Madeline Link, a Toronto musician who performs under the name PACKS, took to Mexico for inspiration beyond what influenced previous albums and, across an 11-day trip, sought and embraced imperfection. For a period in 2020, Link studied the art of papier-mâché at an artist’s residency in Mexico City. She returned in 2023 with band members Noah O’Neil, Shane Hooper and Dexter Nash in tow, and the group went from a rented studio in Mexico City to the outskirts of Xalapa, where they spent days recording PACKS’ third album amongst the lush greenery of the cloud forest. Working outside the traditional studio environment allowed Link to feel unrestrained in her creativity while not having to worry about finances or time. While recording, she and her band ran into difficulties that would inform the creative direction of the album; electrical wiring misfires and tropical storms triggered power outages that further sparked creativity rather than impeding it.
As a result, Melt the Honey feels rich and unbound. The band crafts a collection of loose, energized indie rock tracks that exist in a dreamlike state. While their last LP Crispy Crunchy Nothing is primarily populated by ’90s-esque, jagged slacker rock, Melt the Honey sonically smoothes out the edges while retaining PACKS’ trademark lo-fi grit. Thematically, the former exists in a state of disaffection and cynicism while Melt the Honey provides catharsis and resolution. The two albums (released within 10 months of each other) act as the beginning and ending of a tale of adolescent woe, with Melt the Honey finding an eventual heartening conclusion.
From the start of Melt the Honey, it’s evident that the band is set on continually experimenting with their sound. The album’s opening track, “89 Days,” meanders in a drowsy haze with pastel brushes of guitar laid over feathery vocals and a looming bass line creating a celestial atmosphere. “Remind me later when I’ve met my fate / And as I fall asleep I know I need to change / But no backups for 89 days.” sings Link. While relaxed and warmly blended, “89 Days” establishes the commanding lyrical theme of growth and change for the rest of the album. When writing Melt the Honey, the group was inspired by an eclectic bunch of influences both within and outside the verdant landscape of Xalapa: writing by Jack Kerouac and Kurt Vonnegut, rundown diners and gas stations seen on tour, paintings, steady relationships, and stray cats.
“Paige Machine” is written about Mark Twain’s failed investment in a printing device. He’d invested in a printing machine that initially functioned, until the creator attempted to adjust an already working part and then the machine never worked again. Layered over sun-kissed spirals of guitar, Link sings of the dangers of trying to fix something that already works. “It’ll only work once now / Cause you took it apart / And it this new configuration / Fucked up now you gotta restart.” Melt the Honey carries this philosophy in hand, an album of gems that shine in their raw beauty.
“HFCS” pierces through the tracklist with its kinetic and muscular instrumentation. The song punches through distortion-saturated guitar chords, charging forward with spirited abandon under Link’s chilled vocals as she sings “high fructose corn syrup!” repeatedly in the chorus. The lightheartedness exuded in this romp of a song demonstrates PACKS’ versatility in tapping into a wide range of emotions. Rousing and vivid, the energized track textures the album with a familiar grittiness.
The album concludes with “Time Loop,” an acoustic ode to acceptance and growth that thematically mirrors the opening track “89 Days.” Fulfillment is found as Link sings “I’m sleeping and satiated / It’s about time / See? Oh, pinch me / It’s not hopeless, yet.” The sparse track is guided by Link’s affectionate vocals, repeatedly insisting “It’s not hopeless, yet.” Melt the Honey showcases PACKS at their most realized, creating an album of unreserved emotional depth while allowing themselves to fearlessly experiment and discover their sound along the way. While inspired by numerous corners of art and creation, the influences seamlessly blend into a cohesive and thoughtful tracklist. The imperfections and hinderances embraced by the band allowed for their boldest project to date.
Read our recent feature on PACKS here.
