Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation

Ever get tired of idealists who decry consumer culture at every possible turn? These are the people who’ve read all the books, fawned over the poetry, and blissfully (and frequently) wax eloquently of a carefree existence where “big box stores” cease to exist. It’s not that their utopian principles don’t have a great deal of merit, substance, and weight (after all, there’s a lot in Western culture of which to be critical), but it can become rather annoying to be subjected to folks who themselves don’t have a single toehold in reality. If all someone can talk about is the benefits of going “off the grid,” then they need to please do so - actually living out such an idyllic existence is a better example than bellyaching about how bad things really are.

So, do you ever wonder what would happen if a bunch of folkies started actually living up to the DIY ethic they idealistically proclaim? It might just sound a bit like Portland OR sextet Blitzen Trapper, a band that has brought together the music of The Grateful Dead, Americana tendencies, and indie rock hubris onto three self-released albums. What emerges is very raw and counter-cultural, rejoicing in the fact that they come across as a bunch of slackers with guitars who just like music & could care less about press, PR, and such things.

And on the band’s 2007 release, Wild Mountain Nation, the band’s DIY ethos is in full effect. The album resounds with swirling guitar riffs, thundering drums, and psychedelic ramblings about the music spectrum, yet presented in an accessible fashion. “Devil’s A-Go-Go” is a fuzz-soaked, rocking album opener, “Wild Mountain Nation” has a rollicking Appalachian feel, “Sci-Fi Kid” is a ditty written as an homage to a nerd and his pastime, and “Murder Babe” is a Southern Rock jam of the highest order. The only complaint that can truly be uttered amongst this bevy of catchy grooves is that the songs need to be longer - the fact that a 13-song record clocks in at just under 34 minutes long is a mild travesty of musical justice.

The quality v. quantity argument aside, this is a stellar album put together by six men who consistently create the music that appeals to them - the music that they want to make. The magic of Wild Mountain Nation is that it’s near impossible not to smile, bop your head, and tap your foot as you listen to these well-written, tasty jams. Time will tell if signing to Sub Pop (as they did last year) will bring about any changes to their sound. Hopefully, their new label home realizes that Blitzen Trapper needs to retain all of their wild mountain sensibilities if their next album is to be as critically and popularly acclaimed as this one has been.