The Very Most - Spring

One of my very favorite albums last year was The Very Most's second album, Congratulations forever (maybe you forgot about when I interviewed Jeremy Jensen, the band's lead singer and song writer?).

Well anyway, The Very Most are back in a big way, with a new EP released on Indiecator records. But please don't let those 2 letters "EP" make you think that this release is somehow less important than their full length last year. The nearly 14 minute EP is filled with all kinds of new sounds that show the promise for something that very few bands in this new millennium are showing - Growth.

Much in the same way that the Beatles were constantly evolving, The Very Most are expanding and experimenting in exciting new ways. In fact, every song on this EP has some form of strange percussion used. I'll just name a couple off the top of my head: Woodblocks, Vibraslaps, Scrapers, an army of Tambourines, Egg Shakers, and a lot of things I don't even know. The amount of percussion on "Spring" is really delightful and an extremely welcome addition.

However, all the experimentation in the world can never make a "bad" song "good". It should be mentioned that all the songs on the EP are extremely well written pop songs and fit very well together. The album is extremely enjoyable and pleasant and for the rest of my life I will associate this release with memories of spring. The band is actually making an EP for every season this year and I am confident that they will keep very true to this theme and do something that (as far as I know) no other band has done yet.

Probably the prettiest song on the EP is the third song "The Only Pretty Ring Time". The band sings an ode to the beauty of their home city Boise, Idaho and mentions how strange it is that their city is called the City of Trees. But I really just can't explain how great every voice on this song sounds. It really is wonderful.

Also, their label has commissioned a few remixes of some of the songs on the album. These remixes are also a blast and are all done so well. They make a very lovely companion to the EP and you can listen to the remixes for free on their label's website.

The Very Most are extremely committed to music and despite the speed that they release their records, they still put so much effort and joy into their work. "Spring" is the beginning of a new era for The Very Most and they have invited us to spend a year with them... A year?

I think I will be spending a lifetime with the Very Most.


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