Until recently, this LA-based four-piece was called The Muslims. However, feeling that the somewhat controversial moniker was distracting from their music, they changed it and, as The Soft Pack, are continuing to make a name for themselves in The States and in Europe. They have recently supported Phoenix, The Breeders and Franz Ferdinand, got tongues wagging at SXSW and now their debut long-player, Extinction, sees the bringing together of all of their best work to date on one disc.
Playing at just half-an-hour in total, the album’s ten tracks are done and dusted before you know it, but the record is certainly crammed full of punchy and infectious garage-rock, as the band draws on a number of worthy influences. Often there is a rawness that is reminiscent of The Stooges or The Velvet Underground and, indeed, at times lead singer Matt Lamkin’s vocal goes brilliantly wonky just like Lou Reed’s. At times he sounds aloof and detached, while elsewhere he sounds so venomous that it seems he wants to rip your throat out. Meanwhile, perky post-punk opener, Bright Side, is not dissimilar to The Strokes and is representative of the catchy and upbeat sound that continues throughout.
If stripped-down, punky garage rock ‘n’ roll is your thing, then The Soft Pack will surely be right up your alley. They might draw fairly strongly on their influences, but it is done with love and honesty and there is something absolutely believable about the result. One senses that the snappy and exciting Extinction marks the beginning of something much bigger for The Soft Pack.
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