Album Notes

The Perpetrators continue to expand and grow on their follow-up to the WCMA-winning and Juno-nominated “the gas and the clutch.”
“Tow Truck” is an uncompromising expression of their varied musical influences that never loses sight of their blues roots.

Featured guests include: Grant Siemens (Corb Lund Band); Damon Mitchell (Nathan); Sarah Dugas & Andrina Turenne (Madrigaia); Chris Saywell & Donnie Zueff (D.Rangers)

ALBUM REVIEW BY DAVID BARNARD FOR EXCLAIM! MAGAZINE:
"From Winnipeg, this three-piece house wreckin’ unit are Canada’s strongest contender to join the many bands currently lumped onto the alt-blues bandwagon. In truth though, the Perpetrators have more in common with older groups like the Flaming Groovies or the Pretty Things, mixing up their sound with blues, country, surf instrumentals, garage punk and doses of psychedelic funk and electronic experimentation. Tow Truck, their third self-released CD, is the first to really capture the variety and quality of the Perps’ live show. Famous for their instrumental boogies, they throw a curveball right away, leading off with a surf instrumental Link Wray would have been proud of. The songs are deceptively clever tales about the simple things in life: relationships, life on the road and getting loaded. Guitarist J. “Howik” Nowicki is a distinctive vocalist, with a strong tone of irony pervading his delivery. Nothing gets too serious as a result. Newest member Chris “MAMA” Bauer (drums) adds a punk-ish thump at times, such as on the furious “You’re Gonna Kill Me” and the goofy “Happy Friday.” Ryan Menard holds down the bottom end; he’s an economical player that mainly stays out of the way while providing the recording with its rhythmic thrust. Junior Kimbrough would be proud to know his North Mississippi trance blues have found a new home in Winnipeg. The only thing topping this CD would be to experience them live. (Independent) "

CD REVIEW FROM VUE WEEKLY by Eden Munro
The Perpetrators' third album opens wide up with the crazy surf-riffing of "The Z-Rays Cured My Hangover." It's surf music, all right, but the kind of out-of-control soundtrack that you'd expect to accompany a dangerous ride through shark-infested waters while you're dripping blood. The disc closes tight at the end with the title track, "Tow Truck," a grimy, grungy, grease-covered groove that creaks and groans while the three Perps scream until you can practically hear their vocal cords ripping and tearing.

The sonic landscape between those two bookends veers from the sort of roadhouse blues that usually comes from a stage protected by a chain link fence kind of joint to the pedal-to-the-metal stomp of "You're Gonna Kill Me" to the old school country of "Josco" to the crazy, carnival-rodeo sounds of "R Cowboy" to the apocalyptic wonderland of "Woman of My Dreams."

There's a lot of ground covered on Tow Truck, and the album is a fine example of just how good the blues can be when the players are pushing and pulling the music, stirring it up constantly to keep it from stagnating. It's nice to hear a band that continues to evolve naturally instead of chasing the latest musical fad. The Perpetrators do what they do not because it's the cool thing, but because that's who they are. And that's what makes them so damn cool.