The Soft Pack – Self Titled : Album Reviews

Riding the wave of hype garnered from support slots for Phoenix and Franz Ferdinand, San Diego quartet The Soft Pack drop their self-titled debut album on us after much anticipation. Audiences down under had previously had their appetites whetted with the Australian-exclusive, aperitif mini album Extinction being released late last year, and drew comparisons with The Strokes, The Velvet Underground and our very own Eddie Current Suppression Ring.

Within the first minute of opening track C’mon, the DIY aesthetic is definitely evident, with jangly guitars and only a handful of chords, it is over in just past 2 minutes. And although it’s quite a sunny song to kick off the album, one could be forgiven for mistaking these Californians as New Yorkers. Singer Matt Lamkin explains, “We wanted to start a band that made simple, catchy, smart, rock songs..weren’t many bands in San Diego doing that at the time. So we did”.

The pace is maintained into the second track, Down on Loving, and it seldom drops for the entirety of the album. It is poppy and simple, with a catchy call and response chorus. Next is lead single Answer To Yourself, which is straight-up, unrefined, and with a chorus like “I think I’m gonna die before i see my time..try it anyway”, is a good expression of what this band seem to be about.

Move Along captures the bands’ energetic live show, and its discordant keyboard solo/flip-out which prompts my dad to call out “Rick! What’s that racket you’re listening to?!”, whilst Pull Out could easily be likened to anything Iggy Pop has put his name to, with live-sounding reverb and simple yet effective riffs, and at 3:55 it almost feels long.

There are tinges of trans-atlantic influence on More or Less and Tides of Time, which are like The Buzzcoks borrowing the Smiths’ guitar tones, and the only respite to the frantic pace comes with the whimsy Mexico, which I think even Jonathan Richman fans could come to appreciate.

The Soft Pack have succeeded in their goal to create a no-frills, simple garage rock album. If you are a fan of the genre, then you will no doubt enjoy it more than those who aren’t. Yes, the songs are catchy, but I fear their sound won’t transcend through to the masses, and I found the comparisons to The Strokes a little unwarranted. ‘Is This It’ came at a time when ten years prior the biggest bands were Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but The Soft back come to us at a time when ten years ago the next big thing was, well..The Strokes. Not as exciting this time around, is it? Yet, a solid effort nonetheless.

The Soft Pack, self-titled, out March 6th through Pod/Inertia