Blitzen Trapper – Destroyers of the Void (Sub Pop)
3/5
By: Chalky
From the outset, it’s fairly obvious Blitzen Trapper’s fifth album, Destroyers of the Void, is unashamedly paying homage to a multitude of musical genres. The title track will satisfy listeners with a hankering for ‘60s folk and ‘70s prog rock. It’s reminiscent of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody in length and mixture of styles – tempo changes accompanied by tight layered guitar and vocal harmonies. Think Queen II meets the Beach Boys with a little Beatles mixed in. It’s a startling opener, and although you will hear the occasional echo of similar sounds throughout the album, what follows is in general more traditionally structured country rock and folk.
The vocals on both ‘Evening Star’ and ‘The Man Who Would Speak True’ remind me of an early Dylan style, and the comparisons to Bob don‘t stop there. On ‘Evening Star’ Earley (guitar and vocals) sings, “You were found on the ground in a lonely town/At the end of the world in a dressing gown/Your hair was on fire/Your shoes were misplaced./On your face was a trace of a distant place” – the accelerated rhyming in the last lyrics exemplifying the Dylanesque influence. References to dusty plains, canyons, railroad tracks and cheap corvettes give this album an unmistakably American vibe – the outlaw folk ballad ‘The Man Who Would Speak True’ conjuring up images of some Louis L’Amour type character swaggering through surreal adventures.
Despite some loss of momentum during the last few tracks, there is still more than enough on this album to enjoy. Eric Earley was born to sing these kinds of songs, and it’s a testament to Blitzen Trapper that they have crafted such skilled pieces of music while remaining respectful to their influences. The only problem I can foresee is your future grandchildren playing your dusty old vinyl copy for the first time and wondering what era the music was recorded – they might not believe you when you tell them it was 2010, and may wonder why a band would bother to dabble in genres that have already been played out decades before.
Artists in this article: Blitzen Trapper
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