Portland, Oregon based band Blitzen Trapper follows their excellent 2017 release Wild and Reckless with their tenth studio effort, the existential themed Holy Smokes, Future Jokes. For Holy Smokes, Future Jokes frontman Eric Earley was inspired by The Tibetan Book of the Dead in an attempt to understand “what it means to escape the cycle of birth and rebirth” via an eclectic ten-song set of psych-rock, expansive Americana, 1960’s era country-folk, and chamber pop. The LP was produced by Raymond Richards (Norfolk & Western, Local Natives), who also contributes upright bass/keys/pedal steel to the album. Blitzen Trapper was also joined in-studio by Michael Blake (keys), Luke Price (fiddle), Ben Latimer (saxophone), Heather Woods Broderick (backing vocals), and Haley Johnsen (backing vocals). Album highlights include: the hazy hypnotic opening track “Baptismal”; the lilting “Bardo’s Light (Ouija, Ouija)”; the dreamy indie-folk song “Magical Thinking”; the lo-fi garage rocker-tinged “Masonic Temple Microdose #1”; the sardonic Tropicalia vibed folk-pop title track; a trippy song that imagines the title character from the Michael Jackson classic committing suicide “Dead Billie Jean”; and the Dylan-esque closing track “Hazy Morning.” It’s been the better part of two decades since Blitzen Trapper’s debut and with Holy Smokes, Future Jokes it is clear that the band remains innovative and well-versed on how to blend many different aspects American music. Holy Smokes, Future Jokes is another solid album from a great band! – Written by JFelton
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