I find it a little bizarre that I’m writing about this album, as I’m frequently not much of a fan of the lo-fi garage rock ‘n’ roll set. I don’t think it’s a genre prejudice, I just find that the line between “authentic” and “sloppy” can be altogether too blurry at times.

Having heard the The Soft Pack‘s recent Australian release of singles, b-sides and demos entitled Exctinction, I was gearing up to dump the band in the “sloppy” category. The release, apparently intended to capture interest arising from the group’s “buzz” status, contained a lot of songs with mediocre-to-dismal sound quality and a general lack of impact.

It was with little enthusiasm, then, that I gave the band another go with their new self-titled. Surprisingly, what jumped out at me was a different band to what I’d previously encountered. The production, granted, is more refined: the arrangements are more pre-meditated than before, in the way the guitars blend, the vocal harmonies and the dynamics of the songs. Many might cry foul of this as “losing the vibe”, but here’s the thing: unlike the previous songs I’d heard from the band, all these modifications allowed the hooks to shine through. And, as it turns out, these boys have a knack for writing hooks – tons of them.

This is infectious stuff – no revolutions here, just an album that’s a 32 minute ride of quality, rollicking rockers. Despite the aforementioned production values, the album’s sound still retains the punch of a band-in-the-room aesthetic. The songs saunter along, usually at a brisk pace. It’s got singable choruses and a boatload of energetic riffs. The refinements simply aid the band in hitting the spot more consistently, making for a much more enjoyable start-to-finish experience.

In conclusion, I think what’s been managed here is a straddling between the two extremes – spontaneous, “authentic” performances and refined production value. Too much of either and you lose the plot, but The Soft Pack have managed to turn out a release that walks the line neatly in the middle without pandering to either side. The result is a cunningly executed balance: when it comes served like this I’m not too concerned about its originality, I’m having too much fun enjoying the ride.

The Soft Pack comes out March 6th through Pod/Inertia.

Download

• Answer to Yourself (mp3)