Bursting With Bluesy Grooves
Canadian duo The Pack A.D manage to pack enough balls to knock out a whole party of gangsters into their second album, 'Funeral Mixtape'. Becky Black provides the kind of vocals that leave feminists and blues fans salivating, while Maya Miller's percussion adds an abrasive onslaught that keeps the listener clued into the album the whole way through.
The first few tunes are frantic and frenetic and the kind of hip blues rock mish mash that another duo, The White Stripes, have made so popular. 'Blackout' is sexy and its rhythmic riff grinds against your ears with heady charm while Beth moans, "Light a candle, touch me!" 'Don't Have To Like You' is a little more restrained but effortlessly bluesy with a fierce rock riff exploding from the simple pattern of single notes which ripples through the verses. Tunes like, 'Build' show how much these ladies know how to groove with a melody that should have plenty of hips shaking as it snarls through your stereo.
This is one album where percussion shouldn't be underestimated, 'Shiny Things' for example starts with some lazily slurred slide guitar and soft, soulful vocals before the thunderous percussion bursts in and the guitars follow their lead with some growling overdrive. The rest of the album moves between aching blues rock and gyrating riffs that crash through the sultry air accompanied by shivering cymbals.
The Pack A.D have mastered bolshy, brooding rock with vocals that simultaneously groove and seduce and writhing guitarwork that blazes with aggression. With the success of similarly bluesy groups like The Black Keys and appearances at various UK festivals this year, The Pack A.D should gather the following that they deserve with their gorgeous, unstoppable grooves and mellow melodies. 'Funeral Mixtape' is a great album that's bound to make you fall in love with the band's charismatic and catchy tunes.