This was the band I was most excited to see this year. I saw them last year by chance and was thrilled by their cover of Phoenix's "Fences". Their interpretation was a droll, Velvet Undergroundy reading of the French group's choice album cut.
But, more than that, they remind me of the influential but short-lived trio, Sirens of Titan.
Also hailing from sunny San Diego, the Soft Pack combine distilled rock riffs with descriptive SoCal imagery and personal dissatisfaction. After several listens to their latest CD, it in many ways sounds like something SoT might have done had the group been able to stay together.
Witness The Soft Pack's "Pull Out", a song suggesting California secede from the US:
A song with lyrics that might have easily been penned by Ryan and Justin; guitar-work not unlike an angsty Ero would play. Similiarly, "Mexico":
with its tale of lost love and running to Mexico, and its suave six string work, seems like something hammered out of a SoT practice session. Also, I'll ask the listener to compare "Parasites" with the Sirens of Titan's "I Don't Lie":
and I think the parallels are there. Or maybe not.
Finally, just enjoy this great single and video from the Soft Pack.
