Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla made a solid choice with The Lonely Forest as guinea pig for his new record label, Trans. The band is made up of vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist, John Van Deusen, guitarist, Tony Ruland, Eric Sturgeon rockin the bass, and Braydn Krueger on drums.  Though the EP only claims five songs (one of which is an acoustic duplicate), it certainly leaves the listener wanting more. Since their emergence to the scene in 2006, The Lonely Forest has created a loyal following in the Pacific Northwest (where they call home) and rapidly elsewhere. With slightly folky, and sincerely earnest songs, this EP is only a tease of what is to come when the full album is released next summer. What The Lonely Forest has allowed us to hear so far is nothing short of refreshing, and even upon the umpteenth repeat of tracks, it is difficult to get sick of.

The EP demands attention with the first track, Turn Off This Song and Go Outside, urging listeners to get up and do something. The song is not a nagging, but a gentle insistence, gaining speed with perfect levels of electric guitar and vocals that evoke feelings of closeness to Van Deusen and the rest.

Track two, titled Ramshackle House is less than a minute in length, and seems to be more of a prelude to track three, though it is not lacking in heart. It is the type of song typically heard at the end of a film, or perhaps in a scene transition—the time during which you think the couple is going to break up for good (which of course they never do).

Live There is a ballad to Washington—where the band is originally from. The slow drum build up paired with precise guitar and complimentary piano lead into a beautiful repetition of chords at the end. The lyrics knock on Los Angeles and call Nashville out for its lack of danger. The basic theme of the song is that nothing is better than the Northwest: “I just want to live here, love here, and die here”. The vivid picture which comes to mind is one of inarguable splendor.

Let it Go is a track with vocals comparable to The Hold Steady and slightly reminiscent of Kings of Leon. With atypical guitar rifts, Let it Go has a pretty, dreamlike rhythm that we can only hope is translated as harmoniously on stage as it sounds in the studio.

The EP concludes with the acoustic version of Turn Off This Song and Go Outside, again begging us to get out. The difference this time around, is that Van Deusen’s pleading is naked and unhidden behind instruments other than an acoustic guitar. With such honest lyrics and errorless instrumentals, The Lonely Forest is the perfect fit for Trans Records. The EP is perfect for that stretch of comfortable silence on a road trip, or an evening in with a bottle of wine. Can’t wait to check these guys out live this Tuesday at Spaceland in LA! See you there.