It's safe to say that, among critics in Canada any way, A Mountain is a Mouth is one of the most anticipated records of 2009 and it certainly was worth the wait. Inspired by folk and gospel field recordings of traditional songs, Bruce Peninsula essentially began by tapping into these old world sounds and reinterpreting them. In tracing the roots of this music, they discovered the impassioned paths that led to jazz and punk as well--the freedom that amalgamating inclusive, collective invention and musical proficiency enables. So, while they may swell to a seemingly unruly eight or ten or twelve-piece band, with gorgeous, overwhelming male and female voices bolstering intricate guitar lines and stomping, off-kilter rhythms, Bruce Peninsula are sharply aware of every haunting note they create.
As likely to recall recordings by Alan Lomax or Harry Smith, as they are Burn Rome in a Dream or Constantines, these new songs by Bruce Peninsula are dark and powerful, making A Mountain is a Mouth one of the most promising debuts I've heard in a long, long time. It's the antidote to indifference, a compelling call to arms that bridges disparate musical styles (and, hopefully listeners) with effortless grace.