Unlike most classic rock revival acts of the past decade, Blitzen Trapper decides not to ignore the past 25 years of music, but rather to incorporate influences from bands like Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel and Crooked Fingers into their love of vinyl era rock and roll.
There must be something in the water in the state of Oregon, which the band shares with indie rock god Stephen Malkmus (of Pavement fame) and his Jicks. It is clear that they are drinking from the same well these days. Malkmus’ post-Pavement albums and especially his latest, Dragonfly, tend towards a classic rock feel as well. It seems that Oregon has become indie rock’s answer to Omaha.
Furr is B.T.’s Sub Pop debut, but it is not a radical departure from their prior album. The band is in what could be the greatest stage of their career, having released a minor hit with their last album, Wild Mountain Nation, and its title track. They have finally found the right formula and now they can focus on tweaking and honing their sound and work towards creating something epic. Furr is a snapshot of a band on the cusp of their swan song.
Songs like the title track, a song about a boy being raised by wolves, employ Zevon-esque storytelling, admittedly with a little less wit than the late genius, but the influence is there. The clear highlight of the album is “Black River Killer”, the peak of their storytelling to date. With it’s rambling feel, like a lost track by The Band, it drags the listener along on a journey with a great hook to boot.
Blitzen Trapper is my pick for the next big thing, and we should be hearing a lot more from them very soon. Hopefully they can give that extra bit on their next album and finally paint their masterpiece.
