Music Review: Peregrine Falls, Two Fish EP

By Tyler Hodg

Gritty, hard hitting, in your face: these are all things that almost completely describe Peregrine Falls (formally PinkBrown). With the release of their EP Two Fish, the band showcases what they’ve got in a condensed, to the point package—and what they have released is a frustrating product that just barely under-delivers.

Peregrine Falls is an experimental rock ’n’ roll band that unfortunately never fully commits to their sound. They teeter on the fine line of ingenious and boring, which sounds absurd, but is actually true. You can definitely hear the potential of Peregrine Falls when listening to Two Fish. The songs have a solidified groove that many bands are lacking nowadays and each have moments that will surely get stuck in your head. Aside from “Gaza,” the EP never lets up and is high energy—like rock ’n’ roll should be.

Despite the fact that the positives of Two Fish are apparent, so are the negatives. Although some songs have intriguing and creative elements, as a whole, they still sound like bands you’ve heard before,the easiest comparisons being Jack White and The Black Keys. While their peers haven’t exactly revolutionized music, Peregrine Falls still sounds two steps behind what has already been brought to the table in the rock genre. It’s as if they are dipping their toes into something new and exciting, but are scared to take the leap.

The band consists of Kenton Loewen on drums and Gordon Grdina on guitar, and does not feature a vocalist. Not that every band needs a vocalist, but in the case of Peregrine Falls, they could flourish with the addition of one. At times, Two Fish becomes repetitive, which is unnerving considering the EP is only five songs, and a full-length album is currently in the works from the band. It’s unclear if their new music will be instrumental as well, but if it is, hopefully the band will be able to create music that grips its listener a little more than this release does.

Regardless of the past, it’s always exciting to see what is next for bands, and there is no exception for Peregrine Falls. They have immense potential and one can only hope that they use it to branch out into uncharted musical territory. The band needs to devote itself to being something different, and not a copy of what has already been done. Two Fish shows Peregrine Falls has what it takes to be successful, but it’s now up to them to deliver something that can solidify them as a band to be reckoned with.

Two Fish was self-released on September 8 and is available on Bandcamp.