Blitzen Trapper
American Goldwing - SUB POP
FILTER Grade: 80%

A quick turn-around from their underrated Destroyer of the Void, the Portland-natives deliver another fine set of tunes that don’t stray too far from their catalog of experimental, alt-country/folk jams. The heavy guitar riffs of Erik Menteer, big drums, pedal steels, banjos and, naturally, singer Mark Earley’s woozy vocals are on full display here, which represents a maturity in both the band’s recording, writing and production style. American Goldwing takes elements of Americana and alt-rock (which seem to be a hallmark of what is coming out of Portland these days), and the band does a fantastic job of making it their own. From the alt-folk of “Might Find It Cheap” to the country-sounding “Fletcher,” the album exhibits the band’s core sound, but that isn’t a bad thing. Often when a band deviates from its norm, it’s considered groundbreaking, but in the case of Blitzen Trapper, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?