The Pack A.D.: Tintype (2007)-Melissa Smith
The Pack A.D.: Tintype (2007)
By Melissa Smith
Formed in 2006, The Pack A.D. are Vancouver based musicians Becky Black on vocals and guitar and Maya Miller, drummer and chief organizer for the duo. Tintype, which is The Pack A.D.’s first recording, was originally released independently in 2006. The band then got signed to Vancouver indie label Mint Records and Tintype was re-released in fall 2007.
Tintype is a photographic process invented in 1856, in which sheets or iron (ironically tin was never used) are used to make the usually brown tinged photos. This theme is carried over into the song lyrics which include prospecting and the civil war.
Besides the lyrical subject matter, another characteristic which sets the album apart is the originality of its structure. Although it contains 17 songs, Tintype clocks in at a little over ¾ of an hour, with many of the songs falling under the two-minute mark. The Pack A.D. sound is simultaneously vintage and modern with some classical piano thrown in for good measure.
From the opening strains of the first track, “Gold Rush” you know that this band is going to drag you to hell and back and you are going to thoroughly enjoy it. Throughout the album, Black’s voice is powerful and intense, from the soft start of “Pilot Blues” to the outright shrieking found on many of the other tracks which fully complements her blues driven guitar riffs.
The beauty of a two piece is that an instrument such as the drums, which often fades into the background is showcased more fully. Miller’s heavy drumming and cow bell inspired rhythms propel the track “What’s Up There” , and her rat-a-tat style perfectly balances “Walk On”.
Perhaps the most surprising element on Tintype is the classical sounding piano which offers a gratifying and unexpected divergence from the more strenuous tracks. Hardtack Saloon #1 begins with the sound of a needle making contact with old vinyl and segues into a haunting instrumental interlude comprised of slightly spooky piano. The sound invoking the ghosts of barkeepers past is executed twice more throughout the recording with two additional versions of Hardtack Saloon.
Tintype ends with the slightly psychedelic sounding “Bone Handle” which lures the listener into thinking it’s an instrumental until vocals make an introduction over one minute into the track. Rather than concluding the final track in the mellow manner in which it began, the album halts on three sharp guitar riffs, signifying to the listener that although they might be gone for now, The Pack A.D. certainly will not go quietly, nor will they be forgotten.
Copyright C. 2008 Melissa Smith
May 30th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
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