It's late afternoon, and shafts of light, flecked with dust, stream down from enormous windows. From the lofts, you can watch barges float by on the Mississippi River. A bit of rustic melancholy, but with a certain soulfulness -- the perfect setting for St. Louis quintet Last to Show First to Go's unique brand of folky, inventive rock.

On first listen, Last to Show First to Go appears to have its roots down in the landscape of heartland rock 'n' roll. Lead singer Bredon Jones' earnest, earthy vocals lie simply against a backdrop of acoustic guitar, drums and vocal harmonies, all bolstered by a double bass. Yet as each song unfolds, it's clear that Last to Show First to Go has a flair for genre-bending. From Jay Lewis' rippling cello arpeggios to Miriam Keller's jazz-infused trumpet, the band embraces a wide variety of sounds and textures. And lo and behold, they pull it off. What could easily veer into a trite modernization of the down-home Americana genre instead becomes a singular, engaging sound.

Last to Show First to Go's unusual musical voice is part of a collective evolution. "Everyone in the group has something to say musically," says singer and songwriter Bredon Jones.

"The songs sound really different than they did three years ago," adds Jay Lewis. "We've capitalized on all these new textures, like the cello, the trumpet and the bass."

While Bredon Jones and singer/guitarist Mikey Naucas do most of the songwriting for the band, they are quick to recognize the integral role of other members in the creation of the band's sound. "I'll hear them doing something in the vocal melody that I'd never thought of -- and I'll steal it, 'cause it's great," chuckles Naucas. "Songwriting has become a lot less of a linear process, which is a good thing."

On the heels of its first full-length album "Short Cuts" (2010), Last to Show First to Go will release "The Farmer John EP" this month. "Musically, it's the result of the last six to eight months of collaboration with this particular group," says Jones. "Compared to our last album, I think this recording is very cohesive."

Lyrically, "The Farmer John EP" explores political and social concerns -- a recurring theme that also relates to the band's name. "When the band was starting," Jones explains, "I'd been reading and self-educating about the nature of politics and cultural problems, and my lyrics were starting to move away from talking about relationships. The name Last to Show First to Go is a bit of a wordplay joke, but it also reflects bigger issues. It's about being the last one to realize something, but the first one to act."

While a heightened political awareness and category-resistant sound have established Last to Show First to Go as a fixture on the St. Louis scene, the band has found itself a foothold in the city's musical psyche.

"Community is important to us. It's exciting to see the St. Louis music scene evolve, and there's an interconnectivity that we have with other bands that we didn't have before," says drummer Phil Valko.

All in all, Last to Show First to Go hinges on a certain thoughtfulness; there's a nuance in both their sound and music-making process that doesn't lend itself to bite-size, slicked-up summations. Yet here, in an old building on the banks of the Mississippi, the band appears seamlessly aligned with the century old space, reflecting its ambiance perfectly. Last to Show First to Go's music has plenty of touchstones in the past. But the band's ability to move beyond those references while still evoking them is what truly sets its music apart.

You can hear "The Farmer John EP" debuted live at Last to Show First to Go's release party, December 9 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. $10 gets you a free copy of the release and in the door.

Video: Jarred Gastreich
Audio: R&R Music Labs
Writer/Interviewer: Annie-Rose Fondaw