Originally intended as a precursor to their acclaimed recent album, Thing of the Past, Vetiver‘s companion EP is finally released by Gnomonsong as the five-song More of the Past CD as well as a limited-edition 7-inch single, “Hey Doll Baby” b/w “Miles Apart.”

Presented here are six more songs that inspired Andy Cabic and friends, and once again, most listeners will be challenged to have ever heard the originals. These versions all possess the rich Vetiver treatment that makes the special songs the band’s own.

“See You Tonight” opens the EP with a flourish, presenting Vetiver in a new shade of the past as they tackle yet another impossibly obscure treasure of a tune, this time by the enigmatically named ensemble, The Wizards. “Hey Doll Baby” follows and is already an established concert favorite, beloved by Vetiver’s burgeoning fan base as well as being the A-side of the 7-inch single. “Before the Sun Goes Down” is Vetiver going country rock with an old traditional classic. The EP closes with Vetiver’s skillful redux of one of Grin’s (Nils Lofgren’s early ’70s band) finest moments, “Just to Have You,” and Gordon Bok’s lovely “Hills of Isle Au Haut,” originally covered by former Jerry Garcia cohort and folk music mainstay Jody Stecher.

The B-side of the 7-inch, “Miles Apart,” by AR Kane (the same duo who wrote “Pump Up the Volume”), provides a strong taste of Cabic’s love of ’80s UK alternative pop.

You can pick up a copy here.

[download] Miles Apart

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