Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is a terrible, terrible band name. It’s a struggle to even force it out of the mouth. It’s rhythmically dissonant. It’s even a hassle to type up as part of this review. Of course, this would not be a problem if the band’s debut self-titled LP was not so good. So if you find yourself frustratedly spewing out their name as part of a rambling dialogue of praise to a peer, well, you’ve been warned.
The album Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band excels many on the strength of it’s schizophrenic chutzpa. Each song is crammed with two or three distinctly different sounds and the band quickly snaps between each. The first track “Who’s Asking” goes from haunting coos to stark weaving guitar lines. “Masquerade” mixes heavy, almost metal like riffs (which the guitarists do exceedingly well) to a chorus that has the feel of a ballroom waltz. The pinnacle of this effect comes on “Going on a Hunt.” Its core is start and stop drumming, but it gives way to quiet bells, light guitar, and general background clutter. This eventually leads to a snappy solo, only to get jerked back to the start. The track is a wild ride that leaves the listener giddy.
The guitars, with all their flailing speeding and metallic edge, are the show for most of the LP, and while that often a good thing, it occasionally overcasts some of the subtler nuances of the band. Lead singer/guitarist Benjamin Verdoes’s voice is very distinct, sounding like it’s on edge of warble but soft. Drummer Marshall Verdoes, who is only young teen, can wail on the skins but doesn’t force anything. The lyrics are fairly basal, but tailored to each musical arrangement. They work because each song is its own story.
By the end of the album the continued parade of swift guitar licks begins to wears thin and start sounding too familiar. The band seemed to have realized this and accentuate the vocals on the final tracks. “Dull Reason” features the band singing in near rounds. On “En Fuego” Verdoes sings with a playful swaying in his voice, and on the genuine slow burner of a finale “On the Collar,” the mood is shifted to the darkest place on the album because of the melancholy singing of the group.
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band sound new but familiar, as if someone’s iPod suddenly decided to do mash-ups of all the rocking tunes in its collection. It’s well worth the moniker toil.
Album Rating: 8.5
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