Portland natives Blitzen Trapper have always been entrenched in a widespread range of American influences. Ranging from Folk to Americana to Rock, their outward attraction does not merely lie in the range of their roots, but in their seamless blend of their derived sound. Hints of the Grateful Dead, The Band and Tom Petty are all present, but Blitzen Trapper never remains resigned one given influence in any particular moment.
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Blitzen Trapper | 
"Destroyer of the Void"
(Sub Pop)
Released June 8, 2010
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So call the sextet part-country-rock, part-jam band, part-whatever. The bottom line is that however you identify their sound, what has emerged in the case of Blitzen Trapper, to simply put it, is one of the best new Americana acts to arise over the past several years. Their compelling 2008 album Furr finally honed in on their ideal sound, fusing an expansive, yet cohesive vision that prevailed as one of the better releases of the late 2000’s.
Blitzen Trapper could have easily taken the route to indie-accessibility by recreating “Wild Mountain Nation” or Side A of Furr, but the band chose otherwise with their follow-up album Destroyer of the Void. As the album kicks off with the title track, listeners are immediately taken into a new unexplored territory for the band. An ethereal harmonic fantasy opens the album, unfolding into six minutes of dynamic prog-rock, standing as one of chief songwriter Eric Earley’s most ambitious track to date.
While “Destroyer of the Void” reaches farther into the unknown for the band, the remainder of the album is far and away much more in line with their older material. However, it is not necessarily more of the same, but rather a series of smaller reinventions. The mystical mellow of “Below the Hurricane” draws from the eerie wariness of “Black River Killer,” while “Heaven and Earth” recalls the piano-driven, introspective allure of “Not Your Lover.” Likewise, Eric Earley finds his lady on the water on “The Tree,” accompanied by guest singer Alela Diane on this serene and beautiful duet.
While the calmer side of Blitzen Trapper remains prevalent throughout Destroyer of the Void, those looking for the jam-rock element in past albums may be disappointed. That aspect of their sound still resonates in certain places, but no longer is predominant. “Love and Hate” brings back some of that classic rock feeling as the mid-tempo groove is accompanied with a catchy chorus and crawling guitars.
In the end, not only are Blitzen Trapper extremely adept at finding originality within their well-known roots, but also possess an innate ability to do the same with their older work. While there are minor step forwards across Destroyer of the Void that signal their progression as a band, they always manage to strike a powerful middle ground between freshness and familiarity. As a result, the Portland band seem as comfortable in their shoes as ever, making a record that is truly them, rather than in the likeness of they should be.
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