i'm feeling the Kinks at several points throughout the album

much better overall than that last album. fun stuff.

I thought something like this would have been right up your alley.

They have certainly improved a lot since the last album.

Fleet Foxes vs. Blitzen Trapper

FF is a more solid overall record, but the strong moments on Furr outshine FF. Both will rank high on my list, but if I had to make a call on it today, I'm giving the edge to FF.

"Love U" is the goddamn jam!

I agree it's miles better than the last one. I really like a couple tracks. Maybe the rest will grow on me.

I'm really enjoying this record so far. Some of the songs will not leave my brain.

BT is more poppy and fun. it grabs me more than FF ever did, although that album is not bad.

Man, I'm hearing some synth (I think) line in Black River Killer that wouldn't sound out of place on a '90s Dre or Snoop song, as well as some acousticy T-Rex style guitars in War On Machines. Simple but effective lyrics, the arrangements are just so good and seem to come easy to them. As an album, this is a definite step up from Wild Mountain Nation, and the progression seen from their first album to now really is wonderful.

Yeah, that G-funk synth line is such an awesome touch. So many neat little bits and pieces like this scattered throughout the album.

ha! i still haven't listened to this album yet but during their set on monday i turned to my friend during what must have been black river killer and said "looks like the chronic was an influence for this one too."

what's everyones take on their pre WMN records? i only know the songs that are linked off myspace (texaco, etc.), but it sounds good.

I think Field Rexx is great, and the self-titled is ok too, but I've given that one the least attention. I can up them tomorrow probably, unless someone beats me to it.

Not Your Lover is just so beautiful and heartwrenching, and I can't get God & Suicide out of my head!

i'd love it if you wanna up field rexx

i really like Field Rexx too.

this new one is so damn good. am i the only one who hears a connection between this and Transmissions era Flaming Lips?

http://daytrotter.com/article/1413/blitzen...hird-appearance

This is one of the best things I've heard all year.

yeah, so this is my new favorite album.


i haven't had one since Malkmus & MGMT, which seems like a year ago.

i don't hear that, but I hear brief glimpses of so many bands on this record: prime era Kinks, pre-DSOTM Pink Floyd, and even a little Dylan.

and the lyrics are fantastic

A lot of Tom Petty, too.

I definitely heard the Dylan last night.

Great record. I love it when they fire up the Southern rock stuff, but at the same time, I think most of my favorite songs are the slower acoustic ones.

I would agree with that. The slow tunes seem to be their strong point.

yet this song from their last record was one of the best songs of last year for me:

eh....

So this is really excellent. I don't know their first two records, but I did hear Wild Mountain Nation and that EP from last year. I sort of liked the band and their aesthetic, but the songs didn't do much for me. WMN was alright, but it just didn't have the songs to back up the everything-else. It doesn't seem like they have changed their sound or approach much here, but the songwriting seems a lot stronger to me here. Maybe part of it is that they excel at the slower acoustic songs, whereas it was like they wanted so much to be this shambolic rock band on the last one.

sums up most of my feelings. wmn was pretty cool, but worked less as an album than an aesthetic. this one might rock a little less, but it shows a sharpening of their skills.

this and the fucked up record are getting me through this week.

while i loved WMN, i definitely agree the songwriting on this album and it's overall consistency have taken me by surprise a bit...

Especially when you read it was written while on tour, that doesn't always work out, in terms of quality.

Field Rexx coming up...Here

the slow tunes are better? i dunno, i agree that they're great, but i love the first track, "Sleepytime" and i can't get "Fire & Fast Bullets" out of my head, it's catchy as hell.

i love the whole album, it's great, and i agree that it's all about the songwriting. finally i can enjoy the fun personality because they have the melodies to back it up.

i gotta say, i fucking LOVE the refrain on 'Not Your Lover'....

"in my sleep i'm not your lover... anymore"

same here. great song. a nice little neil young-ish gem.

"Not Your Lover" definitely has an early '70s Neil thing going for it.

The song I can't stop playing is "God & Suicide". I fell asleep with it in my head last night, woke up singing it to myself this morning and it was the first song I listened to today.

Yeah, I couldn't get down with WMN or the live show that accompanied that record, but this is fucking great.

yes, another great one. there isn't a bad song on here. maybe they shouldn't have put on 3 generally slower/acoustic songs at the end, i'm still trying to distinguish them from each other, but they're all really good.

i really love this entire album. the first track's quirky melody is f'n genius.

these guys made my favorite record last year. so glad the reception for this one is taking off. they deserve it, even though this is definitely a new direction for them...

If you go to www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper, when the song Furr is played there's a different cover shown for it than the one we know. I hope that is just a single cover, because the one we all know is so iconic and classic already, I much prefer that one.

P.S. The album gets better and better. But we knew that already.

definitely the single cover

i can't wait to get this on vinyl, i LOVE the album cover

agreed. i wish i had more interesting ways to say how much i'm loving it.

it's a truly fantastic record.

I'm just not getting sick of these songs. It's one of the only things I want to listen to. It's not like it's a crazy album full of ideas or something where you keep listening to understand the lyrics or spot samples, but I just keep listening and loving it more. It'll be good company in the fall and winter months. I want to grow a beard, drink warm beer and fall asleep on a porch swing to this.

I'm only up to "Not Your Lover" but this sounds very good. I admittedly didn't give Wild Mountain Nation much of a chance; one or two listens and I dismissed it as nasal/whiny/too-indie indie, but this sounds more legitimate and genuine. "Saturday Nite," "Black River Killer," "Furr"... good stuff! Sounds like some old-skool 70s rock shit.

this album is going to take them to a new level of indie popularity. get ready for bigger venues.

Seriously...?

this album is seriously fantastic. and dr. jimmy's right, you're going to start hearing these songs in nissan commercials. they'll play SNL. i'm definitely seeing them in Chicago in November.

well, i recommend going back and listening to it more, it's an amazing record. still not sure this new one is better.

hmm....

after a few listens, i wish this album was a little more weird and less traditional soundy. i'm all for traditional music but too often do i feel like some of these songs come off as a somewhat hammy takes on the traditionalist american bluesy classic rock aesthetic. sometimes this record reminds me of something akin to the blueshammer scene in ghost world, but not quite either.

however there are some fucking tremendous songs on this bad boy: title track, black river killer, stolen shoes and a rifle, god and suicide, and my personal favorite: gold for bread. their story songs are just incredible.

basically, i think this band is still a bit inconsistient (something i felt about WMN too). but their highs are numerous and excellent enough to still warrant paying attention to their every move.

yeehaw

i think the truth is probably closer to the exact opposite of this

Vinyl pre-ordered.

$13.98 on amazon yall. And the new TVOTR drops (on vinyl) that day too so you can bundle your order.

Also "Black River Killer" is the jam

true story

furr > wild mountain nation

i thought WMN was great, but i often grew tired of it as an entire album.

this settles it:

Click to view attachment

Average stars per song:

WMN: 3.38

Furr: 4.07



Furr wins!