Toronto indie-rock outfit PACKS will release their debut album called Take The Cake, to be released on May 21 via Fire Talk in the US and Royal Mountain in Canada (pre-order here).
PACKS was originally formed as the solo project of frontperson Madeline Link, but then transformed into a four-piece composed of members Shane Hooper (drums), Noah O'Neil (bass), Dexter (lead guitar), and of course, Maddie. The band create a shimmering and experimental amalgamation of personal monologues and life observations, mixed with hypnotically smooth instrumentation, as you can hear on their new single "New TV."
"I got the chance to witness a craigslist transaction of two bros selling a hideous pink couch to an eager young man with a U-HAUL," Maddie explained of the track's origins. "As they lovingly demonstrated the LA-Z-BOY function, everyone seemed pretty impressed. New TV boxes and old couches litter curbs every garbage day. This song goes out to other people’s garbage."
Contrasting the track's mundane source material, it's accompanying music video unfolds like any other fairytale — the storybook opens and finds Maddy curled up in bed, perusing Cartoon Network, and munching on Lucky Charms. Then, she's transported to a variety of different screens, from a virtual billboard in Times Square to a bus stop advertisement. As she performs, drenched in the glow of a ring light and staring directly into the camera, she appears to channel early Avril Lavigne. It's a fun visual to accompany the simple, light-hearted track.
As Maddie continued regarding the nature of PACKS' forthcoming debut, "The album is a meeting of old and new. Old songs from a year ago where I'm having really horrifyingly awful days at work, getting doored while biking in Toronto and flying into the middle of the street, or going on dates with guys who I'm either instantly in love with, or who end up creeping me out a bit. Those songs are more packed with that feeling of hurtling-through-time-and-space-at-breakneck-speed, manic energy. The newer songs are infused with a foggier, slower-paced disillusionment, and deal with the strangeness of a reality morphing before my eyes every day. I still try to be optimistic obviously, but these songs are really glorified coping mechanisms."
You can check out the music video for "New TV," listen to two other songs from the record and check out the artwork and tracklist for Take the Cake, below.
TAKE THE CAKE TRACKLIST
1. Divine Giggling
2. Clingfilm
3. Two Hands
4. New TV
5. Hangman
6. My Dream
7. Hold My Hand
8. Holy Water
9. Silvertongue
10. Blown By The Wind
11. U Can Wish All U Want
