Blitzen Trapper Review

Blitzen Trapper is a great band who really found themselves in their latest album, Furr.  They draw from folk and country influences, incorporated with alternative rock.  Their 2007 album Wild Mountain Nation recieved much critical acclaim from various music magazines, and brought them forward as a band.  However, in my personal (and the Yeti's) opinion, much of Wild Mountain Nation is chaotic and frenzied.  In their 2008 album Furr, Blitzen Trapper found their true talent, and their music matured.  Their songs tell stories, such as the title track of the album Furr, which describes the story of a young man becoming an animal, letting himself fall into the hands of god and nature, until he reaches a certain age, and is drawn back in to the human world by a girl he falls in love with.  All the songs on this album are well put-together and complete, each one a work of art.  Furr also provides a moderate diversity of songs, ranging from the electric and wild-worded Fire & Fast Bullets, complete with guitar riffs, drum fills, and the tale of a blue coated wizard with a remote control for a weapon, to the art-folk sound of Black River Killer (one of my favorite tracks on the album), Furr, and Lady on the Water.  This album is very accesible to all listners; reminiscent of the Grateful Dead, older generations can appreciate the intelligent lyrics and reserved acoustic guitar that is present on this album, while younger generations can enjoy those same sounds that fit the ever-growing popularity of indie-folk, as well as the wilder tracks like Saturday Nite and God & Suicide.