ANCHR Magazine

Holding you down with the best new music

Filtering by Tag: Album Premiere

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: PACKS

If you need a little something to shake up your energy levels and get you over the mid-week slump, look no further than PACKS’ new single "Silvertongue.” The fast-paced and fuzzed-out tune premiered last week alongside the announcement of the band’s debut album Take the Cake. “Silvertongue” gave me my first taste of the Toronto-based project, but when I learned that Fire Talk Records will be putting out the album, I was not surprised at all because they’ve never steered us wrong with any of the other artists on their roster.

PACKS is led by vocalist and songwriter Madeline Link, who started this journey as a solo project but is now joined by bandmates Shane Hooper, Noah O’Neil, and Dexter Nash. While the Covid shut down might have thrown a wrench in the momentum that PACKS had gained in the Toronto live music scene, it did allow for a unique creative process behind Take the Cake.

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo courtesy of artist

Link explains that the album is a combination of old and new, due to the fact that some of the songs came to fruition in 2019, while another group of songs were crafted while Link quarantined at her parents’ suburban home during the early days of lockdown. “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,” she says.

Make sure you pre-order Take the Cake on vinyl here, and mark your calendars for the May 21st digital release date. Tune into ““Silvertongue” below.


PREMIERE: Spirit Ghost's "Skeleton Surf Rider"

Mixing elements of surf and garage rock with a hint of twang, Spirit Ghost is the moniker of Austin-based musician Alexander Whitelaw. In a few weeks, Whitelaw will release Spirt Ghost's second record on May 11th,, but for now we have your exclusive first listen! 

Photo Courtesy of Spirit Ghost

Photo Courtesy of Spirit Ghost

Along with the premiere of the album, Whitelaw gives some insight into the album's process and journey below. Hit play on the record and get the inside scoop as Whitelaw shares his reflection of Spirit Ghost's new album:

Skeleton Surf Rider is the second full length album from Spirit Ghost. The album consists of 11 reverb-driven, jangly, pop songs; that jump from crooner ballads, to surf-punk, to heartfelt lamentations over failed relationships and family woes.  The album was written over the course of ten months and recorded in a week with Joey Distasio of Petting Zoo. Fans of Spirit Ghost’s previous releases (Satan’s Hands, Kicking Gravestones, and their S/T) will have a lot to rejoice about upon hearing the new album.

Similar to Spirit Ghost’s past works, frontman Alex Whitelaw is the sole composer for Skeleton Surf Rider. It becomes clear upon first listen, however, that committing himself to this task has developed his sound and style. Whitelaw’s usual treble toned voice, is replaced by a more mature, seasoned tone. The adolescence of his choppy phrasing has been replaced with full bodied crooner melodies that carry through and finish strong. The new album was made with the intent of sounding a lot bigger than previous albums, with more lush backdrops of instrumentation and reverb. The rhythm guitar remains clean and shimmering while the lead lines cut through with a bright, reverb soaked twang. Although Skeleton Surf Rider is a departure from the naive, catchy hits of Satan’s Hand's and the garage crunch of Kicking Gravestones, it stands out for its fresh and developed sound, as a milestone in Spirit Ghost’s discography.

Follow Spirit Ghost on social media:

Instagram // Facebook // Bandcamp