The Pack a.d. “It Was Fun While It Lasted” 2020, limited edition vinyl. I was going to save this just-released album (got it in the mail yesterday) from Canada’s The Pack a.d. (their 8th and, I guess, last LP before they call it quits) for June when we had planned to see the hard-hitting garagey-psych duo of Becky Black (guitar, vocals) and Maya Miller (drums, vocals) perform. But just like every other show we’ve had tickets for, it’s been postponed (maybe cancelled, who knows).  So I’m taking it for its maiden spin and WOW! I really really love them. Top track: “It’s OK” – so infectiously dark funky, hooks for days and Becky’s voice is just freaking beautiful while she shreds the shit out of her guitar and Maya pounds the crap out of her drums. “Soul Warden” is also amazing: swirly psychedelia with a super-hard edge. “No Good” is a great angry stomper and “Shake” is just nuts (in the best of ways). There’s a couple of short instrumentals that are super-cool, too: “Gas Station Food” (very psychobilly) and “Check Engine Light” (deep and bluesy) that provide rest stops of sorts for the album. The Pack a.d.’s It Was Fun While It Lasted hits the right balance between lo-fi and quality production: garage-cred for days but still gorgeous sounds flow through the grunge (the slow lilting “Wings” is a great example of this).

We caught The Pack a.d. in 2018 when they toured for their 2017 release Dollhouse here in Milwaukee and it was absolutely criminal how few people were there to see them. I really hope we get a rescheduled date for 2020 and more people realize their brilliance – besides great records they also put on a hell of a show.