Blitzen Trapper/Parkington Sisters/The Commonwealth

Known mostly for dicking around with honky-tonk convention to the point of indie-rock fuzz renown, Blitzen Trapper have been delivering the goods for more than a decade now. Their latest album, VII, finds them on firm footing (or as firm as one can sustain whilst trading in rapid-fire fingerpicking and spacey keys effects). It’s good, though. Songs like “Shine On,” “Valley of Death” and “Drive On Up” show that these guys have become very adept and navigating their mad compositions toward poppy territory. Even the weirder songs they’ve recorded can still make a listener tap their toe in time. While you’re at it, though, now’s as good a time as ever to pick up their self-titled debut, which remains a thrilling notch in the history of alternative country. (Sandy)