Sub Pop

Ironically, Goldwings aren’t American; the classic motorcycles are actually built by Honda. But songwriter Eric Earley knew that when he chose to name Blitzen Trapper’s most recent release, American Goldwing – a reference to the sardonic twist of fate that found a young Earley trapped beneath his brother-in-law’s motorcycle, after climbing atop it in an effort to feel free. Likewise, these 11 songs continuously ask, “How do we get free?” But whether it lies in an Odysseus-like desire to return home ( “My Home Town” ) or a yearning for the company of strangers ( “Stranger in a Strange Land” ), the answer only inspires more questions. And with its striking lyricism and 21st century, Dylan aesthetics ( “Girl in a Coat” ), American Goldwing turns asking those questions into an art form.