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Blitzen Trapper are all set to follow up their highly acclaimed 2008 album Furr with the upcoming Destroyer of the Void. While Furr was frequently overlooked by those (like me) who were too hooked on the Fleet Foxes debut, the band certainly made their mark on the blogosphere, consistently landing high on year-end lists. Now (after a small ’09 EP) they’re back, and they’ve brought a stunner of an album along with them.
“Destroyer of the Void”, the new album’s title track, is chock-full of influences. It opens with a soft set of harmonies over a quietly strumming guitar, reminiscent of the aforementioned, Fox-y band that stole their thunder two years ago. But then “Void” opens up, expanding with cymbal crashes, building intensity, and at the song’s highlight, an entering piano beat that takes a page out of Dr. Dog’s book. Lead singer Eric Earley takes the helm over a soulful set of “ohhs,” “ooos,” and “ahhs.” It’s a song that wouldn’t be out of place on classic rock radio, with just enough of the weird psychedelic stuff (placed in the song’s center as a bridge) that makes Blitzen Trapper’s sound so distinct.
The song has it all. There are epic guitar solos, catchy, sing-along individual and group vocals, a softer piano part that bleeds into a hard-rocking, guitar-led jam…and then, finally, a full circle ending, with the harmonies that kicked it all off. If this track is any indication of the rest of Void, get ready for what should be a fantastic, modern classic rock album.
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