Tiny Mix Tapes

Blitzen the Reindeer, Trapper John, and Blitzen Trapper Tour the U.S., Blitzen and Trapper John Canc

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Ah, Blitzen Trapper. Them ragtags will just jump at any old chance to hit the road for a few months and live out of a trunk, now won't they folks? But then again, I suppose this ol' yarn-spinner reckons that that makes some sense. Of all the bands that I ever knowd of, none are born to ramble like these guys is born to ramble. Their ramshackle, country-fried indie-rock jamboree music was dag-gone practically built to be packed into the back of them li'l wood-paneled station wagons, carted around these you-nited states on America's bluest of blue highways, setup at a wood-built campground amphitheater near you, and packed back up again after the band done-gets paid-in-full in moonshine and whole chickens until tomorrow night's hoedown. Yup. As long as they can spread their gospel of animal-love and barefoot mountain livin' across the land, you can bet yer best rooster's lucky blue foot that they'll keep rolling along like so many frontiersmen before them, mouth harps and all.

And yessiree, releasing a brand new album for Sub Pop offers these here fellas the perfect excuse to blow-off any games of lawn darts or community puppet shows that they may have had planned in favor of feelin' that wind on their face, taking pride of the bug splatters on their windshield as they drive all across this here wild mountain nation that they love so much. Sure, the womanfolk might be a tad upset by their leavin' and all, but with the rootin-tootin outdoorsy album FURR due September 23 and a handful of dates with their alpha-rambler Stephen Malkmus out on the ol' card table, well shucks, you couldn't stop these boys with all the pork loins in a Ponderosa Steak House... though I reckon they'll be eaten at plenty of them on the road, god bless 'em.

Freakin' Blitzen Country Trapper Jambaroo '08:

* Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

**Iron and Wine