Blitzen Trapper

• Wild Mountain Nation [Lidkercow Ltd, 2007] A-
• Furr [Sub Pop, 2008] *
• Black River Killer [Sub Pop, 2009] *

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Wild Mountain Nation [Lidkercow Ltd, 2007]
From Portland--no, silly, not the Maine one--this third-time's-a-charm indie band gets through 13 songs in 34 minutes with no apparent rush, yet comes off frantic anyway. Their sprung rhythms and imploding guitars suggest the Band as much as Pavement only because the lyrics that break free of the clatter sing the praises of pastoral seclusion. So Portland. In all its urban greenery, or is it green urbanity? A-

Furr [Sub Pop, 2008]
Alt-rock leapfrogs alt-country into country-rock--rock as tuneful pastoral escape ("Fire and Fast Bullets," "Black River Killer"). *

Black River Killer [Sub Pop, 2009]
Dubious albeit arresting title track justified by six warm, likable, nicely unfinished folk-rock tunes ("Shoulder Full of You," "Preacher's Sister's Boy"). *