I stumbled across this incredible gem by Boise, Idaho's own The Very Most while sifting through my inbox before we left Ohio. They had sent me the email in early June, in my ignorance, I completely missed it. I was intrigued by the name, I appreciated the personal touch of founder Jeremy Jensen, and most of all, I was impressed by the music. They've got a gorgeous grasp of the perfect indie pop sound. "Congratulations Forever" is the album that The Magic Numbers should have released in 2006, rather than their abysmal showing in " [...]

The Very Most is the brilliant new quartet from Boise Idaho with enough harmonies and sweet folk melodies to swoon away any summer night. Their music is dense, catchy, and has a decidedly un-hip, yet slightly off-kilter, lyrical viewpoint. It's kind of like being the only adult at a little kids' dance party where you get to choose the music, but the kids make you spin them around until everyone's really dizzy! As a computer programmer, a husband with 3 little girls, and a student studying his way to a masters, Jeremy Jensen, is not exactly your [...]
"Albert" - Ed Laurie Wow. Warm and wondrous neo-folk from a young British singer/songwriter. Listen to the stirring tension in the verse--the song is quiet, but with a restless heartbeat--and then how it resolves in that gorgeous chorus with its shy, unexpected melody. Oh my. For me, this is goosebump material, and I don't say that lightly, or very often. Although he is basically a guy with a guitar, Laurie does not sound like a typical singer/songwriter, both because of his husky baritone, with its air [...]
Welcome to almost August. It's your last Monday of July 2008, there won't be another quite like it, ever. We've been backed up with tons of music for you guys but haven't had the chance to make a mix for a long long while so that's what we're going to do today! So enjoy some new tracks, discover something different, and spread more music! Pelle Carlberg - 1983 (Pelle & Sebastian) The Very Most - Love At Home Sondre Lerche - Modern Nature Ave.To - Bahia [...]
You know the feeling when you leave a warm sunny holiday clime and your arrival back on home turf (literally) is greeted by 10 new ways to display the colour grey? Yep, we've left the cocktails behind us for puddles and grumpy taxi drivers. So why is my grin the size of the Ha'penny Bridge (upside down, in a smiley shape)? Well, one of my favourite new bands has written this rather fabulous new

The Very Most play very tiny instruments The Very Most , who say they may be the only indie-pop band from Boise, ID, have just released their second album, Congratulations Forever , generally a collection of very bright, fresh-sounding, sunny songs that are great driving accompaniment. I especially like how Gia Trotter's vocals sweeten "When Not Being Stupid Is Not Enough." The title song is an especially nice bonus track that is 11 minutes long. The Very Most are: founder and songwriter Jeremy Jensen, [...]

photo credit: bo streeter wooden wand, and their various incarnations, can be a hard pill to swallow, sometimes. but that really shouldnt stop you from diggin into their stuff. lead wander, james jackson toth is releasing his sounds of the 70's inspired waiting in vain sometime soon, cant find the release date. when i say inspired, i only mean inspired by some of the greats like lennon, fleetwood mac, james taylor, ccr and even the eagles - i still love the eagles. definitely check james and his wooden wand out! doreen [...]
It's been a little while since I've posted some new indie pop on here, so it's time to make up for that in the form of The Very Most. Sounding like they have arrived late from the late 1990s (you know, when Belle & Sebastian were still good), we've got jangly guitars and quaint [...]
Have you ever been to Idaho? I never have, but I hear good things about it. Lots of trees and lots of open space. But I have one more reason to like it now. A band from Boise called the Very Most. I just recently heard from them and listened to their latest CD and it is absolutely gorgeous. They remind me of The Magic Numbers with their boy - girl harmonies, but the arrangements of their songs are much more complex and dense. Go ahead and take a listen to [...]
A profile of Salman Rushdie and his new novel (New York Times) "There's a writing self which is not quite your ordinary social self and which you don't really have access to except at the moment when you're writing, and certainly in my view, I think of that as my best self," he said. "To be able to be that person feels good; it feels better than anything else." New Okkervil River due in September (Pitchfork) For some reason, this is being announced as [...]
When I think of Boise, Idaho I think of corn. But, am is that even right? But when I think of Sweden, Britain, California the images and sounds of pop music do resonate. But Boise, Idaho... hmmm... has Jeremy Jensen. Jeremy Jensen and crew (Von House, Allen Ellis, Gia Trotter) create summery pop [...]
Although generally unenamored of "the ruling class," we know when to make exceptions. Are we posting too many again? Gosh, we hope not. We've stopped loving everything, but we sure love these. The Ruling Class - Flowers mp3 Julie Ocean - Number 1 Song mp3 - Thanks to Toolshed. The Strawberry Smell - Zensong #9 mp3 Pinto - Wherever Did She Go? mp3 Say Hi - Blah Blah Blah mp3 - If this one
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Mike Doughty : 2008-01-24, Baltimore [mp3,ogg,flac] "Long Black American Car" [mp3] other Mike Doughty music blog posts at Largehearted Boy The Quiet Ones : "Girls & Uniforms" [mp3] from Better Walk Than Ride Like That other Quiet Ones music blog posts at Largehearted Boy Smashing Pumpkins : [...]
I have a new swoony favorite indie-pop sorta local band crush. read more
When I think of Teenage Fanclub I think happy thoughts. These same happy thoughts have started to appear of late and it has nothing to do with the Glaswegians. The object of my affections is actually from the other side of the Atlantic, Idaho to be precise. The band are called the Very Most and are driven by the melodic machinations of one Jeremy Jensen. 'Congratulations Forever' is only the