Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer
Hmm, I was expecting to like this far more than I actually do. Murder ballads laced with Americana, a band described in places as Gothic folk… what could possibly go wrong? Well honestly, there’s just a little too much rock ‘n’ roll in this. It’s got a seventies feel to it, even to the extent that there’s a little psychedelia in here, and between that and the rolling rhythm, I’m just not enjoying it all that much.
It just annoyed me from the very start, for some reason. You know when you hear something and just think ‘oh dear, no’ pretty much immediately? Well that was this record. The wooby-dooby organ thingy on Preacher’s Sister’s Boy is just rotten, and that kind of style intrudes on the album in quite a few other places. There are lovely songs here and there – Black Rock and Black River Killer are rather nice – but I can’t really handle the whiff of seventies faffing about which permeates the album. It really can be like the Eagles cheesier moments when it wants to be, and that is just not my cup of tea at all.
I’m forever amazed at just how specific music taste can be. I can so easily imagine talking a new acquaintance about music, and they might love Blitzen Trapper, but I might prefer Horsefeathers, and they might like Cold War Kids but I prefer Tapes ‘n’ Tapes and they might like Julie Doiron but I prefer Alela Diane and to all intents and purposes, particularly as far as the rest of the world is concerned, we would like the exact same music, yet agree on nothing.
This is perfect for me, but I just don’t like it at all, and I have no idea why. It makes no sense to me at all.
Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer
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I like cherry pie, but don’t like cherries.
I like swimming, but don’t like beech.
I like Home and Away, but don’t like Neighbours.
I like Art Garfunkel, but don’t like Paul Simon.
The first song’s quite good, but the second one’s horrible.
I don’t think Bart’s telling the truth in all those answers.
I know, I know. Although I am intrigued at his not liking beech. What do you prefer, Bart, elm? Or birch?
They are statements of fact, Dylan – one and all.
Grammatically inaccurate statements of fact.
Oak is rather nice.
In that case may I ask which criteria you’re using to judge between messrs. Garfunkel and Simon?
Height?
Ridiculous fucking haircuts?!
Amen Dylan, amen.
Art Garfunkel is amazing in Carnal Knowledge and Bad Timing, whereas Paul Simon – despite a really nice walk on part in Annie Hall – has had a relatively marginal career.
Why, did those two well known actors try and make it in the music business as well, or something?
Oh! They’re movies!
I thought for a minute there you were stating that Art Garfunkel was amazing in the general field of carnal knowledge.
I was thinking “How the fuck do you know?!”
Surely being amazing in the field of carnal knowledge would be severely hampered if you were also renowned for your bad timing.
im getting lazy about how i decide if i like a band or not. i’ve decided, if my neighbor upstairs like a band then i won’t like it – and he likes blitzen trapper.
sometimes tastes seem so arbitrary. i’ve never quite gotten how it all works either.
Poor Blitzen Trapper. One-upped yet again by the old Simon versus Garfunkel debate.
I feel pretty much the same way. About Blitzen Trapper, that is. There’s every reason why I should like them, but I just . . . don’t. One or two songs are good, but that’s all I can muster.
‘Black River Killer’ was my favourite track off of ‘Furr’.
However, I now have 5 different versions (well, all the same version, but off different albums/ep’s) and it’s getting slightly ridiculous.
Ridiculous like Newton Faulkner’s haircut?
Well, you see Matthew once again it’s your bourgeois upbringing and inherently snobbish attitude that’s prevented you from seeing the light on this brilliant …. oh fuck it, I didn’t even like Furr all that much aside from the title track.
kisses, darling
I HATE BLITZEN TRAPPER BECAUSE I’M TOO MIDDLE CLASSSSSSSS…. yes, I must finally confess. It’s all because I hate poor people.
I AM VINDICATED!
Make checks payable to: The Free Music from Capitalist Agression Fund
Don’t be silly Tart, I was only joking.
There’s no such thing as too middle class.
Don’t try to rile me now, I’m off to see some lovely music with money unearned by me but given by the blood of the workers! My conscious is fragile but it shall soon be strengthened by sexy indie dance pop
I like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but don’t like Samurai Pizza Cats.
Eurgh, having now listened to the tracks, I agree.
This ‘…there’s just a little too much rock ‘n’ roll in this. It’s got a seventies feel to it, even to the extent that there’s a little psychedelia in here, and between that and the rolling rhythm…’ made it sound really good, actually, but really it’s slightly annoying. If you listen to BRK the way they did it on daytrotter, it’s much better.
Dylan, I tried to think of something amusing to say about Newton Faulkner’s hair, but I don’t think it’s possible.
I like risotto, but don’t like paella.
I like the ginger one from Girls Aloud, but I am starting to go off Bart from eagleowl.
I saw these last night supporting Fleet Foxes at Mcr Apollo and have to agree with the previous comments. Everything is there which should make them a good group but they just don’t have the, dare I reclaim the phrase, X Factor. Clearly best mates with the Foxes though, so they’ll get all the help they can…
I like wasting my life debating irrelevancies on the internet, but I don’t like Song By Toad.
“They all asked ‘who’s that handsome man?’, the answer: Mr Toad!”
Just to warn you: the ‘Matthew looks a bit like Barry Gibb’ joke will never stop being funny.