Sitting somewhere between the sass of indie and the classiness of soul, blending such extremes as guitar intensity and a more understated, bass-driven serenity, ‘Pack It Up’ is one of those songs where such opposites definitely attract. Too driven to be entirely neo-soul; too sophisticated to just play the indie card; employing rock heights when the band needs to put their foot on the gas; happy to lilt lovingly along through understated, liminal spaces just beyond the funk lands, this is a fantastic song.
The Venus Children is obviously a band that revels in exploring the heights and hidden corners of the musical landscape, never stopping long in one genre, never staying in a particular lane, never following the well trodden paths, and then taking all the cool influences and inspirations that they have found and weaving them effortlessly and eloquently into a song that could only be the product of the broad-minded, post-genre age we find ourselves in.
‘Pack It Up’ explores those thoughts and feelings that linger in the aftermath of a relationship, the confusing acceptance of it being over and wondering why you can’t move on, at least not as easily as you would like.
It’s a song that offers no answers because there are none. But whether you relate to the lyrics or are just here to appreciate the tasteful nature of the music, ‘Pack It Up’ is a great experience, more than the sum of its parts, as all memorable music is, and the perfect introduction to the band’s debut album, The Ingredient.
