Valentines Day gave us single Brightonians a couple of options. We could see the Soft Pack at Freebutt, we could see She Keeps Bees at the Hope OR we could stay at home and be angry. I almost went with the angry part, but instead I went down to the Freebutt to see my Los Angeles compatriats for the first time since their somewhat-meh showing at Pershing Square in July. I’m going to blame their performance in July on their opener (worst band to ever haunt the planet, Little Red Radio) and the sound quality and the drunk bitches attempting to dance to the Soft Pack. Hi-larious.

Their gig at the Freebutt was their first that I’ve attended post release of their second album. I staunchly refer to ‘The Soft Pack’ as their second album. Mostly because I own the original 12″ that they released as the Muslims. It was an album, not an EP, not a digital release – a FUCKING amazing album! There was a healthy crowd to see them which pleased me to no end as I’ve enjoyed so much watching the Muslims go from playing Los Angeles constantly, to their name change, across multiple US tours, and now to the release of their sophomore album.

From the moment they kicked off with ‘Pull Out’, I could see how much they’d matured as a band. The new songs, off ‘The Soft Pack’, are a direct fulfillment of the promise they showed, even as far back as June 2008 – one of first times they played the Echo. They’ve kept their excellent rhythm section – David Lantzman’s bass is the screw that holds the ramshackle together, he’s the one that makes the songs remotely danceable; Brian Hill’s drums play tandem with Lantzman’s lines driving them forward, playing both sides – waiting for everything to just fall apart into one punky mess AND keeping it all together, keeping it solid. Matty McLoughlin’s guitar still needs as much forcing as it ever did – the guy can fucking play but it looks like it’s taking every bit of effort, every drop of sweat to get every note out of that damn guitar. And live, Matt Lampkin’s still got his most dangerous weapon – his voice. The ‘perpetual outsider commenting’ sound, that distant, devil-may-care quality is what draws me in – I can’t help but listen any time he opens his mouth.

So they’ve still got everything they’ve always had – what now? The song writing is better, for a start. For starters, a tune like ‘Mexico’ which may actually steal the show off the album could’ve never in a million years had a place on their first album. ‘C’mon’ is clearly destined to be a major crowd pleaser (my friend demanded we listen to it on repeat afterwards) and ‘Down On Loving’ is the best one to shout along to. It’s hard to pinpoint how exactly I know that something’s changed in the band – I don’t know if I’m too close, if I’ve seen them too many times and whether or not that means I’m one capable of seeing the change or not at all, but I know something’s different. The Soft Pack rock out, hard. That’s never going to change – well, I hope not – but something in their attitude says they’ve slowed down a little bit and taken more time to write the songs and be concerned with writing something more than say a ‘Nightlife’ (even though, honestly, its amazing and hilarious).

Matt Lampkin’s stage presence has also matured. Previously, when he has to ditch his guitar on stage for their perpetually amazing song, ‘Parasites’, he’d walk to the back side corner of the Echo and stand awkwardly not really knowing what to do. Now, he didn’t leave the front of the stage and kept our attention. Perhaps he’s not the most captivating front-man, but I doubt that would work for them, to have a front-man who steals the show, half the fun of the Soft Pack is working out which one to look at, which one’s working the hardest (my money’s always on McLoughlin, although Lantzman’s bass moves are amazing). Basically, if you buy yourself a ticket to see the Soft Pack, you’re in for an evening of fun and punky spirit and tunes to jump around and dance a little to – something that we don’t get enough in Brighton, something that I’d never turn down.

9/10

Full Setlist
Pull Out
Down On Loving
C’Mon
More or Less
Extinction
Brightside
Tides of Time
Right & Wrong
Beside Myself
Parasites
Mexico
Answer to Yourself

DOWNLOAD -> The Soft Pack – Extinction (Live @ Amoeba)