Album Review

Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer EP

• 17th Aug 2009

Portland Based sextet, Blitzen Trapper, have released a First-class EP full of fruitful songs, which until now were only available at a merch stall at their live performances. The hairy faced, lumberjack clad, band have built up quite a following (Rolling Stone magazine and Pitchfork Readers included) with their first three self released albums and have kept their reputation high when signing to Sub Pop records last year and releasing last years hit Fur, and now Black River Killer EP.

This bands music still excretes an exiled, match-chewing, badass cowboy vibe, but since being signed to Sub Pop (like most signed bands) have lost their raw, energetic, experimental folk feel apparent on their brilliant album Wild Mountain Nation, and are now very well produced structured amenable folk music. Do not take this bitter sentiment to indicate their music is any less fulfilling, as in some cases, such as Big Black Bird, it is more enjoyable and definitely appeals to a wider audience.

The opening song, Black River Killer, a story of a murderer, is also available on their first release with Sub pop. Since Black River Killer is already released in its fine form, the opportunity arose to be creative and do a different version of BRK, but Blitzen Trapper did not take this opportunity, and stuck the same version on. The song, Preacher’s sister’s boy, has a brilliant cheesy pop-Beck vibe with a synth and guitar chorus that infects the senses and stays circulating the brain for hours. Another striking song on this enthralling EP is the country- rock ’n’ roll-esque song Big Black Bird, which not only evokes the old raw, moody, Blitzen Trapper, it also encourages everyone listening to put on some worn out chaps.

Blitzen Trapper are full of anecdotal vivacious folk music which should not be understated. They still achieve that badass-cowboy-country-rock edge to their music, it just that Black River Killer EP has cut down on the smoking and started eating its five a day.