Toronto post-punk outfit PACKS has just released a hazy jam "Silvertongue" in a brilliant act of cross-genre musicianship. The track elegantly fuses late 80s indie aesthetics with a modern indie context, all while being an incredibly concise and enjoyable listen. There's also a crafty music video to match, featuring shifting landscapes and scenes to accent the dynamic musicality. "Silvertongue" comes along with the announcement of take the cake, the band's debut album due out on May 21 via Fire Talk records. With the delivery of this firey new track, PACKS is off to an excellent start for 2021, soon to make the move from underground Bandcamp intrigue to one of the indie scene's hottest acts to watch.
PACKS carries an impeccable sense of rhythm and pace on "Silvertongue." They're able to switch up speed and energy in the blink of an eye, all while keeping cohesive and rehearsed under the reverbed croons of vocal mastermind Maddie Link. Maddie is dazzling on the PACKS jam, commanding the track effortlessly with vocal runs that can be both subtle and forceful. Instrumentally, the lo-fi guitars and booming drums make for a vibrant backdrop worthy of any late night garage congregation. The exact genre is hard to pin down on the song; it drips with the haze of a Sonic Youth or My Bloody Valentine along with the abrasive dynamics of a Pixies cut. There are modern influences as well, as Wavves and Courtney Barnett are clear points of reference for the cerebral slacker rockers.
However, PACKS is surely carving out unique and refreshing lane, as the band has a daft ability to make music that's as dreamy as it is uncompromising. Few tracks in 2021 feel this uplifting in the quite the way that this one does.
