MUSICAL EVOLUTION
Blitzen Trapper opted to ‘try new things’ on latest album
Eric Earley has tons of stuff to take care of before heading out on tour.
It’s a routine that is familiar; nonetheless, it is cumbersome. Yet the vocalist gets through it somehow.
“I call it the calm before the storm,” he says with a laugh. “Touring is great, but most of the work gets done before we head out on tour.”
Earley is the lead vocalist of Oregonbased folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper.
The band formed in 2000 and quickly became indie darlings.
It currently operates as a quintet and is rounded out by Erik Menteer, Brian Adrian Koch, Michael Van Pelt and Marty Marquis.
The band has released nine studio albums, the latest being 2017’s “Wild and Reckless.”
The album was produced by Earley and Van Pelt and was recorded by Gregg Williams at the Trench, in Portland, Ore. It was mixed by James Brown at The Union. Earley wrote for the album for nearly two years.
“With this album, I had a bunch of songs,” he says. “We found the tracks that fit best together and put them on the album. During this process, it was difficult to be aware of what you’re doing. I try not to look back too much. I wanted to try new things on this album.”
Early says that over the course of 18 years, the band has evolved in good ways.
One of those is that the live performances are tighter.
“We’ve become more comfortable on stage and within our ability to perform,” he says. “It’s always a challenge to ourselves to get on stage and give our all. That’s what we strive for each time we set foot on the stage.”
Along with the years touring, Blitzen Trapper also has a growing catalog to pull from.
It’s also something that Earley doesn’t really think about.
“We have so much material that it’s difficult to think about,” he says.
Earley’s writing process hasn’t changed much over the years, but his approach to music has.
“I used to love recording a lot when
I was younger,” he says. “Today, I love playing live.”