Saint John’s sound: Finn Pehl’s musical path past to present

In the quiet corner of central Minnesota that is St. John’s, sophomore Finn Pehl is quickly establishing himself as a promising and talented guitarist and composer.

Finn is a member of the band Demons I Guess.

With an upcoming album, a dynamic blend of solo projects and plans to study abroad, Pehl’s story is one of commitment to craft, finding one’s musical identity and trying to understand the reality of balancing creative work with studying at university.

Pehl’s musical journey began early, as he recalls family gatherings and the echoing of the sounds of his grandmother’s piano —who herself once played in a high school band named Morticia and the Mourners, performed Beatles covers on the funeral organ back in the 60s.

Pehl remembers this odd family legacy with a smile, recognizing its influence on his curiosity about sound and performance.

“I got my first guitar from her, actually,” Pehl said. “That’s where it all started.”

When it came time to choose a college, Pehl considered other programs before deciding. Though he explored other schools, St. Thomas being one of them, Pehl ultimately chose CSB+SJU, excited in part by the prospect of joining his father’s alma mater and by the significantly more personal, engaging music program offered by the school.

He liked the idea of joining a small, tight-knit music department where he’d know his instructors personally. Under the mentorship of Professor Ryan Picone, Pehl has found the kind of individualized attention and inspiration that he was looking for.

“There’s only three of us guitar majors here,” Pehl said. “My music theory class has eight people, and it feels like a genuine community. That’s what I wanted.”

Pehl’s talent as a composer shines through in his solo work, which he has previewed at campus performances with the Guitar Ensemble, including his piece “Freya.” The song’s structure and sound reflect his approach to composition, balancing technical rigor with a sense of intensity. He describes this work as a song that captures complex emotions into a single instrumental experience. He mentions that behind “Freya” lays a deeper narrative, symbolizing a “loving but massive presence… overwhelming, looming over you”— a vague, but undeniably felt, force.

Pehl’s approach to solo work is highly meticulous and exploratory. He frequently draws inspiration from a variety of life experiences and places great value in evoking feelings that resonate on a personal level.

This nuanced approach to composition is an avenue he hopes to explore further during his upcoming semester in South Africa. Pehl hints at creating a body of work inspired by his travels, which he hopes to incorporate into a larger, multi-part project that captures different phases of his life.

While Pehl’s solo work is introspective, his contributions as part of Demons I Guess are the polar opposite: charged, forceful, collaborative and expressive in their own way.

The band, which he co-founded with Duluth-based drummer Luke Torrent (also known as Buck Weaver), has developed significantly since their early days.

Their debut album, “The Borrowing,” recorded in 2021, captured a snapshot of youthful energy and punk influences, a sound that Pehl notes was heavily shaped by the music they both admired as teenagers. However, as he explains, the band’s direction has since shifted.

“The first album was more about emulating what we were hearing,” Pehl said. “Now, I’m producing things that feel more personal.”

The evolution of Demons I Guess reflects Pehl and Torrent’s growth as musicians, He reflected on the creative process of the band, finding common ground creatively with Pehl’s songwriting and guitar and Torrent’s distinctive drumming style being complementary of the other.

“He adds harmonies that give life to my songs,” Pehl said.

The band’s upcoming album, set for release in December, embodies the complex emotions and transitions that come with entering adulthood. Thematically, it draws heavily from Pehl’s experiences of leaving home, the end of high school relationships, and the shifting nature of friendships.

Composed over the course of Pehl’s freshman year, each track encapsulates elements of loss, nostalgia and hope as he and Torrent, who have taken on different college paths, look at what was, what is and what could be.

Pehl has previewed the album’s lead single, “The Next Part,” at local venues, including the recent Swayed Pines performance in St. Joseph. Another single, “Circles Around The Sun,” is set to release this week, with a final single featuring a unique four-part suite that bookends the album. The interconnected tracks—“Who We Are,” “Who We’ve Been,” “Where We’re Going” and “Where We’ve Gone”—offer a poignant narrative arc, with Pehl leaving interpretation up to the listener.

“I don’t know if it ends optimistically,” Pehl said. “That’s up to the listener.”

While Pehl leaves some of the interpretation open, he’s clear that the album as a whole is about confronting and, eventually, accepting these inevitable changes.

When asked why the CSB+SJU community should take an interest in his music, Pehl offers a heartfelt response.

He emphasizes the authenticity of his work and the genuine joy of creation, inviting listeners to appreciate the imperfections that make the album.

“It’s not a professional album, exactly,” he said, acknowledging that the production may be rough in parts, yet there is a recognition that this too, in a way, is evocative of the turbulent college times. “Having people on campus listen to it, give feedback—that’s what makes it worth it,. You put your music out there, and people get something out of it. That’s the best part.”

With a busy schedule of classes, performances and composing, Pehl has already established a promising foundation.

His future projects and plans are undefined, but he sees each as a step toward building a creative life that reflects who he is. For now, Pehl remains committed to making music that’s as true to himself as it is engaging to others.

Pehl’s work with Demons I Guess is a call to explore a sound that is heartfelt, evolving, and unmistakably genuine.

Their upcoming album, “Turn And Face The Way We Came,” due out in early December, promises a fresh perspective on life’s transitions—a fitting soundtrack for anyone navigating the twists and turns of young adulthood, and a sonic echo of the days before and after Collegeville