The fourth album (and first for Sub Pop) from these Portland, Oregonians is a fine pastiche of folk, psychedelic, and indie rock influences. Songs like "God & Suicide" display their formidable knack for surrounding classic vocal harmonies with dreamy textures and swirling accoutrements, while "Saturday Nite" brandishes a bit of goofy piano boogie and "War On Machines" rocks out in the vein of Teenage Fanclub. A bit more meatily folky than peers like Dr. Dog but less aggressive than fellow melody makers the Shins, Blitzen have secured themselves a secure niche amongst the early 21st century's hook-happy revivalists.

• Spin (p.102) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "^R]ollicking outlaw narrative 'Black River Killer' and backwoodsy 'Lady on the Water' shine with spacey, eclectic instrumentation, from blipping synths to serene woodwinds."
  Blender (Magazine) (p.78) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "On this fourth record, singer-guitarist Eric Earley accesses the haunted Americana Wilco nailed on YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT, with big nods to mid-'60s Bob Dylan, early-'70s Neil Young and the country Grateful Dead."

The fourth album (and first for Sub Pop) from these Portland, Oregonians is a fine pastiche of folk, psychedelic, and indie rock influences. Songs like "God & Suicide" display their formidable knack for surrounding classic vocal harmonies with dreamy textures and swirling accoutrements, while "Saturday Nite" brandishes a bit of goofy piano boogie and "War On Machines" rocks out in the vein of Teenage Fanclub. A bit more meatily folky than peers like Dr. Dog but less aggressive than fellow melody makers the Shins, Blitzen have secured themselves a secure niche amongst the early 21st century's hook-happy revivalists.

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Blitzen Trapper makes music that plays like an experimental collage of alternative rock through the years. Mixing acoustic folk, psychedelia, power pop, prog rock, country rock, and 1990s- and 2000s-era indie, this adventurous sextet specialises in lo-fi musical post-modernism. The band's self-titled debut was released in 2004, with FIELD REXX appearing the following year. WILD MOUNTAIN NATION (2007) received rave critical notices and created a buzz in the indie press, heightening the band's profile. After having issued their first three albums independently, Blitzen Trapper signed to Sub Pop in 2007.