Pick of the Week #4: Bruce Peninsula

Bruce Peninsula was #5 on i(heart)music's Hottest Canadian Bands Poll (which, I was a part of), but I had never sat down to listen to them (so, naturally, I didn't vote for them). At that point, a large part of their absence - from my ears - was because they had only released a 7" with 3 songs... and still they were #5 on a list that should make anyone whoever complains about CanCon on the radio feel really, really, bad.

At any rate, last week I got my hands on their full length A Mountain is a Mouth (mostly thanks to Allan and the fact that I've been writing a weekly review at AWmusic.ca) and have been enjoying it since. Enjoying it, yes; do I have any idea how to describe it? No, not really, but that hasn't stopped me before I guess; nor, I'll point out, has it stopped me from making ridiculous analogies that are sure to turn some people off...

To me, Bruce Peninsula sounds like being trapped in a haunted old church full of ghosts. The band, which has 12 members (if I counted correctly), has this way of creating these massive (creepy) choral swells of energy that just make me picture this haunted country church... maybe its the reference to "moving to Kansas City" on "Drinking All Day"... it's impossible to say.

The bottom line, terrible analogies from the R.O.B. aside, is that A Mountain is a Mouth is able to capture this kind of mood the way that very few albums do (off the top of my head - Sufjan Stevens Illinois, Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago, Nas Illmatic, Beirut Gulag Orkestar). Its not just a collection of songs, its a story, its a feeling, it just moves you - in my case to picture the creepy country church - but it moves you to create a picture in your head; and I suspect it'll be one of those albums that'll make me remember being cooped up during Sno-Maggedons III - V.

Although, I may not remember the album so much as I may remember what promises to be a phenominal show on Saturday (Jan.31) at the Horseshoe w/ Tom Fun Orchestra (reviewed here) and the Darcys (and a quick reminder that Allan, Jen and Bob all still have contests running to win those albums plus tickets to the Toronto show).

[mp3] Bruce Peninsula - Steamroller
[mp3] Bruce Peninsula - Inside/Outside

See:
Pick of the Week #1: Ketch Harbour Wolves
Pick of the Week #2: Rah Rah
Pick of the Week #3: Glasvegas/Animal Collective