Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band: Underrated and Improving

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, despite having a garbled mouthful for a band name, is in my opinion one of the most promising current alternative rock bands from Seattle. They've only been a band since 2008 but have jumped onto the scene quickly, appearing at SXSW in 2009, Washington's own Sasquatch! Music Festival in both 2009 and 2010, and even went on tour with Bishop Allen and then Cursive in 2009 as well. MSHVB released their eponymous debut album in 2009 to mixed reviews and releases their second album, Where the Messengers Meet, next Tuesday, August 2nd.

Where the Messengers Meet isn't perfect, but it's an improvement on MSHVB's self-titled debut album; in that, where the debut was criticized for being too sporadic, their new record brings much more consistency to the table. MSHVB features two dueling guitarists that define much of their sound and lead singer Benjamin Verdoes sings dramatic tales that remind me in lyrical style of The Decemberists. MSHVB sounds a bit similar to Modest Mouse and Wolf Parade but still has a unique sense about them that sets them apart from any previous bands. Where the Messengers Meet does forgo some of the more pop flavor present at times on the first album (see: "Who's Asking" below) and does pick up a more consistent brooding tone this time around, but the album as a whole seems to have a more unified theme and I find succeeds a bit more because of that.

MSVHB is a bit of a family affair; the band is centered by lead vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Verdoes and features his wife, Traci Eggleston, on the keyboard as well as Ben's adopted brother Marshall Verdoes who is only 15 now and was promised by Ben at the age of 11 when Marshall took up the drums that if he got good enough they would start a band together; two years later they did when MSHVB was formed. Additionally the band features Matthew Dammer as the second guitarist, and Jared Price on bass guitar.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band still has some improving to do, but they show great promise in their unique sound and their new album Where the Messengers Meet is a step in the right direction and I recommend checking it out upon it's release next Tuesday.

Click this link to listen to "Hurrah" the new single off of Where The Messengers Meet (and you can right click the link then select "save link as" to download the MP3 file).

Here's MSHVB's most pop-friendly song, from their first album:

And here's an awesome music video for "Albatross Albatross Albatross", also from their first album: