The next thing that blows you away is that The Pack A.D. are not a band but the duo of Becky Black (guitar and vocals) and Maya Miller (drums). It’s hard to believe and you fall instantly into the area of The Dreseden Dolls, Death From Above 1979 and The White Stripes fomat of how do just two people make such a full sound?

To be honest it’s hard to get over as the guitar sits somewhere between Robert Johnson and Jimmy Page, John Bonham on drums and Janis Joplin on vocals. Now that’s some sort of super group! In these days of Amy Winehouse’s excessive liquid consumption, I’m convinced Ms. Black gargles Jack Daniels before breakfast, what a voice? As a quick aside, Janis Joplin’s Pearl from 1971 has just being reissued with bonus live CD and it’s the live recording that shines as Janis holds it together.

The Pack A.D. must rock live and I bet they climax with ‘Oh Be Joyful’ as it builds to its peak yelps. But that’s not the only stand-out track as it kicks off with ‘Blackout’, ‘Don’t Have To Like You’ (great line, “I don’t have to like you ‘cos you’re leg is broke”), ‘Making Gestures’ and the addictive ‘Shiny Things’.

‘Dannemora Blues’ slows things down and is a bit disconcerting as its hook goes “Oh, Mr. Parry” and I can’t get a vision of certain a well known Mr. Parry out of my head. But ignoring that, ten of the best blues/rock tracks you’ll likely to come across (for some like minded history see The Rough Guide To The Blues, Sugar Blue or the reworked Chess Moves).

Talkin’ of the blues, ‘Wolves And Werewolves’ is pretty old skool rockin’ but get the emotion of the closing track ‘Worried’; now that’ll put goose bumps on ya, reminds me of the first time I heard Zepplin’s ‘Tea For One’.

This is their second album (following the debut Tintype and it’s not at all “difficult”, These guys are inspirational and it won’t be long before journos are using The Pack A.D. as the benchmark for the power duo. I wouldn’t be at all disappointed it the Funeral Mixtape is played at my wake.

Reviewed: The Pack A.D. - Funeral Mixtape (Mint Records) Cat. No. MRD-121 Release date: 12th August 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Blackout (2:36)
2 Don’t Have To Like You (4:19)
3 Making Gestures (4:10)
4 Shiny Things (3:11)
5 Oh Be Joyful (4:01)
6 Underground (4:56)
7 June (3:27)
8 Dannemora Blues (4:44)
9 Build (3:06)
10 Wolves And Warewolves (4:45)
11 Worried (4:58)

Links
thepackafterdeath.com
www.myspace.com/thepackad
www.mintrecs.com
Record Store Day “Perhaps the image that best sums up Record Store Day is this: Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach DJ’ing an afternoon set at Manhattan’s Other Music, with two iPods set atop silent turntables.”

Forthcoming Gigs:
16 July 2008 Pianos (Manhattan) New York
17 July 2008 The Hideout Chicago, Illinois
18 July 2008 Big V’s St. Paul, Minnesota
19 July 2008 The Rox St. Cloud, Minnesota
20 July 2008 Deep Blues Festival Lake Elmo, Minnesota
23 July 2008 The Brass Rail Ft. Wayne, Indiana
24 July 2008 The Garage Winston-Salem, North Carolina
25 July 2008 Poe’s Pub Richmond, Virginia
26 July 2008 The Village Tavern Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
27 July 2008 Fuel Jacksonville, Florida
28 July 2008 Robbie O’Connell’s Pub Daytona Beach, Florida
29 July 2008 The Recovery Room Charleston, South Carolina
30 July 2008 Egan’s Tuscaloosa, Alabama
31 July 2008 Government Street Grocery Ocean Springs, Mississippi
1 Aug 2008 Finnegan’s Pub Alexandria, Louisiana
2 Aug 2008 Hole in the Wall Austin, Texas
4 Aug 2008 The Ruby Room Phoenix, Arizona
6 Aug 2008 The Filling Station Bozeman, Montana
7 Aug 2008 The End Portland, Oregon
8 Aug 2008 The Voyeur Olympia, Washington
9 Aug 2008 Winterland Bremerton, Washington
10 Aug 2008 Under The Volcano Festival North Vancouver, British Columbia
16 Aug 2008 Richard’s on Richards - Our CD Release party with Rich Hope & His Evil Doers and Thee Manipulators! Vancouver, British Columbia