ARTIST: Blitzen Trapper           

TITLE:  Blitzen Trapper

YEAR RELEASED: 2003

CHART ACTION: None

SINGLES: None

OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Nah

LINEUP: Eric Earley, Brian Adrian Koch, Michael Van Pelt, Drew Laughery, Marty Marquis.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: After a name change, Portland folkie-indie rocker amalgamation releases its first actual record you could find in stores.

SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Starting out as Garmonbozia, the Portland quintet led by Eric Earley sold music at their shows until 2003, when they set up their own record company, changed their name, and released this debut record.

The songs here are a bit shambolic, ranging from harmonic pop rock songs, to a dirty sounding folk, and everything in between. Earley’s lyrics and song titles (the song titles!) are kind of all over the map, but somehow they blend in well with the overall song.

Blitzen Trapper’s secret weapon is Marty Marquis, a multi-instrumentalist who can contribute anything needed to fill in the sound and keep the listener on their toes. It’s not perfect, as it’s a bit ragged and doesn’t always flow well, but it’s a decent enough introduction to the band.

NOTES & MINUTIAE: The name of the band was based on Earley’s junior high girlfriend, who had a favorite reindeer (Blitzen) and kept a Trapper Keeper with her drawings of Santa and reindeer on it.

IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: Yes, for record store day 

GRADE: B: Not always cohesive, but there’s some really good pieces and parts here.