There’s a concept in psychology called “nominative determinism,” where people may be drawn to pursue a career in a field suggested by their name—a substitute teacher named Mr. Fillin, or a polar explorer named Daniel Snowman, for example. It’s a condition that seems to mostly affect Batman villains (you can’t just name your child E. Nygma and expect him not to become the Riddler).
And if you name your band Mt Fog (lose the punctuation; it’s cleaner), that band just might make music that evokes the lush and mysterious wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. Mt Fog bandleader Carolyn B. is not originally from Washington, having grown up in Virginia and only moving here as an adult. But the beauty of the area seems to have imprinted on her. Every Stone is Green, the forthcoming album from Mt Fog, is an art-rock journey that feels like soil and smells of petrichor.
“If you’re open to the influence of nature, you can’t help but be influenced by it out here,” says Carolyn. “It’s so special, and I’m still not used to it. When I first moved out here, I was blown away just by the trees and flowers in people’s yards. So, yeah, I don’t think I would be the same artist if I lived elsewhere, not just because of the nature, but because of the music scene out here, and all the artists I get to interact with. The ecosystem doesn’t stop when you get to humans, and I think that we’re all swimming in this inspiring landscape that’s influencing all of us. Can you form a band called Mt Fog in Arizona? Maybe there’s fog there, but it feels like more of a stretch.”
Mt Fog’s album Every Stone is Green, with artwork by Nico Lund.
Mt Fog began its life in Olympia, as a solo project from Carolyn; an intended one-off performance with Andy Sells on drums and Casey Rosebridge sparked a collaboration that would eventually cement the group as a trio. 2024’s ultraviolet heart machine was the first album featuring the full-band version of Mt Fog, while Every Stone is Green showcases the threesome working fully as a unit, with Sells and Rosebridge contributing their own songs.
“We went to Europe for three weeks, and that was an amazing bonding experience,” says Carolyn. “We actually grew a lot as a band during that tour. When you’re around people every single day, sleeping in the same room, breathing in each other’s molecules—whether you like it or not, you’re going to learn a lot about each other. Just performing every night for three weeks, in front of new crowds, was just a great musical growing experience for us. That was right when I started writing all the new songs, so we kind of went into 2025 with that energy.”
While this is a collaborative band, the main creative force is Carolyn, who also provides her voice, violin, synths, and classical training to the mix. The result, on Every Stone is Green, is a swirling art-pop that takes cues from Krautrock, dreampop, and even the heady, jazz-fusion era of ‘70s prog-rock. Carolyn’s lyrics seem almost like stream-of-consciousness, typically finding one idea and zeroing in on it, repeating it and deconstructing it while the band churns underneath.
“I like complexity when it serves the music,” says Carolyn. “So I think, sometimes, when you go into more math-rock, and even some fusion stuff, it feels like it’s complicated just to be complicated. I like music that goes for it, and sometimes, when you go for it, you don’t stick the landing. So, I like music that takes risks. I think, if you’re not taking risks to try to really create something from your soul, I don’t really see the point in doing it.”
Every Stone is Green is not a concept album, though it still feels like it has an unspoken narrative that carries the LP along. Carolyn says she had a “very impactful dream” that informed the direction of the album, and there is a certain dreamlike flow to the songs. On the back half of the record, and particularly in the final three songs, Mt Fog becomes more feral and impressionistic, leaving behind much of the swooning from the first half.
Mt Fog officially releases Every Stone is Green on March 13, but will have its album release show at the Tractor Tavern on March 12, joined by iro iro and DJ Martin Douglas. Pick up a copy and let Mt Fog soundtrack your spring.
Mt Fog’s album release is Thursday, Mar. 12, doors at 7 p.m. at the Tractor Tavern, Ballard. Find tickets here.