Tag Archives: The Soft Pack
Two Nights of the Soft Pack
September 9th, 2010
Three years ago San Diego musicians Matt Lamkin (vocals and guitar) and Matty McLoughlin (guitar) formed a group called the Muslims. “We wanted to start a band that played simple, catchy, smart rock songs,” says Lamkin. Eventually they added Dave Lantzman (bass) and Brian Hill (drums) and put out a few well-regarded singles. But after too many ignorant comments, they decided to be called the Soft Pack instead. They also chose get out of Dodge, which, in this case, meant heading to L.A. But despite the name change, the Soft Pack (above, playing “Answer to Yourself” on Late Show with David Letterman) continue to put their personal twist on ’60s garage, ’70s punk and ’80s college rock. Their self-titled debut came out earlier this year. And you can check out the new tunes tomorrow and Saturday night at The Bowery Ballroom.
The Soft Pack Isn’t Holding Anything Back
April 5th, 2010The Soft Pack – Music Hall of Williamsburg – April 3, 2010
It’s somewhat of a curse that the more successful a first album is, the worse the second one will be received. Conventional wisdom suggests that the debut record is so great because a band has had years to work through ripping off heroes, refining their voice and experimenting in every style to finally come out on the other side with something groundbreaking. So it’s in that second album that what a band is really made of once all eyes are on them becomes clear. The Soft Pack emerged from a band-name change and pitch-perfect assertive debut EP to deliver an impressive follow-up album, which also happens to be self-titled.
That full-length disc is filled with that familiar stripped-down rock and roll, signature basslines and sing-along choruses. And the Soft Pack played almost everything from it on Saturday night at Music Hall of Williamsburg. They innovate in a crowded field of drums, guitar and bass and turn out an energetically consistent live show. It’s hard to pick a favorite because they don’t have the one obvious hit—they’re all A-sides. But something that has changed is that the group is now obviously at home onstage, messing with the audience and one another, like when guitarist Matty McLoughlin made fun of singer-guitarist Matt Lamkin’s new gold Fender Squier guitar: “Yeah, that’s got a classic vibe…a nerdy vibe.”
The Soft Pack is definitely an L.A. band. Its members, dressed in similar plaid button-down shirts, are comfortable enough to inspire a moshing audience and still have the nerve to call themselves squares. This self-deprecating attitude is converting new fans at every show, because they don’t have the same kind of ego as bands like the Strokes do. Maybe they’ve been sabotaging themselves just enough to keep it interesting, forced to reinvent the band every year, never resting on that last performance. Whatever it is, don’t take it for indifference, because the Soft Pack isn’t holding anything back. —Jason Dean
Different Name, Same Band
October 5th, 2009The Soft Pack – The Bowery Ballroom – October 2, 2009
After recently changing its name from the Muslims to something even more nondescript, the Soft Pack opened its Friday-night set at The Bowery Ballroom playing “Right and Wrong” at breakneck speed. Lead vocalist Matt Lamkin sang with his usual cool, emotionless detachment as he stared out over everyone’s heads into the back of the room. The band’s raw back-to-basics rock is a serious business, and Lamkin focused on his measured pitch with a defiant punch: “Hey all you killers/ Hey, hey/ Why don’t you all just call it a day.” What Lamkin suppresses, the rest of the band makes up for in pure sweat ethic. He was forever bent over the guitar, straining to keep pace with Brian Hill, who stood behind his drum kit, pounding out ordered rhythms. The idea seemed to be to get real leverage on the snare and single tall tom, all while stomping out the kick drum. He was visibly exhausted when they finished “Future Rock.”
The Soft Pack has been able to make short work of smaller venues, ascending to The Bowery Ballroom on the strength of just two EPs and a couple of singles. Answering any questions regarding whether the group could continue to pull off its catchy, post-punk sound, the Soft Pack unleashed new tracks “Answer to Yourself” and “Pull Out” with Lamkin’s naturally irregular melodic style and barbed lyric edge to rival the subversive hit “Nightlife.” Proving that a band name is nothing more than what you become known as, the guys in Soft Pack are determined to let the only thing that matters ultimately determine their fate: the music. —Jason Dean
