JULY 2007 - MONDO - LIVE REVIEW

The members of Bruce Peninsula walked from the back of the pews onto the stage, sporting various percussion instruments. I can't describe Bruce Peninsula's music with reference to any single pre-existing musical style in particular, and I can't imagine better praise for a band. Clearly, the four female vocalists were singing in a style redolent of American folk and labour songs, hence the "Lomax" thing (Alan Lomax being the United States' pre-eminent folk-musicologist of the 20th century). And yet, their vibraphone pulled the band in another, jazzy direction, while the electric guitars pushed Bruce Peninsula into the instrumental indie of, say, The Advantage. Sometimes even the vocals switched into more of a pop music mode, recalling Fleetwood Mac more than The Carter Family. Add seamless transitions in-between songs and some sweet call and response and you have BrucePeninsulamusic, and it's wonderful.