Back in April, I wanted to find out what kind of sound would come from a band with such a ridiculous name, so I checked them out at the UW Memorial Union here in Madison. In short order, I made a few observations: 1) They wear awesome vests that appear to have been fashioned out of the couch in my grandmother's living room, 2) The drummer looks like a junior high student, and 3) They play energetic, quircky, indie rock that makes you want to dance. When I got home, I bought their self-titled debut album, released in March, and did some research on this Seattle quintet.
Before releasing the album, they promoted themselves through spoof public service announcements on youtube which lacked, almost entirely, a preview of their music. The one below features lead singer/guitarist Benjamin Verdoes and his adopted brother Marshall, the band's 14 year old drummer.
In addition to the Freddy Adu of drumming, Ben also recruited his wife, Traci Eggleston, and former In Praise of Folly bandmates Matthew Dammer (guitar/various instruments) and Jared Price (bass) to complete the group. From my observations, it doesn't seem like Eggleston does much for the band's sound other than the occasional backing vocal and smashing large tambourine sticks into the floor, but these contributions and her spirited dancing makes the live show more fun. She's also sleeping with the front man, so a little credit is due to her for that as well.
MSHVB have used many gimmicks to promote themselves, but the music is legitimate and the album has been generating a deserved buzz. In general, it features extremely catchy guitar riffs, a groovy bass, frequent tempo changes, Ben's passionate warble, and the boy wonder's forceful drum beats. It reminds me a little of a psych rock infused Franz Ferdinand. The more prominent tracks born from their typical style include "Who's Asking", "Masquerade", "En Fuego", and "Albatross, Albatross, Albatross". Departures from their basic style include the surf rock inspired "Going On a Hunt", the funky "Little Red Shoes", and the gentler "A Year or Two" and "On the Collar". My main critique is that many of the songs are similar, but I like their sound, so I can get over it. Hopefully you will too.
"Albatross, Albatross, Albatross"
"En Fuego"
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