Sometimes there is only one simple reason an album is enjoyable and that is simply because its enjoyable to listen to. This applies to The Soft Pack and their album “Strapped.”
Here me out folks, The Soft Pack isn’t a band that is applying anything eclectic or dynamic here. They are simply a band that creates simple, straightforward and groovy California rock n’ roll tunes. And we aren’t talking like Los Angeles, San Francisco, or any place crazy like that. We’re talking San Diego here people. Where the sun is shining, its mellow as shit, and the most violent thing ever to take place in downtown San Diego is the Chargers game and even that is stretching it.
Ok, yeah that was lame, but my point is San Diego is a chill ass place and the Soft Pack are a chill ass band. Yeah, they are a rock n’ roll band, but they don’t have any eccentric themes about hookers or big Asses or anything like that. They are an indie band, but they don’t need 12 members or have to rip off Joy Division. I mean, seriously, I get it. Indie kids love Joy Division, but seriously leave their shit alone.
You see, The Soft Pack is The Dude of rock bands. They are just a band for their own time and place. Because sometimes there’s a band, I won’t say rock stars, but sometimes there is a band.
You get it? They are plain and simple. They are the band that you put on in your car while going on errands or something that makes whatever tedious task you have in front of you a little more enjoyable. “Strapped” is an album you would listen to while chilling outside on a summer afternoon drinking with your friends. Its head bobbing music, not a revelation of otherworldly proportions, and that’s ok.
“Tallboy” outlines the pain in the ass task of taking your life and health into account when all you really need after a long day is to relax and grab a beer. As Matt Lamkin sounds off like some hipster cheerleader “T-A-L-L-B-O- Why do I try.” I can’t help, but acknowledge the clever word playing this album holds about his seemingly blissful blend of apathy. Almost as if to sarcastically say, I am a lazy, but it’s ok because I don’t mind.
In a bizarre twist of playful indie-pop the Soft Pack unleash “Bobby Brown” a somewhat new twist on a sound that bands like Passion Pit have implemented in the past that also infuses some pop-punk elements that find themselves in some Soft Pack meets MGMT meets No Doubt type hybrid. I say “Soft Pack meets” because despite the clear influence of the song it is not without its artist’s original fling. Despite the curve ball of “Bobby Brown” if you look through out the rest of the album you’d find tracks not that unlike the ones on their previous self-titled debut. Its California surf rock with a punk edge that that rarely runs for more than two and a half minutes, aside from the monstrous indie epic album closer “Captain Ace.”
This is the strength of this band, their songs are meant to be short. “Saratoga” is a fast pace punk anthem that cuts of at two minutes and 37 seconds just as the song might over stay its welcome. This band isn’t writing any epic prog-metal freakouts or epic indie anthems just to give Pitchforkers a hard on and that’s beautiful man. Just play rock n’ roll because, well you know, you’re good at it.
Some bands try way to hard. If a band writes an album that sounds like one thing and then wants to completely scrap that sound for a new sound you better make sure you can pull it off, otherwise don’t fix things that don’t need fixing. Props to the Soft Pack for sticking to their guns and saying, “yeah this what we sound like, and that’s cool.”
8/10