For Folk's Sake » Blitzen Trapper

Album | Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing

For Folk's Sake — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:54:14 +0000

With over a decade of experience and five other albums under their belt, Blitzen Trapper proved their worth long before creating new album American Goldwing. This of course means that they also have a reputation to uphold, particularly after failing (so far) to revisit the acclaim of their 2008 release Furr with either of the two subsequent releases. Let’s just say the bar remains set, but it’s not exactly raised.

American Goldwing packs a bit more of a punch than a lot of their previous work; a dose more guitar and fewer pretty vocals make it feel more country-rock than the folk-country they used to champion. The country aspect is still well represented though, with generous presence from the trusty harmonica and lap slide guitar.

The title track especially is a good old-fashioned ditty: “Oh my sister’s playin’ in a rock ‘n’ roll band” is about as classic a country lament as any. They do wander to the edges of the genre in a few places, though. The soothing ‘Love The Way You Walk Away’ is gently pock-marked by a background banjo, then is followed by a full-on party mode in the rockier ‘Your Crying Eyes’, which may even have a touch of Slade about it (but don’t tell BT we said that).

This is no life-changer of a record, but it is a good, solid example of folk-based country music that sounds like a CD you found in your Dad’s collection from the seventies. By which we mean it’s good enough to be respected for decades, it just might get forgotten for a bit in the middle.

Words: Ashleigh Arnott

The Folk Artist Twitter Directory

Stephen W Thomas — Thu, 06 May 2010 08:30:09 +0000

Below is our attempt at a comprehensive directory of folk artists currently on Twitter – of course, we aren’t Twitter deities and as such will almost certainly have missed out on certain artists. Let us know if you can think of any tweeting folk musicians in the comments below.

Akron/Family

Angus and Julia Stone

Asthmatic Kitty (Label)

Brian: FFS’s Mixtape-Making Owl

Broadcast 2000

Caitlin Rose

Cherbourg

Colin Meloy (Decemberists)

Damien Rice (PR Account)

Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion)

Divine Comedy (PR account)

Efterklang

Emmy the Great

Fanfarlo

FFS (Official Account)

Kurran & the Wolfnotes

Laura Marling (PR account)

Lisa Hannigan (PR account)

Lisa Mitchell

Lissie

The Living Sisters (PR account)

Local Natives

The Low Anthem

Midlake

Monsters of Folk (PR account)

The New Pornographers

Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy)

Peggy Sue

Rebecca Taylor (Slow Club)

Rufus Wainwright (PR account)

She & Him (PR account)

St. Vincent

Sweet Billy Pilgrim

The Swell Season (PR account)

The Swell Season (Glen Hansard)

EP: Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer

Lynn Roberts — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:35:24 +0000

Blitzen Trapper is a folk rock band based in Portand Oregon. Recently signed with Sub Pop Records and with an album (Furr) by the label released in 2008, which became an instant American success, they have just given born to their EP baby ‘Black River Killer’.

Less ragged, husky or edgy than their neighbours The Dandy Warhols and with a less rocky and electro feel, they instantly persuade and engage with their crystal-like guitar sounds and their soft alternative drum and percussion beats in ‘Black River Killer’, a well-constructed pop version of what could have been a smokey Americana country song. ‘Silver Moon’ follows with piano as a melodic base, sparkles of harmonica and rhythmic guitars accompanying vocals that make one’s head sway from side to side in sunshine happiness.

‘Going Down’ and ‘Shoulder full of you’ are darker and lonelier twists of melodic interpretations as is ‘Black Rock’, with poetic tale-like lyrics focusing on forests, moons and night, as do, in fact, most of their songs. ‘Preachers Sisters Boy’ seems to take a peek at the old grunge acoustic delivery by Nirvana of ‘On a plane’ to then swiftly switch to a contemporary and more uplifting uptake on The Shins.

But comparisons aside, this is a compilation of different styles in their roots: there is definitely a captivating aura of exploration with multiple angles of inspiration and influences. Their enquiring personalities shine through in the seven tracks of this EP. There is sensuality, happiness, grief, bitterness, harmonious honey vocals and pure rock bravado. With these qualities in tow, they can freely choose to take whichever path they want or stay comfortably within their boundless and eclectic world.

Words: Liane Escorza

Blitzen Trapper

Lynn Roberts — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:37:56 +0000

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