Peregrine Falls are comparable to great guitar/drums power duos such as Death From Above 1979 or the Black Keys — they're certainly heavy enough, and they have the chops, too, what with the pedal-heavy Kenton Loewen pounding on his drums and Gordon Grdina blasting out chords and chugging with the best of them. But their debut self-titled album sees the pair drawing upon influences outside of rock/metal, and that's what really makes the record special.
"The Machinist," for instance, is frenzied jazz-rock, whereas Grdina's guitar work on "Ornette" could be better described as mathy (although the tune is no less frantic). The keys in the more contemplative "Gaza" lend it a psychedelic air, while you get a funky groove in "Finger Lakes." Then there's a distinctive Eastern flavour that crops up in several tracks, perhaps most emphatically amidst the drone on "Demon Sparrow."
Although Grdina and Loewen are perhaps better known for their work with Dan Mangan, the Vancouver musicians' exuberant performances here show they're clearly enjoying themselves as Peregrine Falls. In fact, each of them chew up the scenery so much on their respective instruments that it's a good thing they're only a duo — there'd be no room for anyone else.
(Drip Audio)"The Machinist," for instance, is frenzied jazz-rock, whereas Grdina's guitar work on "Ornette" could be better described as mathy (although the tune is no less frantic). The keys in the more contemplative "Gaza" lend it a psychedelic air, while you get a funky groove in "Finger Lakes." Then there's a distinctive Eastern flavour that crops up in several tracks, perhaps most emphatically amidst the drone on "Demon Sparrow."
Although Grdina and Loewen are perhaps better known for their work with Dan Mangan, the Vancouver musicians' exuberant performances here show they're clearly enjoying themselves as Peregrine Falls. In fact, each of them chew up the scenery so much on their respective instruments that it's a good thing they're only a duo — there'd be no room for anyone else.