It was a few weeks ago that a co-worker told me I should check out Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band. From the opening ooh's and harmonies of "Who's Asking" I was sold - the band, who hails from Seattle, is totally engulfed in what I call the northwest sound. Those harmonies are totally reminiscent of The Joggers, while the production reminds me somewhat of Blitzen Trapper. They bring something new to the table, something original, with outrageous dynamic shifts in their songs. "Little Red Shoes" is all over the place that by the time it's over, you think you just went through several movements of some prog-rock mini-suite when really, it has only been not even two and a half minutes.What's even better is the story of the band. When he was 10, drummer Marshall Verdoes had made a pact with his brother Benjamin that if he learned to play the drums they could start a band and they'd call it Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band. And so he learned and here we are today. Marshall is now 14 and getting ready to hit the road with Bishop Allen. Holy crap. Their self-titled debut hits stores via Dead Oceans on March 10th. Check the dates on their MySpace.
Download: "Anchors Dropped" [mp3]
Here's a funny video they made last summer to promote their show at Nuemos:
