Contrary to what its name may suggest, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is not made up of a bunch of hemp-clad, tangle-haired war vets toting banjos and strum sticks. Instead, these kids have gained acclaim for a tight rhythm section, sharp vocals and overall very listenable tunes. Introduced to “mainstream” crowds while opening for indie-pop icons (and labelmates) Bishop Allen, MSHVB has since inspired thousands of its own fans, touring the country with songs set deep in heavy-percussion, classic-rock roots, manipulated with frontman Benjamin Verdoes’ pop flourishes. The band’s latest single, “Hurrah,” is off its new album Where The Messengers Meet (which is out August 3 via Dead Oceans), and it echoes Franz Ferdinand as well as Modest Mouse. And here’s a bonus mp3 for album track “Leaving Trails.”
“Hurrah” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/Hurrah.mp3
“Leaving Trails” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/LeavingTrails.mp3
