Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

Emerging in 2008, the five-piece Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band sparked online interest through its extended moniker and hidden origins. The Seattle-based musicians upheld the enigma by posting a string of comedic public-service announcements on MySpace ahead of any musical output. Only later that summer did a demo track surface, gradually revealing the group’s backstory. Bandleader Benjamin Verdoes (guitar, vocals) had formed the project alongside his 12-year-old adopted brother Marshall Verdoes, whose drumming prowess exceeded his years; friends Matthew Dammer (Moog, guitar) and Jared Price (bass) completed the core, together with Verdoes’ wife, multi-instrumentalist Traci Eggleston-Verdoes.

The family unit tracked the EP Weepy alongside engineer Scott Colburn, then used the growing anticipation to stage its first concert in July 2008. A West Coast run followed that autumn, and by November the act had secured a deal with indie imprint Dead Oceans. Several months afterward the self-titled Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band appeared, introducing the group’s full-length debut of lo-fi, jangly songcraft and eccentric atmosphere. In 2010 the band returned with its second album, Where the Messengers Meet.