{{short description|Canadian garage rock duo}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Pack A.D. | image = The Pack AD.jpg | caption = The Pack A.D. performs at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, September 2018. | origin = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | genre = Garage rock, alternative rock, punk, psych rock, indie rock, blues rock, polka | years_active = {{start date|2006}}–present | label = Mint Records<br />Platinum / Cornflakes Zoo (France)<br />Nettwerk Music Group<br />Cadence Music Group | website = {{URL|thepackad.com}} | current_members = Maya Miller<br />Becky Black }}
'''The Pack A.D.''' is a Canadian garage rock group from Vancouver, British Columbia. They are known for mixing garage rock with an eclectic variety of genre influences including pop, punk, psychedelic, polka, new wave, and blues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/The-Pack-AD |title=CBC Music |website=music.cbc.ca |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212163426/http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/The-Pack-AD |archive-date=12 February 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History== Formed in 2006, the Pack A.D. consists of singer/guitarist Becky Black and drummer Maya Miller. The group released four studio albums on Mint Records.<ref name="thepackafterdeath.com">{{cite web|url=http://thepackafterdeath.com/ |title=The Pack After Death |publisher=The Pack After Death |access-date=2012-07-17}}</ref> When their contract with Mint expired, the group signed with Nettwerk in April 2013.<ref name=Exclaim>{{cite web|last=Hudson |first=Alex |url=http://exclaim.ca/News/pack_d_jump_ship_to_nettwerk_records_ahead_of_new_album |title=The Pack A.D. Sign to Nettwerk Records Ahead of New Album • News • |publisher=Exclaim.ca |date=2013-04-10 |access-date=2013-07-25}}</ref> They released their fifth studio album, ''Do Not Engage'', on January 28, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hudson |first=Alex |url=http://exclaim.ca/News/pack_d_detail_do_not_engage |title=The Pack A.D. Detail 'Do Not Engage' • News • |publisher=Exclaim.ca |date=2013-10-16 |access-date=2014-01-28}}</ref> After touring extensively, they were signed to Cadence Music Group (a rebranding of MapleMusic) in 2015, which also saw them writing and recording material for a new album, ''Positive Thinking'', which was released August 12, 2016. On August 23 of the following year, while in the midst of a North American festival circuit, the band announced they would be releasing a new record, ''Dollhouse,'' on October 13, 2017. the band released an eponymous lead single for the record, "Dollhouse", after teasing the single's release the day before via the band's Facebook page. In the early spring of 2018, the band embarked upon a European tour, then headed back to North America for a brief U.S. Their most recent album ''It Was Fun While It Lasted'' was released in 2020.<ref name=":0" />
==Style and influence== Musical styles include garage rock, pop, punk, polka, and blues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/thepackad |title=THE PACK A.D. | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's |publisher=Myspace.com |access-date=2012-07-17}}</ref> In the past, reviewers have compared the group to the White Stripes, The Arrogant Worms, Simon and Garfunkel, the Kills, and the Black Keys.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ninebullets.net/archives/the-pack-a-d-unpersons |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201155517/http://ninebullets.net/archives/the-pack-a-d-unpersons |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |title=The Pack A.D. — Unpersons |publisher=ninebullets.net |access-date=2013-07-25}}</ref> However, Black herself credits Django Reinhardt, Billie Holiday, and her own grandfather as formative influences.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-04-21 |title=Becky Black and Maya Miller get ahead of the pack |url=https://www.straight.com/article-318897/vancouver/being-ahead-pack |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=The Georgia Straight |language=en}}</ref> The band slightly evolved away from their raw early sound with their third album, ''We Kill Computers'', and with their 2011 release, ''Unpersons''. Their next two offerings, 2014's ''Do Not Engage'' and 2016's ''Positive Thinking'', found them expanding their sound even further with psychedelic rock, polka, and rockabilly influences. Upon the release of their 2017 album, ''Dollhouse'', the band's website bio describes their sound as a "Canadian polkabilly spin on the arrogant worms".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thepackad.com/bio|title=The Pack a.d. | Bio|website=Thepacked.com|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> The band cites literature and film as huge inspiration for much of their songwriting, especially science fiction and horror genres. These inspirations are also present in their highly stylized music videos, which are often violent with visually striking homages to classic sci-fi films.<ref name=Exclaim-Unpersons>{{cite magazine|url=http://exclaim.ca/News/pack_d_announce_unpersons_lp|title=The Pack A.D. Announce 'Unpersons' LP|author=Hughes, Josiah|access-date=2011-06-29|magazine=Exclaim!}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''Tintype'' (2007) * ''Funeral Mixtape'' (2008) * ''We Kill Computers'' (2010) * ''Unpersons'' (2011) * ''Do Not Engage'' (2014) * ''Positive Thinking'' (2016) * ''Dollhouse'' (2017)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voulezvousdanser.com/artists/the-pack-a-d/ |title=The Pack A.D. - Voulez-vous Danser | agence de production de concerts et spectacles musicaux |website=www.voulezvousdanser.com |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916010939/http://www.voulezvousdanser.com/artists/the-pack-a-d/ |archive-date=16 September 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> * ''It Was Fun While It Lasted'' (2020)<ref name=":0">[https://meaww.com/the-pack-ad-final-album-it-was-fun-while-it-lasted-review-melancholic-bittersweet-goodbye Meaww]–'It Was Fun While It Lasted' is a melancholic, bittersweet, and heartfelt goodbye</ref>
=== EPs === * ''Some Sssongs'' (2013) * ''Meta Animal'' (2015)
==In popular culture== * The song "Haunt You" was featured in the films ''The Collection'' (2012)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748227/soundtrack|title=The Collection (2012)|website=IMDb.com|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> and ''Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse'' (2015).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727776/soundtrack|title=Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015) |website=IMDb.com|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> * The song "Everyone Looks Like Everyone" was featured in the debut episode of Crave's series ''Letterkenny''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4762044/soundtrack|title="Letterkenny" Ain't No Reason to Get Excited (TV Episode 2016) |website=IMDb.com|access-date=2020-03-23}}</ref> * The song "1880" from ''We Kill Computers'' was featured in the film ''The Art of the Steal''. * The song "Needles" was featured in the American television hit show ''Shameless''. * The song "Yes, I Know" was featured on The CW's hit series ''Riverdale'', as well as Showtime's reboot of ''The L Word: Generation Q'', The WB series ''Animal Kingdom'' and in the 2018 video game ''Far Cry 5''. * The duo performing their song "Pieces" are featured in the opening scene of ''Arctic Air'' episode "Old Wounds".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Season 2 {{!}} E5 {{!}} Old Wounds |url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/arctic-air/season-2/52611 |website=Tunefind}}</ref> * The song "Motorvate" was featured in the soundtrack of the video game ''NASCAR Heat 3''.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1031963396130959360|title=Thank you to all the fans who submitted artists for our soundtrack! Without further ado, here is the official soundtrack for #NASCARHeat3!|author=NASCAR Heat|date=2018-08-21|user=NASCARHeat|language=en|access-date=2019-03-03}}</ref> <!-- *''Tintype'' (January 2008) – Mint Records. Was previously self-released April 2007.<ref name="thepackafterdeath.com"/>
Track list:
1. "Gold Rush"<br /> 2. "All Damn Day Long"<br /> 3. "Snow"<br /> 4. "This Terror"<br /> 5. "Stray"<br /> 6. "Pilot's Blues"<br /> 7. "Hardtack Saloon No. 1"<br /> 8. "What's Up There"<br /> 9. "Bang"<br /> 10. "Paper Bag"<br /> 11. "Got Up"<br /> 12. "Cabin"<br /> 13. "Hardtack Saloon No. 3"<br /> 14. "Buyin' My Way"<br /> 15. "Walk On"<br /> 16. "Hardtack Saloon No. 2"<br /> 17. "Bone Handle"
''Tintype'' was voted No. 1 Album of 2007 at CiTR 101.9 FM.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.earshot-online.com/features/2008/January/picks_invisible.cfm |title=!earshot : features !earshot year-end picks 2007 - January 2008 |publisher=Earshot-online.com |date=2012-07-10 |access-date=2012-07-17}}</ref>
*''Funeral Mixtape'' (August 2008) – Mint Records
Track list:
1. "Blackout"<br /> 2. "Don't Have To"<br /> 3. "Making Gestures"<br /> 4. "Shiny Things"<br /> 5. "Oh Be Joyful"<br /> 6. "Underground"<br /> 7. "June"<br /> 8. "Dannemora Blues"<br /> 9. "Build"<br /> 10. "Wolves and Werewolves"<br /> 11. "Worried"
The Pack A.D.'s second album ''Funeral Mixtape'' was released August 12, 2008 under Mint Records.<ref name="thepackafterdeath.com"/> It consists of 11 tracks in the same blues rock style as Tintype.
*''We Kill Computers'' (April 2010) - Mint Records
Track list:
1. "Deer"<br /> 2. "Everyone Looks Like Everyone"<br /> 3. "Crazy"<br /> 4. "1880"<br /> 5. "Math, the Stars"<br /> 6. "Big Anvil"<br /> 7. "Cobra Matte"<br /> 8. "B.C. is On Fire"<br /> 9. "They Know Me"<br /> 10. "K Stomp"<br /> 11. "Catch"<br /> 12. "The Slow Down"<br /> 13. "The Last Martian"
iTunes digital download; pre-released on April 13, 2010.<br /> 180 gram vinyl LP in gatefold jacket with free download; pre-released at Scratch Records (Vancouver, BC) only in conjunction with Record Store Day on April 17, 2010.<br /> Official release of CD/LP/Digital on April 27, 2010.
*''Unpersons'' (13 September 2011) - Mint Records
Track list:
1. "Sirens"<br /> 2. "Haunt You"<br /> 3. "Lights"<br /> 4. "8"<br /> 5. "Rid of Me"<br /> 6. "Seasick"<br /> 7. "Take"<br /> 8. "Positronic"<br /> 9. "Body Parts"<br /> 10. "Pieces"<br /> 11. "Cardinal Rule"<br /> 12. "Ride"<br /> 13. "Hear Me Out"
*''The Pack A D - Do Not Engage'' (2014) Nettwerk
Track list:
1. "Airborne"<br /> 2. "Big Shot"<br /> 3. "Animal"<br /> 4. "Creepin' Jenny"<br /> 5. "Battering Ram"<br /> 6. "The Water"<br /> 7. "Stalking is Normal"<br /> 8. "Loser"<br /> 9. "The Flight"<br /> 10. "Rocket"<br /> 11. "Needles" -->
===Singles=== {|class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Song ! colspan="2"| Chart peak ! rowspan="2"| Album |- ! style="width:40px;"|<small>CAN<br />Alt</small><br /><ref>{{cite web| title = Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - September 27, 2011| publisher = America's Music Charts| url = https://canadianrockalt.blogspot.com/2011/09/alternative-rock-september-27-2011.html| access-date =September 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Alternative Rock - April 17, 2012| publisher = America's Music Charts| url = https://canadianrockalt.blogspot.com/2012/04/alternative-rock-april-17-2012.html| access-date = April 17, 2012}}</ref> ! style="width:40px;"|<small>CAN<br />Rock</small><br /><ref>{{cite web| title = Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - October 4, 2011| date = 4 October 2011| publisher = America's Music Charts| url = https://canadianrockalt.blogspot.com/2011/10/active-rock-october-4-2011.html| access-date = October 4, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = Canadian Active Rock & Alt Rock Chart Archive: Active Rock - January 31, 2012| date = 31 January 2012| publisher = America's Music Charts| url = https://canadianrockalt.blogspot.com/2012/01/active-rock-january-31-2012.html| access-date = January 31, 2012}}</ref> |- ||2011 | "Sirens" | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 37 | rowspan="2"|''Unpersons'' |- ||2012 | "Haunt You" | style="text-align:center;"| 22 | style="text-align:center;"| 50 |- ! colspan="10"| <small>"—" denotes a release that did not chart.</small> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * official website http://thepackad.com/ * [http://www.mintrecs.com/artist/pack-ad The Pack A.D. profile] at Mint Records * [http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/The-Pack-AD CBC Music profile page]
{{Commons category|The Pack A.D.}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pack A.D., The}} Category:2006 establishments in British Columbia Category:All-female punk bands Category:Canadian garage rock groups Category:Canadian musical duos Category:Female musical duos Category:Mint Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 2006 Category:Musical groups from Vancouver Category:Rock music duos Category:Nettwerk Music Group artists Category:Canadian all-female bands Category:Female-fronted musical groups