Album Review: Left on Vermont — Left on Vermont

There’s a new album in town, and it can be yours for zero dollars. Left On Vermont is currently making their recent EP available as a free download on their site (you can tell they’re local because the album cover includes that 14th Street mural near the Black Cat). Self-diagnosed with “musical ADD,” the DC fivesome’s songs sound influenced by a wide variety of artists and bands, including Mazzy Star, Crooked Still, and Elvis Costello.

Guitarist Eugene Lee’s boyish voice is reminiscent of folksinger Nicholas Altobelli; and the band’s violinist, Erin Weston, delivers baroque, haunting vocals that make Left on Vermont stand out from the crowd (if you love yourself, go listen to her nonironic cover of guilty pleasure “Teenage Dream” on her MySpace page). When the pair sing together on “See You Through,” their voices are don’t mesh particularly well, but it’s hard not to like the upbeat pop song.

On February 4, Left on Vermont will be celebrating their album release at the Rock &Roll Hotel with The Public Good and The Crash Take-Off; if you dug those free tunes, support local music and check it out.

Listen If You Like: Mazzy Star, Nicholas Altobelli, The Ditty Bops, mixing all the soda flavors together at the Burger King drink station

Top Tracks: “See You Through,” “Time”