Blitzen Trapper

Furr (Sub Pop)

Following the breakout success of last year’s Wild Mountain Nation, Blitzen Trapper’s fourth album and Sub Pop debut delivers a more polished, coherent vision while not sacrificing the Portland sextet’s vividly eclectic contortions through alt-folk and garage rock. Most notable is the rise of its influences more clearly to the surface, which provides the tuning fork that WMN often lacked. The album immediately bursts forth with the rollicking “Sleepy Time in the Western World,” guitars pitched up and squealing, but ballads “Black River Killer” and “Not Your Lover” shade toward Neil Young, and the winding narrative of the title track sounds like Dylan as filtered through the Byrds. The most apt touchstone may be Beck’s country-tinged rockers, finely diced and stewed on “God + Suicide” and “Gold for Bread” and incorporating a touch of Gram Parsons on “Stolen Shoes + a Rifle.” (Blitzen Trapper skins Mohawk Wednesday, Nov. 26.)

***.5

This article appears in October 10 • 2008.

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Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.