Bruce Peninsula — A Mountain Is A Mouth

By all logic, Bruce Peninsula should be nothing more than a ludicrous idea. An 11-member band and a choir who play experimental music should be doomed to failure, but Bruce Peninsula seem to defy odds and expectations with this debut.

"Steamroller" has one heck of a hook in its chorus, and there's a good chance it will be the first song with a choir and math-rock guitar parts to be stuck in your head. Its infectious, clap-along parts might have something to do with that.

The minor key "Shutters" features great vocals from former member Katie Stelmanis, and its tension masterfully rises to the point where it eventually explodes into a huge stomp-and-clap-and-chant-along at the end.

Just when you think you're beginning to understand Bruce Peninsula's schtick, they go and get all beautiful on you with the stripped-down and emotionally raw "Weave Myself A Dress," on which main female vocalist Misha Bower shows off her astounding range. The choir joins her with a glockenspiel-laden outro that eventually crescendos and falls into the Neil Haverty-led "Crabapples." It resembles call and response numbers sung by choirs in the American south.

Eleven members may be difficult to work with, but each person brings a different set of musical influences to the table. A Mountain Is A Mouth showcases Bruce Peninsula's amazing breadth of influences and manages to sound cohesive, focused and not jumbled in the least.

I'm putting my money on this to be the year's best debut.

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